Florida's Scrub Mints Face Extinction Risks

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Ancient plant species are disappearing from Florida as new homes and roads appear on the horizon.

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Scrub mints survived ice ages longer than Florida survived droughts.

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Half of the state's 24 scrub mint species are endangered or threatened.

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Taxonomic controversy keeps critical species off necessary protection lists.

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Species such as these play critical roles in sustaining the regional populations of birds and insects.

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One scrub mint species, the Titusville balm, has adapted over hundreds of thousands of years.

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Existing laws make it difficult to protect recently hybridized plants, which are losing their habitats quickly.

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These plant species represent the culmination of thousands of years of evolution in response to climate changes.

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The loss of these plants deprives local wildlife of vital food and shelter resources.

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