Virginia sneezeweed (Helenium virginicum)
Taxonomy:
Listing Status:
Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND
General Information
The Virginia sneezeweed was first discovered in 1936. It is a rare perennial wildflower found only in Virginia. This herbaceous plant has yellow flowers and can reach a height of 3.5 feet.
- States/US Territories in which the Virginia sneezeweed, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: Missouri , Virginia
- US Counties in which the Virginia sneezeweed, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: View All
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-11-03 | Northeast Region (Region 5) | Wherever found |
» Federal Register Documents
» Recovery
| Date | Title | Plan Action Status | Plan Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-10-02 | Draft recovery plan for the Virginia Sneezeweed | Recovery efforts in progress, but no implementation information yet to display | Draft |
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-10-02 | 65 FR 58784 58785 | Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Virginia Sneezeweed for Review and Comment |
|
| 2012-03-06 | 77 FR 13251 13253 | Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Nine Northeastern Species. Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information. |
|
| 2008-12-16 | 73 FR 76373 76375 | Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 7 Listed Species: Notice of review; request for information |
|
» Critical Habitat
No critical habitat rules have been published for the Virginia sneezeweed.
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for Virginia sneezeweed.
» Petitions
» Life History
Habitat Requirements
This wetland plant is found on the shores of naturally occurring shallow, seasonally flooded limestone ponds (less than 0.1 to 8 acres in size) along the western edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley. This plant inhabits poorly drained, acidic, silty loam soils, that are generally flooded from January to July. It cannot tolerate shade or long periods of flooding. Each year, Virginia sneezeweed populations vary greatly due to water level fluctuations.
Reproductive Strategy
Flowering occurs from July through November after the plant is one year old. It appears that the primary insect pollinators for this species are bees, wasps, butterflies, and hoverflies. Seeds are dispersed in late fall and winter and germination occurs in late summer or early fall of the following year if conditions are suitable.
Other
This plant can tolerate disturbance such as mowing and grazing. However, the effects of soil compaction and increased nutrient loads related to cattle grazing within the wetlands needs further study.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.
