Werier, David. 2017. Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of New York State. Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Society, 267: 1–542. Hardbound. $35.00. ISBN978-0-9996525-0-3. (also available as e-book).
ABSTRACT The netted pawpaw (Annonaceae, Asimina reticulata) is a widespread Florida endemic plant that produces relatively few fruits. To understand its distribution and reproductive success, we posed three questions: (a) how do time-since-fire (TSF) and pollinator visitation influence reproductive success, (b) is it pollinator dependent, and (c) does outcrossing increase reproductive success? In 2016, we studied 157 plants in three flatwoods burn units (last burned, 2015, 2012, or 2001) and one grazed pasture at Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida. Plants in pasture and recently burned flatwoods exhibited greater flower, fruit, and seed output, suggesting that habitat openness may promote competitive release or increased pollinator visitation. Pollinator visitation was greatest on plants within the 1-yr TSF, and the hairy flower scarab (Trichiotinus viridans) was the most prevalent visitor across all sites. Autogamously crossed flowers produced no fruit, confirming that seed production is pollinator dependent. Although fruit retention (10.0%) and seed
ABSTRACT The Freedom Hills Forever Wild Tract (FHFWT) is a 13,800 ha property acquired through multiple purchases by Alabama’s Forever Wild Land Trust beginning in 2001. The FHFWT is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for habitat conservation, as a wildlife management area, and for outdoor education. An intensive floristic study of this area was conducted from March 2012 through February 2017. A total of 761 taxa (757 species) from 431 genera and 136 families were collected, with 328 taxa representing county records. A total of 104 nonnative taxa were collected during the surveys. Forty-three percent of the total collections were county records and 72 exotic taxa collected during this survey were determined to be county records. Plant collections were deposited at the Alabama Natural Heritage Section Herbarium (ALNHS) with duplicates distributed to Anniston Museum of Natural History (AMAL), Auburn University Herbarium (AUA), Jacksonville State University
Triadica sebifera (L.) Small (EUPHORBIACEAE)— King and Queen County: Virginia Seasonally inundated Nyssa biflora Walt. swamp in backwater zone of a man-made pond near the York River shoreline, approximately 8 km southeast of the Town of West Point (lat: 37.476529; lon: 76.727332). Eight individual saplings were found growing on hummocks among the following associates: N. biflora, Liquidambar styraciflua L., Morella cerifera (L.) Small, Eubotrys racemosus (L.) Nutt., Ilex opaca Aiton var. opaca, Juncus effusus L., Osmundastrum cinnamomeum (L.) C. Presl var. cinnamomeum, Acer rubrum L., Woodwardia areolata (L.) T. Moore, Dulichium arundinaceum (L.) Britton var. arundinaceum, and Cephalanthus occidentalis L. All specimens were relatively young saplings (estimated at 3–5 years), and all were found within an area circumscribed by an approximate 50 m radius; no flowering or fruiting was observed on the collection date (15 July 2016) or on a subsequent site visit (17 September 2016). 15 July 2016, D.A.
ABSTRACT Four sites of the Harpeth River, two upstream and two downstream of the Franklin Wastewater Treatment Facility in Franklin, Tennessee, were sampled to assess the impact of nutrient enrichment on the integrity of photoautotrophic periphyton. Concentrations of total phosphorus of water samples ranged from 310 lg.L1 at the uppermost site to 1035 lg.L1 at the site immediately downstream of the wastewater treatment facility. Concentrations of total nitrogen of water samples ranged from 687 lg.L1 at the uppermost site to 1,434 lg.L1 at the site immediately downstream of the wastewater treatment facility. Concentrations of benthic chlorophyll a did not differ significantly among the sites and ranged from 103 – 11 mg.m2 at the site immediately upstream of the wastewater treatment facility to 151 – 13 mg.m2 at the site immediately downstream. Percent composition of 186 algae taxa were documented: 92 taxa of soft-bodied algae and 94 taxa of diatoms. Values
ABSTRACT Stable isotopic analysis of water use patterns in wetland vegetation can provide insight into the anticipated ecophysiological response of individual species to seasonal and/or episodic changes in water quality such as saltwater incursion into freshwater wetland ecosystems. In this study, variation in water source utilization over the course of a growing season was investigated in Taxodium distichum (baldcypress), a foundational species in both naturally occurring wetlands and regional wetland restoration projects in the southeastern United States. Over the course of the 2014 growing season, water use patterns were monitored in three baldcypress stands at the Timberlake Observatory for Wetland Restoration (TOWeR) in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, by comparing the isotopic composition (d2H and d18O) of xylem water extracted from plant tissue to that of the available water sources: surface water, sediment porewater, groundwater sampled from multiple locations in the region, and rainwater. Results indicate that water sources that are
Poa iconia Azn. var. iconia (POACEAE) – Maryland, Howard County: In wooded back yard, growing in moss, 13 May 1989, E. Cohen 22 (US); Prince George’s County: Near Margaret Brent Dormitory, College Park, Apr 1939, R. Rappleye 1552 (US); Virginia, City of Alexandria: Tarleton Park, ca. 0.25 km WNW of the intersection of S. Gordon Street and Wheeler Avenue; frequent in rich, silty loam of meadowy glade of ancient Piedmont/Central Appalachian Floodplain Swamp (Pin Oak-Swamp White Oak Type): Quercus palustris-Quercus bicolor/Carex tribuloides-Carex radiata-(Carex squarrosa) Forest (USNVC: CEGL006497) remnant along the old channel of Holmes Run, 16 Apr 2018, R.H. Simmons 4359 (AVCH) and 1 May 2018, R.H. Simmons 4363 (AVCH, NY, US, and Virginia Dept. Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage herbarium); North Carolina: May 1928, B.W. Wells s.n. (US). Significance. These are the first reportings of Poa iconia for the eastern United States, and first published record for
ABSTRACT The unique morphology of quillworts has received limited attention, and such studies have been limited to only a few species. Our extensive field work during the past two decades has revealed variation in the structures of the plant, including the rhizomorph, scales, phyllopodia, and abscission caps. Polarity of the axes of southeastern quillwort rhizomorphs varies from discoid (most species), to elongate, to upright with axis branching in several species. In species of intermittent streams, these branched rhizomorphs produce plantlets that break off in running water. Scales are tiny brown or black structures in alternating whorls with sporophylls (leaves). They are often overlooked and easily removed when rinsing specimens. Found in most southeastern terrestrial/amphibious species, scales are absent from aquatic species. Scales are distinct from phyllopodia, the sclerified bases of sporophylls, but intermediates between scales and phyllopodia occur. Not all species with scales have phyllopodia. Although scales cannot be used
ABSTRACT The oak mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum, Viscaceae) is well-documented to exhibit preference for a few potential host species in a given locality, even when many potential host species are present. In trying to explain this distribution, we examined the mechanisms by which mistletoe seedlings recognize potentially suitable hosts in the Piney Woods ecoregion of east Texas. An initial survey of patterns of infection on the campus of Sam Houston State University revealed that water oak (Quercus nigra) was host to nearly half of the mistletoes observed, despite comprising less than 15% of trees surveyed. Field experiments demonstrated that light, host physiochemistry, and volatiles released from potential host trees serve as cues affecting the viability and establishment of mistletoe seedlings. These results provoked further study in controlled laboratory settings, in which it was demonstrated that chemical compounds in the bark of local host trees (compared to trees that serve as hosts
ABSTRACT A floristic survey was conducted of Crowders Mountain State Park for all vascular species from 2010–15. Crowders Mountain State Park was established in 1974 to protect a geologically unique North Carolina Piedmont site. In addition, it is known for its rare plant species. A total of 420 taxa was collected in this study, representing 418 species in 280 genera from 103 families. This includes 267 previously undocumented species for the park. Nine species are listed as either endangered, rare, of special concern, threatened, or watch-listed for North Carolina.