Yet in sheer numbers, far more plants are near extinction than animals. Ten percent of the state's estimated 4,600 species of plants are considered endangered, threatened or in need of protection. The state's plant life is diverse, with specimens that are otherwise unique to the north, as well as the Caribbean, Texas and South America. But, like many other elements of natural Florida, the state's plants have fallen victim to encroaching humans. Habitat has given way to homes and asphalt.
Development disrupts natural rhythms of fire and flood.
Exotic plants imported for their beauty or low maintenance have become predators, invading and choking out native species. But no widespread sense of urgency is apparent. You don't find the pawpaw on a car tag or hear Jimmy Buffett's lyrics lamenting its demise. Botanists say they need to research plant species and their value but little money is available to pay for it. Laws and rules on the books to provide protection for the endangered plants are limited and not widely known.