Spotted wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) COSEWIC update and status report: chapter 6

Population Sizes and Trends

The original Wasaga Beach Provincial Park colony consisted of about 6 plants when it was found in 1975 but it seems to have disappeared since then. Dan Brunton conducted a life science inventory of the Park in 1989 and he could not relocate the colony even though he had a detailed map of the site from A. Reznicek who had seen the colony in 1975 (D. Brunton, pers. com., 1997). Spotted Wintergreen was found at a nearby location in the Park by Heather Stewart in 1995 but the species could not be relocated at the new station by Mike Oldham, Don Sutherland, and Wasyl Bakowsky in 1996 (Oldham, 1997). Kirk (1987) stated in his status report that “there is a strong probability that [the original] station is still extant” and that statement is still applicable today--Spotted Wintergreen is likely still present in Wasaga Beach Provincial Park (Figure 1, site A).

One of the original St. Williams Forestry Station sites for Spotted Wintergreen--on the north side of the pond on Dedrick Creek--was visited by the present author in July 1997. The colony appeared healthy and supported 87 stems with 15 stems in full flower. This is a significant increase from the less than 20 plants known in 1985 (M. Gartshore, pers. com., 1997) and the 36 plants recorded in 1989 (Oldham, 1997). In 1996, Mary Gartshore (pers. com., 1997) estimated approximately 100 stems. The other original colony in the Forestry Station was discovered in 1986 by Don Sutherland and supported 14 stems (Kirk, 1987). The colony was seen by a number of people that year but the site can no longer be relocated and it is not known whether it has disappeared or is simply hard to find (M. Gartshore, pers. com., 1997).

Figure 1. Recent localities confirmed or thought to still contain populations of Spotted Wintergreen.

Figure 1.  Recent localities confirmed or thought to still contain populations of Spotted Wintergreen.

Two additional populations have been found within the St. Williams Forestry Station since the 1987 status report. One colony was found by Peter Carson in 1988 and consisted of two or three stems (M. Gartshore, pers. com., 1997).  It has not been looked for since. The second new colony consisted of three stems and was found in 1994 by Mary Gartshore. Mary saw this colony in 1997 and there were still three stems present (M. Gartshore, pers. com., 1997). Due to the close proximity of the three small populations to the larger population along Dedrick Creek, these additional sites could be regarded as subpopulations of the Dedrick Creek site (Figure 1, site B).

Another small population of Spotted Wintergreen was found by Don Sutherland near Trout Creek, about 10 km north of the St. Williams Forestry Station. This colony had three stems in 1987 and the same number in 1992 (D. Sutherland, pers. com., 1997). The present author searched this site in July 1997 but was unable to find any Spotted Wintergreen there. It is not clear whether the population has disappeared since 1992 or whether the plants were simply overlooked (Figure 1, site C).

Mary Gartshore has very recently found a colony at the United Church Camp just east of Turkey Point (Figure 1, site D). Ten to fifteen stems were found there in 1996 (Oldham, 1997). There are historical records of Spotted Wintergreen from “Turkey Point” that may refer to the same population or to other populations nearby (Oldham, 1997).

There are 5 other historical records that have not been reconfirmed for at least 30 years (Oldham, 1997). These stations have been discussed in the status report (Kirk, 1987) and the plants must be assumed to have been extirpated at these localities.

Detailed site information has been provided to the Chair, Species Specialist Group for Vascular Plants, Mosses and Lichens (COSEWIC).

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