Flora of the National Reactor Testing Station
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Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series Volume 11 Number 4 Article 1 10-1970 Flora of the National Reactor Testing Station N. Duane Atwood Department of Botany, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib Part of the Anatomy Commons, Botany Commons, Physiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Atwood, N. Duane (1970) "Flora of the National Reactor Testing Station," Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series: Vol. 11 : No. 4 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib/vol11/iss4/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. - V-0--/03 CU^-^rt ^Crt{ -OU Brigham Young University Science Bulletin FLORA OF THE NATIONAL REACTOR TESTING STATION by N. Duane Atwood BIOLOGICAL SERIES—VOLUME XI, NUMBER 4 OCTOBER 1970 BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN BIOLOGICAL SERIES Editor: Stanley L. Welsh, Department of Botany, Brigham Young University, Prove, Utah Members of the Editorial Board: 3 Vernon J. Tipton, Zoology Ferron L. Anderson, Zoology Joseph R. Murdock, Botany Wilmer W. Tanner, Zoology Ex officio Members: A. Lester Allen, Dean, College of Biological and Agricultural Sciences Ernest L. Olson, Chairman, University Publications The Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series, publishes acceptable papers, particularly large manuscripts, on all phases of biology. Separate numbers and back volumes can be purchased from Publication Sales, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. All remittances should be made payable to Brigham Young University. Orders and materials for library exchange should be directed to the Division of Gifts and Exchange, Brigham Young University Library, Provo, Utah 84601. Brigham Young University Science Bulletin FLORA OF THE NATIONAL REACTOR TESTING STATION by N. Duane Atwood BIOLOGICAL SERIES—VOLUME XI, NUMBER 4 OCTOBER 1970 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author is indebted to Dr. S. L. Welsh of D. M. Allred for permission to reproduce photographs Brigham Young University for his counsel and guid- from Allred (1968). The author is also indebted to ance in this work and for the identification of various the NRTS, to Dr. Holte of Idaho State College, and plants, especially the genus Astragalus. Grateful to Dr. Neil West of Utah State Univerity Range acknowledgement is also given to Dr. B. F. Harrison Department for the use of their herbaria, of Brigham Young University for his help on the The author wishes to express his gratitude to his family Graminae, to the U. S. Atomic Energy Com- wife, who helped to support the family while the mission for its support in the field work, and to Dr. writer has been in school. LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Typical sagebrush-grass community comprised mainly of Artemisia tridentata, Stipa comata, and Ory- zopsis hymenoides 2 2. Sinks area looking east 2 3. Principal roads used to make plant collections. Modified from AUred (1968) 3 4. Big Lost River during spring run off 4 5. Location of National Reactor Testing Station in relationship to some cities in southeastern Idaho. Modified from Allred (1968) 5 6. Lemhi Mountains in northwestern portion of National Reactor Testing Station 6 7. Middle and East Butte with wild rye patch in foreground 6 8. Major plant communities as designated by McBride. Modified from McBride (1968) 7 9. Oryzopsis hymenoides-Stipa comata grass community in Tractor Flat on northeast portion of site ... 8 10. Stand of juniper along Idaho highway 22, five miles north of junction with Idaho highway 88 9 1 1 Artemisia-Atriplex community three miles north of Pole Line Road. Lemlii Mountains in background. 9 12. Mixed community of Chrysothamnus, grass, Tetradymia, and Opuntia. 10 13. Sand dunes with Russian thistle in foreground. Located just northwest of junction with Idaho high- way 88-Lincoln Blvd 10 FLORA OF THE NATIONAL REACTOR TESTING STATION by N. Duane Atwood^ INTRODUCTION Statement of Problem made in this area. This region deserves study because the station contains several unique areas such as the This study of the tlora of the National Reactor well known Sinks and the Big and Little Lost Rivers Testing Station (NRTS) was undertaken because no which disappear in the Sinks region. intensive investigation on plant taxonomy has been PROCEDURE Plant collections were begun in the spring of 1967 Birch Creek just north of the site are included. and continued through September of that year. The Since the Big Lost River is relatively inaccessible author spent all of the collecting season of 1967 on along much of its course a trip was made by raft from the test site. Additional collecting trips were made the western edge of the test site to a point where the during the growing season of 1968. river crosses U. S. Highway 20-26. An attempt was made to collect representatives of All pertinent specimens in the herbaria of Idaho all vascular plants within the boundaries of the State College (IDS), Utah State University (UTC), NRTS. Additional collections were made in areas and the NRTS were examined. All specimens cited in adjacent to the test site. Some collections not this work are those of the author, unless otherwise in- actually made on the site are included in this treat- dicated, and are deposited in the herbarium of Brig- ment. Only those plants which grew on habitats sim- ham Young University. ilar to those found on the NRTS are included, with Measurements were made from herbarium spec- two exceptions; ( 1) all plants collected on Big South- imens using a standard centimeter scale graduated in ern Butte and (2) those plants along that portion of millimeters. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE The first account of botanical collecting in the (They kept along this valley on the 3rd general region of the NRTS was that of Wyeth and his and 4th and on the 5th.) party in 1833 (McKelvey, 1955). On June 2nd his the three Butes come in sight one journal records: Saw by one and then the Trois Tetons . through an open plain nearly level the Butes S.E. by S.20 mils distant finished the streams of Salmon river about so far this river rapid and little and struck on called Little Godin it and not beaver grass worse and worse terminates near the three butes in a (sic). little lake here goes S.E. through the valley River, Wyeth valley . the mts. appear terminating While descending the of Lost on both sides (sic). and his party turned northeastward and traveled 'bYU-AEC publication No. COO-1 559-5 under sponsorship of the Atomic Energy Commission. 2 Department of Botany, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN (>' .., ^Ili§i0W^^'^' ^''^i0^^m^^^ t'^k^.^rw^ - —r ^ ^M comata. and Oryzopsis hyinenoides Fig. 1. Typical sagebrush-grass community comprized of Artemisia tridentata, Stipa lig. 2. Sinks area luukiiig east. BIOLOGICAL SERIES, VOL. 1 1 NO. 4 FLORA OF THE NATIONAL REACTOR TESTING STATION ~ \R31E R32E I LEGEND Paved Roods oS»ateHwy. vUSHwy Unsurfoced Roads * NRTS Instalations NRTS Boundry Spring or well • Towns ^/ r-- T 4 N tra \°^> \3\<i BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN Fig. 4. Big Lost River during spring run off. across the northeastern end of the Snake River Plain Geographical description of the (presently the northeastern portion of the NRTS), National Reactor Testing Station and camped on the Camas River (June 20-23). From The National Reactor Testing Station is situated this camp Wyeth penned a number of letters, one to along the western edge of the upper Snake River Plain his friend Nuttall in Cambridge, mentioning a package in southeastern Idaho. Most of the test site lies in of plants being shipped which, however, never the eastern portion reached its destination. of Butte County, at the base of the Lost River, Lehmi, and Beaverhead Mountains; the It is interesting that this is the earhest account of remainder of the site occupies portions of Bingham, botanical collecting in the intermountain region. Jefferson, Clark, and Bonneville Counties. The 894 The next collections were those of Nuttall and square miles which comprise the station is more or Townsend in their travels to the Columbia River with less rolling to broken land, typical of this portion Wyeth's second transcontinental expedition. of the Columbia Plateaus Province. The plain is broken They were in the area of the Lost River and Camas by three large buttes, all volcanic in nature. Middle prairie from August 7th to August 12, 1834. and East Buttes, which are located in the south- To my knowledge. Palmer was the next botanist to eastern portion of the test site, rise from the plain at collect plants in the vicinity of the site and was there an elevation of 5,200 feet, to elevations of 6,394 feet around 1893 (Davis, 1968 personal communication and 6,605 feet respectively. Big Butte is located and Reveal, 1969 personal communication). just south of the NRTS and towers to an elevation of Since 1900 the most important collections have 7,576 feet. been made by R. J. Davis who collected in this area Little Lost River and Birch and Camas Creeks periodically from the late 20's untill about 1952. The enter the station from the north and drain into Atomic Energy Commission supported workers who the sinks in the northwestern portion of the site. made a substantial contribution in 19.50 when they collected a series of plants (about 180) during the Geology spring of that year.