Flowering Plants

Alopecurus carolinianus [Red-listed] Annual (or winter annual) tufted grass from fibrous roots; stems 10-30 (40) cm tall. Found in wet to moist vernal pools, roadsides and meadows in the lowland zone. Rare on South Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

Marah oregana [Endangered/ Red-List] Gardeners will quickly recognize this rare plant’s place in the squash family and it’s unlikely to be confused with anything else.

Silene scouleri grandis [Red-Listed] An iconic rare species on the southern Gulf Islands, Coastal Scouler’s catchfly is known on Salt Spring Island only from one location.

Lomatium dissectum dissectum [Red-Listed] This rare desert parsley is always associated with Garry oaks at the few sites it’s known from on South Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

Allium geyeri var. tenerum [Blue-listed] Unmistakable with tiny bulbs replacing some of the flowers, this rare onion employs two strategies to survive in it’s harsh environment, releasing both seed and small plantlets.

Carex feta [Blue-listed] This aptly named sedge occurs in a variety of wet habitats from ditches to vernal seeps, and has recently been planted as part of the Blackburn Lake wetland restoration project.

Allium geyeri var. tenerum [Threatened/Red-listed] On the Southern Gulf Islands, this plants best defence is its choice of habitat. Steep cliffs and protected grassland pockets keep away most of the browsing deer that target the young flowering stems.

Heterocodon rariflora [Blue-listed] Count yourself lucky if you come across the small, blue flowers on this tiny bluebell; most of the time it produces inconspicuous greenish flowers that self-pollinate.

Triteleia howellii [Endangered/ Red-listed] Known on Salt Spring Island from a single collection made in 1893, it still occurs nearby in Maple Bay and at scattered sites on southern Vancouver Island.

Viola howellii [Red-listed] Thirty years ago, this enigmatic violet was known from a dozen sites on Vancouver Island.