The New England Wild Flower Society successfully germinated seeds of Agalinis acuta but obtained low survivorship of seedlings, even using the grass little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) as a host species, (Brumback 1989). Preliminary studies indicate that Agalinis acuta seeds do not remain viable in seed bank storage conditions. Germination of seedlings both in the wild and in ex situ conditions is very low

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation completed a project with the Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy to re-establish sandplain gerardia (Agalinis acuta) to Long Island. The efforts include replanting, ecosystem management techniques and long term monitoring. Project coordinator: Marilyn Jordan, Stewardship Ecologist, Long Island Chapter of the The Nature Conservancy.

Dr. Judith M. Canne-Hilliker (Department of Botany, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada) elucidated the phylogeny of the genus Agalinis in the 1980's through studies of plant morphology and chromosome numbers (Canne 1983, Canne 1984, Canne-Hilliker 1991). Also see D'Arcy (1978). Recent studies by Dieringer (1999) on Agalinis skinneriana, another rare congener from Illinois, may be instructive. Also see Vickery and Vickery (1983) on Agalinis maritima.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation completed a project with the Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy to re-establish sandplain gerardia (Agalinis acuta) to Long Island. The efforts include replanting, ecosystem management techniques and long term monitoring. Project coordinator: Marilyn Jordan, Stewardship Ecologist, Long Island Chapter of the The Nature Conservancy.

Maile Neel (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts) and Paul Somers (Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, Massachusetts) have studied the establishment and maintenance of Agalinis acuta populations in Massachusetts (Neel and Somers 2000).

As of 2005, about 22-23 occurrences were known to be extant, but only a few of these support large populations or have large areas of occupied habitat, or even suitably managed potential habitat. The stronghold of the species may once have been New York where populations today occurs on a small, degraded remnants of a grassland that once covered about 20,000 ha in central Long Island. Six extant sites occur in small grassland areas of Massachusetts, two of which occur in old cemeteries that have probably been mowed regularly for over 100 years. Massachusetts has been successful in expanding the four rediscovered sites through management and augmentation, and it has introduced the species successfully at two additional protected sites now treated as separate EO's. Maryland has two populations, the largest being located on a well protected and managed serpentine barren ecosystem. Connecticut and Rhode Island each have one remaining population which they are attempting to manage and augment with modest success thus far. The species is threatened by the on-going loss of its coastal grassland habitats due to development. The loss of grazing animals and the suppression of fires have allowed woody vegetation to claim many of its historical sites.

As articulated by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1988, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1993, and Natureserve 2001: Habitat conversion of coastal sandplains for residential development Suppression of fire, grazing, and other disturbances, perm

Less than fifteen populations of Agalinis acuta are known, including two recently established sites in Massachusetts (Natureserve 2001). The largest populations, in New York and Massachusetts, contain up to thousands of plants; all others are currently smaller. Therefore, the global population of Agalinis acuta is likely to be on the order of 10,000 plants. Because it is an annual, populations of Agalinis acuta vary widely in numbers from year to year.

Maile Neel (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts) and Paul Somers (Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, Massachusetts) have studied the establishment and maintenance of Agalinis acuta populations in Massachusetts (Neel and Somers 2000). The New England Wild Flower Society successfully germinated seeds of Agalinis acuta but obtained low survivorship of seedlings, even using the grass little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) as a host species, (Brumback 1989). Preliminary studies indicate that Agalinis acuta seeds do not remain viable in seed bank storage conditions. Germination of seedlings both in the wild and in ex situ conditions is very low. Dr. Judith M. Canne-Hilliker (Department of Botany, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada) elucidated the phylogeny of the genus Agalinis in the 1980's through studies of plant morphology and chromosome numbers (Canne 1983, Canne 1984, Canne-Hilliker 1991). Also see D'Arcy (1978). Recent studies by Dieringer (1999) on Agalinis skinneriana, another rare congener from Illinois, may be instructive. Also see Vickery and Vickery (1983) on Agalinis maritima. David Maddox of The Nature Conservancy (dmaddox@tnc.org) has conducted demographic studies, a soil scarification experiment, and a mapping of Agalinis acuta relative to potential host plants at its single site in Maryland. Julie Lundgren, Biologist with The Nature Conservancy, has studied the autecology of Agalinis acuta (Lundgren 1983). DiGregorio and Wallner (1986) have examined the populations of Agalinis acuta in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (Westborough, Massachusetts), assisted by volunteer task forces of the New England Plant Conservation Program of The New England Wild Flower Society (Framingham, Massachusetts) and other partners, regularly monitor populations of Agalinis acuta in New England. The population in Maryland is monitored annually by Daniel Boone, Ecologist, and Chris Ludwig, Botanist, both of the Maryland Heritage and Threatened/Endangered Species Project, Dept. of Natural Resources, C-3, Tawes State Office Bldg., Annapolis, MD 21401. The Massachusetts Natural Heritage Program is focusing on a management plant of prescribed burns, mowing before July 1, and soil scarification. Two new populations have been introduced, but long-term studies are needed to evaluate their viability (Dunwiddie et al. 1996). Five populations appear to be stable or growing. (See Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program 2001) Monitoring of Long Island populations has been conducted by Dr. Robert Zaremba, The Nature Conservancy, Boston, Massachusetts The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation completed a project with the Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy to re-establish sandplain gerardia (Agalinis acuta) to Long Island. The efforts include replanting, ecosystem management techniques and long term monitoring. Project coordinator: Marilyn Jordan, Stewardship Ecologist, Long Island Chapter of the The Nature Conservancy.

Determine if Agalinis acuta depends upon hemi-parasitic relationships with other host plant species throughout its range Devise an optimized plan for controlled disturbance to maintain open habitat for Agalinis acuta at all sites where it occurs Compile demographic data from multiple populations to inform population viability analyses Study the effects of soil water availability on the survivorship and reproduction of Agalinis acuta Identify pollinators and herbivores on the plant throughout its range Study the genetic identity and relatedness to Agalinis tenuifolia, particularly in the Maryland population of Agalinis acuta

Studies of long-term viability of seed banks of Agalinis acuta are needed.