About Lechea divaricata Shuttlew. ex Britton
Lechea divaricata (scientific name Lechea divaricata Shuttlew. ex Britton) is commonly known as drysand pinweed or pine pinweed. It is an endangered perennial herb or subshrub that is endemic to the U.S. state of Florida. This species grows in exposed, sandy areas of fire-dependent Florida scrub habitats, most commonly in scrubby flatwoods. Its documented range is restricted to central and southern Florida, extending from Citrus County and Volusia County at its northern end down to Collier County and Miami-Dade County at its southern end. Across this limited range, an estimated 50 to 80 populations of Lechea divaricata are known to exist, and only about 25 of these populations are large enough to be considered healthy. The species currently faces extreme threats from habitat loss caused by urban sprawl and agricultural development.
