Myth or Miracle? Unexpected news of relatively instant gratification on Langham Island

Thought to be extinct in its only natural habitat, this insanely rare endangered species is back. Volunteer stewards and fire did the trick. 

Gone for years from its island Nature Preserve - its only natural home on planet Earth - the super-endangered Kankakee mallow sprouted around our first bonfires – after a mere six weeks.
But are these little leaves really that rare plant?

A passionate three-dozen hard-workers predicted the possibility of miracles when we started this historic restoration and rescue on September 13^th. (For backstory, see post: “Survivor:Langham Island.") But we in the ecosystem rescue discipline normally expect major results to take years. Thus, yesterday, so soon after our mighty kick-off work party, we at first didn’t even think to check the edges of our six-weeks-earlier brush pile burns. But, toward the end of the day, we noticed unfamiliar fat little cotyledons coming up by the dozens. The rare mallow was said to germinate after hot fires. But this late in the season? really? October 25^th? could they already be popping up so impatiently? (Spoiler alert: indeed they did, and matured rapidly enough to flower a mere two years later.)

Many of us said, “Get real. It’s probably just some weed.”

Then Don Nelson looked more carefully at the edges of those burn circles. He noted some seedlings making their first real leaves. It can be hard to know for sure from those very early leaves. But they sure looked kinda sorta right.

Cotyledons (the first photosynthetic surfaces that unfold out of the germinating seed) tend to be very simple. But the first true leaf, emerging above, looks like tthe typical five-lobed mallow leaf. (Seedling photos by Lisa Culp.)

Two years later, sure enough, it looked like this: 

Some clusters of older seedlings are starting to look even more
like the rare Kankakee mallow (Iliamna remota).

One person, familiar with the adult plants, felt the texture of the leaves. They didn’t feel right, she said. Another person said, “They’re young, possibly pre-pubescent.” Another person, who’d raised the species in a garden said, “They look like Iliamna to me.”

Back when we launched this mission, we had to admit that we didn’t know for sure if we’d ever see the rare mallow again. We had faith, based on our knowledge of the species' ecology. But it never crossed our minds that we might see baby mallows before next spring.

“Why would they germinate now?” one person asked. “Won’t the cold kill them? Wouldn’t the roots frost-heave out of the ground over the winter?”

Another said, “The plant may know what it’s doing. This is a species that is dependent on fire. It may have to make do with whatever fires it can get.” Of course, additional seeds may germinate in the same areas next spring. Or not. Maybe they'll be the only ones to survive. Or not. If the ones we’re seeing now survive, maybe they’ll have a head start and be the only ones to sink roots deep enough to survive when summer's drought sets in, if it does. 

This adventure seems on the fast track. 

For reports from later, click here and here. 

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Credits: Seedling photos by Lisa Culp. Blooming plant photo by Chris Benda.