U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service October 2017 Conserving South Carolina’s At-Risk Species: www.fws.gov/charleston www.fws.gov/southeast/candidateconservation Species facing threats to their survival Sandhills lily tion zones between dry longleaf pine up- Threats (Lilium pyrophilum) lands and wet and wooded creeks. Addi- The Sandhills lily is threatened by fire sup- tional studies have found that the species pression and conversion of streamheads to occurs on herb-and shrub-dominated side fishing ponds, farm impoundments, and slopes and floodplains in streamhead and other uses that severely reduce available small depression pocosins, sandhill seeps, habitat. Use of herbicides is a concern for Coastal Plain small stream swamps, and populations in rights-of-way. Collection wet, maintained rights-of-way. It grows is considered a potential threat due to most often with red chokeberry (Aronia large, showy flowers and the small num- arbutifolia), Maryland meadowbeauty ber of plants known to exist globally. (Rhexia mariana), cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca), and peat moss (Sphagnum spp.). Management/Protection Needs The Sandhills lily can tolerate a range of This species requires some form of peri- Sandhills lily/Photo credit: Will Stuart organic to mineral-organic soils, but not odic disturbance to remove encroaching sandy soil. It requires an unusual combi- shrubs and trees. It is known only from Description nation of saturated soils and periodic fire areas that are frequently burned, either The Sandhills lily is a perennial herb with (or disturbance that mimics fire). Most intentionally (e.g. - habitat maintenance) a flowering stem, 1.5 m tall. Flowers are remaining populations are on properties or unintentionally (e.g. - exploding ord- showy, pendant, with recurved tepals that are periodically managed with pre- nance), or in areas that are mechanically ranging in color from yellow to orange or scribed fire or where periodic mowing cleared to facilitate human access (e.g. - dusky red and spotted with magenta. Sta- takes place along rights-of-way. power and gas lines). It is unclear wheth- mens (6) are very exserted. Leaves are er mechanical brush cutting is an adequate usually whorled often clustered toward substitute for fire in the long-term so the bottom of the plant. It flowers from where feasible, periodic burns should be late July to mid August with capsules ma- conducted. The frequency, seasonality, turing in October. Formerly treated as and intensity of those burns is not current- northern panhandle lily (Lilium iridollae), ly understood. Where burning is not fea- Skinner and Sorrie identified it as a new sible, woody plants should be mechanical- taxon in 2002. The species is most closely ly removed every few years. Herbicides allied to turk's-cap lily (L. superbum). should be avoided, as should any type of drainage. Management needs may also Range include protection from collection. The plant occurs from southeastern Vir- ginia to southcentral South Carolina, References wholly within the Coastal Plain; most NatureServe. 2017. NatureServe Explor- populations are in the Sandhills region on Sandhills lily range map; USDA-NRCS er: An online encyclopedia of life [web the interior Coastal Plain of southeastern application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, North Carolina. In South Carolina, the Status Arlington, Virginia. Available http:// plant is known from Chesterfield, Ker- Restricted to an extremely narrow range explorer.natureserve.org. shaw, Orangeburg, and Richland Coun- and set of habitat conditions, there are ties. only about 200 individuals plants docu- Contact mented at fewer than 50 sites. Nature- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Habitat Serve’s Rounded Global Status is G2 - South Carolina Field Office The Sandhills lily is almost exclusively Imperiled. It is considered critically im- 843/727-4707 restricted to narrow (2-10 m wide) transi- periled (S1) in South Carolina. [email protected]