Plants and Animals
Crataegus douglasii Douglas's hawthorn
Key Characteristics
Small tree (up to 12 m) of rocky woodlands primarily of the UP; leaves broadly elliptical, with shallow lobes and serrated margins; thorns short (< 2.5 cm); fruits distinctively purplish-black.
Status and Rank
US Status: No Status/Not Listed
State Status: SC - Special Concern (rare or uncertain; not legally protected)
Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure
State Rank: S3S4 - Rank is uncertain, ranging from vulnerable to apparently secure
Occurrences
| County | Number of Occurrences | Year Last Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Alger | 5 | 2022 |
| Alpena | 2 | 1930 |
| Baraga | 2 | 1969 |
| Chippewa | 4 | 1981 |
| Houghton | 10 | 2023 |
| Keweenaw | 34 | 2023 |
| Luce | 1 | 1974 |
| Mackinac | 1 | 1913 |
| Marquette | 1 | 1937 |
| Ontonagon | 3 | 2004 |
Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.
Habitat
Found on rocky and bedrock outcrop shorelines in northern Michigan (conglomerate or basalt substrates). Also known from thin-soiled bedrock glades and balds in near-shore areas and hilltops, often in shrubby thickets. This species often persists in disturbed areas.
Natural Community Types
- Boreal forest
- Mesic northern forest
- Northern bald
- Open dunes
- Sand and gravel beach
- Sandstone bedrock lakeshore
- Volcanic bedrock glade
- Volcanic bedrock lakeshore
- Volcanic cliff
- Volcanic cobble shore
- Volcanic lakeshore cliff
For each species, lists of natural communities were derived from review of the nearly 6,500 element occurrences in the MNFI database, in addition to herbarium label data for some taxa. In most cases, at least one specimen record exists for each listed natural community. For certain taxa, especially poorly collected or extirpated species of prairie and savanna habitats, natural community lists were derived from inferences from collection sites and habitat preferences in immediately adjacent states (particularly Indiana and Illinois). Natural communities are not listed for those species documented only from altered or ruderal habitats in Michigan, especially for taxa that occur in a variety of habitats outside of the state.
Natural communities are not listed in order of frequency of occurrence, but are rather derived from the full set of natural communities, organized by Ecological Group. In many cases, the general habitat descriptions should provide greater clarity and direction to the surveyor. In future versions of the Rare Species Explorer, we hope to incorporate natural community fidelity ranks for each taxon.
Associated Plants
Fire cherry, mountain ash, chokecherry, bracken fern, alder, serviceberry, thimbleberry, aspen, paper birch, ticklegrass, yarrow, bearberry, marsh bellflower, pale Indian paintbrush, hair grass, spike-rush, butterwort, ninebark, silverweed, dwarf Canadian primrose, and wild rose.
Management Recommendations
Little is known of the biology and ecology of this species, though it likely benefits from disturbance that creates and maintains openings and colonization sites. This community occupies a stressed, potentially unstable environment; many of the species found in this community do not tolerate later stages of succession and require management that prevents woody plant encroachment. Protect from development.
Survey Methods
Random meander search covers areas that appear likely to have rare taxa, based on habitat and the judgment of the investigator.
-
Meander search
-
Survey Period: From first week of June to fourth week of September
-
References
Survey References
- Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316
- Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.
- Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.
- Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.
Technical References
- Coffin, B. and L. Pfannmuller, eds. 1988. Minnesota's Endangered Flora and Fauna. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. 473pp.
- Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 910pp.
- Gray, A. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany; eighth ed. Van Nostrand Reinghold, New York. 1632pp.
- Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.
- Scoggan, H.J. 1978. The Flora of Canada. National Museum of Natural Science Publications Botany 4: 1711pp.
- Voss, E. G. 1985. Michigan Flora. Part II. Dicots (Saururaceae-Cornaceae). Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. 724pp.