by Jesse Freeman
Persistent advocacy from Frank Holleman, president of Naturaland Trust and long-time SCNPS leader, has helped elevate the conservation standing of the dwarf-flower heartleaf (Hexastylis naniflora). Following detailed comments submitted by Holleman on behalf of the South Carolina Native Plant Society’s Upstate Chapter and Naturaland Trust, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has agreed to reclassify the plant from Moderate to High Conservation Concern in the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP).
Holleman’s comments to the Department detailed the steep challenges facing the dwarf-flower heartleaf, a species now confined to just three Upstate counties: Greenville, Spartanburg, and Cherokee. He described how years of accelerating development, invasive species, and climate pressures have erased much of the plant’s remaining habitat and left only a handful of secure populations. Once protected as a federally threatened species, the heartleaf lost significant safeguards when it was delisted earlier this year, making the State Wildlife Action Plan one of its last remaining avenues for attention and support.
In his letter, Holleman also outlined the limited conservation progress over the past decade. Despite the efforts of Naturaland Trust, SCNPS, and partner organizations, few new populations have been permanently protected. Even well-known sites like Cowpens National Battlefield and Lake Blalock have seen major declines. “The next ten years will determine whether any meaningful new conservation will take place in South Carolina,” Holleman wrote, emphasizing that the state now holds the center of the plant’s global habitat.
Rick Huffman, Upstate SCNPS President, commended Holleman for his leadership:
“Your dedication and due diligence are an inspiration for us all in the struggle to be a voice for native plants,” Huffman wrote. “The status of dwarf-flower heartleaf is being given serious consideration and proper rankings within our state agencies.”
With this reclassification, Hexastylis naniflora joins the ranks of South Carolina’s species of High Conservation Concern, ensuring it will receive greater attention in conservation planning and habitat protection efforts.
Read the full comment letter submitted by Frank Holleman on behalf of the SCNPS Upstate Chapter and Naturaland Trust here.
For more information about the State Wildlife Action Plan, visit dnr.sc.gov/swap.
