Endangered
Description
Scarlet Ammannia is an annual plant that grows up to a metre high. Plants may branch, with the lowest pair of branches arising from the base and growing almost as long as the main stem. It has 1.5 to eight centimetre long, narrow but rather thick and fleshy leaves, usually with basal lobes that clasp the stem. A member of the loosestrife family, it produces tiny lavender-coloured flowers, one to three of which develop at each axil (where the leaf joins the stem).
Action we are taking:
Range
Scarlet Ammannia ranges from south central British Columbia southward to Central America, and eastward through the United States to Ohio and southwestern Ontario in the north, and Tennessee in the south. It is not found on the eastern coast of North America, with the exception of New Jersey where it is considered non-native.
In Ontario, it is restricted to Essex County, the most southwesterly county in the province. In this area, there are six records for Scarlet Ammannia of which three populations are still believed to exist.
Habitat
In Ontario, Scarlet Ammannia is found on mudflats, sand beaches, and the edges of wetlands and ponds that are seasonally flooded. Fluctuating water levels are important to its survival. It does well in habitat that is generally submerged early in the year and when water levels recede later in the summer the plants emerge.
Threats
The threats to Scarlet Ammannia in Ontario arise from changes to water levels in the Great Lakes, wetland drainage, succession by woody plant species and housing development. Invasive plant species, such as European Common Reed, also pose a threat.
Protection
The Scarlet Ammannia is protected under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act and the federal Species at Risk Act.
What You Can Do to Help Scarlet Ammannia
- The Ministry of Natural Resources tracks species at risk such as the Scarlet Ammannia. You can use a handy online form to report your sightings to the Natural Heritage Information Centre. Photographs with specific locations or mapping coordinates are always helpful. nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca
- Report any illegal activity related to plants and wildlife to 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667).
- Private land owners have a very important role to play in species recovery. You may be eligible for stewardship programs that support the protection and recovery of species at risk and their habitats.
- Volunteer with your local nature club or provincial park to participate in surveys or stewardship work focused on species at risk.
- Invasive species seriously threaten many of Ontario’s species at risk. To learn what you can do to help reduce the threat of invasive species, visit: ontario.ca/invasivespecies ; www.invadingspecies.com; www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca; and, www.invasivespecies.gc.ca .
Did you know?
Scarlet Ammannia seeds are most likely self-pollinated with no dependence on insects.
Did you know?
In British Columbia, Scarlet Ammannia is found alongside another species at risk, Toothcup (Rotala ramosior). While these species are also both found in Ontario, they do not occur together here.
Contact your local ministry office
Often the best source of local information on species at risk is your nearest ministry office. Call with your questions or concerns.
