Alternative Text Description for Key Tree Cactus (Endangered) Distribution Map

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the known geographic distribution of the Key Tree Cactus, an endangered species, across the southeastern United States. The map shows polygonal boundaries representing the areas where this species is understood to occur according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The distribution is visualized against a base map showing major cities and geographic features across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern coastal region of the United States, extending from North Carolina in the north to the southern tip of Florida. Major cities labeled on the map include Jacksonville, Wilmington, Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Augusta, Savannah, Macon, Warner Robins, Albany, Valdosta, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Palm Bay, West Palm Beach, Fort St. Lucie, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, and Freeport. The map also shows Athens in Georgia and Abaco in the Bahamas. The Atlantic Ocean is visible along the eastern edge, and the Gulf of America is shown along Florida's western coast. The map extends from coastal areas inland to include portions of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Key Tree Cactus has an extremely limited geographic distribution, with all known occurrences concentrated in a small area of extreme southern Florida. The species appears to be restricted to a single location in the lower Florida Keys region, specifically near the southwestern tip of the Florida peninsula. This highly localized distribution pattern is consistent with the species' endangered status and suggests extremely limited habitat availability. The species is absent from the vast majority of the mapped area, including all of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and most of Florida, highlighting the rarity and geographic isolation of this cactus species.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Key Tree Cactus (Endangered)

This layer represents the known distribution boundaries for the endangered Key Tree Cactus species in Florida.

Key Tree Cactus Distribution Areas (pink/mauve shaded polygons with diagonal line pattern)

Appearance:

The distribution areas are shown as shaded polygons with a pink or mauve color and a diagonal line pattern overlay. The symbology matches the legend entry labeled "Key Tree Cactus (Endangered)."

Distribution:

The species distribution is highly restricted to a single small area in extreme southern Florida, located in the lower Florida Keys region near Cape Coral and the southwestern tip of the state.

Notable locations:

The only visible occurrence is in the southernmost portion of Florida, in the area near the lower Keys. This represents the entirety of the known range for this species within the mapped area.

Spatial patterns:

The distribution shows extreme geographic restriction with no clustering pattern beyond the single isolated location. There are no linear arrangements or connections to other areas. The species does not occur anywhere else within the extensive geographic coverage of the map, emphasizing its status as a highly localized endemic species.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns are present, as only a single species distribution layer is displayed on this map.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map focuses exclusively on the endangered Key Tree Cactus distribution and does not display other ecological or land use data. The highly restricted range shown on this map reflects the species' endangered conservation status and limited habitat requirements. The base map provides geographic context with city labels and political boundaries to help orient viewers to the location of this rare species within the broader southeastern United States region. The scale of the map covers a multi-state area to emphasize the extremely limited distribution of this species relative to the available geographic area.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data comes from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and represents species boundaries as understood by the agency for the State of Florida. The dataset contains polygonal boundaries for species distributions.

Data source layer name: CR_USFWS_POLY_JUL25

Definition Query:

A definition query has been applied to filter the dataset to show only records where COMNAME = 'KEY TREE CACTUS'. This means only the Key Tree Cactus species is displayed from what may be a larger dataset containing multiple species.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional scale covering multiple states from North Carolina to southern Florida and portions of the Gulf of America and Atlantic Ocean coast. This broad scale is appropriate for understanding the overall range and geographic context of the species, though the actual distribution area is very small relative to the map extent.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The dataset is dated July 2025 based on the data source layer name (JUL25).

Limitations:

The map shows species boundaries as understood by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which may represent potential habitat or historical range rather than confirmed current occurrences. The actual population locations and habitat quality within these boundaries are not represented. The dataset is specific to Florida, and any occurrences outside Florida would not be included.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers the southeastern United States from approximately North Carolina south through Georgia and Florida to the southern Florida Keys, and includes portions of the Atlantic coast and Gulf of America. The western extent includes portions of Georgia, and the eastern extent shows the Atlantic Ocean coastline and offshore areas including parts of the Bahamas.

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