Volume 50 – Issue 1 (March 1985)

The results of a floristic survey of the herbaceous vascular plants of a cedar glade in Blue Licks Battlefield State Park, Robertson County, Kentucky, are presented and discussed. Seventy-four species of herbaceous angiosperms representing 24 families were identified on the glade. The Compositae (15 species) and Gramineae (12 species) are represented by the largest number of taxa. Of the 68 native species, 50 are perennials, 4 are biennials or monocarpic perennials, 11 are summer annuals and only 3 are winter annuals. Of the six introduced species, two are perennials, one is a summer annual and three are biennials. The only known extant populations of the rare Kentucky endemic, Solidago shortii T.&G., occur on the Blue Licks glade and in its immediate vicinity, and the glade is one of only two known localities in Kentucky for Spiranthes magnicamporum Sheviak. Solidago shortii and Hypeicum dolabriforme Vent. are the only southeastern United States cedar glade endemics that occur at Blue Licks.

In 1936 Dr. Earl Lemley Core was influential in establishing a new regional botanical club—The Southern. Appalachian Botanical Club—and served as editor for its journal Castanea for 35 years, from 1936-1971. Dr. Core’s leadership in the endeavor gave strength, vitality, and credibility both to the organization and to the journal. However, this was only one of his many interests and accomplishments.

An account is given of the collection of Quercus oglethorpensis from the time of the species discovery in 1940 by Wilbur H. Duncan to the initiation of this study. Forty of the 45 previously known stations were relocated during the course of this study and 100 new stations were found, for an increase of 250 percent. The greatest impact on the distribution of the species was agricultural development prior to its discovery.

Overstory, midstory, and understory vegetation was sampled on two watersheds in a mixed mesophytic forest in eastern Kentucky. One watershed had received timber stand improvement by tree girdling approximately 25 years prior to sampling; no trees were girdled on the other watershed. The importance values of species in the overstory and understory vegetation were similar between study areas, but patterns of species importance values in the midstory vegetation differed between study areas. The density of overstory trees was higher in the study area receiving the treatment. Use of timber stand improvement at a frequency greater than 25 years will not significantly increase understory vegetation density or diversity after 25 years, but midstory cover may increase following timber stand improvement over the 25-year period.

Carex manhartii, a new species in Sect. Laxiflorae, is described from the Southern Appalachian Region of Georgia and North Carolina. Morphology and ecology are discussed in comparison to related taxa in the Laxiflorae.

Phytoplankton populations were studied for a one year period in 1982-83 at stations upstream and downstream from Charleston, West Virginia. Identification and counts were made to determine dominant taxa and seasonal succession among classes of algae. Comparison with past surveys show decreased phytoplankton concentrations and increased diversity which suggests water quality improvement. A number of natural and cultural factors also may be responsible for major differences between stations in cell density, composition, and patterns of seasonal succession.

Much of the disturbed soil on a 1.45 kilometer road bank at the West Virginia University Forest in northern West Virginia was invaded with natural vegetation and stabilized by the end of the second growing season after road construction. The amount of vegetation generally increased with the steepness of the road bank. Although the steeper slopes had more surface erosion, this soil movement undermined the soil supporting the root mat at the top of the slope, causing this mat to fold down and take root. Nearly half of the transects contained vegetation established in this manner. Forty-nine percent of the cut bank was covered, and about one-fifth of this was due to vegetation sloughs.

Thirty-six species were tallied for the transects. The taxonomic composition of the transects from seed was similar to those that had lodged and rooted mats. This indicates that sloughed mats form important centers of spread in revegetating areas that are still open, and that mats act as an important means of stabilizing steep banks of disturbed soil.

Ten naturally occurring or naturalized vascular plant taxa are reported for Georgia with specific locations. Nine have not been previously recorded for Georgia in taxonomic literature. The tenth was reported without documentation. One, Sedum lineare, is apparently an addition to the North American flora.

Hedyotis salzmannii (alias Oldenlandia salzmannii) was discovered by J.R. Burkhalter growing wild near Pensacola, Escambia Co., Florida, and in adjacent Baldwin County, Alabama. This is the first record of this South American species in North America and it is presumed to be an accidental introduction.

Practical Botany is an unusual approach: It is a book about plants, written by botanists for the non-botanist. Practical Botany is a must for those concerned with gardening and horticulture, and those who are simply interested in botanical natural history. There is a burgeoning interest in the enjoyment of plants and it is refreshing to see a book of this sort written by experts. Practical Botany would be useful in a non-traditional undergraduate course for non-science majors, and would help to communicate enthusiasm for botany to the non-botany students.