The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) determined the Texas screwstem, an herbaceous plant found in eastern Texas and northwestern Louisiana, does not warrant Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections.
The agency evaluated threats to the plant, including habitat loss, invasive species and severe weather with flooding and drought, and found the threats do not justify ESA protection.
“Over half of the populations occur on protected lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and private conservation organizations,” USFWS said. “These areas are more likely to preserve habitat quality and size due to conservation efforts, including sustainable timber harvest practices in the forests where these plants grow.”
