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Plant Profile

Paper-like Whitlow-wort (Paronychia chartacea)

A mat-forming herb with tiny, creamy white flowers. Photo Credit: Jon Shaw

Global Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
Legal Status: Federally Threatened
Family: Caryophyllaceae
State: FL
Nature Serve ID: 134023
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 06/23/1988

Description:

There are two geographically isolated subspecies of Paronychia chartacea (ssp. chartacea and ssp. minima). Anderson (1991) describes the differences between these two subspecies. Both of these subspecies are listed as federally threatened due to habitat loss from agricultural, commercial, residential, and recreational purposes. The papery whitlow-wort (Paronychia chartaceae ssp. chartacea) is a short-lived, dioecious herb. This species is mat forming, with its branches radiating horizontally from a central taproot. Male plants tend to be more spindly and forking than female plants, which are more dense and compact. Their wiry stems are yellowish-green and can grow from 5-20 cm long. Along them are tiny (1.5-3.0 mm long), opposite leaves that curl under at their ends. Numerous tiny cream-colored to greenish flowers form along these branches. (USFWS 1991 & 1999, Anderson 1991)

Where is Paper-like Whitlow-wort (Paronychia chartacea) located in the wild?

Habitat:

P. chartacea ssp. chartacea is found in rosemary scrub or the rosemary phase of sand pine scrub communities where it colonizes disturbed, open, sandy sites. It prefers the well-drained, white sand of the St. Lucie or Archbold soil types (USFWS 1999).P. charatacea is found with over three dozen vascular plants and 7 species of reindeer moss. P. chartacea (ssp. chartacea) occurs in association with Bonamia grandiflora, Hypericum cumulicola, Polygonella basaramia, Cladonia perforata, Eryngioum cuneifolium, and Liatris ohlingerae.P. chartacea ssp. minima is found in the white sand margins of karst ponds in Bay and Washington Counties.P. chartacea (ssp. minima) occurs with Amphicarpum muhlenbergianum, Bulbostylis barbata, B. ciliatifolia, Chrysopsis lanuginosa, Eriocaulon lineare, Hypericum lissophloeus, H. reductum, Lachnanthes carolinanum, Lachnocaulon anceps, Paronychia patula, Polypremum procumbens, Rhexia salicifolia, Phynchospora globularis, Sagittaria isoetiformis, and Xyris longisepala (USFWS 1999).

Distribution:

There are two geographically distinct sub-species in Florida: P. chartacea ssp. minima in the Panhandle and P. chartaceae ssp. chartacea in central Florida. P. chartaceae ssp. chartacea is endemic t

States & Provinces:

Paper-like Whitlow-wort can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Paper-like Whitlow-wort (Paronychia chartacea)?

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 7 accessions of Paronychia chartacea totalling approximately 289 seeds.

09/23/2020

McKently & Adams (1994) have successfully propagated this species using in vitro methods.

09/23/2020

McKently & Adams (1994) have successfully propagated this species using in vitro methods.

09/23/2020

Historic Bok Sanctuary (formerly Bok Tower Gardens) is conducting a study to determine the feasibility of long term seed storage for this species.

09/23/2020

Historic Bok Sanctuary (formerly Bok Tower Gardens) is conducting a study to determine the feasibility of long term seed storage for this species.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Endemic to Florida. The species is suffering from loss of habitat and successional pressures, but is locally abundant in some protected areas having appropriate management to maintain scrub habitats.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

The principal cause of decline is the loss of habitat through the conversion of high pineland and scrub for agricultural purposes (principally citrus groves), and for commercial, residential, and recreational purposes.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Paronychia chartacea ssp. chartacea is protected in several biological preserves of the Lake Wales Ridge in Highlands, Polk, and Lake. It is protected at the Crooked Lake site near Lake Louisa and in Orange County at Lakes Cain and Marsha Park in the southwest Orlando area (USFWS 1999). Only nine populations of Paronychia chartacea ssp. minima are known, most on private lands in Bay and Washington Counties in the Panhandle.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Historic Bok Sanctuary (formerly Bok Tower Gardens) is conducting a study to determine the feasibility of long term seed storage for this species. Menges & Gordon (1996) and Pace-Aldana et al. (2000) have conducted research and monitoring on this species. McKently & Adams (1994) have successfully propagated this species using in vitro methods.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Bea Pace is monitoring this species at Saddle Blanket and Tiger Creek Preserves (TNC).

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Map and survey P. chartacea to determine its current distribution, and keep a GIS database with the information. Protect and enhance existing populations. Conduct research on its life history characteristics. Monitor populations. Educate the public. Prevent degradation of existing habitat. Restore areas to suitable habitat. Conduct habitat-level projects. Monitor habitat/ecological processes.