Dwarf-Flowered Heartleaf
(Hexastylis naniflora)
THREATENED
Family:
Birthwort
Flowering/Fruiting Dates:
Mid-March to earlyJune.
Habitat:
Acidic sandy loam soils along bluffs and nearby slopes,
	hillsides and ravines, in boggy areas adjacent to creekhcads
and streams. Soil type is the most important habitat require-
ment (Pacolet, Madison, or Musella types). Needs sunlight in
early spring for maximum flowering and seed production.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Smallest flowers of any North American Hexastylis;
most are less that .4 inch long, with narrow sepal tubes
(never more than .28 inch wide). ihejug-shaped flowers range
from beige to dark brown, sometimes greenish or purplish.
Leathery evergreen leaves are dark green and heart-shaped.
Threats:
	Site conversion from woodlands to pasture, residential!
industrial development, reservoir construction, herbicides.