Clearwater National Forest

IDAHO STRAWBERRY

Waldsteinia idahoensis Piper

STATUS

USFS Region 1: Sensitive

USFWS: none

ICDC: G3/S3

INPS: GP3

TAXONOMY

Family: Rosaceae (rose)

Common Name: Idaho Strawberry

Description Waldsteinia is a perennial herb arising from extensive rhizomes. The leaves are all basal and with sparse, stiff hairs, on a long petiole, and blades that persist for one or two winters. The blades are 3-6 cm broad, cordate-suborbicular, with simple to 3 to 5 lobes and coarsely bicrenate to dentate margins. Small (up to 1 cm) bracts are on the flowering stem. Yellow to cream flowers, similar to cinquefoil, are borne in loose, few-flowered (2 to 7) clusters. The inflorescence is glandular-pubescent. The petals are 4-5 mm long. There are about 70 stamen and 2-4 pistils (Hitchcock 1961).

Distinguishing Features and Similar Species The flowers of this species resemble those of several species of the genus Potentilla (cinquefoil). Plants of that genus have pinnately or palmately compound leaves. Those of Waldsteinia, though often deeply lobed are not compound. The large terminal portion of Geum macrophyllum resembles the leaves of Waldsteinia, especially in small plants, but Geum also has small leaflets below the main terminal portion of the leaf, forming a compound leaf.

DISTRIBUTION

Range Waldsteinia is a narrow endemic restricted to four counties: Clearwater, Idaho and Shoshone counties in Idaho and Missoula County, Montana (one occurrence). It is extensive only in the South Fork Clearwater River basin where it is widespread in several major tributary drainages.

On the Clearwater National Forest it occurs in widely scattered, mid-elevation locations on the periphery of its range. It is most common in the vicinity of Powell Ranger Station, where it was first collected. An extensive metapopulation exists in the vicinity of the confluence of Sand Creek and the Lochsa River, but this is the only population of any size on the Forest. It has also been recorded north of Kelly Creek, and west of Headquarters along upper Washington Creek (Lichthardt 1999). There is a reported population on a terrace adjacent to the North Fork Clearwater River downstream from the mouth of Isabella Creek, but extensive searches have failed to relocate the population at the recorded location.

Habitat Habitat consists of open sites in montane forests, in western redcedar, grand fir, and subalpine fir habitat types, at elevations between 4,000 and 5,000 ft. It grows along streams, extending onto toeslopes and even up to midslope positions. Cool, moist microsites are most favorable for its development (Crawford 1980). Although sometimes a shade-tolerant species of climax understory, Waldsteinia responds favorably to increased light. It increases in coverage in forest openings and after broadcast burns in clearcuts. It is also able to colonize disturbed soils (Lichthardt 1999). However, clearcuts that were burned with very hot fire that burned the soil, lack plants.

On the Clearwater National Forest, a typical site is in a bottom with western redcedar mixed with cool species such as subalpine fir and spruce. Plants are most abundant in openings or along road sides within this habitat.

REMARKS

This species is well documented to respond favorably to most forms of disturbance. Idaho strawberry inhabits cold bottom land forest that are often associated from riparian areas that are protected from intense harvest practice activities. Forest openings, even clearcuts have been found to be beneficial to this species and it is also able to colonize disturbed soils. However, its listing as a sensitive species is warranted due to its few populations in a globally very restricted range.

Populations of Waldsteinia on the Clearwater National Forest may represent a range expansion, or remnants of a once larger range. Revisiting some of these peripheral populations and assessing their trends may provide clues about the history of this geographically restricted species.

REFERENCES

Crawford, R.C. 1980. Ecological investigations and management implications of six northern Idaho endemic plants on the proposed endangered and threatened lists. Moscow ID: University of Idaho. 200 pp. Thesis.

Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist, M. Ownbey, and J.W. Thompson. 1961. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Part 3. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA.

Lichthardt, J.J. 1999. Action plant for sensitive plant species on the Clearwater National Forest. Report to the Clearwater National Forest SO, Orofino, ID. Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game, Conservation Data Center, Boise, ID. 17 pages plus appendices.