We characterized the microhabitats of the endemic Florida scrub plant Diceranda christmanii in comparison to random points in the same abandoned sand road and random points in adjoining mature oak scrub lacking plants. We also compared microhabitat preferences of D. christmanii to its endemic, allopatric congener D. frutescens, a plant with a similar life history growing in similar habitats. Plants of D. christmanii occur in microhabitats with significantly more open canopies, shorter shrubs, and lower litter cover and depth than random points in the scrub. Random points in the abandoned road had inter-mediate microhabitats. D. christmanii had similar quadrat occupancy patterns across gradients of litter depth and cover as its congener. However, it occurred less often than D. frutescens under closed canopies and near tall shrubs. The microhabitat preferred by D. christmanii (canopy ever < 60%, shrub height < 3m, litter cover < 80%, litter depth < 2 cm) is absent in mature oak scrub unburned for several decades. Suitable microhabitat can probably be provided by periodic prescribed fire or other disturbances that temporarily remove shrub cover and litter, although the response of D. christmanii to these treatments has not been studied.