Alternative Text Description for Cape Sable Thoroughwort (Endangered)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the geographic distribution of Cape Sable Thoroughwort, an endangered plant species, in southern Florida as documented by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The map shows polygonal boundary areas where this species is understood to occur, focusing on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys. The shaded areas represent the known range of this endangered species within the state.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers southern Florida, including both mainland areas and the Florida Keys. Major cities visible on the map include Miami, Homestead, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Coral, Naples, Immokalee, and Key West. The mapped area extends from the southwestern Gulf coast near Cape Coral and Naples, eastward to the Atlantic coast near Miami and the southeastern urban corridor, and southward through the Florida Keys to Key West. The Straits of Florida are labeled in the southern portion of the map. Port Charlotte and Lake Okeechobee are visible in the northern extent of the map area.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Cape Sable Thoroughwort occurrence areas are concentrated in two primary regions. The largest continuous area extends across southern mainland Florida, encompassing parts of Miami-Dade County including the Miami metropolitan area and extending southward into the Everglades region and Florida Bay shoreline. A second significant area covers portions of the middle and lower Florida Keys, particularly around Key West. The distribution pattern shows the species is restricted to the southernmost portion of Florida, with the mainland occurrence area being substantially larger than the Keys populations. The species range does not extend into the southwestern Gulf coast areas near Naples and Cape Coral, nor into the southeastern urban corridor north of Miami.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Cape Sable Thoroughwort (Endangered) Distribution Areas

Brief description: This layer represents the polygonal boundaries where Cape Sable Thoroughwort, an endangered species, occurs in Florida.

Mainland Southern Florida Occurrence Area

Appearance:

Pink crosshatch pattern fill covering an irregular polygon

Distribution:

Located in southern mainland Florida, extending from the coastal areas near Miami and Homestead southward into the Everglades region and southwestern portions of Miami-Dade County

Notable locations:

The area encompasses portions of Miami, Homestead, and extends into Florida Bay and the southern Everglades

Spatial patterns:

Forms a large, irregularly shaped continuous area with an eastern boundary roughly following the developed urban edge and extending westward and southward into less developed wetland areas

Florida Keys Occurrence Area

Appearance:

Pink crosshatch pattern fill covering multiple polygons

Distribution:

Located in the middle and lower Florida Keys, with the largest concentration around Key West and extending northeastward along the island chain

Notable locations:

Concentrated around Key West with additional areas extending through the lower and middle Keys

Spatial patterns:

Forms a linear pattern following the arc of the Florida Keys, with irregular polygon boundaries that appear to correspond to island and nearshore areas

Overlapping Patterns

The two primary occurrence areas are geographically separated, with the mainland population and the Keys population occurring as distinct distributional units without direct geographic connection on the map.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents species occurrence boundaries as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. The polygonal areas shown indicate where the species is documented to occur but do not necessarily represent continuous habitat or population density. The map displays only the Cape Sable Thoroughwort layer extracted from a larger species dataset. The crosshatch pattern distinguishes the endangered species occurrence areas from the base map features.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service species boundary data for the State of Florida, representing polygonal boundaries for species as understood by the federal agency.

Definition Query:

The map displays a filtered subset of the species data where the common name equals 'CAPE SABLE THOROUGHWORT', extracted from the larger CR_USFWS_POLY_JUN26 dataset.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional-scale view appropriate for understanding the overall geographic distribution of the species across southern Florida and the Keys. The scale allows visualization of the species' range in relation to major cities and geographic features.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Limitations:

The polygonal boundaries represent the species range as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and may not reflect all occurrence locations or habitat suitability areas. The boundaries indicate documented presence areas but do not provide information about population size, density, or habitat quality within the mapped polygons.

Map Coverage:

The map extends from approximately Port Charlotte and Lake Okeechobee in the north to Key West and the Straits of Florida in the south, and from the Gulf coast near Cape Coral and Naples in the west to the Atlantic coast near West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami in the east.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.