2022 Rare Plant List
The Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina contains information about plants species that have a state or federal legal status or are considered rare or uncommon in the state by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP). This information helps NCNHP identify and evaluate areas of natural significance and helps us prioritize sites for land conservation. It is also helpful in determining priorities for natural resource inventory and assisting in environmental assessment and land management.
The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program is authorized under the Nature Preserves Act (G.S. 143B-135.250 - 143B-135.272) to compile and maintain data and information relevant to the protection of North Carolina’s most important natural areas. The Program takes the lead role in the inventory and assessment of the state’s natural diversity and the identification of important natural areas and rare species habitats. This information is used along with input from federal and state agencies to compile the Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina.
NCNHP thanks the many individuals who have contributed to the list over time. Please view the acknowledgements page and read below to learn how you may contribute data.
The Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina is available in both document and spreadsheet formats. The document lists species organized by five major taxonomic groups: Vascular Plant, Moss, Liverwort, Hornwort, and Lichen. Within a given group, species are listed alphabetically by scientific name. A common name is provided as well as the status and rank for each taxon. The supplementary spreadsheet allows for sorting and filtering and provides additional information on the geographical distribution and habitat for each taxon. To learn more about the information provided in the list please review the Explanation of Information document for details.
NC Natural Heritage Inventory
The Program maintains and continues to build the Natural Heritage inventory for the state of North Carolina. This inventory is the single most comprehensive compilation of records documenting the location and ecological status of rare plant species in the state. Staff ecologists, botanists, and zoologists, and cooperating agencies conduct the ongoing research and field surveys to generate information for the inventory. Data and information are also supplied by an extensive network of botanical professionals and volunteer citizen scientists. We derive records from historical reports, herbarium specimens, agency records, iNaturalist, in addition to precise reports and maps of field observations.
Tracking
The rare plants in North Carolina are monitored (or tracked) in the Natural Heritage database. The Program tracks approximately 950 plants including vascular plants, bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, hornworts), and lichenized fungi. For all tracked species, we conduct conservation status assessments following NatureServe methodology, and map standardized occurrences in the NatureServe Biotics data management system, which includes maps and tabular data.
The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) maintains information on the legal status (federal and/or state) for all rare plants in North Carolina. A state rank is also determined and maintained for all plants known to occur in the state.
Many species that lack formal federal or state legal protection are nonetheless rare or uncommon in North Carolina. To convey information about the rarity of these plants within the state, NCNHP provides status designations that fall into two categories: Significantly Rare (SR) or Watch List (W). The North Carolina Status codes and definitions are provided in the Status and Rank Definitions for Plants document. The Program collects data on these species in addition to those with a legal protection status.
Number of Plant Taxa in North Carolina By Status
The table below indicates the number of taxa tracked in each taxonomic group and status category. Because some taxa have both a North Carolina (NC) and a United States (US) status, totals cannot be added across complete rows. The total number of taxa in North Carolina is an estimate of the taxa that currently or historically occurred in the state.
Group |
Approximate Number in NC |
NC-E |
NC-T |
NC-SC |
SR |
US-E |
US-T |
US-C |
W1 |
W7 |
Vascular Plants |
4,400 |
173 |
159 |
118 |
285 |
16 |
11 |
1 |
159 |
167 |
Mosses |
247 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
119 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
63 |
Liverworts |
89 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
54 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
17 |
Hornworts |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
Lichens |
1,501 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
31 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
21 |
Total |
6,241 |
174 |
160 |
124 |
490 |
17 |
11 |
1 |
176 |
269 |
Contribute Data
NCNHP requests locality and population information for the species listed in the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina as well as those species designated as Watch List. If you would like to provide observations, data and information please complete a NCNHP Plant Survey Form. You may also contribute data via iNaturalist. Please visit the NCNHP profile on iNaturalist and read the journal posts to learn more about how to join the project.