Unicorn root, thought to have disappeared, found in Bowdoin

BOWDOIN — A rare discovery of unicorn root in Maine, thought to be destroyed more than a century ago, was recently discovered by the Maine Natural Areas Program. About 300 flowering stems were found in a damp field on privately held land in Bowdoin.

The showy plant has not been seen in Maine in more than 130 years and was thought to be extirpated, said officials from the programP. It is known for only three herbarium specimens — two of which were collected by Maine botanist Kate Furbish (Wells, 1879, and Brunswick, 1874), and the third near Lewiston in 1887.
Unicorn root, also known as white colic-root or colicroot, ranges across most of the eastern United States and Ontario, though it is rare in most of the northeastern states and in Ontario. It grows in open, moist, sandy ground and is typically associated with tallgrass prairie habitats and damp, sandy meadows with little to no topsoil.
Unicorn root, a low-growing perennial herb native to eastern North America, has a basal rosette of lance-shaped leaves and a single, tall flowering stalk with white flowers that appear in June through August. The scientific name, aletris farinosa, is in reference to the unusual rough, grainy texture of the flowers. The species name farinosa means “floury,” and the genus name aletris comes from the Greek word for grinding grain– the aletris was the servant who ground the grain.
For additional information, contact John Bott, 207-287-3156, john.c.bott@maine.gov.