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Celtis iguanaea (Jacq.) Sarg.
Iguana hackberry

Celtis iguanaea
Copyright by: George D. Gann
In habitat, western Cuba, 2012

Family: Cannabaceae

Group: Dicot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Vine

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Peninsular Florida, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. Also reported for Texas and Alabama, presumably in error.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

NatureServe Global Status: Secure

State of Florida Status: Endangered

Florida Natural Areas Inventory State Status: Critically Imperiled

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Critically Imperiled

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Not Cultivated

Comments: Iguana hackberry can grown as a tree, shrub or woody vine. In Florida, it appears that the most typical habit is that of a scandent woody vine.

Dismal Key, where iguana hackberry is present, is part of both the Cape Romano - Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Cape Romano - Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve is, in turn, part of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Iguana hackberry is acually known from only four extant locations.

See also, IRC’s report Vascular plant species of management concern in Everglades National Park (Gann 2015), page 39.

Other data on Celtis iguanaea available from :

Celtis iguanaea has been found in the following 7 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
Cape Romano - Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve Present Native
Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park Present Native
Everglades National Park Present Native
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge Presumed Extirpated Presumed Extirpated
Mound Key Archaeological State Park Present Native
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Present Native
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Present Native

Celtis iguanaea has been found in the following 2 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Collier County Native
Lee County Native

Celtis iguanaea has been found in the following habitat :
Shell Mound

All Images:

Celtis iguanaea
Copyright by: George D. Gann
In habitat, western Cuba, 2012
Celtis iguanaea
Copyright by: Jimi Sadle
In habitat, Dismal Key, Florida, 2004
Celtis iguanaea
Copyright by: Jimi Sadle
In habitat, Dismal Key, Florida, 2004
Celtis iguanaea
Copyright by: Jimi Sadle
In habitat, Dismal Key, Florida, 2004