Volume 68 – Issue 2 (Jun 2003)

A survey of the woody plants was conducted at the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, a 49,776 ha (123,000 acre) natural area on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee and Kentucky. The annotated catalogue consists of 216 (186 native) species and lesser taxa in 114 (102 native) genera and 55 (52 native) families. One hundred thirty-three taxa are county records. Magnolia fraseri and Ilex ambigua var. ambigua, collected in Scott County, are physiographic records for the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. Twelve listed taxa of conservation concern were documented including two Federally Threatened species (Conradina verticillata and Spiraea virginiana). The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area was compared to 12 other natural areas including the Obed Wild and Scenic River, Land Between the Lakes, Prentice Cooper State Forest and Wildlife Management Area, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Results show that the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is among the most floristically rich natural areas in the Southern Appalachians.

Thirty-five tree species, represented by 240 individuals, were climbed during two three-week periods in June, July, and August of calendar years 2000 and 2001 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The double rope climbing technique was used because the climbers could advance to higher levels in the tree canopy. Maximum-sized mature trees in old growth park areas were sampled up to 40 m. Bark samples were cultured in moist chamber cultures. Ninety-five myxomycete species were obtained from the tree canopy mostly from the following tree species: Fraxinus americana (white ash), Quercus alba (white oak), Liriodendron tulipifera (yellow poplar), Acer rubrum (red maple), and Pinus strobus (white pine). We report here 52 new records from the tree canopy, 7 from ground sites, bringing to 212 the number of myxomycete species known from the Park. Comatricha penicillata is recorded for the first time outside of the type locality in Japan. This is the first upper tree canopy list of myxomycete species from the Park. The Myxomycetes represent the only group of cryptogams with species only known from the tree canopy.

The vascular flora of Pike County, Alabama was surveyed from 1987 to 2001. A total of 1190 species and two named hybrids in 589 genera from 160 families are reported. Forty-five species represented by herbarium specimens or reported in the literature as occurring in Pike County were not re-collected during this study. Thirty-four species appear on the Inventory List of Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plants, Animals and Natural Communities of Alabama as compiled by the Alabama Natural Heritage Program. Two hundred thirty-eight of the species, or approximately 20 percent of the flora, are considered non-indigenous. Families with the largest number of taxa were Asteraceae (140), Poaceae (137), Fabaceae (86), Cyperaceae (68), Rosaceae (40), and Liliaceae (32).

The vascular flora of Claridon Prairie, a 2.2 ha prairie remnant prairie in Marion County, Ohio was studied quantitatively during the growing season of 1999. Panicum virgatum had the highest importance value, followed by Solidago canadensis, Silphium terebinthinaceum, Carex species, Spartina pectinata, and Schizachyrium scoparium. A total of 177 species were recorded between 1997 and 2002, consisting of 1 fern ally, 56 monocots and 120 dicots. Of this total, 12 were woody species and 29 introduced exotics, 1 of which was woody. The Floristic Quality Assessment Index (FQAI) for the site is 46.10, indicating sufficient conservatism and richness to be considered significant from a statewide perspective. The flora includes 5 state-listed rare plants.

Within Florida, 407 plant species have been classified as endangered, and 114 as threatened. A process and methodology has been developed to identify and designate these species, and to assign numerical ratings that reflect the degree to which they are at risk. The process is here described, and the designated species are listed in ranked order to reflect the relative degree of endangerment of each. A list of 10 species believed to be extirpated is appended.

To assess changes in a spruce-fir stand resulting from overstory mortality caused by the balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae), I resampled 5 permanent plots first established in 1979 near the summit of Mount LeConte, Tennessee. Overstory basal area and density of Abies fraseri decreased, but understory basal area and density increased. Understory density and basal area were highly variable for most species. Prunus pensylvanica and Sorbus americana appeared to increase in understory density as a response to overstory mortality, although these changes were not statistically significant (P > 0.1). Abies fraseri seedling density decreased (P = 0.063), while that of Vaccinium erythrocarpum increased (P = 0.002). Among herbaceous species, the cover of Oxalis montana decreased from 45% to 1.5% (P < 0.001), while that of Dryopteris campyloptera increased from 9% to 15% (P = 0.063). Although not statistically significant, the cover of Rubus canadensis increased from 2% to 30% (P = 0.159) but was highly variable between plots. The severity and extent of mortality caused by the adelgid has greatly altered composition and structure, and even after 22-years the stand is still in a state of structural and compositional reorganization.

Acalypha deamii was rediscovered in Ohio after almost 50 years. Six populations were found in southwest Ohio. The growth habit and habitat of these populations are described. Acalypha deamii reputedly has drooping leaves, but that is not a reliable character. Acalypha deamii is likely to be more common than reported and found throughout southern Ohio.

A new population of Aeschynomene virginica (L.) BSP. (sensitive joint-vetch), a member of the Fabaceae, was located on the James River in 1998. Five plants were found on 2 September within a 2.0 by 4.0 m area at the edge of a channel that drains an extensive freshwater tidal marsh at the north end of Turkey Island. Five additional plants were located on 14 October within a 2.0 by 2.5 m area 1.1 km to the north along Turkey Island Creek in a similar habitat. The new stations represent the furthest known upstream locations for the species on the James River.

Noteworthy Collections: South Carolina and Alabama