Clintonia borealis

(Ait.) Raf.

Clinton Lily

G5Secure Found in 74 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.153238
Element CodePMLIL0H020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderLiliales
FamilyLiliaceae
GenusClintonia
Other Common Names
Bluebead (EN) bluebead (EN) Clintonie boréale (FR) Yellow Bluebead-lily (EN) Yellow Clintonia (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 Date2024-09-16
Change Date1984-02-29
Edition Date2024-08-27
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Clintonia borealis is a perennial forb occurring in coniferous, mixed, or deciduous woods and seepages of eastern North America, from Manitoba to Nova Scotia, Canada, south to Maine and Georgia, west to Tennessee, and north to Minnesota in the United States. There are over 3,000 occurrences of this species, which are threatened by rights-of-way maintenance, logging, invasive species, recreation (including off-road vehicle use), deer herbivory, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent, a high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Clintonia borealis is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Clintonia borealis occurs in eastern North America, from Manitoba to Nova Scotia, Canada, south to Maine and Georgia, west to Tennessee, and north to Minnesota in the United States (FNA 2002). Range extent was estimated to be over 4 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be over 3,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Clintonia borealis is threatened by rights-of-way maintenance, logging, invasive species, recreation (including off-road vehicle use), deer herbivory, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Clintonia borealis occurs in rich coniferous, mixed, or deciduous woods, and in cool rocky seepages (FNA 2002, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024)
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - Mixed
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
ManitobaS4Yes
Prince Edward IslandS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
LabradorS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
Rhode IslandSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
North CarolinaS4Yes
MichiganSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
GeorgiaSHYes
New JerseyS3Yes
MaineSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
MarylandS2Yes
OhioS1Yes
IndianaS1Yes
TennesseeS2Yes
Threat Assessments

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (74)
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Michigan (2)
AreaForestAcres
DeliriumHiawatha National Forest190
FibreHiawatha National Forest7,432
Minnesota (8)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
Kawishiwi Lake To SawbillSuperior National Forest15,305
Phantom LakeSuperior National Forest6,521
Tait LakeSuperior National Forest6,327
Wood LakeSuperior National Forest596
New Hampshire (15)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
WatervilleWhite Mountain National Forest4,312
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
North Carolina (14)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Little Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest640
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Middle Prong AdditionPisgah National Forest1,852
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
SnowbirdNantahala National Forest8,489
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Pennsylvania (4)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Hearts ContentAllegheny National Forest221
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Vermont (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
Virginia (8)
AreaForestAcres
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Garden MountainJefferson National Forest3,960
Lewis Fork AdditionJefferson National Forest749
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (11)
AreaForestAcres
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Turkey MountainMonongahela National Forest6,421
Wisconsin (4)
AreaForestAcres
09154 - St. Peters DomeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest4,002
09157 - Chase CreekChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest6,140
09159 - ThornappleChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest9,744
09177 - Le Roy CreekChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest8,138
References (7)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  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. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  7. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.