Epilobium hornemannii

Reichenb.

Hornemann's Willowherb

G5Secure Found in 8 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.128233
Element CodePDONA060C0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderMyrtales
FamilyOnagraceae
GenusEpilobium
Other Common Names
Épilobe de Hornemann (FR) Hornemann's willowherb (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-08-11
Change Date1984-04-24
Edition Date2025-08-11
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Epilobium hornemannii is a perennial forb occurring in moist meadows, willow swales, coastal places, stream banks, mossy crevices, and stabilized scree slopes of North America, western Eurasia, Japan, and the Russian Far East. In North America, it occurs throughout most of Canada, and Alaska south through California, west to New Mexico, north to North Dakota in the western United States, and Maine to New York in the eastern United States. There are over 2,000 estimated occurrences of this species, which are threatened by altered hydrology, recreation, invasive species, and likely other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, Epilobium hornemannii is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Epilobium hornemannii occurs "widely in montane and boreal regions in North America and western Eurasia, and also in Japan and the Russian Far East" (FNA 2021). In North America, it occurs throughout most of Canada, and Alaska south through California, west to New Mexico, north to North Dakota in the western United States, and Maine to New York in the eastern United States. Epilobium hornemannii ssp. hornemannii is found throughout the range of the species; Epilobium hornemannii ssp. behringianum is a coastal variant, occurring in maritime areas of British Columbia, including Haida Gwaii, Pacific coastal Alaska, and along the northwestern Pacific Coast of Russia. Range extent was estimated to be over 6 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 2,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Epilobium hornemannii are not well documented but include altered hydrology, recreation, invasive species, and likely other threats in some places (NatureServe 2025). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Epilobium hornemannii occurs in moist meadows, tussock meadows, willow swales, coastal places, seeps, stream banks in montane to alpine streams and lakes, in mossy or rocky crevices, on gravelly ridges, stabilized scree slopes, and along roadside ditches from 0-3700 m in elevation (FNA 2021).

Reproduction

Epilobium hornemannii produces flowers from May through August (FNA 2021).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceousAlpineBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
ColoradoS4Yes
AlaskaS4Yes
MaineS1Yes
ArizonaS3Yes
IdahoSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
New YorkS1Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
MontanaSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
NevadaSNRYes
WyomingS4Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickS4Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS4Yes
QuebecSNRYes
NunavutSHYes
Nova ScotiaS4Yes
OntarioS1Yes
AlbertaS3Yes
SaskatchewanS1Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
LabradorS4Yes
Northwest TerritoriesSUYes
Threat Assessments

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (8)
Alaska (1)
AreaForestAcres
RhineTongass National Forest23,010
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Raymond PeakEldorado National Forest2,518
New Hampshire (2)
AreaForestAcres
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pecos WS RiverSanta Fe National Forest5,396
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Wyoming (2)
AreaForestAcres
Campbell LakeMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest7,088
Snowy RangeMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest29,660
References (7)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2021. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 10. Magnoliophyta: Proteaceae to Elaeagnaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 456 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).