Contents

• Basic Information
• Useful Databases
• Websites and Organizations
• Journals
• Books
• Tips/Hints

Introductory information about rare and endangered plants can be found in these resources:

Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. Botany Library QH 41.15 .B56 E53 2001
Look for the entry, "Endangered Plants," which includes an extensive bibliography.

Endangered Species: Opposing Viewpoints. Botany Library QH 75. E66 2001
This book is a compilation of short articles discussing diverse opinions about issues surrounding endangered species. It includes a list of organizations to contact and a useful bibliography.

Massey, Jim. An Atlas and Illustrated Guide to the Threatened and Endangered Vascular Plants of the Mountains of NC and VA. Botany Library Ref QK86 .N8 A84 1983
This is a great resource to find basic information about a rare or endangered plant found in the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. Each entry provides detailed description, a bibliography, illustrations of the plant, and distribution maps. The atlas includes a glossary of technical terms.

ISI Citation Databases (Web of Science)
This database makes the Science Citation Index Expanded available. It can be searched using a number of different techniques. Among them are the Cited Reference Search in which you can trace scholarly citations through searching an article's bibliography. Keyword, author, and title searches are also possible.

BIOSIS Previews
Can't find what you are looking for in BasicBIOSIS? Try looking here, the full version of the BIOSIS database. This is useful for graduate level and research study.

NatureServe Explorer
This database is available through the NatureServe website (see below). NatureServe Explorer provides information about more than 65,000 plants, animals, and ecosystems.

NatureServe
"A network connecting Science with Conservation." This website provides links to natural heritage programs in all fifty states, most Canadian provinces, several Latin American countries, the NatureServe Explorer database (see above), and much more.

US Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Program
Official website for the Endangered Species Program in the United States. Here you can find information on endangered species currently in the news, the list of Threatened and Endangered Species, and more.

Center for Plant Conservation
This organization promotes conserving rare native plants of the United States. The National Collection of Endangered Plants (a collection of cuttings, seeds, and other plant materials) is maintained by the Center for Plant Conservation. Information about over 600 plants that compose this collection is available on this website.

North Carolina Natural Heritage Program
On this website, you can find GIS information pertinent to the study of endangered and rare plants, information about species, and access to the Natural Heritage Program's free online publications.

Endangered Species Bulletin
This journal is distributed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and is available online, 1997–present. Its full run is available in print in the Botany Library and is indexed in Energy Information Abstracts and Environment Abstracts.

Endangered Species Update
This journal is also distributed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and is available online 1992–present (the Botany Library print holdings go back to 1987). It publishes longer, more scholarly articles than Endangered Species Bulletin, and includes the Endangered Species Technical Bulletin .

Natural Heritage Program List of the Rare Plant Species of North Carolina.
This book lists North Carolina rare plant species. The most current edition can be found online through the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program website in pdf format. Other editions of this book are available in the Botany Library Office (Call numbers are in the QK86.U6 N39's by year).

Flora of North America.
This online book is a list of vascular plants and mosses in North America. Information on the characteristics, relationships, distribution, and biology of these species is included; the flora is searchable by volume. Note: this flora is still in the process of being compiled.

Endangered and Threatened Plants of the United States. Botany Library QK86.U6 A93 1978
A "classic" in the literature of endangered species of the United States, this book includes introductory material about endangered and rare plants. Maps, information about the origins of the lists of endangered species, and a history of the Endangered Species Act is included.

The resources listed above give a broad overview of endangered and rare plants. There are many more books, journals, online resources, and other materials available about more specialized subjects within this topic. Ways to access these resources include (but are not limited to):

• Browse the Couch Biology Library—Botany Section physically or online through the call numbers within the QK86's in the Library of Congress Classification system. To find books specifically on rare plants within the United States, browse in the QK86.U6's.
• To find more specific titles, search the online catalog for books and journals. Library of Congress Subject Headings related to endangered and rare plants include:
• Endangered Plants
• Ecological Integrity
• Environmental Responsibility
• Plant Conservation
• Plant Diversity Conservation
• Plant Reintroduction
• Rare Plants
• If you have more specific questions about this topic, there are many people available to help you on the UNC campus. Contact:
• Couch Biology Library—Botany Section Reference Desk
• Davis Reference Desk
• Undergraduate Library Reference Desk