''Nesogenes rotensis'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is endemic to

Rota Rota or ROTA may refer to: Places * Rota (island), in the Marianas archipelago * Rota (volcano), in Nicaragua * Rota, Andalusia, a town in Andalusia, Spain * Naval Station Rota, Spain People * Rota (surname), a surname (including a list of peop ...

, one of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean. An inhabitant of the

commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

, it was federally listed as an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

of the United States in 2004.USFWS
Determination of endangered status and prudency determination for designation of critical habitat for two plant species from the commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands; final rule.
''Federal Register'' April 8, 2004. This plant has oppositely arranged lance-shaped leaves and white flowers which occur in the leaf axils.USFWS
Final recovery plan for two plants from Rota.
May 3, 2007. It grows on coastal limestone outcrops with several other plants, including nanaso (''Scaevola taccada''), talisai ganu (''Terminalia samoensis''), paodedo (''Hedyotis strigulosa''), and gausali (''Bikkia tetrandra''). Little else is known about the plant. There are two known populations of this plant, which are located at Poña Point and Puntan Fina Atkos on the island of Rota. The former had a total number of 579 individuals in 2001, zero individuals after

Typhoon Pongsona Typhoon Pongsona was the last typhoon of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season, and was the second costliest United States disaster in 2002, only behind Hurricane Lili. The name "Pongsona" was contributed by North Korea for the Pacific tropical cyclo ...

swept the area in 2002, and a total of about 20 individuals, including seedlings, in 2005. The second population was discovered in 2005 and had 15 to 20 individuals, including seedlings. The plant is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat due to human activity, including agriculture, development, and recreation. The small population size makes the species vulnerable to extinction in the event of a natural disaster, such as a typhoon.

References

{{Authority control Orobanchaceae Flora of the Northern Mariana Islands Plants described in 1983

See also

References