New England Wildflower Society and Saving an Endangered Cinquefoil

I recently received an e-mail from Debra Strick of the New England Wild Flower Society, letting me know she and they were there: "As you may know, the New England Wild Flower Society is America's oldest plant conservation institution, with many stories to share about events, plant advice, and earth-friendly gardening. We have a staff of experts who are great resources on plant conservation, horticulture, native plants, ecologically appropriate choices, and much more."

Always eager to see what wildflower folks are up to around the country, I of course wasted no time visiting their website(s). One article in particular caught my eye; it was an article written by Ron Rothschadl for the Fish and Wildlife Service (NFWS) about efforts to save the endangered Robbins' cinquefoil (Potentilla robbinsiana). Efforts to save this plant were so great, it got removed from the federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants. The NFWS was aided in this effort by the U.S. Forest Service, the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the New England Wild Flower Society.

Cinquefoils are members of the Rose Family (Rosaceae); Robbins' cinquefoil can only be found in the alpine zone of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. The entire known plant population was once numbered at less than 4,000 plants. Today there are more nearly 15,000 plants.

Robbins' cinquefoil is a tufted dwarf perennial that's hairy in appearance. It sports deeply lobed three-part leaves, and usually a single yellow flower on each hairy, threadlike stem. The flowers typically have 5 petals and sepals, numerous pistils and stamens, and measure about 3/8" across. The entire plant only gets about 2" tall.

The endangered status of Robbins' cinquefoil came about as a result of disturbance from hikers along the Appalachian Trail and plant collectors. And let's face it, any wildflower with a limited range and habitat is in trouble from the get go. Twenty years ago the White Mountain National Forest and the Appalachian Mountain Club rerouted the Appalachian Trail, and built an enclosure around the plants. Seed collection and transplanting were undertaken, and with the New England Wild Flower Society providing plants, to new populations were established in the White Mountain National Forest.

Saving this plant, it would seem, proves that we can protect something from folks, while continuing to promote the enjoyment of our great outdoors. It was an also example of a variety of groups and individuals coming together for a worthy common cause. No wonder Debra toots the horn of the New England Wild Flower Society so loudly, and melodically too!

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic