''Synandra'' is a monotypic genusCantino, P. D. (1985)
Facultative autogamy in ''Synandra hispidula'' (Labiatae).
''Castanea'' 50(2) 105-11. of flowering plants in the mint family containing the single species ''Synandra hispidula'', which is known by the common name Guyandotte beauty. It is native to the east-central United States where it ranges from southern

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

to western

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

Description

This species has been reported to be an annual, biennial, or perennial herb, but studies show that it is a "strict biennial", at least in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

and some populations in Ohio. It has oppositely arranged leaves with serrated edges. The large yellow and white or pinkishHill, S. R
Conservation Assessment for the Guyandotte Beauty (''Synandra hispidula'' (Michx.) Baillon).
Prepared for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Eastern Region (Region 9), Shawnee and Hoosier National Forests. December 6, 2007. flowers bloom in April through June.''Synandra hispidula''.
Center for Plant Conservation. The flowers are over 2 centimeters long and may reach 4 centimeters. Plants can have up to eight multiple branches on a single individual. Nutlets usually weight around 7 mg, with weights up to 13 mg. The nutlets store a high amount of endosperm.

Habitat and ecology

This plant grows in shady, moist forest habitat, such as streambanks. It is commonly found with other mesic forest species such as the trees (''

Acer nigrum ''Acer nigrum'', the black maple, is a species of maple closely related to '' A. saccharum'' (sugar maple), and treated by some authors as a subspecies of it, as ''Acer saccharum'' subsp. ''nigrum''. Identification can be confusing due to the t ...

'', ''

Acer saccharum ''Acer saccharum'', the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the prima ...

'', ''

Asimina triloba ''Asimina triloba'', the American papaw, pawpaw, paw paw, or paw-paw, among many regional names, is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and Canada, producing a large, yellowish-green to brown fruit. ''Asimina'' is the onl ...

'', and ''

Tilia americana ''Tilia americana'' is a species of tree in the family Malvaceae, native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Oklahoma, southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to ...

'', and the wildflowers ''

Jeffersonia diphylla ''Jeffersonia'', also known as twinleaf or rheumatism root, is a small genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Berberidaceae. They are uncommon spring wildflowers and grow in limestone soils of rich deciduous forests. ''Jeffersonia'' ...

'', and '' Caulophyllum thalictroides''. This species appears to be sensitive to environmental changes, and it does not persist after the removal of the forest canopy or removal of the litter layer. This species is also browsed by deer, and mortality in post-grazed plants has been recorded. However, it is hypothesized that its hard nutlets may pass through the deer digestive tract such that deer play a role in dispersing this species. Flower stalks have been observed as fragile, lacking pith, and fall over during flowering and fruiting periods. This may also play a role in seed dispersal.

Conservation

Though it is considered "secure" as a species, this plant has declined recently. It is now considered historic in

and it is 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 ...

and critically imperiled in

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. It is more common in other states, such as

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. Its distribution in general is described as "scattered". Threats to the species include habitat destruction and

fragmentation Fragmentation or fragmented may refer to: Computers * Fragmentation (computing), a phenomenon of computer storage * File system fragmentation, the tendency of a file system to lay out the contents of files non-continuously * Fragmented distributi ...

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...

and other mechanisms that eliminate the shady canopy, overgrazing, trampling, recreational activity, and

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

. It is also threatened by

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...

of plants such as '' Lonicera japonica'', '' Dioscorea oppositifolia'' and '' Microstegium vimineum''.

Etymology

The plant's common name comes from the Guyandotte River of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q17415888, from2=Q7661960 Lamiaceae Monotypic Lamiaceae genera Flora of the Southeastern United States Flora of the Appalachian Mountains Flora of Ohio Flora of Indiana Flora of West Virginia Taxa named by Henri Ernest Baillon Taxa named by André Michaux Flora of Illinois