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THYMELAEA (THYMELAEACEAE) SOUTH DAKOTA PASSERINA IN Grace Kostel INTRODUCTION summer In the of 2008, the author discovered a population of Thymelaea passerina (common name, spurge unknown flax), a species thought to be from the state, to be well established on a disturbed in Conata site Basin, Pennington County, South Dakota. The population 1000 of ca. individual plants scattered throughout Conata several acres of Basin clearly indicates a potential for naturalization. Although no published record of passerina in South Dakota search through herbarium made T. exists, a later records revealed a collection A in 1989 by Craig Freeman and Ralph Brooks County E. in Tripp formal description of the species and new known information about distribution in the its state follow. 1000 plants scattered over several acres, 4 Sep 2008, Grace M. 12666 (BHSC, SD, Kostel U.S. 41571). MORPHOLOGY cm Thymelaea 55-60 passerina taprooted herbaceous annual and a wiry is to characteristically tall slender, and Spurge grows one main stem more commonly, erect. flax as branches from upper or, the portion of the main stem. Leaves and and are alternate leathery, jointed yellow sessile, at a cartilaginous base; blades are mm narrow and 8-14 small, upward The linear, long, progressively smaller along the stems. flowers are mm and 2-3 perfect, greenish, tubular with 4 no and axillary, long, sepals, petals, 8 stamens 2 whorls (in Below of each two very small from The 4). flower, bracts arise a tuft of tiny white hairs. fruit one-seeded, is mm brown the enclosed seed round, black and 2-3 long (McGregor Kaul to 1986; 2006). et al. Thymelaea passerina was reported in the United by Pohl Thymelaea first States in 1955. passerina native to is common Northern Africa, Europe and Asia where considered weed dry and it is a of soils grain fields (Pohl Research Institute of Texas 3(2) Journal of the Botanical 902 & and North America. In the De Selm found in central Russia, Australia Wofford 1988). also is 1955; It & Wisconsin Ladd (Mohlenbrock 1978), from Iowa and Nebraska (Pohl 1955), Illinois recorded U.S., is 'it & & De (Wofford Mississippi Ohio Thieret (McGregor (Vincent 1987), Kansas (Harriman 1986), 1979), Washington passerina (Webb and Texas (Holmes 2000). In state T. Alabama et Selm 1997), al. 1988), et al. A (USDA weed noxious Okanogan County and was subsequently listed as a Class 1996 was in in identified NRCS 1999). with may been through agricultural activity associated County have Tripp facilitated Introduction to may We how passerina can only speculate as to introduced seed in hay. T. and as grazing feeding cattle, e.g., with the recreational killing of associated Conata Several years of activity have been introduced Basin. to with reintroduction of black footed ferrets and associated the the actions dogs (Cynomys ludoviciana) prairie Conata (USFWS) and Service (USFS) in and U.S. Forest by Fish Wildlife Service the U.S. (Mustela nigripes) how has been established in a region may Knowledge long an introduced species have played of Basin a role. made example, thus increasing the can be too soon, for Assessments of species' invasiveness important. a is common Such mistakes phase are as invasive species in lag "safe." likelihood of labeling a potentially its & Prach (Pysek 1993). been found herbaceous species (IUCN Lag phases of up 180 years have for 2002). to A by be given highest law priority. required such are to Washington Class plants, as passerina, In T. State, whose limited distribution purpose nonnative species is still with that Such consistent the state's effort is soon new and eradicating existing ones as as possible. with by preventing infestations are best dealt some Polygonum resembles Thymelaea passerina can be difficult to identify. In the field, the plant closely Spurge found nodes. flax no papery sheath) the leaf is upon examination, ocrea at is but close (a species many from absent annual Thymelaeaceae, thus and only herbaceous is Thymelaea the it the only species in Alkaline animals not graze this plant. Washington have observed that will taxonomic in keys. Officials NRCS (USDA where has been found 1999), passerina rangeland and disturbed places are typical of sites I. Spurge common Conata Basin ecosystem. flax complex and highly altered is and such to the habitats are the small, leathery leaves. by due the lack of surface area of be control herbicides to reported to to difficult many NEB, (KANU in 1950) KANU and collected A duplicates 298425, at specimen passerina label for T. northern had completely taken over a pasture" in the "almost weediness by indicating the plant allude to its Cedar County, Nebraska. part of CONCLUSION wider and naturalization. South Dakota the potential for as established in Thymelaea passerina clearly is Thymelaea passerina, new Thymelaeaceae, to the flora of the state. The 1989 introduced a family, collection do not graze Livestock and control in other regions. has proven be aggressive difficult to spurge to or flax, by have been grazed were noted none 1000 plants observed to and Conata Basin, of the ca. the plant, at and makes management, possibly eradication, An program Conata Basin control at dogs. assertive prairie may be Conata possible geology of Basin, Given the relatively isolated it spurge this time. of flax feasible at USFS Conata Basin monitoring by the of the and prevent from spreading. In addition, contain the alien to it new A 1989 find in Tripp return the of the initial would in identifying invasions. to site greatly aid flora and invasive pattern. information about persistence County provide valuable could its also ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Museum, McGregor Kansas Natural History R.L. provided University of occurrence data by: Biodiversity and Caleb Morse. Sincere appreciation (KANU) Rolfsmeier is Herbarium accessed through the efforts of Steve manuscript. review the Gary Larson and Steve Rolfsmeier for of extended Raul Gutierrez, Robert Kaul, E. to Dakota South in Freeman verifying the data of his initial collection extended Craig for Appreciation to is on work M.L. Gabel and Peggy Buckwalter the The the of 1989 with Ralph Brooks. author grateful for in is Spanish translation. Thymelaea South Dakota Kostel, passerina in FENCES IEFE Great Plains Flora Association. 986. Flora of the Great Plains. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence. 1 NA Harriman, 1979. Four additions to the Wisconsin Michigan 18:143-145. flora. Bot. Holmes, W.C, and 2000. Thymelaea (Thyme new J.F. Pruski, J.R. Singhurst. passerina laeaceae) to Texas. Sida 19:403-406. IUCN. 2002. Turning the the and tide: eradication of invasive species. Veitch, M.N. Cloud, Occasional C.R. eds. IUCN Commission Paper of the Species Survival No. 27. Available http://www.hear.org/articles/turning- at: thetide/turningthetide.pdf. The Kaul, R.B., D.M. Sutherland, and S.B. Rolfsmeier. 2006. flora of Nebraska. University of Nebraska, Lincoln. McGregor, R.L 1986.Thymelaeaceae. Flora of the Great Plains University Press of Kansas, Lawrence. 498. In: P. Mohlenbrock, R.H. and D.M. Ladd. 1978. Distribution of vascular Southern plants. University Illinois Illinois Press, Carbondale. new weed Thymelaea Pohl, R.W. 955. passerina, the United Iowa Acad. 52-1 a in States. 62:1 54. Sci. 1 PySek, R and K. Prach. 993. Plant invasions and the role of riparian habitats - a comparison of four species alien 1 to central Europe. Biogeogr. 20:41 3-420. J. USDA, The PLANTS NRCS. 1999. database (http://plants.ussda.gov/plants) accessed 4/19/2009. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. MA and Thymelaea Vincent, J.W.Thieret. 1987. passerina (Thymelaeaceae) Ohio. Sida 12:75-78. in W.M. Webb, D.H., H.R. DeSelm, and Dennis. 1997. Studies of prairie barrens of northwestern Alabama. Castanea 62:173-184. Wofford, B.E. and H.R. De Selm. 988. Distribution of and report of Thymelaea passerina from the southeastern first 1 United Castanea 53:305-306. States.