''Helonias bullata'' (swamp pink) is a rare perennial rhizomatous herb native to the eastern United States, the only known species in the genus ''Helonias''. The root system is extensive in comparison to the apparent size of the plant on the surface. Blooming in March to May, its fragrant flowers are pink and occur in a cluster at the end a vertical spike which may reach up to 3' in height. It has evergreen, lance-shaped, and parallel-veined leaves ranging from dark green to light yellow green in color that form a basal rosette. Swamp pink is a federally threatened species that was historically distributed from

Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull and ...

to the southern

Appalachians The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

. Currently,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

supports the largest and most numerous populations, but there are populations in six other states:

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

;

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

;

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 ...

; West Virginia;

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 ...

;

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, and

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. There is also some unverified indication that a population of swamp pink has survived on Staten Island. Populations of swamp pink are on occasion subject to poaching by plant enthusiasts and others who prize the early bright pink blooms. Unfortunately, the poached plants likely do not survive their move owing to the high sensitivity to being removed from the water saturated environment, underestimation of the size of the root mass, and failure to replicate the necessary environment sufficiently. United States Fish and Wildlife Service has instituted a volunteer monitoring project, “Adopt-a-Swamp-Pink Population”. The program has been further expanded by a joint volunteer effort with

Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc. Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc., or "CU", is a 501(c)(3) (nonprofit) regional watershed organization. It was founded in 1979 and incorporated in 1986. CU received Environmental Quality Awards from the Uni ...

The survey results are shared with U.S.F.W.S. and the New Jersey Natural Heritage database.

Habitats

Swamp pink occurs in wetland habitats and it requires habitat which is saturated, but not flooded, with water. Ideally the plant prefers an environment where the water table sits at about the level of the top of its root system, but not covering the basal rosette. Typical areas include swampy forested wetlands which border small streams; meadows, and spring seepage areas. It is often found near conifer trees.Flora of North America ''Helonias bullata''
/ref>

Variation in genetic diversity

Low genetic diversity

Many extant populations suffer low genetic diversity. This could be explained as a result of high

self-fertilization Autogamy, or self-fertilization, refers to the fusion of two gametes that come from one individual. Autogamy is predominantly observed in the form of self-pollination, a reproductive mechanism employed by many flowering plants. However, species ...

rate due to harsh environmental conditions that affect successful

cross-fertilization Out-crossing or out-breeding is the technique of crossing between different breeds. This is the practice of introducing distantly related genetic material into a breeding line, thereby increasing genetic diversity. Outcrossing can be a useful ...

, such as limited seed dispersal range and

browsing Browsing is a kind of orienting strategy. It is supposed to identify something of relevance for the browsing organism. When used about human beings it is a metaphor taken from the animal kingdom. It is used, for example, about people browsing o ...

from predators.

Mechanisms of seed dispersal

''Helonias'' seeds have a lipid structure that allows

seed dispersal In Spermatophyte plants, seed dispersal is the movement, spread or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their seeds, including both abiotic vectors ...

through water. This is a result of

natural selection Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. It is a key mechanism of evolution, the change in the heritable traits characteristic of a population over generations. Cha ...

considering the ‘watery’ habitat (i.e. swamp and wetland) of ''Helonias'', and it accounts for the long-distance seed dispersal. It is also known that ants actively engage in ''Helonias'' seed dispersal.

Limitations in seed dispersal

Although ants can help facilitate the dispersal process, the soil in such watery environment is saturated and makes it difficult for ants to co-habitate with ''Helonias'', lowering the rate of short-distance

. The low rate of seed dispersal is also due to limited wind. The seeds are light enough to be dispersed by wind, but low levels of wind prevent the seeds from dispersing further away, resulting in a clustered population of ''Helonias''.

Risks of self-fertilization

Low dispersal increases the risk of

. In an evolutionary perspective, this is highly disadvantageous when there is a sudden change in the environment. Since genetic diversity is low, if a predominant trait among the population is selected against, the whole population faces the risk of being wiped out. In the long run, seeds that lure more animals will be favored by selection as opposed to seeds that are lighter, because the seeds dispersed by the animals will be spread over a larger range compared to that of lighter seeds, resulting in a lower risk of

Illegal poaching

The brilliant pink color of the ''Helonias'' flowers attracts poachers. Helonias is a perennial and endures the winter, making it more visible to the poachers. This is one of the reasons why Helonias is considered a threatened species.

References

External links

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

NatureServe Explorer Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2709320 Flora of the Eastern United States Melanthiaceae genera Monotypic Liliales genera Threatened flora of the United States