Leedy's roseroot

Listed: 4/22/1992

Status since listing: Stable

Leedy’s roseroot (Sedum integrifolium ssp. leedyi), an isolated subspecies of a more common plant that occurs in the western U.S., is endemic to western New York and southeastern Minnesota [1]. It has waxy leaves and small dark red flowers on tall floral stems [2]. Leedy’s roseroot is likely a relict of a Pleistocene flora thought to have ranged across the continent before the last glaciation [1]. The warmer temperatures of post-glaciation climates caused Leedy’s roseroot to become rare and unfortunately, human activities have exacerbated this decline by disturbing remaining habitat [3]. This is particularly problematic because the Leedy’s roseroot requires extremely specialized cool cliff-side habitat [1]. Only seven populations B4 in Minnesota and 3 in New York- are known to exist [1].

The largest extant population of Leedy’s roseroot occurs in New York on cliffs along the western shore of Seneca Lake [1]. This population, called the Glenora Cliff site, appears to have been relatively stable since the 1980s and numbers between 4,000 and 5,000 plants [4]. Another smaller population that probably numbers less than 100 plants [1] is found nearby at Glenora Falls, but is on private land and has not been recently surveyed [4]. A single robust individual plant occurs at Watkins Glen State Park, but was probably introduced to this location [2].

In Minnesota, all populations occur in two counties in the southeastern part of the State [1]. All four Leedy’s roseroot sites are in drainages of the Root and Whitewater Rivers [1]. Along these drainages, roseroot sites occur on “maderate” cliffs where cliff-sides are cooled by air from underground passages that exits through cracks in the cliff-face [1]. When surveys were conducted in the early 1990s, each of the 4 sites had between 173 and 748 plants [1].

The primary limiting factor for the Leedy’s roseroot is its’ specialized habitat [1]. This specialization results in disjunct occurrences and leaves it vulnerable to stochastic events such as rock-slides and erosion [1]. In New York, the roseroot occurs downhill from a number of lakeside homes, and could be adversely affected by vegetation clearing and by pipes and staircases leading to the lakeshore [1]. Off-site influences, such as groundwater contamination and hydrologic alterations can also affect Leedy’s roseroot [1] especially at sites where hydrologic changes can affect underground systems associated with the production of cool moist air [3]. The invasion of non-native plant species such as Japanese knotweed and black swallowwort can also adversely affect roseroot populations [4].

[1] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Sedum integrfolium ssp. leedyi (Leedy’s roseroot) Recovery Plan. Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. vi + 31 pp.
[2] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1992. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Threatened Status for Sedum integrifolium ssp. leedyi (Leedy's roseroot). Federal register (57:14649).
[3] Center for Plant Conservation. 2002. Sedum integrifolium ssp. leedyi. National Plant Collection Profile. Website (http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/asp/CPC_ViewProfile.asp?CPCNum=7501) accessed February, 2006.
[4] Young, S. 2006. Personal communication with Steve Young, Program Botanist, New York Natural Heritage Program Albany, NY. January 30, 2006.