Howell’s triteleia (Triteleia howellii) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 11

Summary of Status Report

Triteleia howellii is known only from nine extant populations in British Columbia, some of which have very few individuals putting them at risk of inbreeding depression, genetic drift and loss of fitness. Aggressive exotic species and the degradation of the ecosystems that T. howellii occur in, as well as direct habitat destruction, threaten its long-term persistence in British Columbia. Consequently, dispersal into new sites is very limited. The populations of T. howellii in British Columbia are at the northern extent of their range and may represent populations that are genetically distinct and important for the long-term survival and evolution of the species. Failure to protect peripheral species could result in a significant and irreversible loss of Canada’s genetic resources.

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