VASCULAR PLANTS OF KONZA PRAIRIE BIOLOGICAL STATION: AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF SPECIES IN A KANSAS TALLGRASS PRAIRIE

26 Pages·2002·15 MB·English

by  E Gene Towne

KONZA
VASCULAR PLANTS OF BIOLOGICAL
PRAIRIE
AN
ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF A
STATION: SPECIES
IN
KANSAS TALLGRASS
PRAIRIE
E.GeneTowne
ABSTRACT
Konza
US of Piairie Biological Static
along with
sas are listed their
5 species representing 336 gen
ual grasses Th.
provide
a flora
Plains regio
sat
sobrepasa cualquier otra area de tamano compai ihic tn tsl
OVERVIEV
SITE
vancy initially purchased 371 ha of the site in 1971, followed by the remaining
procurement The managed
in 1977. preserve ecological research by the
is for
how
Division of Biology at Kansas State University. To study and grazing
fire
Konza
affect the ecosystem, Prairie parceled into 52 watershed units that are
is
burned at different frequencies and in different seasons, and are either ungrazed
Mowed
grazed by
or large herbivores. fireguards or gravel roads separate the
watersheds. Approximately 200 ha land and abandoned brome
of agricultural
fields are scattered throughout the The headquarters area consists of old
site.
homesteads with renovated and
buildings, a corral, cultivated
fields.
Topographically the prairie landscape comprises upland plateaus, lime-
and The
stone lowlands. upland
hillsides, fertile soils are relatively shallow, silty
clay loams overlying limestone and shale layers (Udic Argiustolls and Lithic
HaplustoUs), whereas the lowland soils are deeper coUuvial and alluvial de-
posits (Pachic Argiustolls). Two major creeks meander through the lowlands,
but water flow intermittent and dependent upon precipitation patterns. Per-
is
manent
pools in the lower creek channels, localized springs, seeps, and several
small stock ponds constitute the wetland habitat. Gallery forests (bands of de-
ciduous trees bordering the creeks and ravines) cover about 8.5% of the
site.
vegetation dominated by warm-season perennial with
Prairie grasses,
is
numerous Although
interstitial forb species. the grassland flora consists pri-
marily midgrass
of tallgrass prairie plants, species that are characteristic of
many
on uplands and and
prairies thrive the hillsides, shortgrass prairie spe-
occur on the shallow, droughty
cies
sites.
For nearly 100 years, the site was a cattle ranch with both year-long and
season-long grazing operations. After acquisition by The Nature Conservancy,
when
Konza was
Prairie not grazed by large herbivores until 1987, a bison (Bos
bison) herd was established in a 992-ha internal enclosure. Seasonal grazing by
resumed
domestic cattle (Bos taurus) in 1992 in 6 adjacent pastures (510 ha),
although not are grazed every The remainder of Konza Prairie
all year. is
ungrazed by ungulates, except white-tailed deer (Odocoileus
for a prolific
rgmiflnus) population.
VI
Konza Prairie has a temperate continental climate, characterized by hot
summers, cold winters, and moderately strong surface winds. Average annual
mm,
75%
precipitation 835 with of this occurring in the April through Sep-
is
Mean
tember growing season. The average frost-free season lasts 180 days. an-
minimum maximum
nual temperature 13° with average and temperatures
C,
is
m
C C
ranging from -3° in January to 27° Elevations on Konza Prairie range
July.
FLORISTIC EFFORTS
After a decade of collecting, 436 species of vascular plants (plus 5 varieties)
&
were reported occur on Konza (Freeman Hulbert
initially to Prairie 1985),
&
with another 27 species subsequently added (Freeman Gibson 1987). Six years
Kazmaier (unpublished pamphlet) 524 vascular plant species
listed for
later,
Konza Konza benchmark
Because
Prairie. of Prairie's role as a tallgrass prairie,
essential that the flora inventory and pertinent ecological synopsis of the
it is
new
species be current and readily accessible. With more than 70 species dis-
some
covered since Kazmaier's unpublished checklist, questionable validity of
and nomenclatural an updated
previously listed species, extensive revisions,
Konza Format
inventory of the Prairie vegetation necessary. for this flora fol-
is
lows standards proposed by Palmer Voucher specimens are stored
et (1995).
al.
Herbarium
in the Kansas State University (KSC).
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHECKLIST
known
The vascular plants to occur spontaneously on Konza Prairie are ar-
ranged alphabetically by family, genus, and species within four groups:
Ptendophyta and Pinophyta (gymnosperms), Magnoliopsida
(ferns fern
allies),
G
;
and Each name, com-
(dicots), Liliopsida (monocots). entry includes scientific
mon
name, abundance, primary flowering and span
relative habitat, period,
life
(Appendix In addition, non-native species and the photosynthetic pathway
I).
of grass species are
listed.
Nomenclature follows Kartesz although authority abbreviations
(1999),
A synonym
conform Brummitt and
Powell enclosed brackets
to (1992). in for
is
name
those species that have been annotated recently or the scientific changed
if
from that listed by Freeman and Hulbert (1985). Infraspecific taxa (subspecies
and
varieties) are not delineated, although naturally occurring hybrids are
included.
common name
The each species was selected from regional sources
for
(Anderson 1961; Bare 1979; Great Plains Flora Association 1986) to reflect cus-
tomary usage for this area. Most species are identified with a single colloquial
name, but alternatives are presented in a few instances. Structure and format of
common
names generally follow guidelines recommended by Kartesz and
Thieret
(1991).
The where each most found on
listed habitat indicates species likely
is
Konza Prairie; however, it does not imply that the plant is restricted to that site.
Many
occur heterogeneous Designated
species at different densities in locations.
Konza
habitat categories for the Prairie flora are:
—
Open
Prairie grassland that subdivided by topographic position: uplands
is
(clayey, cherty, or shallow soils on top of the hills), lowlands (deep bot-
tom and some
land slopes (rocky Additionally, species
soils), hillsides).
are listed as occurring predominantly in grazed or infrequently burned
Woodland—
and an^shaded by
forest es that trees
sit
We
Wetland—
sites that include ponds, eneeks, seeps, stock tanks, and mesic
t
lowlanc
Is.
Disturbed—S ites wllere the soil has been disrupted, include trails, wallows,
homeste; lawn5 and
ditches, roadsides, ads, culti\^ated fields.
5,
amc
was
Richness .ng the different pla nt habitai estimated by assigning each
.s
m
species to one habits Because m;anyspecu occur variety of habitats, as-
2S
It.
i
signment to speci lie category na)' be dc•batable. Ht)u-ever, the criterion for
.i I
i
assigning based on wlhichhabit atthespeci rsismostcharacteristi-
spec
is
Konza
cally associat(:d wit h on P raine.Spc'cics that arc found predominantly
ne
in disturbed ites :rc not consic Icred prai plants ven they appear spo-
s \\'( e if
mg
radically razed prainc. kcwise, wo.odland species that mi-
c 1 i
unt lupedin
grate into )urned M-c not grc th(^ prairie habitat.
m^fm"
how com mon
and
abundi widespread
Relative \luation a
t >l
and .asedonex
species the particular habitc tensive experience
for field
is IS
It,
1
of the author.:flowev abundanceiolmost^mnualsanc some perennial species
er,
1
may 'm ns and
fluctuate yearly response oprecipit ation patter grazing or burn-
t
Desc riptionsofth£ abundance
five classes are:
s.
—
Abundant dominant co-dominant
Species or in the habitat.
is
—
m
Common
found
Species easily the particular habitat.
is
—
Occasional Species occurs sporadically but not
difficult to find.
is
—
and
Infrequent Species relatively scarce not easily found.
is
—
Rare Species seldom encountered or found only in specific locations.
is
when
The flowering period peak blooming normally occurs on Konza
Prairie
is
when
and most
often indicates the species likely found. For vascular crypto-
is
on
gams, the dates represent spore formation. Flowering periods are based field
observations, herbarium specimens, and phenology records for this area.
Each species classified by span as either annual, biennial, or peren-
is life
Non-herbaceous perennial plants were additionally subdivided into
nial. tree,
and woody Although some and
shrub, vine categories. biennials short-lived
may
perennials persist for only one year, designations were based on the ex-
pected longevity of the species for this area.
&
Grasses (Poaceae) are designated as either C3 or C4 species (Waller Lewis
1979). The C3 grasses are cool-season plants that initially produce a 3-carbon com-
May
pound and and The
during photosynthesis flower
characteristically in June.
compound
C4 warm-season produce 4-carbon
grasses are plants that initially a
m
pathway and and
the photosynthetic characteristically flower in July August.
Species that were not present in this region before European settlement are
from
considered introduced (Brooks Cultivated crops the agricultural
1986).
fields wheat, oats, sorghum, corn, and soybean), and other non-natural-
(e.g.,
ized annual species are not included in this checklist. However, exotic horticul-
tural and ornamental species that were planted decades ago near the headquar-
and Appendix
have subsequently
ters area persisted, are listed in
II.
AND
RESULTS DISCUSSION
known
The vascular flora on Konza Prairie consists of 576 species, represent-
mg
and Appendix with most
336 genera 96 families (Table Families the
1; I).
species are Poaceae (84), Asteraceae (79), Fabaceae (49), and Cyperaceae (33).
Forty families are represented by a single species. The most species-rich genera
CarcxiU Polygonum Symphyotrichum and
are species), (12 species), (9 species),
Asclepias (9 species).
pam-
Twenty-three species from the inventory (Kazmaier, unpublished
last
phlet) are deleted from the present because the specimens were misidentified
list
synonymy
= had been reduced = because no vouchers
(n to (n or there are
8), 4),
and no bona fide evidence of their presence on Konza Prairie. Most of the un-
&
Freeman
substantiated species appeared in preliminary inventories (see
fiulbert 1985), and their unverified presence was subsequently perpetuated.
Taxonomic revisions of Kazmaier's unpublished checklist also transferred 55
and changed
species into different genera the specific epithet of 19 species.
When
species are categorized to one predominant habitat, 40.6% of Konza
with
Prairie plants are characteristically associated prairie grassland, followed
by disturbed woodland and wetland
(22.4%), (22.2%), (14.8%) habitats (Table
In the prairie habitat, 16.2% of the species are grasses and 76.9% are herba-
2).
Only woody
ceous forbs. seven species are characteristically associated with
many
the prairie habitat; but without frequent woodland species invade
fire,
and proliferate. Species richness lowest in wetland but these areas are
is sites,
and most fragmented on Konza
the smallest habitats
Prairie.
When
span
partitioned into categories, 316 species (54.9%) are herba-
life
woody
ceous perennials, 56 species (9.7%) are perennials, 180 species (31.3%)
are annuals, and 24 species (4.2%) are biennials. Within the prairie habitat, 76.1%
of the species are perennials, 20.9% are annuals, and 3.0% are biennials. In com-
parison, 23.3% of the species in disturbed sites are perennials, 69.0% are annu-
and
7.8%
are biennials.
als,
Non-native species (n = 96) account for 16.7% of the total flora. Families
with most
the introduced species are Poaceae Brassicaceae Fabaceae
(21), (13),
and Asteraceae Annuals and biennials comprise 59.4% introduced
of
(9), (8). all
compared 30.8% The
species, to of the native flora (Table highest density of
3).
many
exotics in the headquarters area where species were planted intention-
is
ally or are cosmopolitan weeds. Most introduced species are either restricted to
weak some
disturbed soils or are competitors in native prairie. However, inva-
sive species are capable of displacing native vegetation. Because the aggressive-
ness of four exotic species (Bothriochloa bladhii, Bothriochloa ischaemum,
Carduus nutans, and Lespedeza cuneata) potentially threatens the integrity of
they have been
tallgrass prairie, specifically targeted eradication.
for
The C4 photosynthetic pathway occurs 59.5% and
in for all grass species in
65.1% of the native grasses. Of the 24 annual grasses that occur on Konza Prai-
17 species (70.8%) use the C4 photosynthetic pathway Most dicotyledons
rie,
use the C3 photosynthetic pathway, but 14 species representing genera
five
(Amaranthus, Bassia, Chamaesyce, Portulaca, and Trihulus) have C4 photosyn-
—
—
-—
-'-—
--
;---^
°-
3.Ther
Table
Native Species Introduced Species
% %
form Number Number
Life
(Downton Konza C4
thesis 1975). All of the Prairie forb species that utilize the
pathway
photosynthetic are annuals.
Although Konza have been ongoing more
field collections of Prairie flora for
than 25 years, the compilation of vascular plants continue to be dynamic.
vv'ill
New
immigrants, ephemeral annuals with
that fluctuate precipitation patterns,
and
superficially similar species will undoubtedly be found in subsequent years.
Species also will disappear Some species have not been observed on Konza Prai-
may
rie for more than 10 years and be extirpated. Other species occur in a single
Few
locale or consist of only a few plants. areas of tallgrass prairie have been
surveyed Konza and by
as intensively as Prairie, the diversified habitats created
management
and
research activities provide a flora richness that likely
is
greater than any other area of comparable size in the Great Plains region.
Annotated
Checklist Spt
ol
PTERIDOPHYTA - Cryptogams
Vascular
4,
EQUISETACEAE-
Horsetail family
i
"/"
ANACARDIACEAE Cashew
family
-
/"T
^^^"!Vl""I r^Ti°es^MT
I""'"^ -^Jun
Apr-May
quent on uplands and lowlands
OPHIOGLOSSACEAE
- Adder's tongue family
shrub
common
rattlesnake fern smooth sumac on
/?/iusg/a6raL shal
Ophioglossum engelmannii adders
PrantI Toxicodendron mdicans (L) Kuntze poison ivy
tongue rare woody lowlands Apr-Jun common woodlands May-Jun woody
in
in
PTERIDACEAE - Maidenhair fern family ANNONACEAE - Custard-apple family
[Notholaena dealbata] false cloak fern rare lands and along creeks; Apr-May; tree,
^^^^^^^^^ Parsley family
'
Tu^^MI
I'Ma^Txtuhn
TrJ^oith cTff brake-
ft
//
PINOPHYTA Gymnosperms
DIVISION -
Chaerophyllum Hook,; erect chervil;
tainturieri
woodland edges and
d
in
it
MAGNOLIOPHYTA-
DIVISION
&
iomatium foeniculaceum (Nutt.) Coult. Rose;
Magnoliopsida
Class - Dicots
uplands and slopes; Apr-May; perennial.
ACANTHACEAE- Osmorhiza DC;
Acanthus family longistylis (Torr.) long-style
Link;hedge-parsle
I 1
introduced annual.
il
APOCYNACEAE
- Dogbane
family
Arnoglossum plantagineum
[Cacalia
Raf.;
-Milkweed
family
^
y casional on uplands and lowlands; Jun-Jul;
'
,^
:
I
coreopsis beggar-ticks; infrequent wet
in
Bidensbipinnata Spanish needles; wet
L; rare
in
Bidens cernua L; nodding beggar-ticks; infre-
e/densfrondosoL; beggar-ticks;occasional
devil's
wet
Sep-Oct; annual.
in sites;
common
euporono/We5];false-boneset; on
imliuuulcu
uieniiidi.
com-
spider milkweed;
Valter;
m
unburned Aug-
nion lowlands;
(Michx.) climbing-milk-
? Pers.;
ASTERACEAE
- Sunflower family
Jun-Jul; perennial.
yarrow;common
Achillea millefolium L.;western
Qy^,-^^ w/gore(Savi)
Ten.; bull thistle; rare in dis-
on May-Jun;
prairie sites; perennial,
all
Curbed Jun-Sep; introduced
biennial.
sites;
woodlands; Aug-Oct;
perennial.
Sep;annual.
Ambrosia psilostachya DC; western ragweed;
annual
perennial.
dogweed;
prairie occasional along roads;
Ambrosia giant ragweed; occasional
triflda in
L.;
Jul-Oct; annual.
disturbed and woodland edges;jul-
sites at Echinacea DC; black-sampson
angustlfolia
Oct;annual.
common
echinacea- on slopes and rocky
Amphiachyris dracunculoldes (DC)
Nutt.;
inn'nPrPnni;,!
nrairiP-
Erechtites hierac
common
on
gayfeather; shallc
Nothocalais cuspidata (Pursh) Greene
Ma>
'lianthus maximilianii Schrad.;
•jm Small; [Solidago rigida];
(L.)
Aug-Oct;
perennial.
Weber &
Nutt.) Love; [Senecio
Aug-0
woodland
edges;
right prairie-coneflower;
rare
er;
Aug-Sep;
perennial.
Hieracium longipilum Torr long-t
lands;J
Hymenopoppus
scabiosaeu
s L'Her.
Solidago canadt
goldenrod;(
Solidago gigant
nail prairie sites;Aug-Oct; perennial.