A NEW SPECIES OF SYMPHYOTRICHUM (ASTERACEAE: ASTEREAE) FROM A SERPENTINE BARREN IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

2004·5.4 MB·English

by  Gary L Kauffman

ANEWSPECIESOFSYMPHYOTRICHUM(ASTERACEAE;
ASTEREAE)FROMASERPENTINEBARREN
INWESTERNNORTHCAROLINA
GaryLKauffman GuyLNesom
U.S.D.A.ForestService BotanicalResearchInstituteofTexas(BRIT)
P.O.Box2750 509PecanStreet
Asheville,NorthCarolina28802,U.S.A. FortWorth,Texas76102,U.S.A.
AlanS.Weakley ThomasE.Govus
UniversityofNorthCarolinaHerbarium(NCU) 3711BigCreekRoad
NorthCarolinaBotanicalGarden Ellijay,Georgia30540,U.S.A.
CampusBox#3280
ChapelHill,NorthCarolina27599,U.S.A.
LauraM.Cotterman
NorthCarolinaBotanicalGarden
CampusBoxif3375
ChapelHill,NorthCarolina27599,U.S.A.
ABSTRACT
SymphyotrichumrhiannonWeakley&Govus,sp.nov..isdescribedfromtheBuckCreekukramaiic
barren(overserpentmizedduniteandolivine)intheBlueRidgeprovinceofsouthwesternNorth
Carolina,itissimilartoSymphyotrichumpuniceumbutdifferentinitssmallerstature,thinnerrhi-
zomes,subspatulatecaulineleaves,narrowerandfewer-headedcapitulescence,phyllarieswith
shorter,rhombic-lanceolateapicalgreenzones,andshorterraycorollas.Itsgeographicrangeisim-
beddedwithmthatoftypicalS.puniceumbutmorphologicalintergradeshavenotbeenobserved,
despitetheco-occurrenceofthetwotaxawithinseveralmetersofoneanotheratthetypelocality.
TlieBuckCreeksiteiswithintheNantahalaNationalForest;42hectaresofthesitearemanagedby
theUnitedStatesForestServiceasaSpecialInterestAreaandregisteredasaheritageareawiththe
NorthCarolinaNaturalHeritageProgram.
RESUMEN
SymphyotrichumrhiannonWeakley&Govus,sp.nov,sedescribedelBuckCreekultrabasico(sobre
dunitayolivmoserpentinizados)enlaprovinciaBlueRidgedelSuroestedeCarolinadelNorte.Es
similaraSymphyotrichumpuniceumperodiferenteporsutallamasbaja.rizomasmaslinos,hojas
caulinaressubespatuladas,capitulescenciamasestrechayconmenoscapitulos,lilariasconzonas
verdesapicalesrombico-lanceoladasmascortas,yradiosdelascorolasmascortos.Surangogeogralico
estaincluidoeneldeS,puniceumtipicoperonosehaobservadointergradacionmorfologica,apesar
delaco-ocurrenciadelosdostaxaaunospocosmetresenlalocalidadtipo.ElBuckCreekestaenel
NantahalaNationalForest;42hectareasestangestionadasporelServicioForestaldelosEstados
UnidoscomounAreadeEspecialInteresyregistradocomounareadelNaturalHeritageProgramde
CarolinadelNorte.
SIDA21(2):827-839.2004
828 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(2)
INTRODUCTION
AnewspeciesofSymphyotrichumisdescribedfromtheBuckCreekultrama-
ficbarrenintheBlueRidgeprovinceofsouthwesternNorthCarohna(Clay
County).Thenamingofthisspeciesendsmorethantwentyyearsofbewilder-
mentregardingitsidentity,whichhastroubledresearchersatthesitesincethe
late1970's.Mansberg(1981)wasapparentlythefirstbotanisttoencounterthis
entityandcollectit,asignificantcomponentoftheultramaficbarrenandad-
joiningwoodlands.Despiteconsultingwithexpertsatthetime,shelabeledthis
entityas"unidentifiableaster"andsuggestedthatitmightbeahybrid.Collec-
tionsmadeduringlaterstudiesofthevegetationatBuckCreekbarrenbythe
NorthCarohnaVegetationSurveyinthe1990syieldedsimilarconfusion,with
specimensbeingidentifiedas'^Asterlaevisvar.concinnusl"''Asters,urcuIo-s'u,s.?,"
or"A.ster#J."EvenmorerecentlyU.S.ForestServicebotanistsinvolvedinthe
managementofBuckCreekbarrenhavebeentroubledbytheidentityofthis
asterandhavemadeadditionalguessesastoitsaffinity.Serendipitouscircum-
stanceshaveledtoarevisitingofthispersistentproblem,andfollowingaddi-
tionalstudywenowdecisivelydescribethisspeciesasnew.
A comparison of the putative new taxon to all other species of
Symphyotrichumineasternandcentral NorthAmericarevealsthatithasa
uniquesetolcharacteristics.Furthermore,itdoesnotappeartobearecentor
stabilized Fl hybrid, intermediate between any other two species of
Symphyotrichum,althoughitispossible(asnotedbelow)thatgeneflowhas
beeninvolvedinitsorigin.Inourassessment,itisadistincttaxonworthyof
specificrank,possiblymostcloselyrelatedtoSymphyotrichumpuniceum(L.)
A.&D.Love.
SymphyotrichumrhiannonWeakley&Govus,sp.nov(Fig. l).Ivpi-,:U.S.A.North
Carolina.ClayCo.:BuckCreekUltramaficBarrens,NantahalaNationalForest,1.3kmNof
bBUauSrcr6ke4nCsor,enesktB)eu,ecpkNWWCreacsea,pke0cR.td5,okjumutsctfrrNoopFmoffgradotuemnoiGntleasdtaeenedGpaospll,iovpbieneela,obwoovpFeeSnERwsdoido6ed2lo6fa9nB(duacbdkoovmCeriebnerakit;degsdeerbcpyreonpstisiticnnheg
pinearidprairiegrasses,3385ftelev,UTMzone17S,2615t3mE,3885663mN(WGS-84],3
Nov2003,I.E.CovusandG.Kauffman1(hoi.OTYPR:NCU;isotypes:BRITUS,Vv'AT),
Symphyotrichopuniccosimilisseddillertstaturaminorc,rhizomatibustenuioribus,foliiscaulinis
subspatulatis,capitulescentiisangustionbuspaucicapitatis,pbiyllariiszonisapicalibusviridibus
rhombi-lanccolatisbrcvionbus,etcoroUisradiibrcvioribus.
Plantsperennialherbs,apparentlywithoutadistinctcaudex,arisingfroma
systemofslender,scale-leavedrhizomes0.5-1mmwideandupto10cmlong,
olderrhizomeswoodyorlignescent,thickenedto2-4mmwide.Stems15-40
cmtall,erectfromthebase,hirsutetohispid-hirsutewithspreadingtospread-
ing-ascending,uniseriatetrichomes0.2-0.6mmlong(TypeA,sensuNesom
1976),evenlydistributedorconcentratedinverticallines,linesespeciallyevi-
dentimmediatelybelownodes,hirsutulousbelowheads,alsowithcloselyap-
KAUFFMANETAL.,ANEWSPECIESOFSYMPHYOTRICHUMFROMNORTHCAROLINA 829
-..-p- ^-,,
r*mn;;.
nsmmt
Sluili«inAster
ONcwmJ003
UntversityofNorthCaroHnaHsrbwlwn
PMnMorClAyCoumy.Norlhcn^oUm.u&A
McBBArwunMocceak*arwiiOCntcMagroa*BHvokuaf:cftEkt/uMtcrClvT|onuCaaMrkrt)rnco*tA"BfwriIrA^'«MMwn)*af!f!tMfwaniSnt«lGKrarpTni»AahrtMfCtHr^MiTMr)kMM*cIbni-^«cCnBnfr«*rfop<nane»Pn1a*rjrOSjffA»tnSfj«awu[RcpJatfd1rc,f«:ft}>if«?tkl«cRahl^t(*olpK»nN.oo*aoaobwlTtoio-irUMpd'vcS*i^tpBMAOOnrvcsdvovoOKKffnBM,rt
r(i^paiacruanlandSarghwIrLvnn^ara
UTMlWtalfSXlSOrtfMMm:>TmrwaS-ftr, El*vSOMA
WoSi^m«iwXm
?BS!«8f
FiG.1Jymp/7yofnc/iwmr/7/tfrtrt(?/i:A.Holotype;B.CIoseupofcapitulum(isotype),
830 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(2)
pressed,uniseriatetrichomes0.1-0.2mmlong[TypeB,sensuNesom1976),
eglandular.Leaves:basalandlowercaulineusuallynotpersistentatflowering,
subspatulatewhenpresent,3-7cmlong,bladesoblanceolate-elliptic,10-15mm
wide,shallowlycrenatetoserrate-crenate,prominentmidveinandreticulate
secondaryvenation,graduallynarrowedtoapetiolarregion4-6mmwide,
claspingtosubclaspingandshallowlyauriculate,midcaulineusuallylonger
thanlower,5-11cmlong,8-22mmwide,withpetiolarregionremainingevi-
dentbutbecomingshorterandrelativelybroaderortheupperleavesoblong-
lanceolate,uppercauline(ofcapitulescence)1-3cmlong,4-6(-8)mmwide,
alladaxiallyscabrouswithstiff,thick-based,ascendinghairs0.1-0.2mmlong
(foreshortenedTypeA),abaxiallyinconspicuouslystrigose(uselens)withthin,
closelyappressedtrichomes0.05-0.2mmlong(TypeB).Headsinasparsely
leafy-bracteate,broadlycylindric-paniculatetosubcorymboidarrangement,
clusterednearbranchtipsonultimatepeduncles5-15(-30)mmlong;involu-
cresturbinate-campanulate,6-11mmwide(pressed);phyllariesin3-4weakly
graduateseries,mostlynarrowlyoblong4anceolate,inner6-7mmlong,outer
1/2-3/4thelengthoftheinner,outerwhite-mdurateonthebasal1/2-2/3,
upper1/2-1/3witharhombic-lanceolategreenzone1.8-2.5(-3.0)mmlongfrom
widestpointtotip,glabrousortheupperpartofthegreenzoneminutelystri-
gose-puberulent,marginsusuallyirregularlyciliolate,eglandular.Rayflorets
18-32,corollas6-9mmlong,laminae0.8-1.4mmwide,bluetolavender,tightly
coilingwithwiltingormaturitytubeandlowerlaminasparselyappressed-
puberulentwithminutebiseriatetrichomes(TypeC,sensuNesom1976).Disc
mm
florets:corollas(4.0-)4.5-5.5 long,yellowbutatleastthelobesusuallyturn-
ingpurple,sparselyappressed-puberulentwithbiseriatetrichomes(TypeC),
tube1.5-2.1mmlong,throatandlimbcylindric,lobes0.8-1.0mmlong,erect;
stylebrancheswithnarrowlytriangularcollectingappendages0.3-0.5mmlong.
Achenesoblongtonarrowlyobovateinoutline,slightlycompressed,2.6-3.0mm
mm
long,0.7-0.9 wide,4-6-nerved(with1nerveoneachedgeand1-2oneach
face),sparselyshort-strigose,tanoroftenpurplishatmaturity;pappus1-seriate,
of36-46barbellatebristles.
Etymology—SymphyotrichumrhiannonisnamedmhonorofRhiannon
Weakley,whosedesiretorestduringafieldexcursionledtheauthorstofurther
investigateandfinallyresolvethisdecades-oldtaxonomicconundrum,andalso
inhonoroftheoriginalRhiannon,aWelshgoddessfigureassociatedwiththe
underworld,andthereforeparticularlyappropriateforaplantendemictoaser-
pentinesubstrate.
Additionalcollectionsexamined.NORTHCAROLINA.ClayCo.:BuckCreekUltramaficBarrens,
bNraindtgaehaolvearNBauticoknaClreFeorkeasntd,1W.6kumpslNopoleUa.lSo6n4goolndBruocakdCtroepeokwRedd,inNeERfrOoWm,GFl.aadsepeGcatps,l0o.p5ekomfdbuenliotwe
andolivine,pitchpinevv-oodlandwithabundantprairiegrasses,3280ftelev,UTMzone17S,
261347mE,3885588mN(WGS-84),3Nov2003,GovusandKauJJman2(NCU);BuckCreekSerpen-
KAUFFMANETAL.,ANEWSPECIESOFSYMPHYOTRICHUMFROMNORTHCAROLINA 831
tinePineBarrens;ingrassyunderstory;west-facingslope,midslope;pH6,5,20Sep1981,h4ansherg
421(NCU575098);BuckCreekSerpentinePineBarrens;ingrassyunderstory;west-facingslope,lower
slope;pH6.0,20Sep1981,Mansherg422(NCU575100);BuckCreekSerpentinePineBarrens;ingrassy
understory;west-facingslope,midslope;pH7.0,20Sep1981,Mansherg423(NCU575099).
DISCUSSION
Symphyotrichumrhiannonisclosest inmorphologytoS.puniceumand5.
prenanthoides.Thesethreetaxashareasetoffeatures:plantseglandular,
stoloniferous;leaveswithserratemargins,scabrousuppersurfaces,thebasal
petioledbutnotcordate,caulineclasping,thoseofcapitulescencereducedin
sizeandrelativelyfew;phyllarieslong-acuminatetoattenuate,subequalto
weaklygraduateinlength.TheleavesofS.prenanthoidesaredistinctlyspatu-
latewithdilate-auriculatebases,whichcontrastwithbothoftheotherspe-
cies,andthenewspecieskeystoS.puniceum(Radfordetal.1968;Gleason&
Cronquist1991;Cronquist1980)becauseoftheleafshape.Offeaturesnoted
hereascharacteristicof5.rhiannon,onlyitssubspatulateleafshapeappar-
entlyisnotfoundinatleastafewpopulationsof5.puniceum.Thus,5.rhiannon
mightbeconsideredintermediatebetween5.puniceumandS.prenanthoides,
eitherfromcommonancestryorperhapsaresultofhybridization.Contrasts
betweenthesethreetaxaaresummarizedinthefollowingcouplet.
1. Basalandcaulineleavesdistinctlyspatulate,abruptlyconstrictedtoapetiolarre-
gion,auriculate-clasping,theauriclesdilatedfromthepetiolebaseandcompletely
envelopingstem;lower1/2-1/3ofstemgenerallyglabrous Symphyotrichum
prenanthoides
1. Caulineleavessubspatulateoroblongtooblong-oblanceolateorlanceolate,gradu-
allynarrowedornottowardthebase,baseclaspingtosubclaspingbutnotdi-
lated-auriculateandnotcompletelyenvelopingthestem;lower1/2-1/3ofstem
generallyhairy.
2. Plants1.5-4dmtall;youngrhizomesthin,0.5-1.0mmwide;midcaulineleaves
subspatulate.slightlynarrowedtowardthebasetoapetiolarregion;greenarea
otfoappheylxl;arrayyacpoircoelslarsho6m-b9icm-lmanlcoenoglate,1.8-2.5(-3.0)mmlongfrSoymmwpihdyeosttrpioicnhtumrhiannon
2. Plantsmostly4-20dmtalfyoungrhizomesthickened,2-4mmwide;midcauline
leavesmostlyoblongtooblong-oblanceolate,notnarrowedtoapetiolarre-
gion;greenareaofphyllaryapicesnarrowlylanceolate,2.5-4.0mmlongfrom
widestpointtoapex;raycorollas10-15(-20)mmlong Symphyotrichumpuniceum
Apartfromthedistinctioninleafshape,differencesbetweenSymphyotrichum
rhiannonand5.puniceumarelargelyquantitativeandareprimarilyreduc-
tionsinsize.Stemsofthenewspeciesarerelativelyshortandthecapitulescence
tendstobenarrowerwithfewerheads.Phyllarieswithshortgreenregionsare
notgenerallycharacteristicof5.puniceumbutdooccasionallyoccurinthe
species,buttherhombic-lanceolategreenzonesandmoregraduatephyllaries
ofS.rhiannongivetheheadsadistinctiveappearance.Thecumulativeeffectof
theseandthemorequantitativedifferences,however,coupledwiththeunique
832 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(2)
habitatandrestricteddistributionofS.rhiannon,isthatthelattercanberec-
ognizedassharplydistinct.Typical5.puniceumoccursinmostifnotallofthe
countiesinthemountainsandpiedmontofNorthCarolina(Radfordetal.1968),
whereitcharacteristicallygrowsinwethabitats,especiallyfens,seepages,
swampforests,wetmeadows,andinalteredwetlandssuchasditchesandother
drainages.
Fernald(1950)treatedSymphyotrichumpuniceum(asAsterpuniceusL)
withanumberofvarietaltaxa,butallofthesearenowrecognizedaspopula-
tionalvariantsorintergradingpopulationsexceptone~WarnersandLaughlin
(1999)haveprovidedaconvincingcasefortreatmentofS./irmum(Nees)Nesom
asadistinctspecies,incontrasttomanyearliertreatmentsofitasAsterpuniceus
var./irmus(Nees)Torr.&GrayorA.puniceusvar.lucidulusGray.Evidencehas
beenpresentedforrecognitionofS.puniceumvar.scabricaule(Shinners)Nesom
(Nesom1997),theonlyinfraspecifictaxoncurrentfyrecognizedwithinthespe-
cies.ItmightbearguedthatS.rhiannonwouldbemoreappropriatelytreated
atvarietalrank,especiallymviewofitslargelyquantitativedifference,butwe
inferthatthenewspeciesisreproductivelyisolatedbecauseitsgeographicrange
isimbeddedwithinthatoftypical5.puniceumandmorphologicalintergrades
havenotbeenobserved,despitetheco-occurrenceofthetwotaxawithinsev-
eralmetersofoneanotheratthetypelocality.
Itispossibleandlikelythatadaptationtotherelativelydrierhabitatofthe
serpentinebarrenplayasignificantpartintheobservedsizereductionsof
Symphyotrichumrhiannon.Commongardenexperimentswouldbeofinterest
todeterminewhatcomponent,ifanyofthedifferencesarephenotypic.The
differencesinleafshape,however,suggestthatothergenomesmighthavebeen
involvedintheevolutionof5.rhiannon.Symphyotrichumprenanthoides,which
apparentlyiscloselyrelatedandwhichissympatricwith5.puniceumover
muchoiitsrange,hascaulmeleafbladesdistinctlynarrowedtoapetiolarre-
gionandSemple(pers.comm.)hypothesizesthat5.rhiannonismostclosely
relatedto5.prenanthoides,apparentlyweightingthetendencyinS.rhiannon
toproducesubspatulateleaves.Symp/iyotrJchumrhiannon,S.prenanthoides,S.
puniceuni,andS.JirmumhavebeentreatedasmembersofSymphyotrichum
sect.Symphyotrichum(sensuNesom1994),butbecausehybridsinmanypa-
rentalcombinationshavebeenobservedinSymphyotrichum,hypothesesre-
gardingevolutionaryancestrycouldjustifiablyincludespeciesofputatively
moredistantrelationship. Itisperhapsnotablethatthestem leavesof5.
rhiannonarelessstronglyclaspingthanthoseofeither5.puniceumor5.
prenanthoides.
Symphyotrichumrhiannonhasonlybeendocumentedwithinaserpen-
tineplantcommunityendemictoa120haareasurroundingBuckCreekinthe
southernNantahalaMountainsofClayCountyNorthCarolina(Fig.2).Ser-
pentinesoilsintheSouthernAppalachianiVlountainsareveryrare,andonlya
KAUFFMANETAL.,ANEWSPECIESOFSYMPHYOTRICHUMFROMNORTHCAROLINA 833
gBlueRidgtParkway
IiT,ICCiotuynty
t6a0n UOKilomttn! «j;«I;j.GUrSePaStSmokyMountains
Fig.2.LocationofBuckCreekserpentinesite(denotedbystar)inClayCounty,westernNorthCarolina.
fewserpentinebarrenshavebeenlocatedandstudied,beginningwithapio-
neeringstudybyAlbertE.Radford(1948).TheBuckCreekSerpentineBarren
wasdiscoveredin1951,followingRadford'sdissertatfon,bythelateRobertK.
GodfreythenatN.C.StateUniversityandhasbeenperiodicallystudiedbybota-
nistsandecologistseversince,asit isthe largestandfloristicallyand
vegetationallymostdistinctiveoftheSouthernAppalachianserpentinebar-
rens.Inthelate1970sandearly1980s,LauraMansberg(nowCotterman)con-
ductedthemostdetailedstudyofthisuniqueplantcommunitydescribingit
asaPine-Savanna(Mansberg1981;Mansberg&Wentworth1984).Theunusual
asterheredescribedasSymphyotrichumrhiannonwasinitiallynotedduring
thisstudybyMansberg,andwasreferredtoinherthesisandsubsequentpaper
as"anundescribedAster"SchafaleandWeakley(1990)classifiedtheBuckCreek
siteasanUltramaficOutcropBarren,andconsideredittobethebest-devel-
opedandlargestexampleofthiscriticallyimperilednaturalcommunitytype.
ThehierarchicalUnitedStatesNationalVegetationClassificationclassifiesthe
communityassociationtypeasa Qucrcusalha-Pinusrigida/Sporobolus
heterohpis-AndropogongerardiiWoodlandandassignsitaconservationrank
ofGl(CriticallyImperiled)(NatureServe2004).
Aphysiognomicpatchworkofforest,densegrasspatchesandpartially
834 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(2)
openwoodlandoccursacrosstheBuckCreeksite(Fig.3).Thedominantrock
types,serpentinizedduniteandolivine,influencethestrikingvegetation
presentonthissite(Hadley1949;Pratt&Lewis1905).Soildepthisvariable,
rangingfrom to60cm,althoughrockoutcropsrepresentbetween5and10%
ofthelocallandscape.Soilcharacteristicsrevealhigherbasesaturation,cation
exchangecapacity,pH,andmagnesiumrelativetosurroundingsitesinthe
NantahalaMountains(Mansberg&Wentworth 1984).Theserpentineplant
communitiesoccupybotheastandwest-facingslopesextendingfrom975
meterselevationalongBuckCreektoover1220meterselevationatopCorun-
dumKnob.Symphyotnchumrhiannonoccurswithinthewoodlandandgrass-
dominatedareas.
Withinthewoodlandtheforestcanopyvanesfrom20-60%coverdepend-
ingontheintensityandfrequencyofrecentprescribedburns.Thewoodlandis
dominatedinthetreecanopybyolderstuntedQuercusaihaandsmallerdenser
Pinus rigida stems. Tsugacanadensis,Sassafrasalhidum,Acerruhrum,
Oxydendrumarhoreum,andAmelanchierlaevisalsooccurwithinthecanopy
andsubcanopyShrubcoverismeager,typicallyoccurringinclumpsandpro-
vidingnomorethan10%coverDiagnosticshrubspeciesincludeRhododen-
dronviscosum,Physocarpusopulifolius,Viburnumcassmoides,Kalmialatijolia,
Lyonialigusirinavarligustrina,Vacciniumstamineum,andV.corymhosum.
Thegrassdominancewithintheherbstratumisreminiscentofprairieveg-
etationandpresentsastrikingcontrasttotheregionallytypicalherbaceous
layerconsistingofmesophytic,broad-leaved forbs.Andropogongerardii,
Schizachyriumscopariumvarscoparium,andSporoholusheterolepisarethe
mostimportantgrasses.CharacteristicforbspeciesincludeHexastylisarijolia
varruthii,Thalictrummacrostylum,Packeraplattensis,Castillejacoccinea,
Phloxovata,Oxypolisrigidwr,Sanguisorhacanadensis,Polygalapaucijlolia,
Aspleniumplatyneuron,Solidagonemoralis,Symphyotrichumundulatumand
S.phlogijolium.Astrikingcontrastwithintheherblayeristhejuxtapositionof
both mesophytic and xerophyticspecies. It is not unusual toobserve
SanguisorhacanadensisandOxypolisrzgidioremergingfromagrassythicket
ofSporoholusheterolepisandSchizachyriumscoparium.Mansbergnoteda
perchedwatertablewhilesurveyingthesiteandsuggestedthatthereisacom-
plexsoilmoisturegradientwithintheserpentinesite(Mansberg&Wentworth
1984).Manyofthemineralspredominantinmaficandultramaficrockschemi-
callyweathertoclays,andthesoilsatBuckCreekhaveasubstantialclaycom-
ponent,providingaperchedwatertableandabundantseepageafterrains,but
dryingtohighlyxericconditionsduringdroughts.
Inresponsetoperiodicminingthreats,42hectaresoftheserpentinesiteat
BuckCreekarenowmanagedbytheUSPSasaSpecialInterestAreaandregis-
teredasaNaturalHeritageAreawiththeNorthCarolinaNaturalHeritagePro-
gram.In1995,theU.S.ForestServiceinitiatedactiveconservationmanagement
KAUFFMANETAL.,ANEWSPECIESOFSYMPHYOTRICHUMFROMNORTHCAROLINA 835
amf \hU^'IVa' i'*'^;f/
m'-<ii
Fig.3.BuckCreekserpentinewoodlandinmidAugust.TliedominantgrassisAndropogongerardii.
Fig.4.EmerginggrassesatBuckCreekserpentinewoodland3weeksfollowingaprescribedburndesignedtoreducethe
canopylayer.PrescribedfirewasconductedinAprilof1995.
1
836 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(2)
Table1.StatusofNorthCarolinarareplaritspeciesdocumentedatBuckCreekserpentinesite.
Species G-rank^ S-rank'' RelativeRaritywithinNorthCarolina
Sporobolusheterolepis G5 SI 1of2occurrencesdocumented
inNC;disjuncteastwardsfroma
primarydistributionintheGreat
Plains
Deschampsiacespitosassp.glauca G5 SI OnlyknownoccurrenceinNC;
disjunctfromfurtherwest
Elymustrachycaulusssp.tmchycautus G5T5 SI OnlyknownoccurrenceinNC;
disjunctfromfurtherwest
Calamagrostisporterissp.porteri G4T4 SI 1of8extantoccurrenceswithinNC
Poasaltuensis G5 SI 1of2occurrencesdocumented
inNC;disjunctfromfurtherwest
Muhlenbergiaglomerata G5 SI 1of2occurrencesdocumented
inNC;disjunctfromfurtherwest
Carexwoodii G4 S2 Denseinforestedareawithin
andsurroundingserpentine
site;northernspeciesnearits
southernrangeextent
Calystegiacatesbianavar.sericata G3T3 S3 LocallycommoninSouthwestern
NCMts;broadSouthern
Appalachianendemic
Liparisloeselii G5 S Locallyrestrictedtoonlyafew
individuals;circumpolar,nearits
southernrangeextent
Gentianopsiscrinita G5 SI 1of2highqualityoccurrences
inNC
Oenotheraperennis G5 52 1of3highqualityoccurrences
inNC
Ranunculusfascicularis G5 SI 1of2occurrencesdocumented
inNC
Pediculariilanceolata G5 SI 1of2drainageswithextant
populationsinNC
Parnasiiayrandifolla G3 S2 1of3highqualityoccurrences
inNC
Violaappalachiensis G3 S2 Largestpopulationdocumented
inNC;CentralandSouthern
Appalachianendemic
Brachyelytrumaristosum G4G5 S3? Locallycommoninhigher
(=B.septentrionale) elevationsinthesouthwestern
MountainsofNC;northernspecies
nearitssouthernrangeextent
Drepanolejueneaappalachiensis G2? Remarkableoccurrencefortiny
liverwortthatmoretypically
occursinmesichardwoodforest;
SouthernApplachianendemic;
withonedisjunctoccurrencein
WestIndies