Vascular Flora of the Sandy Bottom Wetland Preserve, Buncombe County, North Carolina

ABSTRACT Southern Appalachian mountain wetlands, especially mountain bogs and swamp forest-bog complexes, are among the most imperiled ecosystems in the southern USA. The Sandy Bottom Wetland Preserve encompasses approximately 10 ha of wetlands along the floodplain of the French Broad River, including swamp forest-bog complex habitat, and is home to several threatened animal species. A total of 366 specimens of vascular plants were collected during 2013–2015 to develop a vouchered flora of the preserve. These specimens documented 221 species in 166 genera and 81 families, 11% of which are not native to the Appalachian Mountain region. We found no plant species that are tracked by the North Carolina State Plant Conservation Program. Plant community types are described and listed for each associated species.