Hillsborough County EL-Rat Team Locates New Endemic, Endangered Plant Popultion

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Hillsborough County EL-Rat Team Locates Previously Undiscovered Endemic, Endangered Plant Population 



Did you know that a flower with the species name Glandularia tampensis existed? You might never have seen one in the wild, as this plant is extremely rare and endangered. Environmental Lands Management Research and Analysis Team members Gillian Seymour and Rose O'Donovan were overjoyed to discover a previously unknown population on ELAPP land in March. Unfortunately we cannot disclose the exact location to the plant's endangered status. 


The Team members noted that this population is near an area that had been severely affected by invasive wild hog rooting. Worried about the species' possible eradication, they immediately contacted Bok Tower Gardens, an organization dedicated to conserving and restoring rare native plants. The Rare Plant Conservation Program assisted our staff in safely collecting the seeds for preservation and to secure the population's future genetic diversity. They then transported the seeds to Bok Tower Gardens, and the Rare Plant Curator is currently in the process of analyzing the seeds and their germination rate. We are thankful for the skills and knowledge of the staff at Bok Tower so our rare plants in Hillsborough County will be conserved for future generations.

All photos captured by Gillian Seymour, Hillsborough County Environmental Lands Management Specialist. 

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