Piratebush (Buckleya distichophylla) is a rare Southern Appalachian endemic hemiparasite that is threatened or endangered throughout its range.
Following up on previous study of the phenology of this dioecious plant (Huish et al. 2015), Ryan Huish and his colleagues investigated reproductive biology in piratebush.
Results indicate that fruit set requires insect pollination, seed germination requires stratification, and, although embryos have high viability, seed predation is a major obstacle in recruitment. These findings are sure to play a role in the conservation of these unique and threatened populations.