Author | Nutt. ex DC. | |
Distribution | Discovered by Milo Pyne on 31 July 2020 from Durham County (photo confirmed by experts); specimen (NCU) placed onto the SERNEC database in spring 2021.
This species is found mainly in the south-central states, ranging eastward to central TN and central SC. The SC occurrences are thought to be natural (fide K. Bradley 2020); and for now the editors are treating the NC record as a natural location, as the habitat is appropriate for the species in its main range. | |
Abundance | Very rare in NC; disjunct from central SC. The NCNHP added this species to its Watch List in 2021. | |
Habitat | Triassic Basin swamp forest in NC. Elsewhere, typically found in swamp forest openings, along river margins, and in other alluvial habitats, including sand and gravel bars. See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet Hardwood Forests | |
Phenology | Immature fruits on 31 July. Normally flowers and fruits May-June (RAB 1968) -- for SC sites. | |
Identification | Trepocarpus has only one species, and the leaves and fruits do not look quite like any other members of the umbel family in NC. The plants grow 1-2 feet tall, glabrous, with alternate, pale green leaves. The leaves are pinnately dissected into a fernlike aspect, the ultimate segments linear and short-tapered to a point. Compound umbels are composed of 2-4 umbels, all on long stalks from upper leaf axils. Each umbel has 2-8 white flowers about 2 mm across. The fruits are cylindrical, 8-10 mm long, strongly ribbed lengthwise, brownish with a green tip. | |
Taxonomic Comments | A monotypic genus endemic to the U.S.
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Other Common Name(s) | None | |
State Rank | S1 | |
Global Rank | G4G5 | |
State Status | W7 | |
US Status | | |
USACE-agcp | | |
USACE-emp | | |