About Lithospermum molle (Michx.) Muhl.
Lithospermum molle, commonly known as softhair marbleseed, is a species of flowering plant in the forget-me-not family. It is a narrow endemic plant. Its primary native range is the Nashville Basin of Tennessee, where it grows in limestone prairies near cedar glades. Disjunct populations of this species also occur in similar habitats across several locations: the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, northwest Alabama, Logan and Warren County, Kentucky, and other small areas of Tennessee. Outside of Tennessee, the species is very rare. Habitat destruction may have caused it to go extinct in Alabama and Kentucky. Due to its highly restricted geographic distribution, Lithospermum molle is classified as a vulnerable species. This species was confused for a long time with Lithospermum bejariense, Lithospermum parviflorum, and Lithospermum virginianum. Its true geographic range and morphological distinctiveness have only been clarified recently.
