Alternative Text Description for Scrub Mint (Endangered) Species Range

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the geographic range of the Scrub Mint, an endangered plant species, within the southeastern United States. The map focuses on a single, concentrated habitat area located in central Florida. This thematic layer shows the species' known distribution boundaries as recognized by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, illustrating the limited and specific geographic extent where this endangered species occurs.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern United States, spanning from Georgia and South Carolina in the north to southern Florida in the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to portions of Georgia, Alabama, and the Gulf of America coast in the west. Major cities visible include Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Miami, Charleston, Savannah, Columbia, Greenville, Augusta, Athens, Macon, Warner Robins, Albany, Valdosta, Gainesville, Palm Coast, Palm Bay, Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, Coral Springs, and Freeport. The map extends eastward to show portions of Abaco in the Bahamas and includes Florida's extensive Atlantic and Gulf coastlines.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Scrub Mint has an extremely limited geographic range, occurring in only one small area in central Florida. The habitat is located inland in the central portion of the Florida peninsula, positioned between Orlando to the east and Tampa to the west, with Lakeland appearing as the nearest labeled city. This concentration in a single, relatively small area emphasizes the species' vulnerability and the specificity of its habitat requirements. The absence of any other populations across the broader southeastern region shown in the map highlights the rarity and endangered status of this plant species. The habitat does not extend to coastal areas, instead occurring in Florida's interior uplands.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Scrub Mint (Endangered) Range

This layer represents the geographic boundary of the habitat area where the endangered Scrub Mint species is found.

Scrub Mint Habitat Area (pink crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The habitat is depicted as a polygon filled with a pink crosshatch pattern, consisting of diagonal lines creating a mesh-like appearance that distinguishes it from the light gray base map.

Distribution:

The habitat appears as a single, contiguous area in central Florida, positioned approximately between the Tampa Bay metropolitan area and Orlando.

Notable locations:

The habitat is located near Lakeland, Florida, in the central part of the state. It sits inland from both the Gulf of America coast to the west and the Atlantic coast to the east, roughly centered in the Florida peninsula's width at this latitude.

Spatial patterns:

The habitat forms an irregular, somewhat elongated polygon oriented generally northwest to southeast. The boundary follows natural or ecological features rather than political boundaries, suggesting it represents actual habitat characteristics. There is no clustering of multiple separate populations; instead, this appears to be a single, isolated occurrence area. The habitat's inland position, away from coastal regions and major urban centers, suggests the species requires specific upland conditions found only in this limited geographic zone.

Overlapping Patterns

This map shows a single thematic layer with no overlapping features. The Scrub Mint habitat exists as an isolated occurrence within the broader southeastern landscape.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a single species distribution extracted from a larger dataset of endangered and threatened species maintained by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for Florida. The visible habitat represents the current understanding of where this species occurs, though actual plant populations may be distributed unevenly within this boundary. The extremely limited range shown on this map underscores why the Scrub Mint has been classified as endangered under federal protections. Users should note that this map shows presence data at a landscape scale; the entire area within the boundary may not contain continuous plant coverage, but rather represents the geographic extent where suitable habitat and known populations exist.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data originates from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and represents the polygonal boundaries for species occurrence in the State of Florida. This information is based on the agency's official understanding of species distribution and is used for conservation planning and regulatory purposes.

Data source layer name: CR_USFWS_POLY_JUL25

Definition Query:

The map displays a filtered subset of the species data where the common name equals 'SCRUB MINT'. This filter isolates only the habitat boundaries for this specific endangered plant species from a broader database that likely contains multiple species.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a regional scale covering multiple states in the southeastern United States. This scale is appropriate for understanding the species' overall geographic range and its context within the broader landscape, though it does not provide property-level or site-specific detail.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The data layer name includes "JUL25," suggesting the information was compiled or updated in July 2025. Species range data typically reflects the most current understanding at the time of publication.

Limitations:

This map shows the recognized species boundary but does not indicate population density, habitat quality variations, or specific site locations within the boundary. The actual distribution of individual plants may be patchy or discontinuous within the mapped area. Users should consult the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the most current information regarding critical habitat designations, recovery plans, and any updates to species range data.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers the southeastern United States from approximately southern Georgia through the Florida peninsula and portions of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of America. The thematic data (Scrub Mint habitat) appears only in central Florida near Lakeland, while the broader geographic context is provided to orient viewers to the species' position within the regional landscape.

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