May, 2015 Plant hunt summary

With some warmer days nestled in between cooler days, the month of May was very productive with a total of 25 counties surveyed.  A total of 258 species were documented.  The record was 420 species set in May, 2012.  The most new records for a county were added for Manitoulin with 33 plant species.  Of these, the most significant was provincially rare Ram's-head Lady's-lipper (Cypripedium arietinum).  According to the Flora of Manitoulin Island (3rd) published by the University of Waterloo in 2000, this record is new for where it was found.

Ram's-head Lady's-lipper (Cypripedium arietinum) 

(Photo: Dave Jolly)

The month of May was very productive with a total of 25 counties surveyed.  The most new records for a county were added for Manitoulin with 38 plant species.  I was pleased to work with Mr. Darryl Boyes on Manitoulin Island, who was very helpful with documenting the flora.  Five new plant species; Berry exciting (Corydalis shimienensis), Few flowered spike rush (Eleocharis pauciflora), Hair-like sedge (Carex capillaris), London Plane-tree (Platanus hybrida) and Straight-styled wood sedge (Carex radiata) were added to the database.  Additionally, a new county was surveyed - Renfrew - in eastern Ontario.  

While surveying Grey county Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) was added to Dave Jolly's Ontario master plant list.  Shown below is the trillium in the later stages of flowering.  At this stage, the petals are reduced to ribbons.

Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) 

(Photo: Dave Jolly)

Collectively, Dave has documented 1694 flowering date records and observed 69 families, 168 genera, 263 species since April, 2015.

Mr. Brian Popelier contributed 30 records during the month of April for Hamilton, Halton and Grey counties. His record of Daphne (Daphne mezereum) was new for Grey county.

Dean Fitzgerald discovered a flowering American beech (Fagus grandifolia) in Parry Sound county on May 13th.  This is a new record for this county.

A field practicum in Mississauga for staff of ACER was conducted on May 25th yielding 8 families and 8 genera covered in the Level 1 & 2 FBT tree & shrub courses.

Staff from ACER Nimesha Basnayaka (center), Mike McMillan (right)

(Photo: Dave Jolly)

Thank you to all contributors for this month's records.

You may find the plant hunt summary results at; May summary

April, 2015 Plant hunt summary

An unusually cold winter contributed to a late spring with most flowers blooming at least 2 weeks behind normal schedule.  In 2013 provincially rare Harbinger of Spring (Erigenia bulbosa) began blooming on April 9th.  This year it bloomed on April 18th.  Moreover, this is the first time that I have observed  blooming on May 1st.  Surveys of this population of E. bulbosa exhibited a marked increase in the total number of plants by 2.5 x with 288 plants counted. Of these 198 were 2 leaved plants and 2 were seedlings.  No seedlings were found in 2014.

A field training course at Cawthra Woods, Mississauga, Ontario for the Association for Canadian Education Resources/Climate's Sake (ACER) staff contributed three new flowering date records for Peel region - all of which were cultivated or introduced species; Siberian squill (Scilla siberica), Croccus (Croccus longiflorus) and Grape hyacinth (Muscari botyroides).  We also discovered a new record for Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) and European spindletree (Euonymus europaea), but these shrubs were not flowering.  I would like to thank ACER for hosting a great day with their staff.

Staff from ACER at Tree & Shrub field training course at Cawthra Woods, Mississauga, Ontario (Photo: Dave Jolly)

A total of 18 counties were inventoried during the month of April; Brant, Cochrane, Elgin, Grey, Halton, Hamilton, Middlesex, Muskoka, Norfolk, Oxford, Peel, Simcoe, Sudbury, Toronto, Nippissing, Temiskaming, Waterloo and York.  New records for Sudbury county included Large toothed aspen (Populus grandidentata) and Silver maple (Acer saccharinum).  These were also new species added for Nippissing county, while Large toothed aspen was new for Cochrane county and Speckled alder (Alnus incana) was new for Temiskaming county.  Two hundred and eighty records were tallied with a 51 species recorded.  The highest number of species recorded in the month of April was set in 2012 with 210 species.  

I would like to thank Yves Scholten for contributing a record for Sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) in Halton region on April 12th and Dean Fitzgerald for contributing a new record for Waterloo region of Bethlehem sage (Pulmonaria officinalis) on April 30th.

We are pleased to ccongratulate Kim McCormack, who took our Level 1 & 2 FBT terrestrial plant + Level 3 Asters and Goldenrods of Ontario courses in 2013, for getting a job with Credit Valley Conservation as their Natural Areas Inventory Assistant!  Kim will be continuing to expand and sharpen her vascular plant field ID skills as one of my apprentices by accompanying me on EARTHQUEST projects and performing plant surveys.  If you wish to assist with these  endeavours to contribute to worthwhile projects simply contact me at; earthquestcanadaATyahoo.com.  The projects we're targeting in 2015 are;

1.  Bruce Trail Project; hiking along the trail (white blazed) from Dundas to Burlington for the Bruce Trail Conservancy (volunteer)
2.  Ruthven National Historic Site vegetation surveys around their mist nets to assess which fruits the birds are eating during migration (volunteer)
3.  Field Botanists of Ontario (FBO) field trip in search of SAR and rare plants of Turkey Point ($20 participation fee which goes to the FBO - volunteer)
4.  Various site visits to natural areas in Ontario to contribute to the master EARTHQUEST Plants of Ontario database (volunteer)

As a correction to the April summary Brian Popelier was kind enough to submit 30 additional records for Grey & Hamilton county as well as Halton region.  His discovery of Daphne (Daphne mezereum) is a new record for Grey county!

To view the revised 2015 April summary please download here

Field trip to Black Oak Heritage Park, Windsor, Ontario

On September 6th, 2014 I participated in an annual field trip led by the Field Botanists of Ontario.  The trip was well attended and demonstrated some of the unique Black Oak savannah habitat found in the Windsor area.  A couple of rare plants were added to the official EARTHQUEST Plants of Ontario database such as provincially rare Tall Thoroughwort (Eupatorium altissimum).

Tall Thoroughwort

Photo: Dave Jolly

Special concern Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii) was a new tree species for this section of the Park.  This contributes to the 500+ trees recorded for Essex county.  In fact, this oak species is one of the most dominant trees in Essex county within woodlots anywhere on the Clay plain in this region.  All other Shumard Oak reside primarily within Essex and Lambton counties extending eastward to Chatham-Kent.  Of the 10 sites were visited between June 18 and September 2, 2014 only these regional municipalities had Shumard Oak.  Previous Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) reports suggested that the range of this species reaches Niagara region, but these records have are now regarded as suspected hybrids based on visual identification traits; acorns, leaf buds, leaf shape, tomentum (tufts of hairs located on the leaf underside between the mid-rib and veins), etc.  To date, none of the Niagara region trees examined have been confirmed as 100% pure Shumard Oak.  Instead, they are likely hybrids between Red Oak (Quercus rubra) and Swamp Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) since both species were present at the sites investigated.  The resulting hybrid is Q. rubra x Q. palustris if it exhibits more Red Oak traits and Q. palustris x Q. rubra if it exhibits more Swamp Pin Oak traits.  Genetic studies would ultimately clear up any misconceptions about the true distribution of Shumard Oak in Canada.

New to the database was Swamp Lousewort (Pedicularis lanceolata), which was adjacent to a large patch of Colicroot (Aletris farinosa).  With the high biodiversity of  Tallgrass prairie mixed with Black Oak savannah species.  The most exciting discovery was a new record for Essex county of endangered Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) to add to the Ontario Recovery Strategy series.

Spotted Wintergreen

Photo: Dave Jolly

April, 2014 Plant hunt summary

A record cold winter has resulted in a late spring with most flowering plants blooming 2 - 3 weeks behind schedule.  With only 41 species observed in April we matched the last late spring with 43 species recorded in 2007.  That means floristically, southern Ontario hasn't experienced such a cool and late spring in 7 years.  Trilliums (Trillium spp.) are only just beginning to bloom, when in normal years, they would be in full bloom by now - i.e., May 1st.  The only flowering plant observed that didn't seem to be affected by the late spring was the ephimeral Harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa).

Harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa)

Photo: Brian Popelier

Rare plant surveys began with provincially rare Harbinger of spring (ranked S3 in Ontario by the Natural Heritage Information Centre) on April 13th with a total of 116 plants counted in Elgin county.  An age structure analysis revealed 44 two-leaved plants, which are more mature and tend to produce 2 or more flowering stalks.  This population will be revisited later this month to count the total number of flowers that have gone to seed and if any new, younger plants have emerged.  A number of rare plant surveys will be carried out this year within the Grand River watershed on behalf of the Grand River Conservation Authority.

A total of 221 plants were observed in April across 6 counties, Brant, Elgin, Haldimand, Hamilton, Oxford and Norfolk.  All 403 Elgin county records were donated to the Otter Valley Naturalists (OVN) for their Elgin County Natural Heritage Inventory (NAI), which is hosted by Carolinian Canada Coalition.  A master plant species list of all plants observed in Elgin county since the inception of the EARTHQUEST Plants of Ontario database in 2006 was donated to OVN for the Elgin county NAI.  This amounted to 17,022 records; 127 families, 417 genera, 758 species, or taxa (7 varieties, 7 hybrids); 104 regionally rare (Ecoregion 7E), 102 locally rare (Elgin county), 22 provincially rare, 9 Species at Risk (provincial & federal).  The OVN will use the EARTHQUEST master plant list of Elgin county to build the official list for the NAI.

New records for the county of Oxford in April, 2014 were Cutleaf toothwort (Dentaria concatenata), Giant blue cohosh (Caulophyllum giganteum) and Plantain leaved sedge (Carex plantaginea).

To view the April, 2014 monthly summary report please go to; http://earthquestcanada.ca/April2014summary.pdf

August, 2013 Plant hunt summary

August, 2013 was a fantastic month with 15 new records for the master EARTHQUEST Plants of Ontario database between two contributors; Brian Popelier of the Bruce Trail Conservancy and myself.  A total of 2492 records were submitted.  We also broke the old record of 339 species in 2009 with 361 total species observed in August.  The highlights were: the discovery of two small populations of federally special concern & provincially threatened Houghton's goldenrod (Solidago houghtonii) in the upper Bruce peninsula by Brian on August 13th.  I visited these populations on August 27th and submitted my observations to the author of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) recovery strategy for Houghton's goldenrod, which is due to be published sometime after late June, 2014.

Houghton's goldenrod (Solidago houghtonii)

Photo: Dave Jolly

Other highlights that Brian discovered for the database include; Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterloepis) also in Bruce county, Smooth wild rye (Elymus villosus), Straw coloured flat sedge (Cyperus strigosus) of Niagara region and Swamp valerian (Valeriana uliginosa) in Grey county.  

Brian is also credited with adding the 100,000th official plant record to the database in Niagara region with Pale smartweed (Polygonum lapathifolium) observed on August 29th.  Congratulations Brian for making that contribution, which will go down in EARTHQUEST history as very significant!  Since his first contribution on June 7, 2009 Brian has provided 7629 total records, which is the most out of over 90 contributors (55 of which were students or staff from EARTHQUEST).  

Of the 12 counties surveyed most of my new records for the database were wetland plants found in sensitive coastal wetlands such as Alpine rush (Juncus alpinoarticulatus), Fringed gentian (Gentiana vigata), Hard stemmed bulrush (Scirpus acutus), Marsh mermaidweed (Proserpinaca palustris), Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia glomerata) and Purple agalinis (Agalinis paupercula).

Fringed gentian (Gentiana vigata)

Photo: Dave Jolly

Additionally, a total of 13 provincially, regionally and locally rare plants were observed in the lower Bruce peninsula on behalf of a great environmental non-profit organization: the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation; 31 records of provincially and federally special concern Tuberous indian plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum), 5 records of provincially rare plants such as Dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), 30 records of Stiff yellow flax (Linum medium) and 9 records of Blueleaf willow (Salix myricoides). Tuberous Indian plantain, Dwarf lake iris, Stiff yellow flax and Blueleaf willow are also listed as rare in the Checklist of Vascular Plants for Bruce and Grey Counties, published by the Owen Sound Field Naturalists in 2003. Ten regionally rare (within the Mixed deciduous forest region: Ecoregion 6E – source; EARTHQUEST Plants of Ontario database) plants were discovered within surveyed Ecological Land Classification polygons; Fringed gentian, Kalm’s St. Johnswort (Hypericum kalmii), Marsh St. Johnswort (Triadenum fraseri), Marsh mermaidweed, Greater arrowgrass (Triglochin maritimus), Slender or Lesser arrowgrass (Triglochin palustre), Fen beakrush (Rynchospora capillacea), Low calla mint (Calamintha arkansana), Sticky false tofeldia (Tofeldia glutinosa) and Stiff yellow flax. Additionally, Upland white aster (Solidago asteroides), Fringed gentian, Kalm’s St. Johnswort, Marsh St. Johnswort, Marsh mermaidweed, Greater arrowgrass, Slender or Lesser arrowgrass, Fen beakrush, Low calla mint and Stiff yellow flax are locally rare within Bruce county.

To view the August 2013 month summary please refer to; http://www.earthquestcanada.ca/August2013summary.pdf

  

June, 2013 Plant hunt summary

The month of June catalogued a total of 3053 records for the database, with Ashleigh Cleary as one of our newest contributors.  We are grateful that Ashleigh added new records for Ottawa-Carlton, including a new species for the database - Marsh dandelion (Taraxacum palustre).  Eleven counties and regions were surveyed by 3 contributors; Brian Popelier of the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC), Dave Jolly of EARTHQUEST and Ashleigh.  Brian added 272 records for Bruce, Grey, Halton and Hamilton counties, Ashleigh submitted 10 records for Ottawa-Carlton and Dave contributed 2771 records for Brant, Elgin, Halton, Hamilton, Oxford, Norfolk, Middlesex and Waterloo counties.

Ten new records for the database were found by June's contributors; Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus), Common flax (Linum usitatissimum), Candle lantern sedge (Carex limosa), Marsh dandelion (Taraxacum palustre), Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbum), Sage leaved willow (Salix candida), Starved sedge (Carex exilis), Sweet pignut hickory (Carya ovalis), Tufted club rush (Scirpus cespitosus), Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana).  Of these, C. ovalis was the rarest, with a provincial rank of S3.  This was a plant Dave was specifically searching for in 2013.  Dave gave the differentiation between C. ovalis and another confusing look-a-like provincially rare S3 ranked tree species called Red or Pignut hickory in the May, 2013 Plant hunt summary.  L. usitatissimum was also observed as a new plant record for Bruce county by Brian on June 10, 2013, but is introduced to Ontario.  Dave observed it along a road in Waterloo county on June 12, 2013 as well as adjacent to a parking lot in Waterloo on June 18 and 21, 2013.

A visit to wetlands by Brian revealed a number of new wetland plant species for the Bruce peninsula; S. candida and S. cespitosus in Grey county C. exilis, C. limosa and A. glaucophylla in Bruce county. These records will be compiled with all others collected by Brian and 56 contributors of the master EARTHQUEST plant database to develop a master plant species list for the Bruce Trail and BTC properties.  Additionally, we hope to use them in an upcoming publication on all vascular plants of the Bruce Trail.  We look forward to working with the BTC on this project.

Only 369 species of vascular plants were found in June.  The all time record of 433 species for the month of June was set in 2011, possibly due to the early spring experienced in April and May, 2011.  

Twelve provincially and federally listed Species at Risk (Endangered, threatened, vulnerable, special concern) and provincially rare (S1 - S3 ranked) plants were observed in June; American chesnut (Castanea dentata); END/S3, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius); END/END/S2, Butternut (Juglans cinerea); END/END/S3?, Culver's root (Veronicastrum virginicum); S2, Green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora); S3, Hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens); S3, Honey locust (Gleditsia tricanthos); S2, Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus); THR/THR/S2, Red or Pignut hickory (Carya glabra); S3, Round leaved ragwort (Senecio obovatus); S3, Sweet pignut hickory (Carya ovalis); S3 and Wild or Sundial lupine (Lupulinus perennis); S3

A visit to a Conservation Area in Waterloo county between June 11 and 18, 2013 revealed 43 records for the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), including 34 records of provincially rare - S2 ranked G. tricanthos found along a fence line.  These records likely represented planted individuals used to form a wind break between the adjacent road and the Conservation Area.

The database now contains 95 402 records.  It is anticipated that the land mark record of 100 000 records will be reached once we complete data entry for the next two months; July and August.  

Dave's BTC fund raising goal of finding a total of 850 species of plants for the 2013 field season is becoming a reality.  As of June, he now has 592 species compiled.  If you wish to sponsor him - with all proceeds donated to the BTC for conservation efforts please contact him at; earthquestcanada@yahoo.com by December 15th, 2013.

To view the month of June monthly summary please go to the following link;

http://earthquestcanada.ca/June2013summary.pdf

October, 2013 Plant hunt summary

October was another record breaking month, breaking the all time record with a total of 193 species observed, surpassing the old record of 188 set in October, 2010.  A big thanks to Kim Palonen, who ventured to Misery Bay on Manitoulin Island at the end of the month to help attain the land mark record.

Three observers added 4 new records for the database; a trip to Ottawa by Dave Jolly contributed a new hybrid goldenrod Canada x Tall goldenrod (Solidago canadensis x gigantea) and Macouni's everlasting (Gnalphalium macounii), Kim discovered Creeping wood sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) in Halton region, and Brian Popelier of the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) found Naked miterwort (Mitella nuda) in Halton region.

A total of 22 counties were surveyed by all surveyors; Brant, Bruce, Elgin, Durham, Frontenac, Grey, Halton, Hamilton, Hastings, Leeds and Renfrew, Lennox and Addington, Manitoulin, Middlesex, Norfolk, Northumberland, Ottawa-Carlton, Oxford, Peel, Peterborough, Waterloo, Wellington, and York.  The most new records were found in Ottawa-Carlton (47), largely due to a lack of survey effort, or people available to investigate that region.  Additionally, Dave Jolly observed Azure aster (Aster oolentangiensis) which is likely a new record, but yet to be confirmed, for the Ottawa region according to the 2005 master plant list compiled by the prominent and respected Botanist Dan Brunton.

The flowering date for Witch hazel (Hammelis virginiana) was finally obtained in Durham region, where this shrub is locally rare.  Witch hazel was first observed at a site in Durham region in the spring of 2011.  A search for provincially rare Yellow bartonia (Bartonica virginica); S2 in Norfolk county revealed an exciting discovery on October 12, 2013.  Kim and Dave uncovered a substantial natural population of provincially rare Bristly buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus var. hispidus); S3, with over 20 plants observed.  A site visit in May, 2014 will make this a new flowering date record for Norfolk county.

Dave is currently at 401 total species for the 2013 field season - raising funds and awareness for conservation projects on behalf of the BTC, so I am almost half way to my goal of reaching a total of 850 species.  A special thanks to Tanya Forde, who participated in an EARTHQUEST Bruce Trail expedition in 2000 to collect data for the Bruce Trail flora and fauna book published in 2004, for donating funds to our cause!  There is still time for the rest of you to donate.  We'll be accepting donations until December 15th, 2013 - so why not make it a generous gift for Christmas.

Thank you to all contributors for making October a fantastic month.

To download the monthly summary please go to;

http://earthquestcanada.ca/October2013summary.pdf