Geocarpon cumberlandense is a rare species of flowering plant in the pink family known by the common names Cumberland stitchwort and Cumberland sandwort. It is endemic to the Cumberland Plateau near the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in Tennessee and Kentucky. This rare plant is found only in cool sandstonerock shelters, on the moist sandy cave floors behind the drip line.[3] There are 27 occurrences in Tennessee and one in Kentucky.[3] The plant is a federally listed endangered species.
This is a petite perennial herb forming tufts of stems from threadlike taproots. The green stems reach 15 to 20 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves have shiny green linear or lance-shaped blades up to 3 or 4 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a solitary flower or a cluster of up to three flowers. Each has white petals no more than 6 millimeters long. Flowers bloom in the summer.
Threats to this species include damage to its habitat, which may occur during recreational use such as camping and rappelling, or during logging. The rock shelter habitat of the plant is cool, humid, and dark; removal of surrounding trees lets light in and makes it warmer and drier.[2]
The plant was first described to science in 1979 as Arenaria cumberlandensis when specimens once thought to be Geocarpon groenlandicum did not fit its description, or that of any known species.[4] It was renamed Geocarpon cumberlandense in 2022.[1]
^Wofford, B. E. and R. Kral. (1979). A new Arenaria (Caryophyllaceae) from the Cumberlands of Tennessee. Brittonia 31:2 257.
External linksedit
USDA Plants Profile
Flora of North America
April 12, 2024
geocarpon, cumberlandense, rare, species, flowering, plant, pink, family, known, common, names, cumberland, stitchwort, cumberland, sandwort, endemic, cumberland, plateau, near, south, fork, cumberland, river, tennessee, kentucky, this, rare, plant, found, onl. Geocarpon cumberlandense is a rare species of flowering plant in the pink family known by the common names Cumberland stitchwort and Cumberland sandwort It is endemic to the Cumberland Plateau near the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in Tennessee and Kentucky This rare plant is found only in cool sandstone rock shelters on the moist sandy cave floors behind the drip line 3 There are 27 occurrences in Tennessee and one in Kentucky 3 The plant is a federally listed endangered species Geocarpon cumberlandenseScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsOrder CaryophyllalesFamily CaryophyllaceaeGenus GeocarponSpecies G cumberlandenseBinomial nameGeocarpon cumberlandense B E Wofford amp Kral E E Schill 2022 Synonyms 1 Arenaria cumberlandensis Wofford amp R Kral 1979 Minuartia cumberlandensis Wofford amp R Kral McNeill 1980 Mononeuria cumberlandensis Wofford amp R Kral Dillenb amp Kadereit 2014 This is a petite perennial herb forming tufts of stems from threadlike taproots The green stems reach 15 to 20 centimeters in maximum height The leaves have shiny green linear or lance shaped blades up to 3 or 4 centimeters long The inflorescence is a solitary flower or a cluster of up to three flowers Each has white petals no more than 6 millimeters long Flowers bloom in the summer Threats to this species include damage to its habitat which may occur during recreational use such as camping and rappelling or during logging The rock shelter habitat of the plant is cool humid and dark removal of surrounding trees lets light in and makes it warmer and drier 2 The plant was first described to science in 1979 as Arenaria cumberlandensis when specimens once thought to be Geocarpon groenlandicum did not fit its description or that of any known species 4 It was renamed Geocarpon cumberlandense in 2022 1 A fence installed at Pickett State Park to protect the stitchwortReferences edit a b Geocarpon cumberlandense Wofford amp R Kral E E Schill Plants of the World Online Retrieved 29 March 2024 a b NatureServe 2024 Minuartia cumberlandensis Arlington Virginia Retrieved 19 January 2024 a b Center for Plant Conservation Archived 2010 12 15 at the Wayback Machine Wofford B E and R Kral 1979 A new Arenaria Caryophyllaceae from the Cumberlands of Tennessee Brittonia 31 2 257 External links editUSDA Plants Profile Flora of North America Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Geocarpon cumberlandense amp oldid 1216259701, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
