Missouri Department of Conservation
Missouri Department of Conservation

Taxonomy

Common Name: PONDBERRY

Phylum: ANTHOPHYTA

Class: DICOTYLEDONEAE

Order: LAURALES

Family: LAURACEAE

Genus: LINDERA

Species: MELISSIFOLIA

Taxonomic Authority: (WALTER) BLUME

Taxonomy References: 012 , 002 , 003 , 005 , 008

Status

FEDERAL ENDANGERED
STATE ENDANGERED
STATE RANK S1
GLOBAL RANK G2

Status References: 001 , 005

Habitat Summary

"Is found in seasonally wet, low areas in bottomland hardwoods and floodplain forests, along margins of cypress ponds, and in shallow depression ponds of sandhills."

Primary Habitat: "Forest - bottomland"

References:

Distribution

General Occurrence in State:

"Occurs in southeastern Missouri *03*."

County Occurance

County Occurence
Known Likely Unknown Not Likely Historic Extirpated
RIPLEY

References for distribution: 003 , 004 , 006 , 008 , 009

Distribution by Watersheds

Current R.

Comments: ""

Distribution by Ecoregions

Comments: ""

Distribution by Potential Natural Vegetation

Southern Floodplain Forest

Distribution by Natural Divisions of Missouri

Mississippi Lowlands: Lowlands

Habitat Associations

Species is associated with "" habitats.

National Wetlands Inventory Association:

Palustrine

Aquatic Associations:

"Palustrine", "Forested, needle-leaved deciduous"
"Palustrine", "Unconsolidated bottom, sand"

References for Aquatic Associations: 002 , 003 , 004 , 005 , 008

Habitat Types:

Wooded Riparian and Bottomland Hardwood
Swamp

References for Habitat Types: 002 , 003 , 004 , 005 , 008

Terrestrial Natural Communities:

Forest
Bottomland Forest
Swamps
Swamp

References for Terrestrial Natural Communities: 003 , 005 , 006 , 008

Food Habits

Trophic Level:

""

Larval Food Habits

Comments for larval food habits:
""

References for larval food habits:

Juvenile Food Habits

Comments for Juvenile Food Habits:
""

References Juvenile Food Habits

Adult Food Habits

Comments for Adult Food Habits:
""

References Adult Food Habits

Niche Requirements

Egg Niche Requirements

References for egg niches requirements:

Feeding Larvae Niche Requirements

References for feeding larvae niche requirements:

Resting Larvae Niche Requirements

References for resting Larvae niche requirements:

Feeding Juvenile Niche Requirements

References for feeding juvenile niche requirements:

Resting Juvenile Niche Requirements

References for resting juvenile niche requirements:

Breeding Adult Niche Requirements

References for feeding Adult niche requirements:

Feeding Adult Niche Requirements

References for feeding adult niche requirements:

Resting Adult Niche Requirements

References for resting adult niche requirements:

Niche Requirement Summary

Inland wetlands specified in comments(00250)
Light requirements:see comments(00525)

Comments about Life History:

Code Comment
099 Many of the plants in populations may be clones *007*.
034 Some populations are too small to reproduce *005*. Fruits seem to have no reproductive value as no seedlings have been detected at any of the sites *004*. Seedling establishment is apparently rare *002*.
003 In MO, grow adjacent to Smilex glauca and Saururus cernuus *010*.

Life History Information

Limiting factors specified in comments(034)
Reproduction (plants):plants dioecious
Reproduction (plants):stoloniferous
Winter persistence of above-ground stem:deciduous
Life form:shrub
Flowering period begins: March
Flowering period ends: April
Fruiting period begins: June
Fruiting period begins: September
Fruiting period ends: November
Other life history information specified in comments(099)
Closely associated plant or animal species specified in comments(003)

Comments about Life History:

Code Comment
099 Many of the plants in populations may be clones *007*.
034 Some populations are too small to reproduce *005*. Fruits seem to have no reproductive value as no seedlings have been detected at any of the sites *004*. Seedling establishment is apparently rare *002*.
003 In MO, grow adjacent to Smilex glauca and Saururus cernuus *010*.

References for life history: 002 , 003 , 004 , 006 , 007 , 009 , 010 , 011

Management

Beneficial Management Practices:

Water - develop/maintain wetlands
Water - exclude livestock from water
Water - protect natural hydrology to avoid lowering of the water table
Water - other (specify in comments)
Forest - develop and maintain water holes, ponds, potholes, etc.
Forest - control grazing of domestic livestock
Forest - other (specify in comments)

Beneficial Management References: 003 , 004

Adverse Managment Practices:

Water - dredging and filling
Water - drainage of wetlands, marshes, ponds, lakes
Water - other (specify in comments)
Forest - uncontrolled grazing of domestic livestock
Forest - other (specify in comments)

Adverse Management References: 002 , 003 , 004 , 005

Comments on Management:
Beneficial: avoid drainage of sites where the species is located *03,010*. Fence around populations threatened by domestic hogs or other livestock *04*. Adverse: changes of local water table or water quality *02*. Clearing/draining of bottomland forests may be the major factor affecting pondberry populations *07,011*.

References for Management Comments: 002 , 003 , 004 , 005 , 007 , 010 , 011

References

Reference Code Citation
001 Missouri Natural Heritage Program. 2004. Missouri Species and Communities of Conservation Concern Checklist. Missouri Department Of Conservation. Jefferson City, Missouri. 47 Pp.
002 Missouri Department Of Conservation. 2000. Missouri Plants Of Conservation Concern. Missouri Department Of Conservation. Jefferson City, Missouri. 47 Pp.
003 Georgia Wildlife Federation. 1999. Lindera Melissifolia (Walter) Blume. Http://Www.Gwf.Org/Library/Plants/Pla_Pondberry.Htm 2 November 2000.
004 U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service. Species Accounts: Pondberry. Http://Endangered.Fws.Gov/I/Q/Saq30.Html 2 November 2000
005 National Wildlife Federation. Pondberry. Http://Www.Nwf.Org/Wildalive/Pondberry 2 November 2000.
006 Kurz, D. 1997 Shrubs And Woody Vines Of Missouri. Missouri Departmentof Conservation. Jefferson City, Missouri. 387 Pp.
007 Natureserve: An Online Encyclopedia Of Life [Web Application]. 2000. Version 1.0. Arlington (Va): Association For Biodiversity Information. Available: Http://Www.Natureserve.Org/. (Accessed: November 7, 2000).
008 Unpb Missouri Department of Conservation Heritage Database. P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, Mo 65102.
009 Unpb Flora Of Missouri Database. G. Yatskievych, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, Mo 63166-0299. 314-577-9522.
010 Klomps, V.L. 1980. The status of Lindera melissifolium (Walt.) Blume, Pondberry, in Missouri. Trans. MO Acad. Sci. 14:61-66.
011 Godt, M.J.W. and J.L. Hamrick. 1996. Allozyme diversity in the endangered shrub Lindera melissifolia (Lauraceae) and its widespread congener Lindera benzoin. Can. J. For. Res. 26(12):2080-2087.
012 Unpb Flora Of Missouri Database. G. Yatskievych, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, Mo. 63166-0299. 314-577-9522.