CTPC staff monitor the endangered Pseudophoenix sargentii on Elliott Key

Jennifer Possley, GIS Lab Coordinator/Field Biologist, reports that two weeks ago today, several members of Fairchild’s Center for Tropical Plant Conservation (CTPC) returned from a three-day trip, monitoring the endangered palm Pseudophoenix sargentii (Sargent’s cherry palm) on Elliott Key. We last conducted a thorough monitoring of this taxon on Elliott Key in 2003. This time, we collected data on: (1) approximately 115 surviving individuals that were planted by Fairchild staff, Florida DEP, and other cooperators in 1991-1994, (2) approximately 250 known wild individuals, and (3) approximately 200 seedlings that were previously undocumented. The biologists and volunteers who took part in the monitoring were: Joyce Maschinski, Sam Wright, Joie Goodman, Julissa Roncal, Sandra Namoff, Scott Zona, Jay Horn, Nadia Spencer, Scott Lewis, Natalia Giminez, Eleanor Lahn, Frank Barron, and Jennifer Possley. Below are some photos, courtesy of Scott Zona and Joie Goodman.

Click on images to enlarge

Campsite on Elliott Key

Joie and Jennifer taking a break

Jay Horn with mature Pseudophoenix on the
left and a seedling Pseudophoenix on the right

Mature, fruiting Pseudophoenix

Sandra Namoff collecting a leaf sample from
a young Pseudophoenix for genetic analysis