Population loss of goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis L. (Ranunculaceae), in Ohio

Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis L., is harvested from forests in the eastern U.S. for its rhizome, which is considered to have medicinal properties. While listed as rare or threatened in many states, its status in Ohio has not been assessed. To establish the status of historic goldenseal population...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 2004-10, Vol.131 (4), p.305-310
Main Authors: Mulligan, M.R, Gorchov, D.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Crop harvesting
Deer
Deforestation
Depopulation
Ecoregions
extinction
Forest canopy
Forests
harvesting
herbaceous plants
herbivores
Herbs
Hydrastis canadensis
medicinal plants
Plants
Ranunculaceae
Species extinction
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Summary:Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis L., is harvested from forests in the eastern U.S. for its rhizome, which is considered to have medicinal properties. While listed as rare or threatened in many states, its status in Ohio has not been assessed. To establish the status of historic goldenseal populations, we assessed 71 sites where voucher specimens had been collected from 1845 to 1998. Of these sites, 13% were deforested and no longer supported populations. Goldenseal was found on 65% of the remaining forested sites. Nearly half of documented goldenseal populations have become extinct, suggesting an overall decline of goldenseal in Ohio. The major cause of extinction appears to differ among Ecoregions, with deforestation important in the Eastern Corn Belt Plains, herbivory by white-tailed deer in Erie/Ontario Drift and Lake Plain, and overcollection in the Western Allegheny Plateau.
ISSN:1095-5674
1940-0616
DOI:10.2307/4126936