Ecological and Physiological Characteristics of Endangered Species (Sarracenia rubra var jonesii L.

) reintroduction in Pickens County, South Carolina

Joshua Giordano-Silliman Senior Thesis Paper for Department of Biological Sciences Advised By: Patrick McMillan Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina Spring 2004

Introduction: There are specialized plants within the world that have the capacity to process organisms for assimilation of nutrients. Clear examples of these plants of carnivorous nature and metabolism are members of the Sarracenia species. Pitcher plants, Sarracenia L, species are passive feeders. Their hollow pitchers contain digestive fluids. Insect floras are attracted to the pitchers and become trapped as they are slowly digested. The popularity of these plants is most often due to their role and adaptive characteristics for a range of ages. Their unique habits have placed a high demand on their horticultural availability in the world. This species has been collected out of the wild for profit despite CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) listing. Upon researching background information, via the internet, Pickens County clones for sale of pitcher plants were found offered for sale as far away as the United Kingdom. There has been little work to maintain and reestablish the most depleted and endangered populations in the wild. In the fall of 2003, a project to enhance one known population of the federally endangered Mountain Sweet Pitcher plant, Sarracenia rubra var. jonessi L., was initiated by Patrick McMillan (Clemson University Herbarium curator) and Joshua GiordanoSilliman (Senior undergraduate in Horticulture at Clemson University). Dr Jeffery Adleberg (Research Associate Professor in Horticulture Department at Clemson University), Paul Blessing (South Carolina Forestry Commission), Carol Denhof (Atlanta Botanical Gardens) and Mary S. Bunch (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources) were later added to the team. Extinction in Pickens County is a real threat from pathogens including, microclimatic habitat loss, changes in global climatic

conditions, grazing from wildlife, and illicit removal by humans. It is known that Feral hogs have rutted on the site and may have adversely impacted the population here in the past (Mc Millan and Bunch pers. comm). Taxonomy: Mountain Sweet Pitcher plant has been listed on the Federal Register of Endangered Species since 1988 and included in CITES listings on June 6th, 1981 (Federal Register Vol 53, No 90, Friday September 30,1988) . The species was discovered by E.T. Wherry in 1920 (Wherry 1929). There is a disagreement on the specification of taxonomical rank that should be applied to this species. It has been published as a regional variant (Mc Daniel 1971), a form (Bell 1949), a subspecies (Wherry1972, Schnell 1977, 1978), and a distinct species (Wherry 1929, Case and Case 1976, Mc Daniels 1986). Most authors agree that it is in some form different from Sarracenia rubra var. rubura L. In a comparison of three species, Sarracenia jonesii L, Sarracenia rubra L, and Sarracenia oreophila L., by several publications (Case and Case 1976, Mc Daniel 1971 and 1986), the clear differences are seen in the hood shape (cordate), hoods edge (slightly revolute), petiole length (long), petal color (red), and overall shape of the plant (recurved), (Table 1).

Table 1.
Characteristics of Three Sarracenia Species S.jonesii Height: cm 21 to 73 S. rubra 6 to 57 S. oreophila 20 to 75

Compared equaling shorter then equaling scape: Orifice: Petiole: Hood: Hood Edge: Phyllodia: Shape: Flower Characteristics Petal Color:

scapes abruptly gradually long cordate slightly not revolute none

scapes gradually expanded 1/4 short ovate reflexed none recurved

scapes expanded expanded less short 1/3 than 1/4 ovate reflexed abundant falcate

red

red

yellow

In addition, it is reported that the fragrance of the plant is different. (Gibson 1979). Some authors do believe that it tends to be a taller plant, yet research corroborating doesnt support the claim. It is confirmed a maroon-purple reticulatedveined pattern occurs on this species (Sutter and Frantz 1987). It can naturally hybridize with Sarracenia purpurea L to form Frog Breechs Sarracenia purpurea var venosa L. (Porcher and Rayner pg 71). Despite the taxonomic disagreements for the plant, this paper will refer to Mountain Sweet Pitcher plant as Sarracenia rubra var. jonesii L. Ecology: The natural communities of occurrence have been described in two situations depression bogs and cataract fens. Both are feed by ground water seepage, but depression bogs also receive substantial water from rainfall. The general descriptions of the bogs are

strikingly different. Depression bogs are typically found at valley bottoms without flooding, yet cataract fens are found on soil strips of granite rock outcroppings (NatureServe pg 7). The Pickens county site is located on a cataract fen. The fens are traditionally called bogs due to its similar appearance. There are three factors that make cataract fens similar to bogs. The light is abundant due to the extensive outcropping of granite, moisture is plentiful from seepages, and plant succession is slowed by swallow soil profile which overlays rock (Porcher and Rayner pg 71). These fens can dry out in serial years of drought. Fens can be further designated to be a rich or poor fens. The rich fen comes from a seepage that picks up dissolved mineral nutrient from parent material which it passes through. Fen communities contain a variety of plant material. It is noted that traditional swamp trees such as red maple (Acer rubrum L). frequent these sites, along with tag alder (Alnus serrulata L), red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia L), yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplissima L), and mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia L) (Porcher and Rayner pg 71). These species are hydrophilic and can be found around streams, rivers, and other forms of moving water. Sarracenia rubra var. jonesii L is not the only carnivorous plant found in cataract fen communities. Frogs breeches (Sarracenia purpurea var. venosa L), horned bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta L), and roundleaf sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L) are frequently found within the cataract fen communities, sometimes in high numbers (Porcher and Rayner pg 71). The diversity of plants varies from site to site, but this site can be generalized as being moderately diverse. Community disturbance is debatable. Due to lack of specific information on the interaction with this species, generalizations are made from other species of Sarracenia.

Evidence supports that pitcher plants are fire adapted and respond well to fire with increased growth, flower production, and seedling establishment, yet there isnt any data available to support this claim for Sarracenia rubra var. jonesii L. (Nature Serve pg 4). Fire can be seen as a powerful tool to combat encroaching invasive species in the fen and bog habitat, and allow for increased opening of light to the area. Two major factors on the use of fire with the species needs to be considered, first the heat from the fire could be so intense that it could disrupt the rhizomes and overall soil moisture, and secondly the building of fire lines could divert water and alter the hydrological surroundings (Nature Serve pg 4). Other disturbances include the manual removal of plants. Some people tend to manually remove and apply herbicides to woody plants for control. This practice should be the last alternative and be discouraged, unless conducted by professionals and with herbicides that will not translocate out of the applied plant to surrounding environment. Manual removal can achieve results; it hasnt been tested against the effectiveness of herbicide application coupled with removal. It is thought one of the after effects on a large scale is the repeated need to remove material, and the trampling, compaction, and non-prescribed disturbance created by visits (Natrure Serve pg 4). Any disturbance will change the make-up for the area. Each area should be carefully studied and monitored, so that only appropriate changes are only made. The increments of changes should be spaced out so that recovery and acclimation can occur without detriment to the plant.

Site Information:

The location is confidential and protected by the State of South Carolina. The population resides on east-southeastern exposed Magnesium enriched granite outcropping with water seepage. Local competition for hydrological resources is high with neighboring species of Red Maple (Acer rubrum L), Short Leaf Pine (Pinus echinata L), Sprakleberry (Vaccinium arboretum L), and Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamonea L) . The species was discovered on the site in 1996. It is hypothesized that in 1999 one of the populations was stolen or grazed on by wildlife. The ecological and physiology requirements are relatively scant for this species of Sarracenia (Nature Server 4). Cultural Field Work Completed: In the fall of 2003, Patrick McMillan and South Carolina Forestry Commission personal thinned the canopy within the vicinity of the population. December 5th, 2003 Patrick and Joshua visited the site to evaluate and survey the potential for the reintroduction project, and a suitable reintroduction site was located. On, January 16th, 2004, Joshua went to site and began tagging remaining plants. A board was placed between two step ladders to access the site without damaging the plants or the habitat. The number of normal pitchers and crowns for each group was recorded. He tagged plants 229 and 268-300. January 30th, 2004, the groups of plants 210-245 were tagged. February 13th, 2004 Joshua and Patrick inserted the final remaining tags (numbers 300316) on the plants. March 31st, 2004 Carol Denhof (Atlanta Botanical Gardens), Mary S Bunch (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources), Patrick, and Joshua returned to the area to plant thirty new plants outside of the original population, it was noted the flower bud development was taking place in the native population. The new plants were from a seed collection completed in 1997 by employees of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens,

Atlanta, Georgia. April 18th Joshua returned to the site to observe the progress of the newly planted site and original population. He observed four open flowers on the ABG (new) population and continued floral development on the original population. The State Forestry Commission also had dug a fire line around the two populations. Please note the data tables attached. Future Research and Considerations: It is very important that some action is taken to help save this species. Ultimate goals of the project would to provide as much scientific information on this specific plant species coupled with a germplasm release for reintroduction projects throughout North and South Carolina. Hand pollinated capsules could help yield a large genetic diversity that would of been unavailable otherwise. A large number of genetically distinct individuals of Pitcher plants could be attained by the propagation process of tissue culture. The Rocker, Thin-Film liquid system has been proven to enhance tissue culture production of rhizomatous plants. Advance growth techniques coupled with tissue culture procedures could stream-line and optimizes the reestablishment of a highly diverse genetic within a population. Physiological information could be attained through intensive research of Sarracenia rubra var. jonesii L for the reintroduction. Carbon assimilation, photosynthetic rates, Water Utilization Efficiency, transpiration rates, and biochemical activities could be identified, monitored, and studied. The information pertaining to the site such as, light radiance, temp fluxs, water analysis, toxicology can help in constructing a model for reintroduction and future cultivation of Sarracenia rubra var. jonesii L.