Tuberous Indian-plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum) COSEWIC assessment status report : chapter 2

• Previous page
• Table of contents
• Next page

Executive Summary

Species information

Tuberous Indian-plantain is a perennial member of the aster family. It has long-stalked, mainly basal, leaves that resemble those of common plantain.  The central flowering stalk can reach to 1.8 m and bears a flat-topped flower cluster of 30-100 white flower heads. Plants flower in June in Ontario with seed dispersal occurring from July to August.

Distribution

Tuberous Indian-plantain occurs in the United States from Ohio and Michigan south to Texas and Alabama. In Canada the species is found only in southern Ontario.

Habitat

Plants prefer open sunny areas in wet, calcareous meadows or shoreline fens.

Biology

Little specific information is available on the biology of this perennial species. The plant reproduces only by seeds.

Population sizes and trends

The species is found at about 13 localities consisting of shoreline fens and riparian meadows. The Ontario population consists of at least 5000 flowering plants and many times this number of vegetative rosettes.

Limiting factors and threats

The main threats to this species are from cottage development and maintenance activities such as mowing of shoreline habitats and impacts of recreational activities.

Special significance of the species

No special attributes have been identified for this species.

Existing protection or other status designations

The species occurs in a number of parks, nature reserves and conservation areas where it has some degree of protection. Most sites, however, are on private land.

Summary of status report

Tuberous Indian-plantain is presently known from about 13 localities from shoreline fens along Lake Huron, from riparian meadows along the Maitland and Ausable Rivers and from an inland site in Simcoe County. Perhaps due to a better growing season in 1998 and additional search efforts by other naturalists, more plants are presently known than were recorded a decade previously. About 5000 flowering plants have been counted with several times that number of vegetative rosettes also being present. Threats to the species’ wetland habitats continue due to their occurrence in areas of cottage development. 

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) ^Footnote1

A species of special concern because of characteristics that make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

Not at Risk (NAR) ^Footnote2

A species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk.

Data Deficient (DD) ^Footnote3

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.