THE FLORA OF LIMESINK DEPRESSIONS IN CAROLINA-BEACH-STATE-PARK (NORTH-CAROLINA)

11 Pages·1992·3.9 MB·English

by  D J Sieren

1
RHODORA,
No.
Vol. 94, 878, 156-166, 1992
pp.
THE FLORA OF
LIMESINK DEPRESSIONS
IN
CAROLINA BEACH PARK
STATE
(NORTH
CAROLINA)
David and Karen Warr'
Sieren
R.
J.
ABSTRACT
(Ne
County, North
Carolina) were surveyed One
floristically in 1990. state record,
1
county and
records, 28 species of special interest or concern are among the 108
vascular
plant species collected or observed.
Key
Words:
Vascular
plants, limesink North
depressions, distribution records,
Carolina
INTRODUCTION
survey
Carolina Beach (New
State Park Hanover County, North Caro-
limesink
uary through December
formed
by
the slumping
(McDonald
^^^^^ w**v*^4*jiii5 i^ui,
^M. iiiii\^aiuin^ \^ivicj-^uiiaiu tL ai., *
**c?
and
gart Dickerson, of
1980); those chosen exhibited a variety
from
very dry
very
to
purposes
were
assigned the following names: Pond small,
Sawgrass
(a
(1)
II
m m
*
Jf^^ K I _. .^_ _.. _._ Jib. d^k X -^ ^ .^K.
^ j
population of
sawgrass Pond
shallow,
in its center), Loblolly (a
(2)
m m
dry
depression 40 x
ca. 56 with numerous small loblolly
m
pines
scattered throughout), Pond pond 66
Lily large ca.
(3) (a
norm
Pond
Cypress numerous
wooded
(4) (a partially depression with
pond
cypresses. This
depression of and west sections
consists east
which
most
in
years are separated by and which often
a dry ridge
have
standing
water 1991,
in their centers. In wet years such as
m
they can be one wide
continuous
pond;
together they are 6
ca.
1
m
X m
218
Dry more
Pond
long), and
25 x 84 m,
(5) (ca. drier
Gum
shallow
than
the
others, usually without
standing water),
(6)
Pond m
nearly round
(a depression 48 partially
diameter,
ca. in
Present New NC
address:
' 5385-J Centre Dr., Wilmington, 28403
156
and Warr—Limesink Flora 157
Sieren
1992]
and
wooded numerous pond and black gums),
with cypresses
(7)
m
Grass Pond 41 x 109 m, dominated by grasses and other
(ca.
of limesinks surveyed are sur-
herbaceous vegetation). All the
oak communities, and they grade
rounded by pine-scrub
longleaf
upward
from moist or aquatic centers or low areas to sur-
their
zones
rounding xeric sand ridges, often having distinct vegetation
with increasing elevation.
The limesinks were surveyed on 26 weekly trips, primarily
known
March
during the active growing season, through October;
and
were recorded and unknowns were collected identi-
species
wnc;
The 249 voucher specimens have been deposited in
fied.
and Kartesz In the
nomenclature follows that of Kartesz (1980).
synonyms from Radford (1968) are given in
species Ust, et al.
name
brackets following those taxa with changes.
SPECIES LIST
Pteridophyta
BLECHNACEAE
Woodwardia Smith
virginica (L.)
LYCOPODIACEAE
Lycopodium
alopecuwides
L.
& Underwood
Lycopodium (Chapman) Lloyd
appressum
Lycopodium
carolinianum
L.
OSMUNDACEAE
Gray
Osmunda
(Willd.)
regalis L. var. spectabilis
Gymnospermae
MNACEAE
Pinus
taeda
L.
TAXODIACEAE
Taxodium
Brongn.
ascendens
158 Rhodora
[Vol. 94 '
Angiospermae
ACERACEAE
I
L
Acer rubrum
ANACARDIACEAE
Toxicodendron
radicans Kuntze. [Rhus
(L.) radicans L.]
APIACEAE
Centella Urban
asiatica
(L.)
Oxypolis
filiformis (Walt.) Britt
AQUIFOLIACEAE
Ilex cassine
L.
Gray
Ilex glabra
(L.)
ASTERACEAE
Coreopsis
falcata Boynt.
Erechtites DC.
hieracifolia (L.) Raf. ex
Eupatorium
capillifolium (Lam.) Small
Eupatorium
DC.
leptophyllum [Eupatorium
capillifoli
leptophyllum (DC.)
Ahles]
Eupatorium
recurvans Small
Euthamia
tenuifolia (Pursh) Greene [Solidago micrc
(Greene) Bush]
Pluchea
Godfrey
rosea
BROMELIACEAE
Tillandsia
usneoides
(L.) L.
BURMANNIACEAE
Burmannia
bijlora L.
Burmannia
capitata Mart
(Walt.)
CAMPANULACEAE
&
Lobelia Roemer
nutallii
Schultes
and Warr—Limesink 159
Flora
Sieren
1992]
CLUSIACEAE [HYPERICACEAE]
Hypericum Lam.
cistifolium
Adams
Hypericum reductum
P.
CYPERACEAE
Cladium jamaicense Crantz
Fem
Cyperus polystachyos Rottb. var texensis (Torrey)
Eleocharis equisetoides Torr.
(Ell.)
melanocarpa
Eleocharis Torr.
Psilocarya scirpoides Torr.
&
Rhynchospora Fem. Gale
chalarocephala
M.
Rhynchospora chapmanii A. Curtis
Gray
Rhynchospora (Lam.)
corniculata
Rhynchospora Gray
filifolia
Fem.
Rhynchospora inundata (Oakes)
Gale
Rhynchospora (Kukenthal)
pleiantha
Rhynchospora plumosa
Ell.
Rhynchospora
tracyi Britt.
Rhynchospora wrighdana Boeckl.
Scleria georgiana Core
puhescens
Scleria Michx. var. Britt.
reticularis
CYRILLACEAE
L
Cyril
racemijlora
la
DROSERACEAE
Drosera
capillaris Poiret
Drosera Hayne
intermedia
EBENACEAE
Diospyros
virginiana
L.
ERICACEAE
Lyonia Koch
(Lam.) K.
lucida
Don
Lyonia
mariana
D.
(L.)
Por
(Gray)
atrococcum
Vaccinium corymbosum Vaccinium
L.
[
ter]
160 Rhodora
94
[Vol.
ERIOCAULACEAE
compressum Lam.
Koem
beyrichianum
Sporleder. ex
'on
GENTIANACEAE
Muhl
(Michx.)
Muhl
verna (Michx.)
I
Druce
difformis
(L.)
HALORAGIDACEAE
Lam
Proserpinaca
pectinata
HAMAMELIDACEAE
Liquidambar
styracijlua L.
JUNCACEAE
Juncus Chapman
abortvus
Juncus Lam.
scirpoides
LAURACEAE
Persea
borbonia
Sprengel
(L.)
LENTIBULARIACEAE
Pinguicula
caerulea Wait.
Utricularia juncea
Vahl.
Utricularia purpurea Walt
Utricularia subulata
L.
LWACEAE
Linum
Jloridanum
[Linum
(Planch.) yar Jloridanum vir-
Trel.
ginianum
L. var. Jloridanum
Planch.l
MAGNOLIACEAE
Magnolia
virginiana
L.
MELASTOMATACEAE
Rhexia
cubensis
Griseb.
Rhexia
mariana
L. mariana
var.
'
Wair— Rora
and Limesink 161
Sieren
1992]
MYRICACEAE
L
Myrica
cerifera
NYMPHAEACEAE
Nymphaea
odorata
Ait.
NYSSACEAE
Nyssa Marsh (Walter) Sargent
sylvatica var. biflora
ONAGRACEAE
Ludwigia
Poir.
linifolia
Ludwigia Walt
suffruticosa
ORCHIDACEAE
Pogonia
ophioglossoides Juss
(L.)
POACEAE
)ACEAE
Andropogon Nash in part]
virginicus L.,
capillipes [A.
perangustatus
Andropogon
virginicus
virginicus L. var.
Kunth.
Aristida
(Schultes)
affinis
Aristida purpurascens
Poir.
Aristida
virgata Trin.
rugosa (Nutt.)
Nash [Manisuris
Coelorachis rugosa
(Nutt.)
Kuntze]
&
Gould Clark var. longi-
Dichanthelium acuminatum (Sw.)
& longiligulatum
[Panicum
Gould Clark
ligulatum (Nash)
Nash]
(Baldw
Gould ensifolium
dichotomum var.
(L.)
ifoli
(Muhl
?fracta
trianthus Muhl.
giganteus (Walt.)
Spreng.l
agrostoides
Panicum [Panicum
Nees
rigidulum Bosc ex
Panicum
tenerum
Bey. ex Trin.
^
Panicum Muh' l
verrucosum
'
Panicum
virgatum
L.
Paspalum
praecox Walt.
Nash
Sacciolepis
striata (L.)
Set magna
aria
Griseb.
162
Rhodora
[Vol. 94 I
POLYGALACEAE
Nutt
Walt.
Polygala
lutea L.
POLYGONACEAE
Small
Michx.
opelousanum t
var. (Riddell ex Small)
Polygonum
persicaria
L.
i
RUBIACEAE
Diodia L
virginiana
SALICACEAE
Salix Marsh
nigra
SAXIFRAGACEAE
L
Ilea
virginica
SCROPHULARIACEAE
Agalinis
fasciculata
(Ell
Agalinis
linifolia (Nutt.^
Agalinis
virgata Raf.
SMILACACEAE
Smilax L
laurifolia
VIOLACEAE
Viola
lanceolata
L.
XYRIDACEAE
A>m
ambigua
Bey. ex
A>rz5
caroliniana Walt
Xyrisjupicai
L.
A>m
smalliana Nash
Warr—
Rora
and Limesink 163
Sieren
1992]
DISCUSSION
and Weakley Park
Following Schafale (1990), limesinks in the
can be Depression Pocosins, Small Depression
classified as either
Vernal
dense shrub
la]
I
limesinks surve
gum
rm
may pond
manently and have
flooded the center scattered
in
and Pond an example a small
cypresses black gums. Cypress ot
is
depression pond, although a portion of east section has char-
its
flooded
acteristics of a vernal pool. Vernal Pools are seasonally
may
few
depressions dominated by although there be a
herbs,
park,
wetland In the
trees or shrubs in the depression interior.
and Sawgrass
vernal pools include Grass, Dry, Lily, Loblolly,
when
many
Ponds. In of limesinks difficult
cases, classification is
community
two more of types.
characteristics overlap or these
Weakley
seem
community
primary
and
water levels
in different depressions." Seasonal fluctuation in
among be an important factor in
its variation years appears to
have
ponds
determining Because the
presence of plant species.
The
no wet
years.
surface they hold water well in
exits, fairly
dry
may water; in
deepest ponds have of standing
several feet
growing season
may
years they During the
be completely dry.
had
depressions
that most of the
these limesinks were surveyed,
some dried
then gradually
standing water from January to April,
months,
and
remaining al-
were
without standing water for the
The water table
though
remained moist.
soils in the deepest parts
was southeastern
than usual in
reported lower
to be several inches
DuMond, comm.);
North M. pers.
Carolina during year (D.
that
which
as a some Eleocharis equisetoides
result, species such as
had likely
been were not encountered. It is
reported previously
For
would be apparent.
that
in a wet year additional species
Walt
comm
summer
observed Cypress Pond; the
in the
On many
species
rare
ny. the other hand,
64
Rhodora
1 94
[Vol.
ponds would
not be apparent during a rainy season because
they
limesmks
were observed
September 1991 and most
moist
shallow water
covering about
one-half
total area.
its
These
limesinks
are especially rich in species of special interest
concern
tation in parentheses) Andropogon
is perangustatus {Sieren 4120),
Gum
which was found growing abundantly Pond
moist of
in parts
and
the east section of Cypress Pond. Hitchcock
indicated
(1951)
and
habitat range "Bogs and and
its as moist pine woods, Florida
New
Mississippi." Hanover
county
records include Aristida
affinis
{Sieren
4095), A. purpurascens
{Sieren 4127), A. virgata {Sieren
4136), Bartonia
paniculata
{Sieren 4094), Eragrostis refrada
{Sieren Eupatorium Linum
4105),
leptophyllum
{Sieren 4097),
Jloridanum
var. floridanum Lycopodium
{Sieren 4044), caroli-
nianum
{Sieren Paspalum Rhyn-
4057), praecox
{Sieren 4049),
chospora
inundata
{Sieren 4028), and juncea {Sieren
Utricularia
4108).
Fifteen on
species are the Natural Heritage Program List of the
Rare
Plants of North
Carolina
(Weakley,
1990): Agalinis linifolia
(occasional
to locally abundant in seven ponds), A. virgata
all
Dry
iffi
Gum,
press, Grass, and
Sawgrass
Ponds), Eleocharis equisetoides
(previously observed and
photographed Cypress Pond), E. mel-
in
anocarpa
and
(frequent abundant Eupatorium
Loblolly Pond),
in
leptophyllum
(scattered under pond Cypress Pond),
cypresses
in
Lachnocaulon
beyrichianum woods/pond eco-
(frequent in the
Dry
linifolia
suffrutii
Psilocarya
poides
(abundant
in Lily Pond), Rhexia
cubensis (scattered t(
numerous
Gum
in Dry, Rhynchos
Cypress, Grass, and
Ponds),
pora
pleiantha
(abundant
and Cypres:
in patches in Dry, Grass,
Ponds), R.
tracyi (several plants in Cypress and Sawgrass Ponds)
Dry
Watch
mcludes
plant
species
that appear to be rare or otherwise threat-
ened
with on
serious
decline, but which have been placed
not
yet
Wan—
and Limesink
Sieren Flora 165
1992]
North These
Carolina (Weakley,
1990).
fasciculata
dry
of Dry, Cypress, Loblolly, and Sawgrass Ponds and also observed
in a pocosin/savannah ecotone and in other scattered depressions
in the park), Bartonia paniculata (scattered in Cypress, Grass,
numerous
Sawgrass Ponds), B. verna (frequent to
and Burmannia
Sawgrass Ponds), (severa
biflora
1,
Gum
and numerous on
Sawgrass
Ponds), Ilex cassine (occasional to
dry
numerous Dry
Cypress,
in
f
observed two Docosins
in in
filifolia
Gum
abundant and
in Cypress Ponds), R. inundc
mid-summer
Lily Pond, the dominant herb
in
Gocally abundant and Sawgrass Po
Loblolly
in
smalliana
(occasional Grass Pond).
in
greatest
number
Gum
Dry and
Sawgrass Pond with Grass Pond with
12,
15,
with
limesinks
communi-
than oak
that of the surrounding longleaf pine-scrub
assumed
and
ties. Mesic deoressions have the most diversity, it is
amount
many
species
tribution of limesink The presence of so rare
species.
combi-
may unique
in the be a
depressions
there
suggests that
data
nation provided habitat
of
factors responsible. Beal (1977)
many North Carolina,
for marsh and aquatic vascular plants of
An
limesinks.
including found the
of in
eight the rare species
pH those eight
analysis of of the habitats for
Real's data for the
were neutral
species indicated most were growing in sites that
that
once
in
to alkaline. Three of the species were collected at least
were
two of those
conditions which were acid (pH 4-4.9), but
most
content for
also chloride
collected in alkaline Similarly,
sites.
were
those limits
species was between 0-1 ppm, but in two cases
A environmental
exceeded. and other
study of limesinks for these
con-
of conditions
factors should understanding
provide a greater
trolling
the of limesink species.
distribution