No strictly endemic plants of Iowa
Define “endemic” as a species that is native to — and found only within — Iowa’s political borders. Under this strict rule, there are no plant species that qualify as “Endemic Plants of Iowa.” No wild plant is known to occur exclusively inside the state and nowhere else.
Understand why this happens. State lines do not match nature. Plant ranges follow soils, rivers, and landforms, not political borders. Many Iowa species extend into neighboring states or into regional places like the Loess Hills and the Driftless Area. Historic events (glaciation, prairie loss, river changes) also shaped ranges so that strictly state-only species are rare or absent.
Look for close alternatives and related categories instead. Study Loess Hills and Driftless Area specialists, plants with very small county ranges, or species listed as Threatened or Endangered by Iowa DNR. Use authoritative sources for details: Iowa DNR, NatureServe, USDA PLANTS, BONAP, and local herbaria. Explore “near-endemics” (species concentrated in Iowa but with small populations elsewhere) and habitat specialists like tallgrass prairie or river-bluff plants if you want lists similar to Endemic Plants of Iowa.
