Clusterspike False Indigo vs Common Ground-Pine

Amorpha crenulata compared with Dendrolycopodium obscurum

Key Differences

• Clusterspike False Indigo is Critically Endangered while Common Ground-Pine is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clusterspike False Indigo	Common Ground-Pine
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Tracheophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Lycopodiopsida (Lycopodiopsida)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Lycopodiales (Lycopodiales)
Family	Fabaceae	Lycopodiaceae
Genus	Amorpha	Dendrolycopodium
Species	Amorpha crenulata	Dendrolycopodium obscurum

Evolutionary Relationship

Clusterspike False Indigo and Common Ground-Pine share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

Clusterspike False Indigo

CR — Critically Endangered

Common Ground-Pine

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clusterspike False Indigo	Common Ground-Pine
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clusterspike False Indigo

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Ground-Pine

Habitat

Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Canada and United States.

Clusterspike False Indigo

Amorpha crenulata, known as clusterspike false indigo or crenulate lead plant, is a critically endangered flowering shrub in the family Fabaceae with a highly restricted distribution confined to Miami-Dade County in southern Florida, USA. This species represents one of North America's rarest plants, with remaining populations numbering in the hundreds of individuals occurring in pine rockland habitat, an ecosystem itself ranked among the most imperiled in the United States. Pine rocklands are fire-dependent communities on exposed oolitic limestone, characterized by an open canopy of slash pine over diverse understory, and have been reduced to less than two percent of their historical extent by urban development in the Miami metropolitan area. Amorpha crenulata produces elongated spikes of small purple flowers typical of the genus and was historically more widespread across the Miami Rock Ridge before land development eliminated most habitat. Current populations exist primarily within Everglades National Park and a few private preserves. Its Critically Endangered status reflects the tiny remaining population, extreme habitat restriction, ongoing threats from urbanization, altered fire regimes, and sea-level rise that threatens low-elevation limestone habitats. Conservation efforts focus on habitat protection, controlled burning to maintain pine rockland structure, and ex situ seed banking.

Common Ground-Pine

The common ground pine, <em>Dendrolycopodium obscurum</em>, is a vascular plant belonging to the family Lycopodiaceae, a lineage of ancient clubmosses. This species is typically found across North America, with its known range encompassing Canada and the United States. As a lycophyte, <em>Dendrolycopodium obscurum</em> represents a deeply divergent lineage among land plants, distinct from mosses and ferns. The species typically grows in moist forested habitats, particularly in coniferous and mixed woodlands where humidity and leaf litter provide suitable conditions for its growth. Its upright, tree-like sporophylls give it the common name ground pine. No dietary information has been provided for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.