PART TWO: Fascinating Flora Discoveries from the Oak Ridges Moraine!
For more than two decades, biologists at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) have been diligently observing and cataloging the diverse array of species inhabiting our regional forests, wetlands, and meadows.
In this post, we highlight some of the rare and unique plants and vegetation communities found in the Oak Ridges Moraine during this year’s biological inventories and long-term monitoring surveys.
Stretching across rolling hills, dense forests, and wetlands, the Oak Ridges Moraine is a biodiversity haven, supporting a wide variety of plant species, including several Regional Species of Conservation Concern.
This area’s natural spaces help to mitigate the impacts of urban sprawl by safeguarding critical habitats for many wildlife and plants and protecting our drinking water supply.
Explore our flora discoveries below. Visit this page to learn about this year’s unique wildlife finds!
FORESTS
The forests within the Moraine include mature to old-growth mixed forest and deciduous forest communities.
Rare finds in 2024 include stiff club-moss (Spinulum annotinum) and round-branched ground-pine (Dendrolycopodium dendroideum), which have not been reported here since 1996.
Pink wood-sorrel (Oxalis montana), another Regional Species of Conservation Concern also persists in the Moraine.
The Moraine is also home to broad-leaved panic grass (Dichanthelium latifolium), a native Regional Species of Conservation Concern.
This unique grass grows in forests and thickets and produces two types of flowers annually: the wind-pollinated spring flowers and self-pollinated late-summer flowers, ensuring both genetic diversity and successful reproduction in areas where the species is not common.
These two distinct flowering periods have enhanced this plant’s persistence in this landscape.
Wood-betony (Pedicularis canadensis), a Regional Species of Conservation Concern, was also observed this year on the Moraine.
Known for its yellow, hooded flowers and the soft, hairy leaves at the base, this is a hemi-parasitic plant, drawing nutrients from neighbouring plant roots. Its role as a pollinator plant for native bumblebees also enhances its ecological importance.
The continued presence of these rare and unique forest plants is remarkable given the suburban surroundings.
WETLANDS
Many of the Oak Ridges Moraine wetlands are remarkably intact and excluded from stormwater runoff. These conditions result in diverse plant communities, a rarity in urban landscapes.
Key finds include northern adder’s tongue (Ophioglossum pusillum), and a well-preserved Red Maple-Conifer Organic Mixed Swamp with rare plants such black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), mountain holly (Ilex mucronata), awned sedge (Carex atherodes), yellow water crowfoot (Ranunculus flabellaris), and cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum).
This was only the second TRCA data record for northern adder’s tongue, making it one of the GTA’s rarest plants.
The extensive populations of winterberry in some of these wetlands provide a valuable food source for migrating and overwintering songbirds in the form of fall-ripening berries.
The discovery of regionally rare kettle bog vegetation communities within the Moraine adds to the region’s ecological richness.
These acidic, nutrient-poor bogs support specialized species that thrive in harsh conditions, such as the pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) and bog laurel (Kalmia polifolia) – both Regional Species of Conservation Concern.
The vibrant colours and unique adaptations of these bog plants make them a fascinating element of the local landscape and an exciting field find.
The fragile beauty of all these fascinating plants highlights the importance of TRCA’s monitoring efforts in safeguarding the many remarkable species across our jurisdiction.
Spotted some interesting wildlife in your area? Share your observations with TRCA on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or X.
Scientific data collection and research informs decisions affecting the natural areas and watercourses within our region. Learn more!