Carolina redroot
EN

Carolina redroot

Lachnanthes caroliniana

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachnanthes

Overview

Lachnanthes is a genus of monocotyledonous plants in the bloodwort family containing only one species, i.e., Lachnanthes caroliana (caroliniana), commonly known as Carolina redroot or bloodroot. The plant is native to eastern North America, from southeastern Nova Scotia and Massachusetts in the north, south to Florida and Cuba, and west along the Gulf of Mexico to Louisiana. It has also been reported from an island in the western Caribbean off the coast of Honduras.

It prefers wet, acidic, usually sandy soils, restricting it to various wetland habitats such as bogs, pinelands, hammocks and pocosins, among others.

Carolina redroot faces significant population declines primarily due to habitat loss from coastal development, agricultural conversion, and wetland drainage. Climate change and sea level rise pose additional threats to its specialized wetland habitats, while altered hydrology from human activities disrupts the specific moisture conditions this species requires.

Threat summary

Frequently asked questions

Why is Carolina redroot classified as Endangered?
Carolina redroot is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Carolina redroot faces significant population declines primarily due to habitat loss from coastal development, agricultural conversion, and wetland drainage. Climate change and sea level rise pose additional threats to its specialized wetland habitats, while altered hydrology from human activities disrupts the specific moisture conditions this species requires.
Where does Carolina redroot live?
Carolina redroot occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Carolina redroot?
The main threats to Carolina redroot are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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