Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, December 27, 1993 TAG: 9312270042
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Earl Core from West Virginia University in Morgantown discovered the Peters Mountain mallow along a ridge top on Peters Mountain separating West Virginia from Virginia. The plant's Latin name, Iliamna corei, is in honor of Core.
Calcium deposits found on the seeds indicate they have been in the leaf litter for quite a long time, perhaps several decades. Plants with a softer seed coat cannot remain dormant as long as those with hard seed coats.
Research has shown the Peters Mountain mallow has a long life. The four remaining plants have been at the Peters Mountain site for 15 years. According to Jerry Baskin of the biological sciences department at the University of Kentucky, the plant is from an old genus, dating back thousands of years.
The primary cause of mortality among the young Peters Mountain mallow plants is drought, because the root systems are not yet large enough to search out all possible water sources. Also, the mallow tends to remain green longer than other species found in the area, thereby attracting deer.
Competition for space is a problem. The Canadian leafcup, a competing plant, is a biennial, which means it has good years and bad. During the good years, it can overwhelm the more fragile Peters Mountain mallow.
As an endangered species, the Peters Mountain mallow is protected by federal law.
- Staff report
by CNB