Rare Plant Profiles

The Natural Heritage Program monitors the status of over 800 native New Jersey plant species, including 356 species listed as endangered in the state. However, little to no research has been conducted on many of these species, leaving their natural history and management requirements largely unknown. The Heritage Program has long recognized the need to compile and present information about these rarest elements of New Jersey’s biodiversity.

Each Profile provides a concise summary of the natural history, conservation status, and threats for each species. Additional topics may include diagnostic characteristics, seed dispersal and plant reproduction, pollinator dynamics, interspecies interactions, associated species, general habitat requirements, national and state distribution and range, and management recommendations.

Profiles were primarily developed through scientific literature review, but other sources of information included herbaria records and personal communication and/or interviews. It is hoped that these profiles will be a useful resource for botanists, land managers, and everyone interested in New Jersey’s biodiversity.