Spotted wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) COSEWIC update and status report: chapter 2

Executive Summary

Spotted Wintergreen
Chimaphila maculata

Description

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) is a low, evergreen herb or half-shrub that spreads by creeping rhizomes to form sparse patches. Each stem is 10-25 cm high and consists of a whorl of thick, evergreen, toothed leaves that have a variegated upper surface with white mainly along the mid-rib and larger veins. Topping the whorl of leaves is a stalk supporting one to five nodding flowers with white or pinkish reflexed petals. Only some of the stems in a population produce flowers. The seed capsules become erect after flowering.

Distribution

In the United States it occurs from New England and Michigan south to Georgia. Its only Canadian occurrence is in southern Ontario where there are perhaps four extant locations.

Habitat

Spotted Wintergreen requires sandy habitats in dry-mesic Oak-Pine woods (Kirk, 1987). All extant stations are very close to one of the Great Lakes. The ameliorating effect of these large bodies of water on the local climate may be an important factor in the distribution of the species.

General Biology

The evergreen leaves with their attractive variegated pattern puts Spotted Wintergreen at risk from would-be-gardeners.

Population Size and Trends

In 1987, Spotted Wintergreen was known from two areas: Wasaga Beach Provincial Park at the south end of Georgian Bay and the St. Williams Provincial Forestry Station near Long Point on Lake Erie. Although the original Wasaga Beach station cannot be relocated and may have disappeared, another nearby station was found in 1995. One of the original two St. Williams stations is still extant with plants having increased in number. The other station cannot be relocated. Two additional small stations have been found nearby. A third new station--10 km away--was last seen in 1992 but could not be relocated in 1997. A fourth new station from Turkey Point just east of St. Williams was found in 1996.

Limiting Factors and Threats

The main threat is habitat disturbance from trail use and forest operations. Lack of suitable habitat is also a factor since dry, sandy mixed woods near one of the Great Lakes are of limited extent in Canada. The Wasaga Beach area is heavily developed for recreation.

Existing Protection

No formal protection exists.

COSEWIC Mandate

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) determines the national status of wild species, subspecies, varieties, and nationally significant populations that are considered to be at risk in Canada. Designations are made on all native species for the following taxonomic groups: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, lepidopterans, molluscs, vascular plants, lichens, and mosses.

COSEWIC Membership

COSEWIC comprises representatives from each provincial and territorial government wildlife agency, four federal agencies (Canadian Wildlife Service, Parks Canada Agency, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Federal Biosystematic Partnership), three nonjurisdictional members and the co-chairs of the species specialist groups. The committee meets to consider status reports on candidate species.

Definitions

Species
Any indigenous species, subspecies, variety, or geographically defined population of wild fauna and flora.

Extinct (X)
A species that no longer exists.

Extirpated (XT)
A species no longer existing in the wild in Canada, but occurring elsewhere.

Endangered (E)
A species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.

Threatened (T)
A species likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed.

Special Concern (SC)Footnotea
A species of special concern because of characteristics that make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

Not at Risk (NAR)Footnoteb
A species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk.

Data Deficient (DD)Footnotec
A species for which there is insufficient scientific information to support status designation.

 

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) was created in 1977 as a result of a recommendation at the Federal-Provincial Wildlife Conference held in 1976. It arose from the need for a single, official, scientifically sound, national listing of wildlife species at risk. In 1978, COSEWIC designated its first species and produced its first list of Canadian species at risk. Species designated at meetings of the full committee are added to the list.

 

Canadian Wildlife Service

The Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, provides full administrative and financial support to the COSEWIC Secretariat.

 

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