Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Mountain Avens

Geum peckii

Pursh

Mountain Avens

G2Imperiled (G2G3) Found in 8 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
Near threatenedIUCN
HighThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146728
Element CodePDROS0S090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNNear threatened
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilyRosaceae
GenusGeum
Other Common Names
Benoîte de Peck (FR) Eastern Mountain Avens (EN) mountain avens (EN) Peck's Avens (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.
Taxonomic Comments
May be conspecific with Geum radiatum of the southern Appalachians, according to S.P. vander Kloet (discussion with L. Morse, Aug 1994). However, otherwise generally recognized as distinct. LEM 12Aug94 & 24Oct96.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2020-12-29
Change Date2020-12-29
Edition Date2020-03-26
Edition AuthorsEdmondson, L. (1983), rev. Maybury (1996) and S.L.Neid (1998), B. Nichols and L. Oliver (rev. 2005), rev. Treher (2015, 2020)
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 80
Rank Reasons
Geum peckii is a herbaceous perennial known only from less than 30 occurrences, mostly in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but also from Brier Island and Digby Neck in Nova Scotia, in the Bay of Fundy, It is scattered but locally abundant in these restricted areas. It is threatened in the U.S. by trampling and potentially by nutrient inputs caused by overnight visitors. In Nova Scotia, the habitat has been altered by drainage ditches built for agriculture.
Range Extent Comments
Geum peckii is restricted to a small area in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (U.S.A.), Brier Island in Nova Scotia (Canada), and a small areas on the mainland of Nova Scotia.
Occurrences Comments
There are 19 presumably extant occurrences in New Hampshire within a 1,600 sq km area. As more observations between occurrences are found, they have been merged together. In New Hampshire, there is one large occurrence on Mount Washington, in the northern Presidential Range of the White Mountains. There are nine sites in Nova Scotia on Brier Island in the Bay of Fundy and Digby Neck, the neck that leads to Brier Island (Environment Canada 2010).
Threat Impact Comments
In New Hampshire, the species is sensitive to trampling by visitors. Potentially threatened by nutrient inputs near overnight huts along hiking trails and campgrounds. In Nova Scotia, the species has been experiencing a decline due to the cumulative effects of drainage ditches (built in an unsuccessful attempt to make the area suitable for farming). The ditches lowered the water table enough to attract roosting gulls to the area. Gull droppings have raised the nutrient levels in the soils and have acted as a vector for weed seeds, which are successfully colonizing the drier, more nutrient-rich sites. Nova Scotia sites are also threatened by OHV's, development for the cottage industry, fire, and potentially tourism impacts in the future.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

In New Hampshire, Geum peckii is found in alpine streamside ravines and moist (snowfields), rocky heath-meadow communities at 1,200-1,830 m elevation; descends to subalpine elevations (425-760 m) along high-gradient streams, especially at open cascades. In Nova Scotia, it is found near sea-level in bogs and nearby sphagnous depressions along the sea coast (Environment Canada 2010).

Reproduction

Geum peckii reproduces both sexually via wind-dispersed achenes and asexually via rhizomes (LaRue 2016; Paterson and Snyder 1999). Self-pollination is possible, though total number of seeds produced is higher when flowers are cross-pollinated (Zinck 1996). An average of 50 seeds are produced by each flower (Keddy 1986). Seeds must be cold-stratified in order to germinate and germination rates in greenhouse tests are typically low (<5% of 300 tested seeds (NEWFS pers. comm.). Other than these life-history characteristics, little is known about the population biology of this species. Factors such as survival rate, reproductive age and lifespan are not well documented.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousAlpineBare rock/talus/scree
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
New HampshireS2Yes
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
Nova ScotiaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentRestricted (11-30%)Extreme - seriousHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceLarge (31-70%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesLarge (31-70%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsRestricted (11-30%)Extreme - moderateHigh (continuing)
7.2 - Dams & water management/useRestricted (11-30%)Extreme - moderateHigh (continuing)
7.2.3 - Abstraction of surface water (agricultural use)Restricted (11-30%)Extreme - moderateHigh (continuing)

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (8)
New Hampshire (8)
AreaForestAcres
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
References (20)
  1. Bliss, L.C. 1966. Plant productivity in alpine microenvironments on Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. Ecological Monographs 36:125-155.
  2. Brackley-Tolman, Dr. F.E. 1998. Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire. Personal communication with S.L.Neid (MRO, 2/98) summarizing findings of reproductive study performed in collaboration with Dr. John F. Burgur (Univ. of New Hampshire).
  3. Center for Plant Conservation (CPC). 2007. Center for Plant Conservation-CPC Plant Profile-National Collection of Endangered Plants. http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/asp/CPC_ViewProfile.aspCPCNum=2022. Accessed: November 28, 2007.
  4. Crow, G.E. 1982. New England's rare, threatened, and endangered plants. Univ. New Hampshire, Durham, NH. 129 pp.
  5. Environment Canada. 2010. Recovery Strategy for the Eastern Mountain Avens (<i>Geum peckii</i>) in Canada [Proposed]. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Environment Canada, Ottawa. vii + 18 pp. + Appendices.
  6. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 9. Magnoliophyta: Picramniaceae to Rosaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 713 pp.
  7. Gleason, H.A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. 910 pp.
  8. Gray, A. 1856. Manual of Botany of the Northeastern United States, 2nd ed. American Book Co., New York.
  9. iNaturalist. 2020. Online. Available: http://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2020).
  10. 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.
  11. Keddy, C. 1986. Status report on the eastern mountain avens, <i>Geum peckii</i>, in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
  12. LaRue, D. 2016. Natural regeneration of the globally rare <i>Geum peckii</i> (Rosaceae) on Brier Island, Nova Scotia. Rhodora 118(975):310-314.
  13. McLeod, C. 1993. The bog-dweller: In Nova Scotia, the eastern mountain avens thrives in wet, nutrient-poor soil. Nature Canada Fall: 14-15.
  14. Newell, R.E. 2000. Update COSEWIC status report on the eastern mountain avens <i>Geum peckii</i> in Canada, <i>in </i>COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the eastern mountain avens <i>Geum peckii</i> in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 1-11pp.
  15. New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau. 2007. Biodiversity Tracking and Conservation System (BIOTICS) database (accessed: November 30, 2007). Concord, NH.
  16. Paterson, I.G. and M. Snyder. 1999. Genetic evidence supporting the taxonomy of <i>Geum peckii</i> (Rosaceae) and <i>G. radiatum</i> as separate species. Rhodora 101(908):325-340.
  17. Roland, A.E., and E.C. Smith. 1983. The flora of Nova Scotia: Volumes 1 and 2. Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax, NS, Canada. 746 pp.
  18. Sperduto, D.D., B. Engstrom and A. Wong. 1995. Habitats of low-elevation to subalpine rare plants of the White Mountains. Unpublished Report. New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau, Concord, NH.
  19. Zika, P.F. 1992b. Contributions to the alpine flora of the northeastern United States. Rhodora 94: 15-37.
  20. Zinck, M.C. 1996. Numerical evaluation of <i>Geum radiatum</i> and preliminary studies of the pollination biology of its Nova Scotian population. Honours Thesis, Acadia University, Wolfeville, Nova Scotia.