Prior Lake, Minnesota - While conducting a floral survey to document the location and distribution of plants on tribal land, staff in the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Land and Natural Resources Department have discovered the presence of a species of flora new to Minnesota. The non-native buttercup pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) has never before been recorded in the state. The discovery has been confirmed by State Botanist Welby Smith with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

During this survey the newest addition to Minnesota flora was found at The Meadows at Mystic Lake. Near a stream on Hole #6 of the golf course, the plant was found growing in a small colony by SMSC Environmental Assessment Specialist Victoria Ranua. She knew it was a pennywort by sight but consulted a technical botanical key to identify the species. After making her identification, she consulted the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' List of Plants that Occur in Minnesota. This species was not on the list. A recheck of her identification confirmed that it was Hydrocotyle ranuculoides, a plant not ever recorded in Minnesota before.

Ranua and colleague SMSC Environmental Specialist Mike Whitt had seen this plant before on Community lands growing in a large wetland between the Community's fire station and the Water Reclamation Facility while planting wild rice in the fall of 2006. After identifying the buttercup pennywort, Ranua took a kayak out to that wetland, where she found that this plant was still thriving in the wetland. Hundreds of patches of this plant now grow along the edge of the wetland and in floating mats upon it. State Botanist Welby Smith visited the site in late September 2007 and confirmed the finding.

The wetland containing the large population was once a meadow invaded by a non-native grass. The wetland was cured of this condition by the installation of a water-control structure, which flooded the grass out. Except for some native seeding along the shoreline, all the plants found in the wetland were brought by birds or wind. This restored wetland is very popular with waterfowl, even hosting nesting pairs of the rare black tern. Most likely the seeds for the plants were deposited by visiting waterfowl.

The nearest recorded location of buttercup pennywort is in Illinois where it is considered endangered. For now the SMSC Land and Natural Resources Department plans to monitor the plant at the two sites.

Stan Ellison, Manager of the SMSC Land and Natural Resources Department, commented on the finding, "Our staff are dedicated to knowing the plants and wildlife that are found here on the Community. They are conducting this detailed survey of Community flora at the request of the SMSC Business Council. We recently completed a similar faunal survey which will be published in 2008. In this floral survey plants which are culturally important are being documented for location. Then staff in the SMSC Cultural Resources will document their various uses. This information will be available initially for Community members with wider distribution ultimately possible. The discovery of the Hydrocotyle ranunculoides indicates the close attention the Community is playing to its environment on the reservation and on nearby lands."

As a steward of the land, the SMSC engages in restoration activities, which include the use of prescribed burns, as tools to maintain and improve native prairie conditions on the reservation. Staff have planted 100 acres of native prairie grasses and wildflowers, sowed wild rice in Community wetlands, and planted trees, grasses, and plants in other areas of the Community. Environmental specialists are active in restoring and managing wetlands and prairies, surveying wildlife, and taking an inventory of existing natural communities. Hydrologists assess water quality, coordinate the Community's Wellhead Protection Program, and implement erosion control.

^ top ^