Beach Pinweed
Lecchea maritima var. subcylindrica
The Canadian population of Beach Pinweed has been recognized as an endemic variety of global significance. It is considered a taxonomically distinct and globally imperilled variety with all of its global population restricted to localized areas of coastline in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Of an estimated 181,000 plants in Canada, about a third of them are on PEI. There are 15 PEI populations on over 41 km of stabilized sand dunes sheltering Malpeque and Cascumpec Bays, and a single occurrence 54 km east on dunes in PEI National Park at Tracadie Bay. In New Brunswick, the northern and southernmost occurrences are spread over an 87 km straight-line distance on sand dunes This species was designated as Special Concern in 2008 and protected under the Species at Risk Act in 2010.
The majority of the 15 populations, including the three largest, occur at elevations under 5 metres above sea level where they are at increased risk from the impacts of severe storm surges resulting from rising sea levels and increased storm frequency and intensity. Trampling, all terrain vehicle use, and successional changes to the species’ habitat are also threats.