Perennials, Woody > Braya > Braya pilosa > Braya pilosa
Braya pilosa
Hairy Braya
Origin: Founded by Sir John Richardson in 1826 during an expedition in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. John stumbled across this plant almost instantly because of where the plant is located on the shorelines. In 1826, the Northwest Territories was unexplored, giving the people who explored the land an opportunity to discover plant species' nobody has seen before.
Mike's
Opinion
"
Braya pilosa is an extremely rare species sought out by many historians such as John Franklin in 1826. It is fascinating that the plant is only found in the Northwest Territories, and others have gone on expeditions to find the rare plant. In pictures, I noted the plant to be the size of a person's hand, and it has a small cluster with white flowers. The plant is at risk of extinction because of coastal erosion, and this is where most plants are found. Other plants in the region are the Arctic Willow and various grass species. The Braya Pilosa is restricted to the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Northwest Territories and has little direct threat from human activity, which may be the main reason for its continued survival. It would be interesting to find the nearly extinct plant and have a part in ensuring it is protected.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Brassicaceae |
| Genus |
| Braya |
| Species |
| pilosa |
| Category |
| Perennials, Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 1 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 1a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H1 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -46 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -50 |
| Height |
| 4 - 12 cm |
| Spread |
| 36 cm |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Braya Pilosa, also known as Hairy Braya, belongs to the mustard family. The stems grow from a tuft of leaves at the base of the plant and have white flowers arranged in dense clusters. Hairy Braya is distinguished from other closely related species by its large flowers and the shape of its fruits, nearly round with very long "styles" (elongated reproductive structures). The plant has been endangered since May 2014. The plant is endangered because of a quick coastal erosion, loss of habitat, and permafrost. |
| Landscape |
| Two key biodiversity areas (KBAs) have been established on Cape Bathurst, along with one on Baillie Island to accommodate the plant. The list of locations states that Hairy Braya is present in the sandy loam and silty clay loam soils discovered at those sites, wet tundra and grasses are also present in the areas. The plant only covers a small area of 250 square kilometres. Its white flowers are grouped densely in clusters, and its stem emerges from a tuft of leaves at the base of the plant. |
| Cultivation |
| This plant grows around sandy areas, typically near seashores. The plant prefers this area because of the nutrients from the seaside. Erosion is the factor that limits the plants expansion growth. It ranges from Cape Bathurst to the Baillie Islands that are on the shore of the Beaufort Sea, Northwest Territories. The pH level in the soil is around 4.5 – 6, this is ideal level for the Braya pilosa to survive. |
| Shape |
| Linear shape that tends to stand upright until it gets larger than 8cm. After reaching over 8cm of height, the fruit and flowers on the plant weighs it down, giving the plant a leaning posture until winter arrives and it is pruned. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Perennial plant that can grow fruits and flowers, is found in the 1a Canadian hardiness zone. The plant grows a white flower and has an extremely hairy texture. Grows near seashore. |
| Pests |
| Notable pests include the raspberry fruit worm beetle, which can affect the productivity of food crops, and the spruce budworm, which feeds on spruce buds and needles and can endanger the supply of timber. This effects the Braya pilosa by destroying the environment around them, causing exposure to insects and animals that feed off plants to survive. Among the invasive species found in the Northwest Territories are white sweet clover, a Eurasia-native plant that spreads along riverbanks and roadside edges. Alongside those riverbanks is the growth area of the Braya pilosa, that could be overpowered by the clover and forced to colonize elsewhere. |
| Habitat |
| Located in the Northwest Territories, Hairy Braya is found in a region that did not experience glaciers during the previous ice age. With the retreat of the ice, it doesn't seem to have been able to spread out into the surrounding areas. During the last ice age, areas like Cape Bathurst that were not covered by glaciers and are known as biodiversity hotspots, because of their high species diversity and rare or unusual species, like Braya pilosa. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The plant has dense clusters of white flowers that emerge from a tuft of basal leaves. It has a branched root crown that allows a rise to one or more stems. The stems that are ascending or erect have a length of 4 to 12 centimetres. The dark green colour of the bark overtime is wiped down to a light brown because of the shoreside water washing away the texture. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| The shape of the petals is oval-like, sprouting out from the leaf bud to form into a flower. The white petals of the flowers are arranged in dense clusters of five. |
| Leaf Description |
| The basal leaves are extremely hairy and measure 0.7 to 2 centimetres in length and 0.7 to 2.5 millimetres in width. The leaves are the first aspect to form on the plant, and are followed by the fruits and flowers at a later date. |
| Flower Description |
| Flowers are a white colour with a yellow bud. Grows out of the stem tip, arranged in dense clusters of 5 pedals. The fruit is spherical, 5-6mm long by 3-4mm wide. |
| Fruit Description |
| The large flowers are nearly round, elongated reproductive structures known as "styles" on the fruits set the Hairy Braya apart from other closely related species. The fruit is not edible and is very small compared to other plants in its species. The size is around 2-3mm in length and width, the shape is rounded and wrinkled. They are only produced once per cycle. |
| Colour Description |
| Bright white flowers, green stem, and leaves the colour of the leaf pedal. The leaf colour does not change before abscission. As the plant ages, the roots will become more exposed and coloured a light brown due to the erosion of its habitat. |
| Texture Description |
| Moderately to densely hairy, and upright to ascending to nearly prone position. Its large flowers and globose shape set it apart from other Braya species. The texture does not change through seasons and could be considered a "fine" textured plant. |
| Propagation |
| A recovery strategy is defined by the Act as a written plan outlining objectives for the preservation and repopulation of a threatened species. It also suggests methods for fulfilling these objectives. Threats and beneficial effects to the species and the environment are described in the following: the addition of a species to the NWT List of Species at Risk, threatened species are required by law to develop a recovery plan within a two-year period. There is a chance that the Braya pilosa will not survive because of the plants small area of growth. The Braya pilosa does produce asexually, which means it has to rely on sexual reproduction to uphold its population. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| The Braya Pilosa is restricted to its native area, but seeds are collected by the Government of Canada Seed Bank (NTSC) and it is studied in England. The Braya Pilosa has not received enough attention from North American botanists because there are few fruiting specimens available for research. As a result, there is uncertainty regarding the taxonomic standing of the taxon within Braya and speculation regarding its generic status. B. pilosa is properly assigned to the genus Braya and is a unique member of the genus that requires recognition at the specific level, according to an analysis of fruiting specimens from the Royal Botanic Garden Herbarium at Kew, England. |
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