| Author | (Walter) Britton, Stearns, & Poggenburg | |
| Distribution | Southern Coastal Plain and Sandhills; disjunct to Northampton County (bog on NC 46 at/near Vultare) and Dare County (Roanoke Island, Burnside, fresh water pond).
Mostly Coastal Plain, central NH to central FL and southeastern LA. As its range extends far north of NC, it could certainly occur in other places in the state's northern Coastal Plain. However, it is known from just a single site in VA. | |
| Abundance | Though known from 19 counties, this is a strongly declining species, with relatively few current sites known, and only 2-3 sites being of good to excellent quality (according to the NCNHP database). The S2 State Rank is too liberal now, and S1 or S1S2 might be more accurate. This is a State Threatened species. Emphasizing its disturbing rarity is the fact that the first (and only) photo on iNaturalist came in May 2022. | |
| Habitat | Natural depression ponds and meadows (regularly inundated), clay-based Carolina bays, and shores of small blackwater rivers (Little River in Hoke County). Dependent on lower water levels for flowering, although vegetative plants may grow for years at a time while submerged. Its highly specific and localized habitats are easily impacted by too dry or too wet conditions, woody plant succession, drainage, and other factors. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting late May-October, depending on water level. | |
| Identification | Pink Bogbutton looks like nothing else: slender erect stems with abundant whorls of short, linear leaves (maximum of 20 mm long), topped by a single head of pink or rosy pink, disk florets. The lower portions of the stems often creep along the ground or lie in shallow water. If you are lucky enough to catch a rare population in full bloom, the pond or bay is quite spectacular with the numerous pink heads. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | This is a monotypic genus: no other species are known.
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| Other Common Name(s) | One-flowered Sclerolepis | |
| State Rank | S2 [S1S2] | |
| Global Rank | G4 | |
| State Status | T | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | OBL link |
| USACE-emp | OBL link |
