Mortonia sempervirens (Rio Grande Mortonia)
Family
CELASTRACEAE
Common Name
Rio Grande Mortonia
Distribution
Ken Heil and Steve O'Kane collected the first New Mexico specimen in Quay County in 2008. This plant predominately occurs in Texas and Mexico. A search of herbarium databases located 17 specimens from Texas and 23 specimens from Mexico. This small shrub grows on limestone, an abundant habitat. No herbarium labels describe it as rare and several stated it was frequent. This plant appears to be too abundant and widespread to be considered rare by NMRPTC criteria.
Remarks
Ken Heil and Steve O'Kane collected the first New Mexico specimen in Quay County in 2008. This plant predominately occurs in Texas and Mexico. A search of herbarium databases located 17 specimens from Texas and 23 specimens from Mexico. This small shrub grows on limestone, an abundant habitat. No herbarium labels describe it as rare and several stated it was frequent. This plant appears to be too abundant and widespread to be considered rare by NMRPTC criteria.
For distribution maps and more information, visit Natural Heritage New Mexico