Cistaceae: Hudsonia ericoides L.
(Hudsonia, goldenheather, false heather)
H. ericoides is one of two species in the genus Hudsonia in Nova Scotia. The other is H. tomentosa. Both species are low-growing, mat-forming, heath-like plants. They have scale-like leaves and produce numerous, small, bright yellow,
perfect, regular flowers in early summer. H. ericoides is distinguished from H. tomentosa by its outward spreading, needle-like leaves (versus bluntish leaves pressed to the stem in H. tomentosa), a distinct pedicel on flowers (versus sessile or almost sessile flowers in H. tomentosa) and while leaves on H. ericoides have no hairs or may be somewhat hairy1, those of H. tomentosa are densely hairy. H. ericoides typically grows in full sun in coastal barrens and thin pine barrens. Fire kills living plants but stimulates germination of the seedbank.2 In Nova Scotia. H. ericoides is found from Shelburne County to Halifax Co. on the Atlantic coast and in the center of Annapolis Valley. (H. tomentosa occurs only on the Northumberland coast, on sandy shores and dunes.) H. ericoides is a member of Nova Scotia's Coastal Plain Flora and has a restricted range: it occurs in Newfoundland, P.E.I. and Nova Scotia in Canada, and down the eastern seaboard of the U.S. from Maine to to Rhode Island; there is a disjunct population in South Carolina. H. ericoides has S1 or S2 conservation status (at risk or may be at risk) in those states or provinces except for New York (S4: secure) and New Jersey (undetermined); it is yellow ranked (sensitive) under the Nova Scotia DNR General Status Rankings.
Sources | Notes & Refs | Selected Web Resources | Line Drawing
Click on images for larger versions.
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June 20, 2009. Halifax County: Jack pine barrens by Oceanview Drive (Halifax south mainland) Photographer: JackPine. |
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 Habitat |
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July 7, 2006. Halifax County: Polly's Cove barrens Photographer: JackPine. |
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 Habitat |
 Plant growing between juniper shoots. |
Globose colony (in center). |
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 Units are 1 mm. |  |
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August 4, 2008. Shelburne County: Indian Field Photographer: JackPine. Notes |
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 |  Growing with Corema conradii between ATV wheel tracks. |
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December 2, 2008 & May 25, 2009. Halifax County: Herring Cove Road, close to York Redoubt. Photographer: JackPine. |
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 Habitat: Large granite outcrops & erratics. |
Growing amongst lichens. |
 Plants are approximately 5 cm in height. Corema conradii at left. |  Same location as that in photo at top left, on May 25, 2009 after April 30 fire. Vegetation in patches where Hudsonia plants had been observed was completely burned. |
Selected Web Resources
- Taxonomic Status (ITIS) Copy the species name above and paste it into a form on this ITIS Canada page to confirm the nomenclature and list synonyms.
- NatureServe Explorer Copy the species name above and paste it into a form on this page to view a map of its distribution within North America and its conservation status by province and state.
- Fire Effects Information System: Hudsonia ericoides
Notes & References
- Skog, J.T. & Nickerson, N.H. 1972. Variation and speciation in the genus Hudsonia. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 59 (3): 454-464. JSTOR version. (This paper includes data on N.S. populations.)
- Gucker, C.L. 2005. Hudsonia ericoidess. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/. [Accessed 22 Nov. 2008]
Page posted 23 Nov. 2008. Modified 22 Feb. 2011.
Copyright © Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society & Photographers