Spike Quillwort (Isoetes prototypus)

Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Isoetaceae
State: ME, NB, NS
Nature Serve ID: 146303
Lifeform: Graminoid
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Isoetes prototypus, Prototype Quillwort, is an aquatic, perennial graminoid. It grows fully submerged in cool lakes at water depths of at least 5 feet. Like many Isoetes, it grows as a clump of long (up to about 4.5 inches), narrow leaves. It produces spores, not seeds, from a structure called a sporangium that grows at the base of the clump. It is distinguished from I. acadiensis by the tissue that covers the sporangium. In I. prototypus this tissue covers the entire sporangium, but the sporangia of I. acadiensis are only partially covered. (Brunton and Britton 1993; Environment Canada, 2012; New England Wildflower Society, 2018; USDA and NRCS, 2018) Isoetes prototypus has an extremely restricted range. It is known from only 20 lakes; 5 in Maine and 15 in Canada. However, as of 2016, the global population was estimated at about 250,000 individuals, and that number is thought to be stable. Therefore, its global conversation assessments vary. It is assessed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List process, but as Imperiled (G2) by the NatureServe G-Rank process. In Canada, where most of the global population exists, its federal status is Special Concern. (Environment Canada, 2012; NatureServe, 2017; Smith 2016)

Where is Spike Quillwort (Isoetes prototypus) located in the wild?

States & Provinces:

Spike Quillwort can be found in Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia

Which CPC Partners conserve Spike Quillwort (Isoetes prototypus)?

Native Plant Trust

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Be the first to post an update!

Spike Quillwort (Isoetes prototypus) Characteristics

Nomenclature

Taxon	Isoetes prototypus
Authority	D.M. Britton
Family	Isoetaceae
CPC Number	44907
ITIS	503215
USDA	ISPR
Duration	Perennial
Common Names	Prototype Quillwort \| Spike Quillwort
Associated Scientific Names	Isoetes prototypus
Distribution

State Rank

State	State Rank
Maine	S1
New Brunswick	S2
Nova Scotia	S2

Ecological Relationships

Photos

Donate to CPC to Save this Species

CPC secures rare plants for future generations by coordinating on-the-ground conservation and training the next generation of plant conservation professionals. Donate today to help save rare plants from extinction.

Donate Today