Amaranthus pumilus Rafinesque. Seabeach Amaranth, Dwarf Amaranth. Phen: Jul-Nov. Hab: Sea beaches, fore-dunes, island end flats, rarely on sound-side beaches. Dist: Se. MA south to c. SC; presently known to be extant only from NC, n. SC, e. MD, DE (McAvoy 2002), se. NY (Long Island), VA, and NJ. Since 2000, populations have crashed rangewide.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Other Comments: Seeds of this plant require cold stratification, high temperatures, and light to germinate (Baskin & Baskin 1998); this is apparently responsible for the late seasonality of the species (germination in late spring and early summer) and its seed-banking. See Hancock & Hosier (2003) for discussion of the ecology of this interesting species.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA4, G, GW2, K1, K3, K4, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tat, Va, Bayón (2015)
Wetland Indicator Status:
Heliophily ⓘ: 9
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