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Plant Profile

Britton's Bear-grass (Nolina brittoniana)

Global Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Asparagaceae
State: FL
Nature Serve ID: 144304
Lifeform: Subshrub, Shrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 08/12/1987

Description:

Britton’s Beargrass, Nolina brittoniana, is a Florida endemic that is in the Agave family and both federally and state listed as endangered. It is a perennial with long, grass-like leaves and grows from a central clump. It is found on well-drained, xeric soils on the Lake Wales Ridge and north to the Ocala National Forest. It has no main stalk, but develops a 2-meter tall flowering stalk in the spring. Small, white flowers form as a panicle with several branches. In the fall, seeds are plentiful within 1 cm wide winged capsules which appear light yellow then turn to brown as the seeds ripen. Nolina brittoniana is a perennial herb that is a member of the Agavaceae family. It has the typical agave-like long, stiff leaves in a grass-like clump that rise from a bulbous stem. The youngest leaves are erect while the older leaves (up to 6 feet long, 0.5 inch wide) spread on the ground. The flowering stalk reaches from 3 to 6 feet tall, and is topped with a large, showy cluster of small while flowers. Britton's beargrass flowers from March to May, but fruits, leaves, and growth habit are distinctive all year. Male and female flowers are usually borne on separate plants. Both plants are very conspicuous during flowering. The fruits are a papery, symmetrical, 3-lobed capsule, persisting through the summer (FNAI 2000). This species may be mistaken for Nolina atopocarpa, which is a related species that may occur in the same area as Nolina brittoniana. The two species can be distinguished from one another by the shorter leaves, green (rather than white) flowers, and asymmetric fruits characteristic of Nolina atopocarpa. (USFWS 1996)

Where is Britton's Bear-grass (Nolina brittoniana) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Britton's beargrass occurs in a wide range of habitat types, from relatively open scrub to hammocks with closed canopies. All of the habitats where Britton's beargrass occurs are considered upland sites where soil is droughty and infertile, and are fire-dependent and fire-maintained ecosystems. The wide range of habitat types are very different in appearance, physiognomy, species composition, fire dynamics, and land use history, but are closely linked ecologically and historically (USFWS 1999).Nolina brittoniana is usually associated with evergreen oaks, saw palmettos, various shrub heaths, and xerophytic herbs. Britton's beargrass occurs in association with several rare and/or federally listed species: Polygala lewtonii, Polygonella myriophylla, Polygonella basiramia, Paronychia chartacea spp. chartacea, Persea humilis, Liatris ohlingerae, Hypericum cumulicola, Conradina brevifolia, Calamintha ashei, Bonamia grandiflora, and Ilex opaca var. arenicola. (Wunderlin et al. 1980)

Distribution:

Britton's beargrass occurs in Hernando, Highlands, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, and Polk counties of central Florida (Coile 2000)

States & Provinces:

Britton's Bear-grass can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Britton's Bear-grass (Nolina brittoniana)?

Bok Tower Gardens

Conservation Actions

Tina Stanley

05/11/2023

According to a March 2023 extract of the Florida Plant Rescue Database, Bok Tower Gardens holds 25 accessions of Nolina brittoniana totalling approximately 23625 seeds.

Cheryl Peterson

02/28/2022

Britton’s Beargrass, Nolina brittoniana, is a Florida endemic that is in the Agave family and both federally and state listed as endangered. It is a perennial with long, grass-like leaves and grows from a central clump. It is found on well-drained, xeric soils on the Lake Wales Ridge and north to the Ocala National Forest. It has no main stalk, but develops a 2-meter tall flowering stalk in the spring. Small, white flowers form as a panicle with several branches. In the fall, seeds are plentiful within 1 cm wide winged capsules which appear light yellow then turn to brown as the seeds ripen.

In the fall of 2021, Bok Tower Gardens kept an eye on the status of seed ripening for plants in the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest. Although dozens of populations are documented, most of the populations are small. As many of the sites do not see regular prescribed fire and reproduction in this species appears to be dependent on recent fire, few individuals may be reproductive in a given year. During 2021, only five individuals were reproductive in the target collection population.

Seed collection was performed by affixing an organza draw-string bag to one of the branches of the inflorescence of each plant. Once the seed capsules turned brown, the bags were collected, and the seeds cleaned from the capsule and debris. Roughly 100 seeds were collected from each maternal plant. A subset of seeds were set aside for germination trials, and the rest partitioned for storage in the National Collection at Bok Tower Gardens and to send to NLGRP for the IMLS project to look at seed longevity. Seed collection from this species is easy, but it is best to do initial surveys of a target population during flowering season, in order to determine what percentage of individuals may become reproductive and because the plants can be easily overlooked when not in flower.

Center for Plant Conservation

08/19/2021

In 2021, CPC contracted Bok Tower Gardens to recollect seed from a population currently held in long term orthodox seed storage as part of an IMLS-funded seed longevity experiment. The National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation will evaluate how germination tested viability and RNA Integrity of seed lots decline over time in storage.

09/22/2020

An on-going study of the demography, breeding system, and genetics of N. brittoniana discusses the use of spatial data to analyze the geographic factors that influence genetic diversity in the species, and aid in protection and restoration efforts for N. brittoniana (USFWS 1999). [Less...]

09/22/2020

09/19/2020

Menges (1996) found that, while most plants produce either male or female flowers, in a few cases a single plant has been found to produce both male and female flowers (making the plant polygamodioecious).

09/19/2020

09/19/2020

Germination studies have been conducted at Historic Bok Sanctuary (formerly Bok Tower Gardens) to determine length of viability in seeds stored over a period of time.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

A Florida endemic with a habitat that is decreasing in quality and extent due to housing, citrus, and other development and disturbance. Currently, the Florida Natural Areas Inventory'a database contains 95 occurrence records, scattered along the Central Ridge, from Lake County to southern Highlands County, Florida. Populations generally consist of only a few individuals.

S.K. Maddox

01/01/2010

Habitat loss to agricultural and residential development. Fire exclusion leading to overshading. (USFWS 1999)

S.K. Maddox

01/01/2010

75 sites were named on a FNAI survey, and of those, 8 to 10 are protected and managed in a attempt to recover the scrub habitat where they occur. (USFWS 1999)

S.K. Maddox

01/01/2010

Germination studies have been conducted at Historic Bok Sanctuary (formerly Bok Tower Gardens) to determine length of viability in seeds stored over a period of time. Nolina brittoniana responds to fire with increased flowering one year post fire (Menges 1996). An on-going study of the demography, breeding system, and genetics of N. brittoniana discusses the use of spatial data to analyze the geographic factors that influence genetic diversity in the species, and aid in protection and restoration efforts for N. brittoniana (USFWS 1999). Menges (1996) found that, while most plants produce either male or female flowers, in a few cases a single plant has been found to produce both male and female flowers (making the plant polygamodioecious). Pollination is required for successful seed production (TNC 1995).

S.K. Maddox

01/01/2010

Nolina brittoniana is protected and managed in 8 - 10 areas in an attempt to recover scrub species. N. brittoniana is present in most of the tracts targeted for acquisition by State and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Polk and Highlands Counties. (USFWS 1999) This species is monitored and managed by the Lake Wales Ridge office of The Nature Conservancy.

S.K. Maddox

01/01/2010

Conduct surveys for populations of Nolina brittoniana in Osceloa County. Continue surveys in Polk and Highlands counties and on protected lands. Protect and enhance existing populations. Continue research on life history characteristics. Monitor existing populations of N. brittoniana. Provide public information on Britton's beargrass. (USFWS 1999)

S.K. Maddox

01/01/2010

Maintain ex situ collection. Conserve germplasm. (USFWS 1999)