Pondspice (Litsea aestivalis) Population Status and Response to Laurel Wilt Disease in Northeast Florida

A status survey was conducted for pondspice (Litsea aestivalis) in northeast Florida tohelp gauge the population response to Laurel Wilt Disease (LWD). The LWD epidemic inFlorida is currently located in the northeast portion of the state and is actively spreading toadjacent counties. Pondspice is listed as endangered by the state of Florida, Florida NaturalAreas Inventory (FNAI) ranks it as G3/S2, and is rare throughout its range within thesoutheastern United States. Pondspice is a member of the Lauraceae and has been found to beaffected by LWD. However, little is known as to how wild populations will respond to thedisease. In an effort to document the effect of LWD on pondspice FNAI updated the status of allaccessible populations and searched for new pondspice locations within northeast Florida. Therewere 11 previously known locations, FNAI element occurrences, within northeastern Floridalocated on public and private land. ...

Publisher - United States Forest Service (USFS), Florida Natural Assets Inventory (FNAI)

Subjects - Plant, Pondspice, Litsea aestivalis

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Citation: Surdick J, Jenkins A. 2009. Pondspice (Litsea aestivalis) Population Status and Response to Laurel Wilt Disease in Northeast Florida. Tallahassee (FL): United States Forest Service (USFS), Florida Natural Assets Inventory (FNAI); #025665. 42 pp http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/laurelwilt/resources/pubs/Litsea_DOF_report-Surdick2009.pdf