Contorted-pod evening primrose
Habitat Contorted-pod Evening-primrose prefers dry, open sandy habitats. It is found in sparsely vegetated grasslands and woodlands. In Canada, it is restricted to sandy flats and partially vegetated dunes (semi-stable dunes) no more than 15 m above sea level. Such habitats are naturally fragmented, but they have become more fragmented with the degradation of sandy coastal habitats where the species occurs. The fragmentation is fundamentally due to the natural distribution of shoreline sand deposits, although this has been exacerbated by residential and tourist development in many fragments which were once suitable.
Biology Contorted-pod Evening-primrose is a short-lived annual; it lives no more than a few weeks. Plants typically germinate between March and May, flower in April or May, and disperse seeds in May or June. Most plants die with the onset of the summer drought in June or July. In years with unusually heavy summer rainfall, a small proportion of plants may survive until late summer or early autumn. Following major rainfall these plants may show renewed vegetative growth, flowering, and fruiting. Contorted-pod Evening-primrose has small, inconspicuous flowers that are probably self-fertilized most of the time. Plants tend to produce between 3 and 10 fruit, each containing 10 to 20 seeds at maturity. These seeds lack any apparent adaptations to assist in long-distance dispersal, so most seeds likely remain in the immediate vicinity of the parent plant. Seeds may be transported in sand during severe winds, and this may occasionally result in dispersal over a distance of several metres. The species survives the summer drought and winter cold as a seed.
Taken from: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=898
Location in Island View Beach Regional Park:
In 2007 a triangular area was fenced off in the north east corner of the park where the Contorted-pod evening-primrose had been found. Despite this protection the plant has suffered further decline. In an apparent paradox, the remaining contorted-pod evening-rose is in an area that has been disturbed by people. This leads us to speculate that perhaps the area has compacted too much with invasive grasses and settlement, from the open sandy habitat required by this plant, and that perhaps the human fence jumpers have inadvertently saved this species by disturbing the sand enough so the Contorted-pod evening-primrose seeds can germinate.
Biology Contorted-pod Evening-primrose is a short-lived annual; it lives no more than a few weeks. Plants typically germinate between March and May, flower in April or May, and disperse seeds in May or June. Most plants die with the onset of the summer drought in June or July. In years with unusually heavy summer rainfall, a small proportion of plants may survive until late summer or early autumn. Following major rainfall these plants may show renewed vegetative growth, flowering, and fruiting. Contorted-pod Evening-primrose has small, inconspicuous flowers that are probably self-fertilized most of the time. Plants tend to produce between 3 and 10 fruit, each containing 10 to 20 seeds at maturity. These seeds lack any apparent adaptations to assist in long-distance dispersal, so most seeds likely remain in the immediate vicinity of the parent plant. Seeds may be transported in sand during severe winds, and this may occasionally result in dispersal over a distance of several metres. The species survives the summer drought and winter cold as a seed.
Taken from: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=898
Location in Island View Beach Regional Park:
In 2007 a triangular area was fenced off in the north east corner of the park where the Contorted-pod evening-primrose had been found. Despite this protection the plant has suffered further decline. In an apparent paradox, the remaining contorted-pod evening-rose is in an area that has been disturbed by people. This leads us to speculate that perhaps the area has compacted too much with invasive grasses and settlement, from the open sandy habitat required by this plant, and that perhaps the human fence jumpers have inadvertently saved this species by disturbing the sand enough so the Contorted-pod evening-primrose seeds can germinate.
Studies & Protection: For an excellent study, see the reports by Matt Fairbarns of Aruncus Consulting. A comparison of the reports between 2004 and 2014 shows the rapid decline.
See the Fairbarns 2004 here
See the Fairbarns 2006 here
See the Fairbarns 2007 here
And the Fairbarns 2014 report here
The 2014 report says the occurrence is in moderately poor condition. It recommends repairing the fencing; adding signage to keep people out; and harvesting some seeds to grow elsewhere and then to reintroduce to the same area. No additional area outside the existing fenced site is needed.
References
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=898
http://nativeplants.evergreen.ca/search/view-plant.php?ID=01017
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/esr.do;jsessionid=zGhrT1qdMvVLJvTg6ST7c2pF6vFsnldD1GsczytxtGpDftQrYFhz!234374013?id=14576