#Trout lily full#

This law does not prohibit the loss and disturbance of habitat, which is the primary concern.įour sites have been purchased and are managed by the Nature Conservancy and a cooperating group, the Riverbend Nature Center. This trout lily is listed as endangered by the state of Minnesota and afforded limited protection by a state law that prohibits taking, transporting, and selling endangered and threatened plants from all lands except ditches, roadways, and certain types of agricultural and forest lands. With its inefficient means of vegetative, rather than sexual, reproduction, the plant is slow to recover when disturbed. And even institutional collectors make mistakes: one site was severely damaged in the early 1970s when large numbers of plants were removed and replanted in a university landscape arboretum.

Wildflower collectors, who thoughtlessly pick flowers at the more accessible sites, pose a significant threat.

Road construction destroyed a number of other sites, and various effects of ongoing urban development are considered a threat to remaining populations. Several large historic colonies near the city of Faribault were eliminated when land was converted to agriculture. In 1991 three additional trout lily colonies were discovered on a farm near Cannon Falls, Minnesota. In 1986 this species was thought to be represented by 17 localities in Rice County and by two sites in Goodhue County, totaling no more than about 8,000 individuals. It grows along the Cannon, Straight, and Zumbro Rivers (Rice and Goodhue Counties) in the region directly south of Minneapolis and St. Mary's College at Faribault (Rice County) in 1870, the Minnesota dwarf trout lily is considered endemic to southeastern Minnesota. It is usually associated with other ephemerals such as Dutchman's breeches, white dog-tooth violet, and snow trillium. The species prefers areas of moderate to heavy shade, where it grows in dense colonies that sometimes spread onto the flood plain. It grows mostly on the lower parts of north-facing slopes that rise up to 90 ft (27.4 m) above the stream beds. The Minnesota dwarf trout lily is found along wooded river valleys, where it roots in loamy, alluvial soils. Renewal of the parent bulb and formation of the offshoot bulb both take place during the brief period of photosynthetic activity before the leaves wither. Reproduction by seed occurs infrequently. The Minnesota dwarf trout lily reproduces vegetatively by sending out lateral shoots to establish new clones. In June, when the tree canopy fills in, the upper parts of the plant wither. Fruits are nodding when mature rather than erect. Flower parts number four or five, rather than six as in other species of Erythronium, and are generally smaller than those of the white trout lily ( Erythronium albidum ). In April or May the plant puts up a slender flowerstalk, tipped by a single nodding, bell-shaped, pink or roseate flower with recurved petals. The leaves are parallel veined and arise from near the base of the stem to a height of about 6 in (15.2 cm). The Minnesota dwarf trout lily ( Erythronium prop-ullans sometimes referred to as the prairie trout lily) is a spring ephemeral that grows as a single pair of mottled-green pointed leaves. An infusion of the root was also given for fever.Perennial with one pair of pointed leaves and a nodding, bell-shaped, roseate flower.Ĭonversion of land for agriculture, road construction, urbanization, and collectors. The juice from crushed leaves was used by Cherokees for wounds that would not heal.

The plant was reportedly used by native Americans for a variety of medicinal purposes. It is also known as the Dogtooth Violet, referring to the tooth-like shape of the white underground bulb. This plant is also known as the Fawn Lily, American Trout-lily, Yellow Trout-lily or Yellow Adder’s Tongue. Single leaved plants also occur, but do not flower. The two 3-8″ inch elliptical leaves are mottled with brown, resembling a trout.

During bright days, the petals are reflexed. The yellow flowers are solitary and nodding, usually about an inch or more in diameter. This strategy allows the plant to take advantage of the sunlight reaching the forest floor in early spring.

#Trout lily full#

Like other spring ephemerals, Trout Lilies bloom early in the spring, quickly produce seed, and then wither as the trees around them come into full leaf. One of the earliest spring flowers in the Adirondack Mountains is the Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) – a spring ephemeral with delicate yellow blooms and mottled leaves.