A search of herbarium data repositories available online revealed a notable collection of Carex scirpoidea (Cyperaceae) made by Joachim Heinrich Schuette in 1884 from Brown Co., Wisconsin, USA. This accession is the first and only known record of this now extirpated species from the state. While this locality represents a modest expansion of the known range of C. scirpoidea, errors in the aforementioned databases resulting from the complex nomenclatural history of this taxon confound our understanding of its distribution, particularly along its southern edge in the Midwest and Eastern North America.

The conservation of a rare species requires an understanding of its habitat requirements, including its response to different light levels. Accordingly, we conducted a study of the light requirements of Pycnanthemum verticillatum var. verticillatum, a New York State S1S2-Endangered perennial forb found on Staten Island, Richmond County, NY. Much of its present habitat in this urban county is along disturbed roadsides and is undergoing increased shading due to woody encroachment. We grew plants in full sunlight (no shade cloth), medium sunlight (30% shade cloth), and low sunlight (60% shade cloth), and measured their growth, reproductive, and morphological responses. Plants were largest and most likely to produce flowers in the full and medium sunlight treatments. Plants exhibited typical shade-avoidant responses such as stem elongation and increased secondary ramet production in the low sunlight treatment. We conclude that Pycnanthemum verticillatum var. verticillatum may survive in deep shade, but partial and full sun result in more vigorous growth and reproduction. Canopy thinning to maintain no more than 30–50% shade is necessary for the plants to thrive. Managing for sunny habitats, such as meadows and open-canopy forests, would have broad conservation benefits for this species and other native plants that require high-light environments in the region.

This study aimed to assess the richness and diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes in the Brazilian Cerrado areas located in the extreme western region of Bahia and in the state of Tocantins, where, to date, no studies involving these organisms have been published. Submerged substrates (leaves and twigs) were collected in six bodies of water: the Azuis River (belonging to the Tocantins River basin), recognized as the smallest river in Latin America and the third smallest worldwide; and in the Grande River, Ondas River, João Rodrigues River, Ouro River, and Janeiro River (part of the São Francisco River basin). The substrates underwent the moist chamber method for subsequent taxonomic study and ecological analysis of the taxa found. Twenty-three aquatic hyphomycetes were found, distributed across three classes, 13 orders, and 20 genera, within the phylum Ascomycota. Among these, 19 are facultative aquatic, three are aero-aquatic, and one is ingoldian. The Azuis (10) and Ondas (9) Rivers exhibited the highest richness and diversity of taxa, whereas the Grande River showed the lowest richness. Concerning the substrate, nine taxa were identified on leaves, 10 on twigs, and four on both. Subulispora procurvata Tubaki was the most abundant species throughout the study, and Delortia palmicola Pat. is the first record of this species for Brazil and for the Cerrado biome. The identification of these fungal species in previously unexplored aquatic ecosystems emphasizes the necessity for additional inventory studies of hyphomycetes in these areas to attain a comprehensive understanding of the funga present in these aquatic environments.

Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) is a highly invasive shrub that spreads rapidly, has many detrimental effects on native species and ecosystems, and is difficult to control. Clipping by itself is usually ineffective unless it is repeated over several years, so herbicides are commonly used, either alone or combined with clipping. Over the past decade, outbreaks of honeysuckle leaf blight have appeared. Previous work shows that long shoots are more susceptible to blight than reproductive short shoots. Clipping induces many long shoot resprouts that are expected to be infected by blight. In this study, I clipped honeysuckle shrubs in forest understory (forested) and open sites in northern and central Kentucky and followed their response through the growing season. Northern Kentucky sites were studied in 2022 and 2023; central Kentucky sites were studied in 2022 only. The total number of shoots, total shoot length, and number of leaves were higher at open sites and declined across the growing season. The fraction of blighted leaves reached maximum levels of 10–30%, higher than levels seen on shoots from intact shrubs. After 1 yr, 62% of all forested shrubs survived clipping, whereas 75% of all open shrubs survived. Survival rates for clipped forested stands were similar to those seen before blight outbreaks occurred, but they declined from the preblight 90% level seen in open stands, so leaf blight mortality effects appear to be largest in open stands. Although this study was not designed to quantify the effect of deer browsing on resprouting shrub mortality, browsing was extensive, with a maximum of 60–80% of all shoots browsed. The current effects of blight combined with a single clipping do not appear to be sufficient to manage honeysuckle; clipping repeated over several years and combined with blight needs to be investigated.

Cardamine diphylla is an understory herb of rich forests that exhibits a wintergreen life history strategy in western North Carolina. Unlike many forest floor plants, C. diphylla is able to persist under the evergreen shrub Rhododendron maximum, which is known to inhibit the growth of woody and herbaceous plants. We compared morphological and chemical characteristics of C. diphylla leaves in areas of a mesic cove forest with and without R. maximum during the winter. We also compared soil properties and the taxonomic richness of co-occurring herbaceous and woody plants. Results showed that C. diphylla growing under R. maximum produced significantly less foliar biomass but had significantly higher levels of foliar nitrogen and sulfur. Plants under R. maximum also had a higher proportion of green (rather than purple) abaxial leaf surfaces. Soils under R. maximum contained significantly less total nitrogen and humic matter, but cation exchange capacity and pH did not differ between the two areas. Compared to the surrounding forest, plots in R. maximum thickets supported 35% fewer woody taxa and 41% fewer herbaceous taxa, demonstrating the challenges of this microhabitat to understory plants. The ability of C. diphylla to persist under R. maximum may be advantageous if R. maximum continues its opportunistic expansion in southern Appalachian forests.

Torreya taxifolia Arn. (Florida torreya) is a critically endangered (International Union for Conservation of Nature 3.1) conifer with a very limited native range in the USA, occurring in two counties in Florida and one in Georgia where it persists in ravines along the Apalachicola River. The species suffered a major decline, ∼ 99% loss, beginning in the 1930s, with a total population estimated at 357,500 in the early 1900s decreasing to 1,000 individuals currently remaining in the wild. The initial decline was attributed to an unknown fungal disease with Fusarium torreyae (T. Aoki, J. A. Smith, L. Mount, Geiser and O'Donnell), identified in 2011 as the causal agent of a canker disease. The objectives of this work were to develop genetic markers to uniquely identify individuals, examine the structure of the in situ population, and use an ex situ germplasm resource to determine if reproduction without fertilization (apomixis) occurs. We developed a panel of microsatellite markers, sampled individuals from three natural in situ populations, and found population structure at all levels tested. The markers were next applied to ex situ mothers, potential fathers, and progeny to investigate the occurrence of apomixis. One of 29 progeny seedlings tested and its mother had identical multilocus genotypes. The probability of observing this genotype by chance, given the mother and the two possible fathers' genotypes, is approximately one in ten. Based on these data, we cannot reject the hypothesis that apomixis occurs. Our finding of population structure suggests genotypes from as wide an area as possible are required to capture the diversity of the species in conservation efforts. The multiplexed marker panel can be used to identify individual accessions and assist with managing ex situ collections; however, they are not informative enough to clearly differentiate closely related individuals in the ex situ population.

Leaf and scape anatomy of Allium glandulosum Link & Otto, Allium kunthii G. Don, Allium scaposum Benth., and Allium durangoense Traub were studied comparatively for the first time. The aim was to analyze and provide characters with a possible taxonomic value. The samples collected in the field were processed using a conventional paraffin-embedding technique. Some characteristics of foliar anatomical characters of Amerallium Traub were confirmed. The shape of the blade seen in cross-section presents an obovate depressed shape, except in A. glandulosum, which was obtriangular. Anatomical characteristics of the leaf and scape, such as the prominent cells of the epidermis, the thickening of cells adjacent to the vascular bundles, and the type of cuticle, allow the four species to be differentiated. The presence of papillose cuticle and prominent cells, as well as stomatal occlusive cells with anterior extensions, is reported for the first time for the genus. Leaf and scape anatomy supports the recognition of the four species analyzed.