Photo by Susan R. Crispin

Key Characteristics

Small forb of moist rocky crevices on western Lake Superior shores; stems upright to reclining with short, linear leaves on the lower stem and triangular clustered leaves on the upper stem; flowers small and white, with the petals much longer than the sepals.

Status and Rank

• State Status: T - Threatened (legally protected)
• State Rank: S2 - Imperiled
• Global Rank: G5 - Secure

Occurrences

County Name	Number of Occurrences	Year Last Observed
Keweenaw	18	1994
Marquette	1	1984

Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.

Natural Community Types

• Bedrock lakeshore

Associated Plants

Serviceberry, dark scaled sedge, flat topped goldenrod, common yarrow, alpine bistort, ticklegrass, bearberry, marsh bellflower, pale Indian paintbrush, hair grass, spike-rush, butterwort, ninebark, silverweed, dwarf Canadian primrose, and wild rose.

Management

This species primarily requires protection of the shoreline habitat and perpetuation of natural disturbance (winter ice, storms, wind) and hydrological regimes. This community occupies a stressed, potentially unstable environment; many of the species found in this community do not tolerate later stages of succession and require management that prevents woody plant encroachment. Protect from development.

General Survey Guidelines

Random meander search covers areas that appear likely to have rare taxa, based on habitat and the judgment of the investigator.

Survey Methods

• Meander search

  Survey Period: From first week of June to fourth week of August

More Information

References

Survey References

• Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, and J.W. Willoughby. 1998. Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations. The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management, Denver. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1. 477pp.

• Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316

• Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.

• Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.

• Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.

Technical References

• Coffin, B. and L. Pfannmuller, eds. 1988. Minnesota's Endangered Flora and Fauna. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. 473pp.

• Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 2005. Flora of North America, North of Mexico. Volume 5: Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 2. Oxford University Press, New York. 656pp.

• Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 910pp.

• Gray, A. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany; eighth ed. Van Nostrand Reinghold, New York. 1632pp.

• Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.

• Scoggan, H.J. 1978. The Flora of Canada. National Museum of Natural Science Publications Botany 4: 1711pp.

• Voss, E. G. 1985. Michigan Flora. Part II. Dicots (Saururaceae-Cornaceae). Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. 724pp.

Page Citation

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