''Physaria pallida'' (

syn. The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

''Lesquerella pallida'') is a rare species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

mustard family Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The le ...

known by the common name white bladderpod. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

in the United States, where it is known only from San Augustine County.''Physaria pallida''.
Texas Parks & Wildlife It is 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 ...

Description

This is an annual

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

growing mostly erect to a height of 30 to 60 centimeters. The leaves may be any of a variety of shapes and have smooth, toothed, or lobed edges. The longest near the base of the plant can reach 10 centimeters in length. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

is a

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

of flowers with oval white petals that narrow near the yellowish bases and measure just over a centimeter long. The fruit is a spherical silique which is variable in size.''Physaria pallida''.
Flora of North America.

Habitat

This plant was discovered in the 1830s but not seen again until its rediscovery in 1981.USFWS
Determination of endangered status for ''Lesquerella pallida'' (White Bladderpod).
''Federal Register'' March 11, 1987. It has never been found outside of San Augustine County, Texas. There are six populations.''Lesquerella pallida''.
The Nature Conservancy. The plant grows on openings in oak, hickory, and pine woods. It is limited to a part of the Piney Woods region on the Gulf Coastal Plain where there is alkaline soil derived from the

Weches Formation The Weches Formation is a greensand, slay, and shale geologic formation in Louisiana and Eastern Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period, specifically the Eocene. Description The Weches Formation is a fossiliferous glau ...

.USFWS
''Lesquerella pallida'' Recovery Plan.
October 1992. This

geologic formation A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics ( lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exp ...

contains carbonates above a layer of water-impermeable glauconite, which keeps the soil above from draining, leaving the area quite moist. Most of the soils in eastern Texas are acidic, but the calcium and magnesium minerals in this formation make it alkaline. Other rare plants that occur on the Weches Formation include '' Sedum pulchellum'', '' Calylophus drummondianus'', '' Liatris mucronata'', '' Paronychia virginica'', '' Petalostemum pulcherrimum'', '' Heliotropium tenellum'', '' Eleocharis compressa'', and '' Cuphea viscosissima''.''Lesquerella pallida''.
Center for Plant Conservation.

Conservation

This plant is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat, which has largely been converted to agricultural and pasture use, or degraded during glauconite gravel mining operations, the product of which is used for road surfacing. The

ecological succession Ecological succession is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. The time scale can be decades (for example, after a wildfire) or more or less. Bacteria allows for the cycling of nutrients such as ca ...

of brush and woody vegetation into the clearings on which it depends also threatens the plant. It does not tolerate competition with other plants.

Habitat conservation Habitat conservation is a management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore habitats and prevent species extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range. It is a priority of many groups that cannot be easily characterized in term ...

activities include the removal of brush and vegetation buildup by mechanical means or with

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weedkillers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page fo ...

s or fire. Most of the populations occur on private property, so conservation will depend on the cooperation of landowners.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile for ''Physaria pallida''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15547079

pallida This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages to understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature used for animals and plants i ...

Endemic flora of Texas San Augustine County, Texas Critically endangered flora of the United States Taxa named by Asa Gray Taxa named by John Torrey