Plant Materials Program “The Plant Materials Program and its cooperators have contributed the bulk of the material and technology now used in ecosystem

restoration and are our foundation for meeting conservation challenges of the future.”

-- D.T. Booth and T.A. Jones, Native Plants Journal

Ohai is a prostrate shrub to a small tree that 

produces amazing large red pea-like flowers. 

Threatened and Endangered Species 

Decline in plant populations is due to many 

complex issues, including urban expansion, small 

acreage habitat degradation, and indirect or direct 

destruction of plant species by humans. 

Destruction occurs through introduction of 

invasive species, over harvesting, and conversion 

of habitat to other uses. 

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 was enacted 

to provide a means to conserve the ecosystems 

upon which threatened and endangered (T&E) 

species depend and provides a program for the 

conservation and recovery of these species. The 

Act directs all federal agencies to employ their 

authorities in furthering the purposes of the Act 

and to ensure that their actions do not jeopardize 

listed species or adversely modify their critical 

habitat. 

“Threatened” is defined as any species which is 

likely to become endangered within the 

foreseeable future throughout all or a significant 

portion of its habitat range. “Endangered” is any 

species which is in danger of extinction within the 

foreseeable future throughout all or a significant 

portion of its range. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 

establishes listings of plants and animals that 

require protection by the federal government. State 

and federal listings of T&E plant species are 

available on the NRCS PLANTS Database 

(http://plants.usda.gov). 

Technology Development 

Hawaii has more plant species listed as threatened 

and endangered than any other state. Most of 

Hawaii’s endangered species have been adversely 

affected by invasive plants and animals. The 

Hoolehua Plant Materials Center (PMC) is finding 

ways to propagate certain T&E species such as 

ohai (Sesbania tomentosa). Ohai occurs on all the 

main islands except 

Lanai and Niihau. It 

was last seen on 

Lanai in the mid1950s. An 

introduced species 

of deer is probably 

responsible for its 

loss. Mao hau hele 

(Hibiscus brackenridgei) is the state flower of 

Hawaii and is also endangered with only 60 known 

plants growing in just seven areas of the islands. 

California has the second largest number of plants 

listed as threatened and endangered. Land 

conversion has been identified as the main cause. 

The Lockeford PMC has a proposed project to aid 

the recovery and eventual de-listing of several 

endangered plant species in California. 

The project, in cooperation 

with the Agricultural 

Research Service and the 

USFWS, will collect 

endangered plants 

throughout California, 

propagate them, develop a 

foundation seed source, 

study methods of reestablishment, and release 

plants for commercial 

propagation and eventual 

use in revegetation 

projects. 

Mao hau hele in flower

Baker’s larkspur 

(Delphinium bakeri) is 

one of California’s 

endangered plants that 

will be included in the 

Lockeford PMC project. 
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

December 2006 

About Us 

The USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program consists of a 

network of 27 Plant Materials Centers (PMCs) and Plant 

Materials Specialists located throughout the United States. 

For over 70 years, PMCs and Specialists have provided 

essential and effective plant solutions for critical habitats, 

environmental concerns, management practices, and key 

farm and ranch programs. 

For more information, visit: 

http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov 

Helping People Help the Land... 

Efforts to restore populations of T&E species are 

often hindered by a limited knowledge of their 

propagation. 

The Manhattan PMC in Kansas is reintroducing 

Mead’s milkweed (Asclepias meadii) into the 

tallgrass prairie communities where it is a 

component of the native landscape. In cooperation 

with the Kansas Biological Survey, the Manhattan 

PMC is conducting a propagation study on 

Mead’s milkweed. 

 

The Cape May PMC in New Jersey has provided 

technical assistance to the USFWS and the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in developing 

technologies to expand seabeach amaranth 

(Amaranthus pumilus), which is listed federally as 

threatened and by the State of New Jersey as 

endangered. 

The Plant Materials Program also works with 

critical habitat for animal species. The habitat for 

sage grouse has been threatened by conversion to 

urban land and changes in grazing and vegetation 

management strategies. Plant Materials 

Specialists, working with biologists, have 

provided a list of diverse plants, including native 

forbs, grasses, and shrubs and the plant 

technology to manage them, to land managers and 

wildlife specialists. 

Ultimate Goal

Our goal is to work cooperatively to avert species 

extinction worldwide. Concerns are loss of a 

species as a biological entity, imbalance of an 

ecosystem, endangerment of other species, and 

loss of irreplaceable genetic material. The Plant 

Materials Program works with land managers and 

land users to conserve these natural resources. 

Mead’s milkweed is a perennial herb that is 

found predominately in virgin tallgrass prairie. 

Seabeach Amaranth is one of New Jersey’s 

threatened plants.