Overview
The Big Pine partridge pea (Chamaecrista lineata var. keyensis) is a small, perennial shrub with silvery-green, fuzzy, compound leaves, five-petaled yellow flowers and thin, flat ‘pea’ pod fruits. It is found only in the pine rocklands of the lower Florida Keys.
Threats
The primary threats to Big Pine partridge pea are habitat destruction, fragmentation, and modification due to development, along with fire suppression, invasive plants, insecticides, and sea level rise. Its habitat of pine rocklands is a globally imperiled ecosystem.
Scientific Name
Identification Numbers
Characteristics
Habitat
Occurs in sunny gaps and edges of pine rocklands, including roadsides.
Physical Characteristics
The flowers have five yellow petals, often with a bed base, with reddish-brown stamen. Plants grow to about 30 inches tall with hairy, compound leaves, consisting of 4-7 pairs of leaflets.
Life Cycle
Undetermined, but likely a short-lived perennial, less than 10 years, capable of resprouting from underground reserves after fire.
Similar Species
Other species of partridge pea in the lower Keys usually are erect and either have more pairs of leaflets, yellow anthers, or flowers less than 0.6 inches across. The fuzzy, silvery-green leaf color is unmistakable with the green leaves of other partridge peas.
Geography
Historically it grew on Big Pine Key, No Name Key, Ramrod Key, Cudjoe Key, Sugarloaf Key, and lower Sugarloaf Key. Now it's only found on Big Pine Key and No Name Key. The No Name population was previously extirpated but has since been reintroduced in 2020. Other populations may be rediscovered after fire or other disturbances that open the canopy.
Timeline
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