2010 Rare Plant Surveys – Cathedral Provincial Park
By Sara Bunge, Senior Ranger, BC Parks, South Okanagan
This informal report documents 3 separate searches (totalling 5 days) for a number of rare
plant records for Cathedral Provincial Park. Many of these records had not been re-checked (
according to CDC records) for many years and the original records were decades ago. I wanted
to confirm whether the locations were accurate, and if not update them, as well as re-survey
the plants that could be found. In the process I found that some of the CDC records were very
inaccurate and impossible to relocate. We (there was always a number of people surveying
except for the lower elevation sites) also found a number of new records for a couple of
species.
All UTM’s are in NAD83.
July 21 and 22, 2010 – survey in Core area
The two target alpine plant species for this trip were Lomatium Brandageei (Lomatium
brandegeei) and alpine buckwheat (Eriogonum pyrolifolium). Most of the records we were
searching for were quite old (from 1950 – 1980), so I knew the co-ordinates we had to work
with were going to be just a guide. Also searching with me were: Jenny Heron (MOE Vancouver), Dawn Marks (MOE contractor) and Jerry Mitchell (MOE – Penticton). One of the
other purposes of our trip to Cathedral was also to search for rare butterflies and survey for
bees (data collected by Dawn and Jenny).
Spring was late this year, with the snow taking a long time to melt.
Alpine Buckwheat (Eriogonum pyrolifolium) – did not locate species at any of the 3 known
locations on July search
CDC EO #4609 – “Saddle between Lakeview Mtn and Boxcar” – July 21; 4 people searched
saddle approx 75 metres around UTM’s (10/707705/5435001) , eastern side of saddle still had
large patches of snow. Last (and only) data was from 1980, but description was good, so should
be able to find it if it is there.
CDC EO #2474 – “Lakeview Mountain” – July 21: Westside, open, rocky area just above mostly
larch forest. Again 4 people searched approx 100 metres around UTM’s (10/707005/5435501).
None found, there was no snow cover here.
CDC EO #4456 – “Red Mountain” – July 22; descriptor from old record says along trail to Red
Mountain, UTM’s located approx 100 metres from current trail (10/704705/5439201). 4 people
searched area, at least 100 metres from UTM’s. None found. Again there was no snow cover
there.
Brandegeei Lomatium (Lomatium brandegeei)
All references to “lomatium” in this document refer to Brandegeei Lomatium.
Quiniscoe Mountain Record (CDC EO #4412)– did not check out this location as did not have
time. This location was not near any other records. UTM’s (10/703205/5438101) placed plant
on NW side of Quiniscoe Mt, near the top (approx 2300 metres), where it is rocky and steep.
Location seems odd, as all other lomatium locations that we found were in forested areas with
more vegetation. However in August we located lomatium along the trail to Red Mtn, in very
rocky, sparsely vegetated area, so Quiniscoe Mtn record should be checked.
Lakeview Creek (CDC EO #308)– records indicated this location was along park/lodge access
road. Hiked close to location, but UTM’s indicated approx 60 metres west of road. Did not seem
to be right location as there were many trees down in the forest, and brush was very dense. We
did not go right to UTM’s. However, we did find a couple of other locations close to that
location, both on the west side of the road.

New record: 10/705967/5439488; 1945 m elevation – 1 plant right on western edge of
graded gravel road, in bloom

New record: 10/705986/5439513; 1940 metres elevation – approx 20 plants, about 1/3
not in bloom, up on bank above western edge of road, first one I saw close to road was
growing up out of the middle of a juniper. Other vegetation in the area was arnica,
blueberry spp. The area was treed – mostly lodgepole pine. The lomatiums covered an
area approx 10 metres x 5 metres.
Diamond/Scout Lake trail. These two locations were approx 1 km along trail system from lodge
area.

New record: 10/705097/5439197; 2124 m elevation – 3 plants on east side of trail, just
north of boardwalk section. Area covered was 1.5 m x 1.5 metres. Other vegetation in
the area were arnica, blueberry spp. Area was an opening in the forest canopy (mostly
lodgepole pine).

New record: 10/705096/5439230; 2108 metres elevation – 2 plants on west side of trail,
north of boardwalk, area covered 2 m x 2 metres. Other vegetation in the area were
arnica, blueberry spp.
Along trail to Goat Lake/Lakeview Mtn
CDC record EO # 5396 UTM 10/706205/5437401 - did not check this location out this year.

New record: Along trail from Quniscoe Lake, heading to Pyramid Lake, NW of Pyramid
Lake. 3 lomatium in flower on north side of trail, SE facing slope, area covered 2 m x 2
m. Other dominant vegetation: arnica, lupin. UTM: 10/705260/5437715, elevation 2081
metres.

New record: Along trail from Pyramid Lake towards Goat Lake. East of Pyramid Lake. 27
lomatium all in bloom, spread out over an area 25 m x 5 m. On east side of trail. Treed
slope, east aspect. Dominant vegetation: arnica, lupin, blueberry spp. UTM
10/705746/5437469. Elevation 2053 metres.

New record: along trail from Pyramid to Goat Lake. 1 lomatium in bloom along trail.
UTM 10/705775/5437359, elevation 2051 metres.

New record: along trail from Pyramid to Goat Lake. 1 lomatium in bloom along trail.
UTM 10/705791/5437347, elevation 2044 metres.

New record: Along trail from Pyramid to Goat Lake. Downslope, on east side of trail,
approx 15 m from trail. 5 lomatium, covering an area of 3 m x 2 m. UTM
10/705820/5437337. Elevation: 2034 metres.

New record: Along trail from Pyramid to Goat Lake. West side of trail. 4 lomatium. UTM:
10/705815/5437300. Elevation 2031 metres.

New record: Along Lakeview Trail. 5 lomatium UTM: 10/705850/5437210. Elevation
2014 metres.
Quiniscoe Lake trail

New record: Along trail around Quiniscoe Lake, south side of lake, west of Glacier Lk
turnoff, 12 lomatium on west side of trail, up bank, well off trail, difficult to see from
trail. Mostly flowering, area covered 5 m x 5 m. 10/704992/5437931; 2069 m elevation.

New record: On north side of lake, western end. 30 lomatium upslope from trail (away
from the lake). Other vegetation was arnica, blueberry, juniper. UTM
10/704045/5438512, 2074 m elevation.
July 30, 2010 – survey along Ashnola River Rd.
Watson’s Cryptantha (Cryptantha watsonii) CDC Occurrence ID # 2818
Went to UTM’s from CDC record (10/711006/5446601) CDC descriptor says “ by Ashnola River,
just outside Cathedral Park across from Lakeview campsite”. UTM’s took me to approx 1 km
west of Lakeview campsite turnoff. Point was approx 250 metres north of the road (away from
the river). At UTM point it was very thickly treed, very thick debris/needles on the ground, very
little vegetation growing on the ground. It was just west of a very small creek that was flowing
down towards the Ashnola River. Co-ordinates do not match the location descriptor. UTM’s
may be wrong. I was unable to locate the species at these co-ordinates.
Narrow-leaved brickellia (Brickellia oblongifolia) CDC Occurrence ID # 502
UTM’s from CDC record (10/707605/5447101) place this plant in middle of Ashnola River. CDC
Descriptor says “Ashnola River Rd, km 24”. UTM’s are actually close to km 18 along Ashnola
River Rd. There is an informal campsite by this location. I walked through the bush between the
road and the river to search for the plant. I did not see any. Habitat for this plant is supposed to
be dry rocky slopes. UTM is likely incorrect. It was dry and rocky, but area was under tree cover
on flat ground beside river.
Porcupinegrass (Hesperostipa spartea) CDC Occurrence ID # 801
CDC UTM’s (10/714005/5451101) are at odds with CDC descriptor: “km 39 Ashnola River Rd”.
The co-ordinates actually put the plant near the top of Crater Mtn and are the same coordinates as the CDC record for Brandegee Lomatium (CDC EO #4436) on Crater Mtn ( which is
described as being at the driving limit of Crater Mt FSR). There was no point in driving to km 39
on the Ashnola Rd given the accuracy of the brickellia descriptor, I didn’t think I would be able
to find the plant somewhere in the vicinity of km 39.
August 19 and 20, 2010 – survey in Core area
Orville Dyer accompanied me for this trip and the target species was alpine buckwheat
(Eriogonum pyrolifolium) .After searching in late July unsuccessfully, I felt that if we went back a
little later in the summer we were more likely to see the plant in bloom and be able to identify
it.
Lomatium Brandageei (Lomatium brandegeei) – 2 new records
For both records, the plants were no longer in bloom, but leaves were still there. Some plants
had fruits on them.
New record August 19. In vicinity of alpine buckwheat record on trail to Red Mtn (CDC EO
#4456 – “Red Mountain). Approx 400-500 plants, they were finished flowering and a few of
them had fruits. This patch was east of alpine buckwheat patch and ran in a north-south
direction. Area covered was approx 100 m x 15 metres. Very rocky, sparsely vegetated area,
east aspect, mid-slope. Elevation 2230 metres. Northern end of patch: 10/704830/5439212;
southern extent of patch: 10/704795/5439127
New record Aug 20. Along trail to Goat Lake, north of turnoff to Lakeview Mtn , 4 plants
located on west of trail, right beside the trail, near a hairpin turn in the trail.
10/705789/5437341, 2031 metres. Similiar habitat as other patches of plants that were located
along this trail on the July survey. Area covered by plants was 1 m x 1m.
Alpine Buckwheat (Eriogonum pyrolifolium)
A CDC rare plant survey form was filled out and forwarded to Brenda Costanzo for each of the
following records. All of my waypoints were forwarded to Orville Dyer who will compile them
and send them on to the CDC. All 3 locations for this plant were located, although the UTM’s for
two of the sites are not accurate.
Aug 19 - CDC EO #4456 – “Red Mountain”
We located what I think may be this older CDC record, approx 120 metres from CDC coordinates. Orville took waypoints around perimeter of polygon. Co-ordinates from polygon are
UTM’s: 10/704822/5439228.
Location was on east side of trail (downslope from trail). Approx 130 plants, about 2/3 in
flower.
We did go to the actual CDC co-ordinates for the Red Mountain site for alpine buckwheat to
check if the plant was there, but did not locate it. We feel that the patch that we found is likely
the correct location for the Red Mountain patch of alpine buckwheat.
There is also another plant at this location which looks very similar called Mt Hood’s pussypaws
(Calyptridium umbellatum var. Caudiciferum) – the leaves are more rounded than the buckwheat
and more succulent looking. However we did not identify the plant at this time so do not have
any info to update the CDC with. I think that the Mt Hood Pussypaws CDC Occurence ID for this
site is #828 – however the survey site name is called Qunisicoe Mt – although descriptor says
along trail to Red Mtn, above Scout Lake. If this is the same occurrence that we located, it is
incorrect to call it Quiniscoe Mtn.
Aug 20 - CDC EO #2474 – “Lakeview Mountain”
We headed to the CDC UTM’s and located the patch of alpine buckwheat before we reached
the patch at 10/707009/5435569. Area is very rocky/gravelly and mostly sparsely vegetated.
CDC rare plant form filled out for this location. This site is on a bench on the SW side of
Lakeview Mtn, where there is an opening in the larch forest. Many of the plants were not in
flower. Orville and I marked waypoints as best we could, around the perimeter of the patch.
The patch turned out to be quite large: approx 630 metres x 100 metres and extended
southwards towards Boxcar. There were 1000’s of plants in this area.
Aug 20 CDC EO #4609 – “Saddle between Lakeview Mtn and Boxcar”
All the snow was gone from this site, compared to the previous month when we searched for
this plant. Again the CDC UTM’s did not match the actual location (or description of the location
of the plant). The plants were on the east side of the saddle just below the ridgeline. I walked
around the perimeter of the patch, although there may have been more further down the
slope. It was getting late in the day and the slope is very steep there. Approx centre of polygon
is UTM: 10/7070686/5435119, at 2441 metres in elevation. There were 100’s of plants here
(maybe up to 1500). Some of them had over 20 cm of their root or stem exposed due to the
steep conditions, but still appeared to be healthy plants.
New record: On our way down we also found a number of plants along the trail leading from
the saddle down to Goat Lake. Orville took a number of waypoints for those locations. This may
be added/mapped by the CDC as part of the Lakeview Mtn record.