Alternative Text Description for Tiny Polygala (Endangered)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map shows the geographic range of Tiny Polygala, an endangered plant species, within the state of Florida. The map displays polygonal boundaries representing habitat areas where this species is understood to occur according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The thematic layer depicts a single endangered species distribution overlaid on a base map of southeastern Florida.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map centers on southeastern Florida, extending from Lake Okeechobee in the north to the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. Major cities visible include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Homestead along the Atlantic coast. The mapped area encompasses the urbanized corridor of southeastern Florida's Atlantic coastline, including cities such as Port St. Lucie, Jupiter, Pompano Beach, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Davie, Hialeah, Coral Springs, and Kendall. The western portion shows Lake Okeechobee and the community of Immokalee. The eastern edge follows the Atlantic Ocean coastline, while the southern portion extends to the Florida Keys area.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Tiny Polygala habitat range forms a continuous north-south corridor covering much of southeastern Florida. The distribution extends approximately 150 miles from the Port St. Lucie area southward through Miami-Dade County to Homestead and the northern Keys. The habitat area encompasses both highly urbanized coastal zones and interior regions, including Lake Okeechobee. The range shows particular breadth in the central portions around Palm Beach and Broward Counties, covering extensive inland and coastal territories. The species range overlaps significantly with heavily developed metropolitan areas of southeastern Florida, suggesting potential conservation challenges in urbanized landscapes.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Tiny Polygala Habitat Range

This layer represents the geographic boundaries where the endangered Tiny Polygala species occurs in Florida.

Tiny Polygala (Endangered) Distribution Area (pink crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The habitat area is displayed as a semi-transparent pink overlay with a fine diagonal crosshatch pattern, allowing underlying base map features to remain visible.

Distribution:

The distribution extends along the entire southeastern Florida peninsula, beginning north of Lake Okeechobee and Port St. Lucie, continuing southward through Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties, and terminating near Homestead and the northern Florida Keys.

Notable locations:

Major population centers within the range include the Miami metropolitan area, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and numerous smaller coastal communities. The range also encompasses Lake Okeechobee to the northwest.

Spatial patterns:

The habitat forms a relatively continuous polygonal area oriented north-to-south, generally widening in the northern and central portions and narrowing near the southern extent. The distribution follows the general shape of the southeastern Florida peninsula, extending from coastal areas westward into interior regions. There is one separate smaller polygon visible around the Lake Okeechobee area, indicating a disjunct population or habitat area.

Overlapping Patterns

The endangered species habitat overlaps extensively with urbanized areas throughout southeastern Florida, particularly along the densely developed Atlantic coastal corridor from Palm Beach County through Miami-Dade County.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a filtered view of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service species dataset for Florida, showing only the Tiny Polygala species. The dataset contains polygonal boundaries representing species ranges as understood by federal wildlife authorities. The map focuses exclusively on this single endangered plant species and its distribution within the state. Base map features such as city names, water bodies, and political boundaries are shown for geographic reference but are not part of the thematic species data layer.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service species boundary dataset for the State of Florida (CR_USFWS_POLY_JUN26). The dataset represents species ranges as understood and mapped by federal wildlife authorities.

Definition Query:

The map displays only records where the common name equals "Tiny Polygala" (COMNAME = 'TINY POLYGALA'), filtering the full species dataset to show this single endangered plant species.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional scale view appropriate for understanding the overall distribution of the species across southeastern Florida. This scale level is suitable for viewing the complete range extent and general habitat patterns.

Coordinate System:

NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (WKID 3087)

Limitations:

The polygonal boundaries represent the understood range of the species and may not indicate actual presence at every location within the mapped area. Habitat suitability, population density, and actual occurrence may vary throughout the depicted range. The data represents federally recognized boundaries and may not reflect the most recent field survey information or localized population changes.

Map Coverage:

The map extends from approximately Lake Okeechobee and the Port St. Lucie area in the north to Homestead and the northern Florida Keys in the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean coastline in the east to interior Florida including areas west of Lake Okeechobee. Portions of southwestern Florida and the Florida Keys are visible for geographic context.

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