Rare Plants & Communities

Background	Furbish's Lousewort	Anticosti Aster
Rare Plants & Communities	Habitat Quality	Conservation Options

1 Credit

The banks of the upper St. John River are a 'hot spot' for rare and uncommon plants. The Nature Trust of New Brunswick and the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre recorded 68 plant species of conservation significance between St. Francis and Perth Andover including the globally endangered Furbish's Lousewort !

Why are so many rare and uncommon plants clustered along the Upper St. John River Valley ? The seasonal dynamics and diverse landforms of the valley seem to create ideal conditions for a wide variety of specialized plants. With its large spring freshet and heavy ice scour, extensive calcareous soils, floodplains, alluvial islands and oxbows, every bend of the river reveals a unique and dynamic habitat for shoreline plants.

2 Credit	Read on for descriptions and illustrations of 19 of these significant species characteristic of the St. John River valley.
3 Credit	Six significant natural communities of plants are found along the upper St. John River . Because of the particularities of local geologies and micro-climates, groups of rare and uncommon plants tend to co-exist, forming a plant community of conservation significance. Read on for descriptions and illustrations of these community types

Rare and Uncommon Plants

	Anemone multifida - Bird's-foot anemone Very rare (S2) in New Brunswick , this plant grows on calcareous gravel strands and ledge crevices near river shores. The species ranges from Alaska and British Columbia to Newfoundland south to California , Nebraska and Maine and is also found in South America . Photo Credit: J. Simpson

	Astragalus alpinus var. brunetianus - Brunet's Milk-vetch Rare (S3) in New Brunswick , this plant grows on gravel strands, calcareous shores and ledges. It has a general range extending from Quebec to Newfoundland south to Vermont and Maine . The hairy flowering stems are 4,5-10 cm long, without leaves. Flowers vary from whitish lilac to purple or blue. Photo Credit: R. Read, http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/WisPlants.html

	Eleocharis quinqueflora - Few-flowered spike-rush Very rare (S2) in New Brunswick , this plant grows on seepy calcareous shores, ledges and in fens. Range is Yukon to Newfoundland south to California , Greenland , Iceland and Eurasia . Stems are normally brown to dark brown, 10-30 cm high and not flattened. Fruiting time is from July to September. Photo Credit: R.H. Mohlenbrock, USDA NRCS 1992 Western Wetland Flora

	Equisetum palustre - Marsh horsetail This heavily branched, flat topped horsetail is very rare (S2) in New Brunswick and grows along cold streams, ponds, or shallow waters. Along the St. John River it was locally abundant on moist, clayey riverbanks. Range is Alaska to Newfoundland south to California and New Hampshire ; Greenland; Eurasia south to Himalayas, northern China , Korea and Japan . Photo Credit: M. Savela

	Hedysarum alpinum - Alpine hedysarum Rare (S3) in New Brunswick, this plant is found on calcareous ledges and rocky shores and ranges from Alaska to Newfoundland south to British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Maine and Eurasia. It can also grow in grasslands and open woods, on open and rocky slopes in foothills and mountains near water. This plant reaches heights of 20-75cm and has several erect stems. Flowers are pink to purple in colour; flowering time is June to July. Photo Credit: P. Slichter

	Juncus brachycephalus - Short-headed rush Very rare (S2) in New Brunswick, this plant is known from only a few localities that have escaped drowning by hydroelectrical developments along the Saint John River in Carleton, Victoria and Madawaska Counties. This plant grows on calcareous shores, wet fields and in marshes. It ranges from Ontario to Nova Scotia south to Illinois and New Jersey . Flowering time is July-September, and flowers are green to light brown. Photo Credit: R.H. Mohlenbrock, USDA NRCS 1992 Western Wetland Flora

	Muhlenbergia richardsonis - Matted muhly Rare (S3) in New Brunswick ,it is a mat-forming grass with slender, wiry stems, 30-60 cm tall. Found on gravelly river strands and rocky shores along large rivers, usually on circumneutral gravel or ledges. Ranges from Yukon and British Columbia to New Brunswick south to Baja , California , Ohio and Maine . Flowering time is July to September. Photo Credit: J.P. Morgan, Prairie Habitats Inc.

	Oxytropis campestris var. johannensis - Yellow oxytropis Uncommon (S2) in New Brunswick, this plant grows along the St. John and Restigouche Rivers on gravelly river strands, calcareous rocks or fields. Flowers vary from pink to whitish yellow, and are blue when dried. Range is Manitoba to Baffin Island , Quebec , Newfoundland to James Bay, south to the St. John River ( New Brunswick and Maine ) and Nova Scotia . Photo Credit: J.E. Maunder, Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador

	Parnassia glauca - Grass-of-Parnassus Rare (S3) in New Brunswick , this plant was collected from a few localities in the western and northern parts of the Province on calcareous rocky shores, in marly bogs and along limy rivershores, and in wet meadows. Range is Saskatchewan to Newfoundland south to South Dakota , Ohio and New England . The white flowers are solitary at the tip of the stem, with green lined petals. Flowering time is July to October. Photo Credit: B. Slaughter

	Prenanthes racemosa - Glaucous lettuce Rare in New Brunswick (S3), this plant grows along shores, meadows, thickets and wet ground, and along cobble, ledge or gravelly shores where calcium is available from the bedrock or weathering till, and where it is subjected to high water and/or ice scouring at least annually. Range is British Columbia to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia south to Montana , South Dakota and New England . This is an attractive wildflower with distinctive bluish-grey leaves and lovely pinkish flower heads. Flowering is August to September and fruiting is in fall. Photo Credit: B. Slaughter

	Primula mistassinica - Bird's-eye primrose Rare (S3) in New Brunswick , this plant grows mostly on wet, calcareous ledges, rocks, shores and slopes. Range is Yukon to Labrador, south to British Columbia , Iowa , Ontario and Maine . Flowers are pink, lilac, or white, with a yellow eye. Flowering time is May to August. Photo Credit: F. Tribe

	Salix myricoides - Blue-leaved willow Very rare (S2) in New Brunswick (but rank likely to be changed to S3 soon), this plant grows on sandy or gravelly shores and in adjacent low thickets, as well as stream banks and pond shores. Range is Ontario to Newfoundland south to Illinois and Maine . Flowering time is April to June. Photo Credit: A. Haines

	Schizachyrium scoparium - Nash Bluestem Very rare (S2) in New Brunswick , these plants are found on gravel strands, rocky shores and sandy shores and occasionally adventive along railways. Range is Ontario to Nova Scotia south to Arizona and Florida . It blooms from August to October. The flower colour is cream in summer and reddish-gold in the fall and winter. Photo Credit: J.P. Morgan, Prairie Habitats Inc.

	Stachys hispida - Rough hedge-nettle Currently ranked extremely to very rare (S1/S2) in New Brunswick, recent work has shown this species to be almost universally present in suitable thickets and forests on rich, alluvial soils of the St. John River. Its range is Manitoba to New Brunswick south to North Dakota and Georgia. Flowering is July to September. Photo Credit: J. Simpson

	Tanacetum bipinnatum ssp. huronense � Lake Huron tansy Rare in New Brunswick (S3), being restricted to the St. John and Restigouche Rivers, this species is widely present and fairly common in gravely river shores on the upper St. John . It becomes much rarer on the river south of the study area, with many former sites destroyed by hydroelectric and other developments. Range is Michigan and Ontario to New Brunswick south to Maine . Its flower heads form a cluster of large golden buttons with short, inconspicuous rays. Flowering is June to October. Photo Credit: J. Simpson

	Triantha glutinosa - Sticky false asphodel Rare (S3) in New Brunswick , this plant grows mostly on calcareous ledges and shores, especially in seepy areas. Range is Alaska to Newfoundland south to California and Georgia . The sticky stem is thought to dissuade ants and other crawling insects from stealing pollen or devouring flower parts. Flowering is June to July. Its flowers are mostly red. Photo Credit: H. Arnold

	Trisetum melicoides - Purple false oat Rare (S3) in New Brunswick , this plant grows on calcareous ledges and shores. It is very rare along the river north of Grand Falls, but fairly common between Grand Falls and Perth-Andover. Range is Ontario to Newfoundland south to Wisconsin , New York and Maine . Photo Credit: E. Judziewicz, http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/WisPlants.html

	Vaccinium cespitosum - Dwarf bilberry Rare (S3) in New Brunswick, this plant occurs primarily on rock outcrops and ledge crevices and is the only member of the heath family found primarily in calcareous soils. Range is Newfoundland , Labrador and Alaska to New England and northern New York , northern Michigan , northern Minnesota , Colorado and California . It is a low, clumped shrub, with shiny, toothed, wedge-shaped leaves. Its fruits are light blue with a whitish sheen (July-August). Flowering time is June to July. Photo Credit: M.Goff, http://www.nawwal.org/~mrgoff

	Viola cf. novae-angliae - New England violet Very rare (S2) in New Brunswick , this plant grows on calcareous ledge crevices, gravelly or rocky shores and meadows. Range is Ontario to New Brunswick south to northern Minnesota , northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan . A distinctive feature of this stemless violet is the pubescent blades, petioles, and peduncles. Flowers are purple to red, often with recurved upper petals, and bloom mainly from May to June. Photo Credit: H. Ballard, http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/WisPlants.html

Source: Hinds, H. 2000, Flora of New Brunswick , Second Edition. Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick : Fredericton , NB

Significant Natural Communities

Circumneutral Riverside Seep This habitat is characterized by sandy to gravelly soil with a high pH, constantly saturated by groundwater. It occurs on fairly steep gravelly banks with locally extensive mosses (non-sphagnaceous) to lower-shore flats with stabilized cobble. This broad habitat type occurs below adjacent forest and includes graminoid-dominated, graminoid-forb or shrubby vegetation. Sweetgale, willows, and alders are characteristic shrubs. An array of forbs and graminoids are common among the shrubs or on the downhill slope, including Sticky False Asphodel and Grass-of-Parnassus. Photo Credit: H. Arnold

Sand Cherry � Tufted Hairgrass River Beach This community is found where coarse rocks remain along the shore after flooding and ice-scour. The substrate is usually cobble and often dry at the surface. The sites may be partially submerged after flooding and into the summer. Low shrubs, forbs, and grasses are typical of the vegetation. Dominant plants include Tufted Hairgrass, roses, and often mats of Sand Cherry. Canada Tick-trefoil, Wild Chives and Tall Cord-grass are characteristis species while Huron Tansy, Alpine Hedysarum and Brunet's Milk-vetch may be locally abundant. The cover of grasses and forbs is greater than that of Sweetgale and sedges. Photo Credit: S. Blaney

Bluebell-Balsam Ragwort Shoreline Outcrop This community occurs along dry rivershore ledges and adjacent cobble beaches. The substrate is typically circumneutral or calcareous slate, with the plants growing in the vertical fissures. Sites are subject to annual flooding and ice-scour, which allow at least a small amount of silt to accumulate in the rock crevices. Vegetation is sparse. Typical herbs include Three-toothed Cinquefoil, Common Hairgrass, Hairy Goldenrod, Silverrod, Harebell, and Narrow False Oats. Shrubs include Dwarf Bilberry, Shrubby Cinquefoil, and Shadbush : Poison Ivy may be loccally abundant. Where soil allows the growth of taller shrubs (e.g. at the transition from this vegetation into adjacent shrub vegetation), Red-osier Dogwood, Round-leaved Dogwood, and willows may occur. Photo Credit: S. Blaney

Tall Meadow This community is very common on the northwesternmost New Brunswick portion of the upper St. John River, being essentially continuous for many kilometres in some areas. The community occurs on mineral soils in temporarily flooded rivershores or low streamsides. The relief varies from flat to slightly sloping, extending onto adjacent upland soils as grassland barrens. The soil texture ranges from sandy to silty along the rivers, with a higher caly or organic fraction in other settings. The acidic to neutral soils (pH 5.0 to 7.0) are saturated or have moisture available not far from the surface. This habitat is characterized by a prairie-like community of dense swards of tall grassy vegetation dominated by Bluejoint, with smaller amounts of shrubs (alder, meadowsweet, willow) mixed in. Depending on disturbance history, the shrubs may be low and not easily visible among the grasses, or taller, in which case the vegetation appears mixed shrub-graminoid. Other graminoids are occasionnal. Flat-topped White Aster, goldenrods, and Joe-pye Weed are common tall forbs. Freshwater Cordgrass is often present in small amounts. Bryophytes are a minor component (0-10% cover), and lichens are absent. The community is distinguished from other graminoid wetland communities by having moist but not saturated substrate through the growing season. Photo Credit: H.Arnold

Cicumneutral Hardwood Floodplain Forest This community occurs on rich alluvial soil overlying circumneutral parent material. The overstory is dominated by Silver Maple, Sugar Maple, and occasionally Butternut, Red Ash and Basswood. Typical forbs include Jack in the Pulpit, Ostrich Fern, Red Trillium, Wood Anemone and Cut-leaved Avens. Associated uncommon to rare plants of this habitat type along the upper St. John River include Maidenhair Fern, Goldie's Fern, Showy Orchis, Clustered Sanicle, and Large-fruited Sanicle. Photo Credit: S. Blaney

Balsam Poplar Floodplain Forest This community is documented from one site in far northern Maine, but is more widely distributed along the New Brunswick portion of the upper St. John. In some parts of northeastern New Brunswick, outside the range of Silver Maple, it is obviously an entirely natural community, whereas along the upper St. John it often appaers to be an early successional community that may change over time to Sugar Maple or Silver Maple dominated forest. Photo Credit: S. Basquill

Photo Credits: 1 - H. Arnold | 2 - F. Tribe | 3 - H. Arnold

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