FWS Reclassifies Smooth Coneflower as Threatened

The Fish and Wildlife Service is issuing a final rule reclassifying the smooth coneflower (Echinacea laevigata), a perennial herb native to Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The listing includes a 4(d) rule for this species that prohibits importation and exportation without a permit.