Neviusia alabamensis A. Gray:
United States (North America)

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: At or near the upland edge of the Mississippi Embayment. Extant populations are known from 16 counties in 5 states: Newton, Pope, Conway, Faulkner Counties, AR; Tishomingo County, MS; Bibb, Blount, Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Limestone, Tuscaloosa Counties, AL; Rutherford, Lincoln, Moore Counties, TN; and, Walker County, GA. Also reported in South Carolina.

Not easily confused with any other species. The showy white petalless flowers are highly distinctive. The only other shrubs which may superficially resemble Neviusia alabamensis are some forms of Spiraea; however, Spiraea lack the persistant stipules at the base of the leafstalk present in Neviusia (Patrick et al. 1995).

Isotype for Neviusia alabamensis A. Gray
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Verified from the card file of type specimens; Original publication and alleged type specimen examined
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): R. Nevius
Year Collected: 1857
Locality: Tuscaloosa., Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States, North America

Type collection for Neviusia alabamensis A. Gray
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Verified from the card file of type specimens; Original publication and alleged type specimen examined
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): R. Nevius
Locality: Alabama, United States, North America

Type collection for Neviusia alabamensis A. Gray
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Verified from the card file of type specimens; Original publication and alleged type specimen examined
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): R. Nevius
Locality: Alabama, United States, North America

Comments: Forested bluffs, talus slopes, and streambanks on a variety of geologic substrates, soil types, and aspects, and under open- to completely closed-canopy conditions. Most typical habitat may be within forested areas on thin soil over limestone that is moist for part of the year (seasonal streambeds, margins of sinkholes, riverbluffs). Usually found in large clonal clumps. Sites mostly map out along the edge of the Mississippi Embayment, a sediment-filled structural low that has been affected over geologic time by glaciation in the northern river basin and sea level changes to the south.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 21 - 80

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 2
Species: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N2 - Imperiled

Rounded Global Status Rank: G2 - Imperiled

Reasons: Rare throughout its range, with widely scattered 'populations' that are mostly or entirely clonal. Sexual reproduction does not appear to be occurring at all; little or no seed production has been observed and seedlings have never been found at any of the sites. Although this species has been cultivated far north of its natural range, wild populations may be restricted to some specific habitat condition(s) near the boundary of the Misssissippi Embayment of the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain.

Environmental Specificity: Narrow to moderate.

Global Short Term Trend: Relatively stable (=10% change)

Comments: Believed to be stable.

Comments: Many sites are potentially threatened. Potential threats include timber harvesting, recreational development, encroachment by undesirable weedy species, grazing, urban expansion, and forest management practices (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).

Biological Research Needs: Determine the conditions necessary for sexual reproduction. Begin long-term monitoring of health and size of known populations.

Needs: Eight or more; preserve a wide range for genetic diversity; protect sites on Federal lands, habitat areas, and type locality.

Stewardship Overview: Management for this species primarily means avoiding timber harvesting and other forms of disturbance. Patrick et al. (1995) note: "At most this species will tolerate only hand thinning of trees in its immediate vicinity, and only if done carefully." Some careful thinning may be beneficial (Gay et al. 1996) to plants under a very closed canopy, but any disturbance which could facilitate invasion by aggressive exotic species should be avoided. Exotics, especially Japanese honeysuckle, have been identified as a serious threat at some sites. Japanese honeysuckle can best be controlled by applying herbicide after first frost or during winter months (when it is one of the few evergreen shrubs) to decrease accidental nontarget damage (Nuzzo 1997).

Comments: Two species in the genus, and these are the only North American members of the tribe Kerrieae of the family Rosaceae. The tribe is an example of an Arcto-Tertiary relic distribution (Fernald, 1931) of the pattern described by Wood (1972) as E Asia - E North America.