Wisconsin's rare plants

Low calamint is an erect forb, 20-60cm tall, with 2-8, pale purple, tube-shaped, flowers found just above each leaf on the upper part of the plant, the petals are 8-5mm long. Fruits are smooth, reticulate, nutlets with one seed each. Its leaves are linear or inversely lance-shaped, at least 4 times as long as wide, and become smaller as they near the tip of the plant. Its stems are square and glabrous, except for a small tuft of hair where each leaf originates. The entire plant has a minty aroma when crushed.

Blooming occurs late-June through late-September, fruiting late-July through late-September.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is earl-July through August.

Associated species include Lobelia kalmii, Potentilla fruticosa, Hypericum kalmianum, Parnassia glauca, Gentiana procera, Solidago ohioensis, Pycnanthemum virginianum, and Selaginella eclipes.

Low calamint prefers moist, calcareous soils and is most typically found on wet dolomite flats on Lake Michigan (Door County), as well as fens and wet prairies.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid disturbance to shorelines and the forest-beach interface.

Prescribed burns and/or brushing may be beneficial, dependent on local site conditions and burn frequency. Rotational burns with annual unburned refugia may be preferred.

Minimize disturbance to hydrology, including soil disturbance from rutting.

Maintain and restore open habitat through selective clearing and brushing.

Survey for and control invasive plants prior to conducting timber operations, as these can be spread by vehicles and often respond vigorously to increased light. See forestry BMPs for invasive species.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.