To date, 530 species of vascular plants have been reported for Richmond in a variety of habitats on the islands of Richmond, which include salt and freshwater marsh, bog, wet meadows, birch forest, hemlock forest, and low sand dune/sandspit formations; 228 of these are native species while12 are considered rare in British Columbia (e.g. Bidens amplissima).
Sandy shoreline habitats in Richmond, such as that at Iona Beach Regional Park, are home to populations of the large-headed sedge (Carex macrocephala), sea rocket (Cakile edentula) and numerous other sand dune species.
Bog sites, such as the Richmond Nature Park, provide good habitat for numerous heath species, including Labrador tea (Rhododendron [Ledum] groenlandicum), bog rosemary (Kalmia microphylla spp. occidentalis), and wild cranberry (Oxycoccus oxycoccus ), as well as several species of Sphagnum and numerous sedges (e.g. Eriophorum chamissonis, and Rhynchospora alba).
The birch forests that occur throughout the municipality support a variety of plant species, including sword fern (Polystichum munitum), red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), serviceberry or saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia) and salal (Gaultheria shallon), and, in some spots, young stands of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla).
Ponds, marshes and ditches on the islands support many wetland species, including common cattail (Typha latifolia), yellow pond lily (Nuphar polysepala), and several species of sedges and rushes (e.g. Carex lyngbyei and Carex stipata). The highly fragrant white rein orchid or tall northern white bog orchid (Platanthera dilatata) is found in shoreline meadows along the Fraser River.
Richmond specialties include shooting star (Dodecatheon pulchellum), black lily or northern rice-root (Fritillaria camschatcensis), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), yellow marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) and Henderson's checker-mallow (Sidalcea hendersonii).
LINKS
Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Richmond (a 26 page pdf file) (Lomer, Klinkenberg and Klinkenberg)
Richmond Nature Park plant checklist (Taylor, Klinkenberg and Klinkenberg)
Invasive plants in Richmond
Introduction to Plant Identification (E-Flora BC)
Historical vegetation and evolution of the Fraser Delta
Back to Biodiversity of Richmond Home Page
Page update January 2011. Contact us.
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