2021 Reviewers
The Editorial Committee gratefully acknowledges the following people who reviewed manuscripts for Castanea in 2021
Volume 86 — Issue 2 (December 2021)
2022 Elizabeth Ann Bartholomew Award Nominations
Elizabeth Ann Bartholomew (1912-1985) served as the Secretary of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club from 1946 until 1981. Her life was devoted to plants, and she transferred her interest in plants and nature to students of all ages and walks of life. The Southern Appalachian Botanical Society annually presents the Elizabeth Ann Bartholomew Award in memory of her untiring service to the public, to plant systematics, and to this organization. This award was established in 1989 and has been presented to individuals who have also distinguished themselves in professional and public service that advances our knowledge and appreciation of the world of plants and their scientific, cultural, and aesthetic values, and/or exceptional service to the society.
Scientific Note: Loblolly Pine Traumatic Resin Ducts Serve as Indicators of Cool-Season Weather Events at Nags Head, North Carolina
We present a method for recording cool-season (mid-October–May) weather events near Nags Head, North Carolina. Standardized traumatic resin duct frequency (TRDsf) formations in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) were determined from earlywood radial growth samples using the number of traumatic resin ducts that occur in response to stressful weather events. Based on a sample of 39 cores collected at Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve during summer 2020, we tested if the occurrence of traumatic resin ducts in the earlywood was caused by late-season tropical cyclones, mid-latitude windstorms, and snow/ice storms and served as a proxy for extreme weather frequency during 1950–2019. TRDsf was significantly related to years that had at least one documented cool-season weather event. The average TRDsf in a non-storm year was 1.95 while the average for a storm year was 2.99. Further, TRDsf was correlated with the number of cool-season weather events and there was no tree
Phylogenetic placement of Trifolium kentuckiense (Fabaceae), a new member of the native eastern North American clover clade
In 2013, a new species of clover endemic to Kentucky was described. This species, Trifolium kentuckiense (Fabaceae), has yet to be placed in a phylogeny but is hypothesized to be most closely related to T. reflexum based on morphology. We present phylogenetic evidence from the nuclear (ITS) and plastid genomes (trnL and ndhA introns) that T. kentuckiense is a member of a clade of seven Trifolium species native to eastern North America. Within this clade, T. kentuckiense is strongly placed in a clade with three other annual/biennial Trifolium species (T. bejariense, T. carolinianum, and T. reflexum); it is sister to T. reflexum, although support for this relationship is weak. Our results support previous findings that suggest the ndhA intron is much more variable than the trnL intron in the Eurosid I clade. The ndhA intron contained over twice the number of parsimony informative characters when compared to the trnL intron,
Scientific Note: Capsule-Seed Allometric Relationships in Ludwigia ravenii (Onagraceae), a Critically Imperiled Wetland-Obligate
Ludwigia ravenii is a critically imperiled tetraploid known historically from Virginia to Florida. There have been no published studies examining the number of seeds produced per capsule to guide researchers and conservationists in planning studies or collection efforts. Such data are important considering current guidelines by the Center for Plant Conservation recommend that no more than 10 percent of a population’s seed production be collected in a single season. To fill this void, our objective was to examine and report on capsule-seed allometric relationships in the species. Our study is based on 25 capsules from six plants from the North Carolina Coastal Plain. Though admittedly limited in geographic scope, we focused on these wild plants to avoid destruction of herbarium specimens and as they were already the subject of a broader, permitted inquiry into seed germination. Consistent with prior, range-wide monographic study, measured capsule dimensions were: length 2.87–5.41 mm (mean=3.98,
Three Non-Native Vascular Plant Species New to the Flora of Alabama
Three species of non-native vascular plants are reported here as new to Alabama. Persicaria capitata (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) H. Gross, Pistacia chinensis Bunge, and Sedum diffusum S. Watson are all species cultivated as ornamentals, and likely represent escapes from nearby plantings.
Noteworthy Collection: Florida
This collection represents the southern limit of the North American distribution, north of Mexico, of Saggitaria platyphylla.
Scientific Note: Hydrochory in Sabal minor (Arecaceae)
The current cycle of global warming has contracted some range restricted species while concurrently expanding the range of more adaptable species. Sabal minor is a member of Arecaceae, the palm family, and is confined to lower latitudes in both western hemispheres. Latitudinal limitation of S. minor is believed to be related to low temperature intolerance. However the exact mechanism remains elusive. In this study reproductive fecundity of anthropogenically introduced populations in southern Virginia Beach, Virginia, was evaluated. Diaspore viability, approximated by floatability of fruits, was used to evaluate distribution by hydrochory. This study also documents a previously unidentified condition of fungal mass growth around the fruits of S. minor during buoyancy testing and suggests some areas for additional investigation.
An Inventory of a Private Property Illustrates Diverse Cryptogam Floras in North Central Texas
The cryptogamic flora has remained unexplored in much of Texas and here we report 49 bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and a hornwort) and 180 lichen-forming and allied fungi from a small private property in North Central Texas. Of the 229 species reported, 30 lichen-forming fungi (lichens) are here reported for the first time in Texas. Moreover, 76 of all taxa collected are represented by 10 or fewer specimen records in the state. Therefore, one out of every three species collected for this study represents a novel documented occurrence for a taxon belonging to poorly known and ecologically important groups of organisms. These results highlight the efforts of continuing to document cryptogam species throughout Texas and how cooperation with private landowners can contribute to novel biodiversity studies.
A Review of Avian Dispersal of Non-Native and Invasive Plants in the Southeastern United States
Non-native and invasive (NNI) plants have spread throughout the southeastern United States. To monitor the spread of NNI plants and implement appropriate management we need to understand the relationship between NNI plants and their avian dispersers. Birds are the primary disperser of many NNI plants, and thus a thorough understanding of their role can aid agencies wishing to control the spread of NNI plants. We examined the literature to assess the current knowledge of the relationship between NNI plants, specifically shrubs, trees, and vines, and their avian dispersers in the southeastern United States. We found 56 papers covering 28 NNI plant species and 46 bird species. 66% of papers on NNI plants did not connect plants with specific avian dispersers and those that did tended to mention fewer than five avian species. More studies were conducted in Florida than any other state and most papers focused on the spread of