Large Toothwort MDNR Abstract (Adobe Acrobat Reader .pdf file)
Despite the occurrence of Large Toothwort, a Michigan Threatened plant species in "Endangered Woods", the developers have been allowed to continue with road clearing and other activities that will certainly eliminate it from those areas. .................................................................................................................................................. It appears that the Large Toothwort on "Endangered Woods" is an entirely new location for the species, and that it is the first population documented in Macomb County. The closest population we are aware of is somewhere in the Port Huron State Game Area in St. Clair County. So, in our opinion, the occurrence of Large Toothwort in "Endangered Woods" is very significant for the species itself, and as an indicator of the mature, undisturbed quality of most of the forest. .................................................................................................................. According to the MDNR species abstract for Large Toothwort, only 5 occurrences of Large Toothwort (Dentaria maxima) have been documented in Michigan since 1988, including 2 each from St. Clair and Gogebic Counties, and 1 from Arenac County. These occurrences were reported to be large and thriving populations with the exception of one Gogebic County occurrence which consisted of only 10 plants. A collection from Ontonogan County was also documented in 1868 and its current status is unknown. ..................................................................................................................................................................... Total range: The range of large toothwort is centered in New York, occurring formerly from Maine and New Brunswick west to Wisconsin and south to West Vir- ginia. It is considered rare in Quebec and extirpated in Maine and New Hampshire. ............................................................................................................................................................... Habitat: Michigan locations for this plant are in rich deciduous woods, which also typify its habitat elsewhere. In Quebec, it is reported from wet maple stands(Bouchard et al. 1983). Wisconsin plants have been collected from river bottom forests, and were reported especially abundant from mesic elm bottoms with Erythronium americanum (trout lily) and violets (Patman & Iltis 1962).