Conserving & Assessing The Health Of Gray’s Lily (Lilium Grayi S. Watson)

Lilium grayi S. Watson (Liliaceae), Gray’s Lily, is a threatened perennial herb endemic to high elevations in the Southern Appalachians of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and now restricted to 46 extant occurrences in 15 counties. A Federal Species of Concern that is also listed at the state level in the three states where it occurs (NatureServe, 2009), L. grayi faces multiple challenges, including a limited and declining geographic distribution, severely limited reproduction due to a disease caused by an invasive fungal phytopathogen, and many small and fragmented populations. Demographic monitoring of L. grayi populations is necessary to estimate the reproductive success of populations and the impact of Lily Leaf Spot (LLS) disease. Additionally, the small size and isolation of many populations suggest they are potentially suffering from a lack of gene flow and erosion of genetic diversity, making a population genetics study a critical research need. Such demographic data alongside a genetic diversity analysis would generate a robust evaluation of population health and structure.