There are twelve species of ACPF species listed under the federal Species at Risk Act, provincial Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act and COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada).

Note: Many printed resources may state that NS has eleven species at risk however Groundseltree was recently assessed as Threatened by COSEWIC (in November of 2011).

Five species of ACPF found in Nova Scotia are globally rare: Pink Coreopsis (Coreopsis rosea), New Jersey Rush (Juncus caesariensis), Plymouth Gentian (Sabatia kennedyana), Long's Bulrush (Scirpus longii), and Goldenrod (Euthamia galetorum).

The table below summarizes the ACPF species at risk and their status under COSEWIC, NS Endangered Species Act, and NS DNR General Status Assessment processes. CLICK on the common name to view the species page in the "Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora in Nova Scotia: Identification and Information Guide" and CLICK on the scientific name to view the species page in the "Species at Risk in Nova Scotia: Identification and Information Guide"

¹ COSEWIC Status: E = Endangered, T = Threatened, SC = Special Concern
² NS Endangered Species Act Status: E = Endangered, T = Threatened, V = Vulnerable

 Definitions:

Endangered - a species facing imminent extirpation or extinction. 

Threatened - a species likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed. 

Special Concern/Vulnerable - a species of special concern because of characteristics that make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

The Nova Scotia General Status Rankings are based on a set of criteria that are evaluated by a group of scientists and wildlife experts.  NS General Status ranks are as follows:

Red - any species known to be, or believed to be, at risk.

Yellow - any species known to be, or believed to be, particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events. 

Green - any species known to be, or believed to be, not at risk. 

Grey - Indeterminate species, insufficient information to determine status