Clusterspike False Indigo vs Lesser Smoothcap

Amorpha crenulata compared with Atrichum angustatum

Key Differences

• Clusterspike False Indigo is Critically Endangered while Lesser Smoothcap is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clusterspike False Indigo	Lesser Smoothcap
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Bryophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Polytrichopsida (Polytrichopsida)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Polytrichales (Polytrichales)
Family	Fabaceae	Polytrichaceae
Genus	Amorpha	Atrichum
Species	Amorpha crenulata	Atrichum angustatum

Evolutionary Relationship

Clusterspike False Indigo and Lesser Smoothcap share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

Clusterspike False Indigo

CR — Critically Endangered

Lesser Smoothcap

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clusterspike False Indigo	Lesser Smoothcap
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.

Lesser Smoothcap

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.