While making collections across the state of Alabama, 57 state records and/or noteworthy taxa were observed. The collection information, along with a brief account of observations, where pertinent, is provided below. For each taxon listed, voucher specimens were collected and deposited at Alabama Natural Heritage Section Herbarium (ALNHS) and/or the Jacksonville State University Herbarium (JSU), which includes the herbarium at the Anniston Museum of Natural History, unless otherwise noted.
The purpose of this article is to report collections which are all believed to constitute noteworthy and/or new additions to the flora of Alabama. Many of the collections suggest strongly disjunct observations, illustrating an immense need for further floral surveys in the state of Alabama. Currently ranking sixth in terms of overall plant biodiversity with approximately 4,040 plant taxa (Kartesz 2011), Alabama has a wondrous bounty of plant life. With such a varied assortment of habitats, ecotones, and microspheric niches, future floral inventories will almost certainly reveal many more state records. The treatments consulted for verification of state record status and/or noteworthy finds for the species listed below include: Alabama Natural Heritage Program (2011), Kartesz (2011), Kral et al. (2011), Weakley (2011), and Mohr (1901). Floristic reports such as this will continue to provide a better understanding of plant distributions, fill in gaps of existing knowledge, and illustrate the number of unknown native and nonnative species within Alabama’s flora.
For each of the taxa listed below, with the exception of one taxon, voucher specimens were collected and deposited at the Alabama Natural Heritage Section Herbarium (ALNHS) and/or the Jacksonville State University Herbarium (JSU), which includes the herbarium at the Anniston Museum of Natural History. The sole collection voucher for Stellaria fontinalis was deposited at Austin Peay State University (ASPC). Vouchers for S. fontinalis are currently being prepped for future dissemination.
As outlined by Poindexter et al. (2011), the tendency for alien species to be overlooked in floras and new/noteworthy manuscripts until the plants are ‘‘well-established and widespread’’ is normal. In this manuscript we have tried to include as much pertinent information regarding the status of each taxon that is considered nonnative to Alabama’s flora. Each nonnative taxon is denoted with a dagger, ‘‘†’’. Categorization of exotics is modeled after Poindexter et al. (2011), where a ‘‘naturalized population’’ is regarded as a population of plants that appears to have been introduced and has become relatively well established. Waif plants, doubtful of sustaining a long-term population, are regarded as an ‘‘adventive population.’’ ACANTHACEAE (ACANTHUS FAMILY)