Features: Also called Pale Purple False Foxglove, Skinner's Agalinis (Agalinis skinneriana) is characterised by its light purple bell-shaped flowers, which bloom in late summer. This Agalinis grows in open prairie and oak savanna habitats and is very similar in appearance to the closely related, and also endangered, Gattinger's Agalinis (see separate account). Fungal filaments (hyphae) attached to the roots of Skinner's Agalinis help it to obtain nutrients from the roots of other plants such as trees. This type of relationship is called "hemiparasitism".

Status: Endangered Provincially and Nationally

Range: Skinner's Agalinis is rare throughout its range in central North America which extends from extreme southwestern Ontario, west to Indiana, Minnesota and Kansas. In Canada, it occurs on two of the delta islands in western Lake St. Clair and also in a small prairie remnant near Windsor in southwestern Ontario. Range Maps

Threats: The conversion of prairie and oak savanna habitats to farmland likely caused this species to decline throughout its range. Ontario's remaining populations are small and restricted, and they are threatened by road building, construction and agricultural expansion.

Protection: Populations in Ontario are on private land. Possibly because of the special manner in which it obtains nutrients, this plant has not been propagated by growers. Therefore, it is not possible to plant new stock in protected areas. Skinner's Agalinis is listed under Ontario's Endangered Species Act, 2007, which protects the species and its habitat. Ontario's Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program (CLTIP) will provide 100% tax relief to private landowners for the portion of their property (minimum size 0.5 acres) determined to be endangered species habitat. The CLTIP program recognizes, encourages and supports private land stewardship.

Text Sources: Canne-Hilliker 1988

Last Modified Date: October 2008