Alternative Text Description for Wireweed (Endangered) Distribution Map

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the known distribution of Wireweed, an endangered plant species, within the southeastern United States, with particular focus on Florida. The map shows a single polygonal area in central Florida where this endangered species has been documented by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The visualization helps identify the limited geographic range of this threatened species for conservation planning and protection purposes.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern United States, spanning from Georgia and South Carolina in the north to the southern tip of Florida. Major cities shown include Atlanta, Athens, Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, and Wilmington in the upper portion of the map. In Florida, labeled cities include Jacksonville, Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Palm Coast, Palm Bay, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, and Freeport. The Atlantic Ocean appears along the eastern edge, and the Gulf of America is visible along Florida's western coast. The map extends westward to show portions of Alabama, including cities like Macon, Warner Robins, Albany, Valdosta, and Tallahassee.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Wireweed species has an extremely limited distribution, occurring in only one area within the mapped region. The documented habitat is concentrated in central Florida, located in the area between Tampa-St. Petersburg-Lakeland and Orlando. This restricted range is consistent with the species' endangered status, indicating a very small population confined to a specific geographic area. The species is notably absent from all other portions of the southeastern United States shown on the map, including the entire Atlantic coastal region, northern Florida, southern Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Wireweed (Endangered) Distribution

This layer represents the polygonal boundaries of documented Wireweed habitat as identified by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Wireweed Habitat Area (pink hatched polygon)

Appearance:

The habitat area is shown as a pink-colored polygon with diagonal cross-hatching pattern, creating a distinctive mesh or grid appearance that makes it stand out against the light gray base map.

Distribution:

The single occurrence area is located in central Florida, positioned inland between the Tampa Bay metropolitan area on the west coast and Orlando in the central interior. The polygon is situated east of Lakeland.

Notable locations:

The habitat area is positioned approximately 30-40 miles east of Tampa and roughly 40-50 miles southwest of Orlando. It lies in the central ridge region of the Florida peninsula.

Spatial patterns:

The distribution shows a single, irregularly-shaped but generally compact polygon. There are no other occurrences visible anywhere else in the mapped region, emphasizing the highly restricted nature of this endangered species' range. The habitat does not follow obvious geographic features like coastlines or rivers, suggesting it may be associated with specific inland ecological conditions.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns are present as only one habitat area exists for this species in the mapped region.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents the complete known distribution of Wireweed within Florida as documented by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The absence of this species from other areas does not necessarily mean it has never occurred there, but rather reflects current documented occurrences. The extremely limited range visible on this map underscores the conservation significance of the single habitat area shown and the vulnerability of this endangered species. Users should note that this represents polygon boundaries for species distribution rather than point locations, indicating general habitat areas rather than specific observation sites.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

This dataset contains polygonal boundaries for species as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. The boundaries represent documented habitat areas for endangered and threatened species. Data source layer name: CR_USFWS_POLY_JUL25.

Definition Query:

The map displays a filtered subset of the source data showing only records where COMNAME equals 'WIREWEED'. This isolates the distribution of this single endangered species from the broader species database.

Scale Information:

The map is shown at a regional scale covering the southeastern United States, appropriate for displaying the full known range of the species. This scale allows viewers to understand the species' distribution in relation to major geographic features and population centers.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087).

Time Period of Content:

The data source layer name indicates the data is current as of July 2025.

Limitations:

The polygonal boundaries represent documented habitat areas and may not capture all locations where the species occurs. The data reflects current knowledge and documentation by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and may be updated as new surveys and research are conducted. Absence from an area on this map does not definitively prove the species does not or has never occurred there.

Map Coverage:

The map extends from approximately northern Georgia and South Carolina south through the entire Florida peninsula. Coverage includes portions of Alabama in the west and extends eastward to include coastal areas along the Atlantic Ocean. The northern boundary is approximately at the latitude of Greenville, South Carolina, while the southern extent includes the southernmost portions of Florida near the Everglades region.

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