Chilostigma itascae (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae), a globally rare caddisfly new for Canada

Headwater Chilostigman Caddisfly (Chilostigma itascae) is an enigmatic winter-active caddisfly previously reported solelyfrom Minnesota. This note reports the first Canadian records from southern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario

English

The aspen parkland-associated grasslands of the Peace River region, British Columbia (BC), have been severely reduced in area, primarily because of agricultural and urban development. In this region, the species composition of plant communities is similar to that of prairie grasslands and is topographically influenced, occurring primarily on warm-aspect slopes along the Peace River and some of its tributaries. Historical records show that non-forested grass- and sedge-dominated plant communities occurred on flat and gently rolling terrain in a parkland ecosystem near what are now the communities of Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. The Peace grasslands are not represented in BC’s biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification, perhaps leading to their neglect in regional natural resource management and conservation planning. Here, I describe the vascular plant community of a level-terrain relict aspen parkland-associated grassland in the Peace River region. Its species composition differs from nearby warm-aspect grasslands and includes provincially listed plant species. Increased awareness of grassland communities may support conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate change adaptation in the southern boreal region of BC

Branching Burreed (Sparganium androcladum (Engelmann) Morong; Typhaceae) rediscovered in Ontario, but conservation status unclear

We report three new records of Branching Burreed (Sparganium androcladum), which has not been seen in Ontario in several decades. This species is understudied and has been confused with other taxa, primarily American Burreed (Sparganium americanum). It is not known when it was last collected in the province, and its conservation status is unclear. Specimens identified as Branching Burreed are few and do not fully clarify the situation; of the 14 putative S. androcladum specimens we examined, five are too immature to verify confidently, and at least seven are misidentified. Previous specimen-based maps are probably not accurate representations of Branching Burreed’s provincial distribution, but it is likely more widespread than records indicate. We provide a description of our new records and notes on identification to provide a basis for additional study of this plant