Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) says a plant that had been deemed extinct in Canada has been spotted in the Brantford area.
The plant had not been reported in Canada since 1978 until a photo uploaded to the biodiversity app iNaturalist in 2018 sparked debate among and led to the discovery.
The Illinois Tick-Trefoil is a common perennial in the United States and adorns a purple flower. It is a member of the pea family. It can grow up to 10 cm, has hairy stems, and its purple flowers burst with pollen when touched.
The wildlife federation says the flowering plant is still endangered because of the limited amount of native prairie habitat left in Ontario.
The CWF says that this discovery highlights how technology can assist scientists in the preservation of species.
