CHECKLIST OF THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

2012·13.8 MB·English

by  Cynthia M Morton

CHECKLIST OF THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF
WESTMORELAND
COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Morton
Cynthia M.
Section of Botany Section ofBotany
Museum Museum
Carnegie ofNatural History Carnegie ofNatural History
4400 Avenue 4400 Avenue
Forbes Forbes
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, U.SA.
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
known
Even though Pennsylvania checkUsts most of counties, the vascular flora thus far is quite
lacks for its
2076 and
diverse. Rhoads and Klein reported 3318 taxa of vascular plants for the state, including native
(1993)
some
1242 introduced. Approximately 27 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have floras completed, but are theses
number and
and surveys and The exact of genera species in the flora of
therefore unavailable to the public.
Westmoreland County was known because a checklist had never been widely or recently pub-
not previously
lished. Such checklists provide baseline information that can be used to monitor environmental changes and
guide
conservation
decisions.
Site Description
bordered
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, located in the western-central part of the state (Fig. 1). It is
is
V
and Cambria County the
Butler County Armstrong and Indiana counties to the north, to
to the northwest,
and Washington County the
northeast, County the south, to
Somerset County Fayette to
the southeast,
to
km
southwest and The county contains approximately 2683 sq (1036 sq mi).
Allegheny County the west.
to
m
m
low 222
Elevations maximum 908 (2980 along the Laurel Ridge to a of
in the county range from a of ft)
40.68044°N and longitude ranges
(727 from 40.04035
ft) along the Monongahela Latitude ranges to
River.
from
78.98418
to 79.90527°W.
cm
Average
Westmoreland of approximately 119 (47 in).
County annual precipitation
receives a total
around
%seasonal snowfall is 112 cm (44 in) annually. The average date of the last frost in the spring is usually
The growing
12th and September 12th. length of the season,
approximately
the season
first frost of the
from the autumn, between 113-203 (mean 160) days
last killing frost in spring to the first killing frost in is
CUSDA1968).
682
Westmoreland County
of
and Speedy, Flora
Morton
The some
The Western Allegheny Plateau ecoregion is mostly forested. region’s land uses include logging,
livestock and dairy farming, and some cropland with hay, corn, and small grains. There are public for-
of
areas
throughout. Surface and underground coal mining extensive, and has caused the sedimentation
lands is
est
many
of surface waters.
acidification
and
The eastern third of Westmoreland County delineated as Chestnut Ridge and the west-facing slopes of
Ridge, has been classified as the Central Appalachians Level III Terrestrial Ecoregion. This terrestrial
Laurel
extends from central Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, and into
ecoregion
more rugged, and more densely forested than the Western Al-
Tennessee. higher, cooler, steeper,
northern It is
Plateau to the west. This ecoregion also has a humid continental climate of warm to hot summers and
legheny
winters.
cold
The forest type in this region is a mostly mixed mesophytic forest. This forest was at one time dominated
American chestnut but now composed of chestnut oak, red maple, white oak, black oak, beech, yel-
by the is
many
low-poplar, sugar maple, ash, basswood, buckeye, and hemlock. The perennial, moderate- to high-gra-
streams have bedrock and boulder substrates. Some waterfalls will be found. This ecoregion also lacks
dient
and low mountains,
and few The rugged, and characterized by high hills
lakes, a reservoirs occur. terrain is is
and
narrow narrow winding and deep coves. was also unglaciated in the last Ice Age, is
steep, ridges, valleys, It
and from Penn-
now a highly dissected, rugged plateau composed of sandstone, shale, conglomerate, coal the
Maximum and higher than in the Western Allegheny Plateau.
are
sylvanian period. elevations local relief
Mostly forestland uses prevail, along with some small areas of pasture, livestock, or dairy operations.
common and have reshaped ridges and hollows, and have
Surface and underground bituminous coal mines are
many (Commission Environmental Cooperation 2011).
caused and streams for
siltation acidification of
Westmoreland-Guernsey-Clarksburg
main
The soils of Westmoreland County consist of seven series:
Calvin association,
Gilpin-Dekalb-Cavode association,
Gilpin-Wharton-Cavode
association, association,
and Upshur-Gilpin-Clarksburg association
Weikert Philo-Monongahela-Atkins association,
association,
(USDA1968).
benches and fans
Rounded convex and gently sloping to nearly level
have smooth, slopes,
hills that long,
These are over interbedded sand-
soils
characterize the Westmoreland-Guernsey-Clarksburg association.
county and makes up
stone, shale and limestone. This association occurs mainly in the west-central part of the
somewhat
about from moderately deep to deep, and are poorly to
9 percent of the county. These soils range
some
high water table of soils
although the seasonal
well-drained. This association well suited to farming
is
and Umitations. In areas where coal or natural gas has
the moderate depth to the bedrock in other areas create
been may
removed, have changed.
the level of the water table
and narrow
valleys
by broad, sloping hilltops
Gilpin-Wharton-Cavode characterized
association
is
northern and central parts of
carved mainly in the
out by streams that form a branching pattern. This area is
^
deep and
moderately are
from shallow to
county and The ranges
covers about percent of the county. soil
19
however
used agriculture
P^rly association are for
to well-drained. The and moderate slopes of this
gentle
s'rip mining and common association.
natural gas removal in this
is
Ridge and Laurel Hill in the eastern
The on Chestnut
mainly
Gilpin-Dekalb-Cavode occurs
association
Pan deep and are somewhat poorly to well-drained.
of the county. The from moderately deep to
range
soils
occupies about 14
This association
and sandstone.
that occur on by gray shale
ridges are underlain acid,
propaga-
and agencies for wildlife
percent used by private State
of the county and woodland that
consists of is
This asso-
Calvin association.
occurs the
Ori and Laurel Hill
the Ridge
uppermosTparts Chestnut
of the
This
well-drained. as-
ciation moderately deep soils that are
is in the eastern part of the county. consists of
It
woodland or fanned.
itaalio
" occupies Most of this association is
about percent of the county.
2
Conem-
and Kiskiminetas,
Creek the
The Loyalhanna
by
Weikert escarpments cut
association occurs as
occur where the streams have cut
“Sh- The areas
Allegheny, Monongahela largest
Youghiogheny, and rivers.
*"* on
rocky
well-drained soils
of shallow,
consists
>1* Chestnut This association
Ridge and Laurel Hill.
Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas
6(2)
and
escarpments along streams. Rock types include sandstone, shale, siltstone, limestone. It occupies about
wooded where deep enough
two percent of the county. This association is in areas the soil is to support trees.
The Philo-Monongahela-Atkins association occurs along the larger streams of the county. Most of the
as-
and
deep and moderately poorly drained. Frequent flooding a seasonal high water
sociation soils are are to ta-
ble are limitations that affect development. This association covers about 15 percent of the county. Most of the
woodland and used pasture or cropland.
association is the rest is for
The Upshur-Gilpin-Clarksburg association occurs in the northwestern part of the county. Most of the
association soils are moderately deep to deep and are moderately to well-drained. These solids are over red and
Much
brown clay shale, siltstone and sandstone. This association covers about 5 percent of the county. of the
association is occupied by woodland and the rest is used for pasture or cropland.
and Conemaugh
Major rivers and creeks that surround Westmoreland County are Kiskiminetas rivers to
the north, the Allegheny, Youghiogheny and Monongahela rivers to the west and Jacobs Creek to the south.
Westmoreland County contains eight major watersheds. These major watersheds are grouped into two
subbasin categories: the Lower Allegheny Subbasin, and the Monongahela Subbasin.
km
The Lower Allegheny Subbasin has a drainage area of 7,599 sq (2,394 sq mi). includes the low-
total It
ermost portion of the Allegheny River from Clinton to Pittsburgh, including the entire Kiskiminetas-Conem-
augh River system. The subbasin encompasses much of Allegheny, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset and Westmo-
reland counties with portions of Butler and Armstrong counties. The Lower Allegheny Subbasin contains the
Conemaugh River-Blacklick Creek Watershed, the Kiskiminetas River Watershed, the Lower Allegheny River
Watershed, and the Loyalhanna Creek Watershed.
km
The Kiskiminetas River Watershed has a total drainage area of 425 sq (164 sq mi) and its major water-
ways include Kiskiminetas River and Beaver Run.
km
The Conemaugh River-Blacklick Creek Watershed has a total drainage area of 1,813 sq (700 sq mi)
Conemaugh
and major waterways include Blacklick Creek, Two Lick Creek and the middle portion of the
its
River.
km
The Lower Allegheny River watershed drains a total area of 839 sq (324 sq mi). Its major waterways
northwestern
include the lowest portion of the Allegheny River and Deer Creek. This watershed drains the
Westmoreland
portion of County.
km
The Loyalhanna Creek Watershed has a total drainage area of 958 sq (370 sq mi). Its major waterways
include Loyalhanna Creek, Blacklegs Creek and the lower portion of the Conemaugh River.
km
The Monongahela Subbasin has a total drainage area of 7,089 sq (2,737 sq mi). It includes the Pennsyl-
vania portion of the Monongahela from West and Maryland This subbasin en-
River, Virginia Pittsburgh.
to
compasses almost all of Fayette County, much of Greene, Washington, Westmoreland and Somerset counties
and a small portion Allegheny County. The Monongahela Subbasin contains the Middle Monongahela River
Watershed, Turtle Creek Watershed, and the Upper and Lower Youghiogheny Watersheds.
River
The Middle Monongahela km mi) and its
River watershed has a total drainage area of 1,318 sq (509 sq
major streams include the middle portion of the Monongahela Pigeon Creek and Redstone Creek.
River,
Turtle Creek watershed has a total drainage area of 523 sq km (202 sq mi) and major stream is Turtle
its
Creek.
The Upper Youghiogheny River has a total drainage area of 995 sq km (384 sq mi) and its major streams
Lower
The
include the Indian Creek, Laurel Creek and
Hill the upper portion of the Youghiogheny River.
Youghiogheny River watershed has a drainage km and major streams in-
total area of 1,238 sq (478 sq mi) its
clude Sewickley Creek, Jacobs Creek and the lower portion of the Youghiogheny River.
These
Watershed
conditions need be
to evaluated decreasing.
to detect biodiversity increasing or
if is
many
comparisons will be extremely important mining of
in areas because they will reflect the interactions
and (Pennsylvania
the other indicators, these comparisons
are measurable management
decisions
effects for
DEP
Watershed Notebook
2006).
Westmoreland County 685
and Speedy, Flora of
Morton
Native A an tribes to live in Western Pennsylvania were known as the Alligewe. They v
The
first
known who
queredby the Lei nape, better as the Delawares. It was mostly the Delawares lived
and had the most contacts with the white settlers in this area.
down
western Pennsylvania in 1755 was either up the Juniata River and then by water to the
Access into
new was and was
Kiskiminetas River to the Allegheny River or by Braddock’s Road. In 1758 a road built it
known Forbes Road. This road cut from Bedford through what now Somerset, Westmoreland and Allegh-
as is
white trader or frontiersman.
occasional
The were mostly young men who came from the eastern counties of Lancaster, York and
settlers
first
German
Northampton or were from Virginia or Cumberland Valley and were mainly of or Scotch-Irish decent.
In August of 1763, the Battle of Bushy Run was fought near present dayJeannette, Pennsylvania, relieving
An
would shape Westmoreland County. Act of Assembly
Fort Pitt and setting in play the historical forces that
approved by Governor Richard Penn, on February 26, 1773, formed Westmoreland County.
who owned 1600 and operated
One of the early industries was run by Philip Freeman, a tract of acres,
first
who more
a gristmill in 1785 and later a saw mill and iron furnace. During this period farmers raised grain
By making whiskey from grain they reduced a large quantity of
than they needed manufactured whiskey. their
From 1818 1840 roads and turnpikes were a thriving
grain into a smaller bulk while it still retained its value. to
Rumbaugh Rum-
new
business. The arrival of these new roads also brought industry such as the brickyard.
Mammoth
baugh brickyard was owned and operated byJohn Rumbaugh and a person traveling from to Calu-
was from around
met could see large evacuation sites on the northern side of the road. This brickyard active the
th th
and 20
last of the 19 the of the centuries.
first
The demand lumber by the growth of towns and railroads and the abundance of trees in Westmore-
for
land County brought about the lumber industry. Byers and Allen of Pittsburgh built a large sawmill in Ugonier
peak
The lumber industry reached
in 1902, and was considered at that time the largest mill in the world. its
it
became During the years between the 1870s
which exhausted.
of production in the early years of 1900, after it
Westmoreland
and the late 1920s, there was a great period of activity and prosperity in the southern part of
The
hummed mining and the manufacture of coke. Latrobe
Country and in Fayette County. with the of coal
It
Company was company on
the the
Steel Company another large industry founded in 1913. Latrobe Steel first
is
and manufacture of manganese
melting
North American continent to use electric furnaces exclusively for the
steel casting.
upon which began run regu-
1852 trains to
The Westmoreland County arrived in
first locomotive to enter
common
means
H- were
century streetcars a
In the latter part of the nineteenth and first part of the twentieth
War when
World During the 1930s
of transportation. The peak system was from about 1908 through I.
of this
was and opened
was proposed. By 1940 finished for
Public works were needed, the Pennsylvania Turnpike it
Westmoreland County.
travel from Cumberland County Pennsylvania to
in central
turbomachinery, tools
Today manufacturers of specialty steel,
Westmoreland County has world-class
^machinery. tremendous range of products and services. In the midst
Over 7,500 small businesses provide a
ofgrowth and developing industry, the county retains a strong tr
and
ton Westm County, has a dozens of county
areas. Rich and conservation areas, 1
in recreational
and nature preserves.
state
parks, country game lands, state forests,
clubs, state
km
encompassing some 2,655 sq (1,025 sq mi)
The
Pennsylvania
county county in
is the eighth largest
a«d has townships, 37 boroughs and seven cities; within these
a population comprised of 21
of 368,983.
is
It
and
towns
incorporated numerous unincorporated villages.
municipalities are
Ma
r
i° Collectors
and has
Museum Herbarium began in the early 1800s,
Collecting
in Westmoreland County the Carnegie
for
Western Penn-
members Botanical Society of
continued been of the
have
to the Most coUectors
present. of the
Museum.
sylvai«a and Carnegie
the staff of the Section of Botany at
Botanists who have made significant contributions to the knowledge of the Westmoreland County are
Henry and CharlesW. DeMoise.
Frederick H. Utech, Otto E. Jennings, Loree Speedy, Leroy K.
METHODS
Museum
This checklist was compiled by searching the herbaria of the Carnegie of Natural History (CM). Her-
(MOAR)
barium information was obtained from the Morris Arboretum for ten samples. Other her-
collection
Academy
baria that were examined for specimens include the Philadelphia Herbarium (PH) at the of Natural
Sciences. Most of the collections were made during the 1910s and the 1990s, and underrepresented areas of the
county were targeted during the last three years. Several specimens date back as far as 1862 and 1869. The
Museum
majority of the specimens are deposited at the Carnegie of Natural History (CM). Three floristic
Duman
Westmoreland were examined specimens, Demoise and Pearth and
publications for (1951), (1975),
Utech (1999). Rhoads and Block (2000) was the primary source for plant identification. For generic and species
names we have followed the Synthesis of North American Flora (Kartesz 1999). Authorities are abbreviated for
the majority of taxa according to Brummitt and Powell (1992).
AND
RESULTS DISCUSSION
known
This list includes the names of all native and naturalized species to occur in Westmoreland County. It
includes a total of 142 families, 599 genera, 1418 species, and 1452 total taxa. The five families with the largest
number of species are Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Rosaceae. Carex, Quercus, Rubus, Sym-
phyotrichum and Viola are the largest genera. This checklist recognizes 1347 species of Angiosperms, 17 spe-
cies of Gymnosperms, and 54 species of Pteridophy There are 346 non-native species that have been intro-
tes.
duced mainly from Europe and Eurasia. Seventy-six species have global or state ranking.
Of G3
the 76 plants that have global or state ranking, three have a global ranking of or vulnerable status.
G4 G5
The remaining plants are either a or status, indicating an apparently secure or secure condition globally.
cm
temate leaves palmately divided into 3 to 5 parted segments, 15 long, silvery-green abaxially and pubescent
above and below. The basal lobes of some of the larger leaves are divided again and make the blade appear
The The upper two
5-lobed. flowers are in terminal racemes. 4 purplish-blue dimorphic with the
petals are
petals expanded at the base and forming a spur. The lateral petals are reflexed in the apical half with long white
hairs. The stamens are approximately 30 in number with yellow pollen. The 5 sepals are irregular. The species
can be confused with Delphinium tricorne; however D. tricorne a smaller plant and flowers much earlier than
is
May By when has set
D. exaltatum. to early June. July, D. exaltatum is beginning to flower, D. tricorne already
fruit. Most of the collections are from rich shaded woods and on rocky limestone bluffs. This species is quite
may
conspicuous and be subject to casual picking or may be dug
for gardens.
Poa paludigena also has a global ranking of G3 or vulnerable known about Poa paludigena
status. Little
may
range. It easily be overlooked or misidentified due to its close resemblance to related species. It is a wetland
species found in bogs, swamps, wet woods, wet meadows, and along has no rhizomes, only fibrous
streams.
It
roots, and the weak and slender stem often falls over. It normally grows to a height of 2-6 dm tall. The leaves
mm
cm
narrow 1-2 wide and 10 The spikelets
are long. inflorescence has only 2 panicle branches per node, the
borne at the middle to end of the branches. The distinguishing characteristics are within the flowers, spikelets
with cobweb-like hairs at their bases situated above the middle when blooms in late
of the paired branches,
it
May
and
intoJune. Identification often requires microscopic evaluation to distinguish from its close relatives.
it
G3
With
a status of or vulnerable status, is Scutellaria (Rock These plants are slender
saxatilis Skullcap).
and decumbent with glabrous or eglandular stems. The and round-
leaves are glabrous, ovate-shaped
petioled,
prominent protuberance on the upper The and have
corolla. flowers are in terminal few-flowered racemes
much
bracts underneath the calyx. This species can be confused with has
but species
Scutellaria ovata, this
and not decumbent.
longer leaves
is
687
There are 9 taxa in the Westmoreland County flora that are listed by the Pennsylvania Department of
(2007) as noxious weeds. It is therefore illegal to propagate, sell or transport the following taxa in
Agriculture
(Musk
commonwealth: Carduus nutans Cirsium arvense (Canada Cirsium vulgare (Bull
thistle), thistle),
the
Datura stramonium (Jimson weed), Ly thrum salicaria (Purple loosestrife), Polygonum perfoliation (Mile-
thistle),
Pueraria lobata (kudzuvine), Rosa multiflora (Multiflora rose) and Sorghum halepense (Johnson
a-minute),
grass).
Other species considered serious invasives in Pennsylvania’s native ecosystems are: Acer platanoides
(Norway maple), Aegopodium podagraria (goutweed), Ailanihus altissima (tree-of-heaven), Alliaria petiolata
mustard), Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry), Bromus tectorum (Cheatgrass), Celastrus orbiculatus
(garlic
Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn Euonymus alatus (Winged Euonoymus), Fallopia
bittersweet), olive),
(Oriental
(Common
(Japanese knotweed), Hesperis matronalis (Dame’s rocket), Ligustrum vulgare privet),
japtmica
Lomcemjaponica (Japanese honeysuckle), Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle), Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s
M
vimineum (Japanese grass), Myrio-
honeysuckle), Lonicera tatarica (tartarian honeysuckle), icrostegium stilt
Omithogallum umbellatum (Star-of Bethlehem), Pastinaca sativa
phyllum spicatum (Eurasian water-milfoil),
(Common Rhamnus
cathar-
(wild parsnip), Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass), Phragmites australis reed),
and
(common buckthorn), Rubus phoenicolasium (Wineberry), Spiraeajaponica (Japanese spiraea), Vibur-
tfcus
(DCNR
num opulus var. opulus (Guelder rose) 2004).
most
Westmoreland County, the
While this checklist probably not all-inclusive of every species in it is
is
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE SPECIES OF
and number)
global:
Taxa are listed according to the following format: taxon name, authors), {(year) collector
We and ranking systems devel-
global (G)
state ranking [Synonyms] and non-native source. follow the state (S)
from imper-
The numbers are designated 1 (critically
oped by The Nature Conservancy (1996 version). global
Synonyms included
are
occurrence.
which denotes historical
iled) to 5 (secure). Other notations include SH,
and country of origin
names common manuals. Nonnative status is
for not in usage in the state or regional
from Rhoads and Block (2007). In cases where there was more than one specimen present in the collection,
were
Kcent western Pennsylvania region cited.
collections of current collectors for the
within vascular plant
arranged alphabetically
Families, genera, and specific and infraspecific taxa are
groups Angiosperms, Gymnosperms and Pteridophytes.