Prairies and Savannahs of NW Ontario - Tallgrass Ontario

Original Land Survey ofPaipoonge Township, StanleyArea. Conducted by T.W.Herrick, P.L.S, 1856, FieldNotebook #1572.This section shows the flat sandyterrace north of the KaministiquiaRiver, dominated by “SandyPlain and no Bush”, interruptedonly by the stream and creekvalleys which dissect this plain.Map showing the originalextent of grassland in theStanley area, based on theoriginal land survey notesof 1856. According to thesurvey notes, the entiregently rolling sandy plainnorth of the river to thenorthern townshipboundary was open sandyplain, interrupted by thicketvegetation along thestream and creek valleys.Through aerial photointerpretation, the extent ofthe sandy plain can bemapped. Approximately 16km 2 of this grasslandoccurred in this area.

The compressed stem ofDrummond’s Thistle aprovincially rare species onlyfound in Ontario in the vicinity ofStanley.Wild Heliotrope (Phacelia franklinii), aprovincially rare western speciesfound in the Stanley grasslands, aswell as herbaceous meadowsassociated with steep slopes andtalus of the nearby Nor-westermounts.

Hoary Puccoon(Lithospermumcanescens), found inthe grasslands atStanley, as well asprairies and oaksavannahs ofsouthwestern andnorthwestern Ontario.Long Sault MoundsThe burial mounds atLong Sault, along theRainy River west of FortFrancis, were built intallgrass prairie. The siteis now part of a FirstNation interpretivecentre, Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung. JohnMacoun referred to theprairies along this river inhis travels to the westmore than a century ago.The dense herbaceousvegetation of thetallgrass prairie at LongSault Mounds. The sitehas a long history ofaboriginal burning, andwas (and continues tobe) an important sourceof medicinal andceremonial plants forFirst Nation peoples.

Open grownBur Oak(Quercusmacrocarpa)at Long SaultMounds.Big Bluestem (Andropogongerardii) is a characteristictallgrass species, found inboth southern andnorthwestern Ontario prairies.

Prairie June Grass (Koeleriamacrantha), was originally knownfrom northwestern Ontario at onlyone site, the Stanley areagrassland. It has declined greatlyin the relict tallgrass prairies ofsouthern Ontario, and is nowknown from fewer than a halfdozensites in that region, althoughit is still common in the oak andoak-pine savannahs at PineryProvincial Park. Fieldwork byNHIC biologists have found itcommon in the prairies at LongSault and Lake of the Woods.The fires which burn through the tallgrass prairie at Long Sault also burn into theadjacent Bur Oak woodland, maintaining the characteristic open aspect oftallgrass savannah.

Small patches of openBur Oak woodlandsimilar to that found atLong Sault Moundsoccur on silty knollsscattered throughoutthe length of RainyRiverGround shot of thetallgrass prairie atLong Sault Mounds,showing a clump ofBig Bluestem, GoldenAlexanders (Ziziaaptera) and PurpleVetchling (Lathyrusvenosus).Closer view ofgroundlayervegetation at LongSault, with ShowyLadyslipper(Cypripediumreginae), SenecaSnakeroot (Polygalasenega) in flower.

Leiberg’s Panic Grass (Panicumleibergii var. leibergii), a prairie speciesfound at Long Sault Mounds. It alsooccurs at two other prairie sites insouthern Ontario, Walpole Island andthe Mohawk Cemetery at Tyendinaga.Torrey’s Sedge (Carex torreyi), awestern species recentlydiscovered new to Ontario,occurs at Long Sault Mounds aswell as a few prairies along theshores of Lake-of-the-Woods.

Long-toothed Lake Sedge (Carexlaeviconica) is a characteristic speciesof prairie sloughs in the centralAmerican Midwest. It has recently beenfound at a few sites along Rainy River,including Long Sault Mounds, the townof Manitou Rapids, and the mouth of theLa Vallée River.Heavy Sedge (Carexgravida) is a prairiespecies recentlyrediscovered new toOntario, where it wasfound at Long SaultMounds and the town ofManitou Rapids. Theonly prior Ontariocollection was a turn ofthe century record byJohn Macoun fromWalkerville (now a partof Windsor) in EssexCounty.

Bur Oak savannah withNeedlegrass (Stipa spartea)understory, Budreau’s Point.Western Ragweed(Ambrosia psilostachya), arare native species ofnorthwestern Ontarioprairies, Kreger Road.Lake-of-the-WoodsThe prairies and oaksavannahs on the Lake-ofthe-Woodsshorelines arefloristically the richest ones innorthwest Ontario. The bestsites occur on base-richandesitic bedrock,colloquially referred to asgreenstone.

A cottage built in arich Bur Oaksavannah, Lake-ofthe-Woods,anunfortunate land usein this provinciallyrare habitat.Closeup of Bur Oakshowing acorns.Downy Arrow-wood(Viburnum recognitum), acommon understory shrub inOak Savannahs andWoodlands in both southernand northwestern Ontario.

The attractive orange-red anthers ofSide-Oats Grama (Boutelouacurtipendula), a provincially rare prairiespecies recently discovered new tonorthwestern Ontario at Lake-of-the-Woods. It is also present at a fewprairie and alvar sites in southernOntario.Canada Wild-rye, anotherattractive grass of prairies andsand dunes in Ontario. It iscommon in prairies, dunes andbeaches along the shore of Lakeof-the-Woods.

Kalm’s Brome Grass (Bromuskalmii), yet another attractive grassfound in the prairies and oaksavannahs of Lake-of-the-Woods. Itis also found in southern Ontarioprairies, savannahs, alvars, and inrocky calcareous forests andwoodlands.Western Wheat Grass (Elymussmithii) occurs as a native in thericher prairie and Oak Savannahson Lake-of-the-Woods. It has adistinct glaucous (grey-waxy) hue tothe leaves and stem. Previouslythought to be adventive in Ontario,where it can be found growing inrailway ballast and rights-of-way, itis clearly native in the undisturbedand remote habitats on Lake-of-the-Woods.

Yellow Panic Grass (Panicumxanthophysum) is commonlyfound in prairies and Bur Oaksavannahs on Lake-of-the-Woods.This extremely boring-looking grass is Plains Muhly (Muhlenbergia cuspidata). InOntario it is only known from Picture Rock Point, Outer Bay, Lake-of-the-Woods.

The long awns of the distinctiveNeedlegrass make it readily identifiablewhen in fruit.Smooth Beardtongue (Penstemongracilis) is a provincially rare speciescommon in the prairies of Lake-of-the-Woods.

Western SilverAster isconsidered tobe aThreatenedspecies inOntario. Onlytwo sites areknown from theprovince, bothalong the shoreof Lake-of-the-Woods. It wasformerly knownfrom Ingolf,Ontario, butrecent surveyshave failed tofind it there.Prairie Sage (Artemisiafrigida) is a fragrant prairieherb occurring innorthwestern Ontarioprairies, and also fromStanley and the Nor’Westercliff rims near Thunder Bay,Ontario.

Prairie Smoke(Geum triflorum), ashowy andconspicuous herbwell-known fromalvars in southernOntario, hasrecently beenfound at a fewprairies in thevicinity of SiouxNarrows, Lake-ofthe-Woods.Narrow-leaved Goosefoot(Chenopodium pratericola),a native goosefoot found innorthwestern Ontarioprairies and cliff sites.

Collomia (Collomialinearis), a westernspecies found in Lakeof-the-Woodsprairies,and also in the Stanleyarea grasslands.Fragile Prickly-Pear (Opuntiafragilis) is a nativecactus found onrocky outcrops inprairies and BurOak savannahs onRainy Lake andLake-of-the-Woods.

Until recently, Purple PrairieClover (Dalea purpurea) wasthought to be extirpated fromOntario. It is known from asingle location in a Bur Oaksavannah along Echo BayRoad, near Lake-of-the-Woods.The long (> 1 mm)white setae (mossawns) of WesternSpikemoss(Selaginella densa)distinguish it from themore common RockSpikemoss(Selaginellarupestris). Bothspecies occur onrocky outrcrops innorthwestern Ontarioprairies and oaksavannahs.

Mountain Woodsia(Woodsia oregana) is arare fern that isfrequently found on thebase-rich bedrockfound in some sectionsof Lake-of-the-Woodsshorelines. It occurs increvices and on rockoutcrops in prairies andbur oak savannahs, aswell as cliffs in thisregion.The lavenderinflorescencesof Blue Hedgehyssop(Agastachefoeniculum) area characteristiccomponent ofprairies and BurOak savannahsin northwesternOntario.

On siteswith the richest bedrock, the interface between shoreline cliff and prairie is one ofthe most interesting habitats. These sites are particularly rich in terms of plantspecies, many of them tiny in stature. The whitish plant is Prairie Sage.In this closer view, in a little over a square foot, the following diminutive speciesappear: Rough Pennyroyal (Hedeoma hispidum), Northern Androsace(Androsace septentrionalis), Prairie Cinquefoil (Potentilla pensylvanica), BlueHedge-hyssop, Purple Harebell, Poverty Grass, and rosettes of Prairie Buttercup(Ranunculus rhomboideus).

The chestnut-red upper sheaths ofRichardson’s Sedge (Carexrichardsonii) readily identify thisspecies in the spring when it’s inflower. Later in the summer it can beidentified vegetatively by it’s distinctly3-ranked splayed leaves, and theirbluish-green leaf colour. It is awestern species found in prairies andsavannahs throughout Ontario. It isalso found in calcareous dunes,alvars and woodlands.Field Sedge (Carex conoidea) isanother provincially rare westernspecies found in prairies and Bur Oaksavannahs along Lake-of-the-Woodsshorelines.

Winnipeg RiverThe Winnipeg River, which drains Lake-of-the-Woods into the Nelson Riverdrainage basin in Manitoba, also supports small local areas of prairie, and at onesite just west of the White Dog First Nation, a Bur Oak savannah, illustratedabove.Anotherview of theBur Oaksavannah,with a largepatch of BigBluestem intheforeground.

The attractive flowers of Nodding Onion (Allium stellatum), found along theWinnipeg River and other northwestern Ontario prairie and Bur Oak savannahsites.A local area of tallgrass prairie dominated by Big Bluestem along the WinnipegRiver, with Stiff Sunflower in the foreground. This site is located approximately100 m east of the Manitoba border on the Winnipeg River