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June 3

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Places to Visit and Explore Nature in Stanley Park Ecosystem Guides: Freshwater Marsh Stanley Park Visitor Map: with Park Features, Trails, and Destinations Beaver Lake

Yellow Flag Yellow flag is an indicator species that reliably identifies its location in Stanley Park as belonging to a wetland ecosystem. This member of the Iridaceae or Iris family is an introduced or non-native species. It is a highly invasive species capable of crowding out native marsh plants. Over the past ten years ( 1998-2008 ) it has slowly expanded its range in its favoured habitat - the shallow waters along the shores of Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake. Perhaps the spread of Yellow Flag is not all bad. The thick, tangled, roots help stabilize the shoreline and prevent further erosion. Yellow Fag is one of the few plants capable of withstanding grazing by swans and other waterfowl in Lost Lagoon. The appearance of the bright yellow flowers are a sure sign of Spring's advance. They provide a welcome source of food for a variety of native bees and bumblebees. The bright yellow petals are marked with a darker pattern of lines that guide flower visiting insects to a source of nectar deep inside the flower.       Field Guide Entry: Yellow Flag

Stanley Park Explorer http://www.stanleyparkexplorer.ca Produced by Peter Woods naturalist@stanleyparkexplorer.ca           Revised: May 20, 2011