Features: The Lakeside Daisy (Hymenoxys herbacea) is a small plant in the aster family that is characterised by a basal rosette of leaves, a tall flowering stalk, and a flowerhead composed of strap-like ray flowers surrounding a central button of tiny disk flowers. Bright yellow flowerheads are produced in early spring and produce a marvellous display when in dense colonies, earning it the nickname "Manitoulin Gold" on Manitoulin Island.

The Lakeside Daisy is mainly found in alvar habitats in the Great Lakes region. It is one of a set of distinctive species that are specialized for living on shallow soil overlaying limestome bedrock. Alvar habitats typically experience waterlogging in spring but then dry out in summer. Plants grow in grasslands or in cracks in alvar pavements.

This species is globally rare but locally common in Ontario, where some populations consist of thousands of plants.

Status: Threatened Provincially and Nationally

Range: The Lakeside Daisy is restricted to the Great Lakes region, and is present in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and southern Ontario. In Ontario, 38 populations are known from southern Manitoulin Island and the Bruce Peninsula. Range Maps

Threats: There is no evidence that Lakeside Daisy has declined in the last 20 years in Ontario. Historical records for the species do not go back far: Specimen records date back to 1950. Lakeside Daisy lives on alvars, a special habitat that is threatened by quarry development. Cottage development is an additional threat to populations on private land. Increased recreational use of the alvar habitats, such as hiking and camping, can trample plants and degrade the habitat.

Protection: The Lakeside Daisy receives protection as a threatened species under Ontario's Endangered Species Act 2007. The Act prohibits any harm to the species, such as collecting, killing, buying, selling or trading the plant. Most of the 38 populations are on public land (e.g. Bruce Peninsula National Park) where they receive habitat protection.

Text Sources: Campbell et al. 2001

Last Modified Date: October 2008