The Pioneer Period in the Study of Indiana Vascular Flora
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Butler University Botanical Studies Volume 10 Article 18 The Pioneer Period in the Study of Indiana Vascular Flora Ray C. Friesner Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/botanical The Butler University Botanical Studies journal was published by the Botany Department of Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1929 to 1964. The scientific journal eaturf ed original papers primarily on plant ecology, taxonomy, and microbiology. Recommended Citation Friesner, Ray C. (1952) "The Pioneer Period in the Study of Indiana Vascular Flora," Butler University Botanical Studies: Vol. 10 , Article 18. Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/botanical/vol10/iss1/18 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Butler University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Butler University Botanical Studies by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Butler University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Butler University Botanical Studies (1929-1964) Edited by Ray C. Friesner The Butler University Botanical Studies journal was published by the Botany Department of Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1929 to 1964. The scientific journal featured original papers primarily on plant ecology, taxonomy, and microbiology. The papers contain valuable historical studies, especially floristic surveys that document Indiana’s vegetation in past decades. Authors were Butler faculty, current and former master’s degree students and undergraduates, and other Indiana botanists. The journal was started by Stanley Cain, noted conservation biologist, and edited through most of its years of production by Ray C. Friesner, Butler’s first botanist and founder of the department in 1919. The journal was distributed to learned societies and libraries through exchange. During the years of the journal’s publication, the Butler University Botany Department had an active program of research and student training. 201 bachelor’s degrees and 75 master’s degrees in Botany were conferred during this period. Thirty-five of these graduates went on to earn doctorates at other institutions. The Botany Department attracted many notable faculty members and students. Distinguished faculty, in addition to Cain and Friesner , included John E. Potzger, a forest ecologist and palynologist, Willard Nelson Clute, co-founder of the American Fern Society, Marion T. Hall, former director of the Morton Arboretum, C. Mervin Palmer, Rex Webster, and John Pelton. Some of the former undergraduate and master’s students who made active contributions to the fields of botany and ecology include Dwight. W. Billings, Fay Kenoyer Daily, William A. Daily, Rexford Daudenmire, Francis Hueber, Frank McCormick, Scott McCoy, Robert Petty, Potzger, Helene Starcs, and Theodore Sperry. Cain, Daubenmire, Potzger, and Billings served as Presidents of the Ecological Society of America. Requests for use of materials, especially figures and tables for use in ecology text books, from the Butler University Botanical Studies continue to be granted. For more information, visit www.butler.edu/herbarium. A few 0 picture 0: THE PIONEER PERIOD IN THE STUDY OF IN the river DIANA VASCULAR FLORA us as we being in ; By RAY C. FRIESNER came to ] The earliest scienti fic work on Indiana vascular flora was done easy slop( by non-resident travelling naturalists. Andre Michaux, born in Satory "On 1 near Versailles, France, March 7, 1746, spent ten years in North fertile, an America, 1786-1796, during which time he travelled from Hudson's beech of Bay to Florida and from tbe Atlantic to the Mississippi River, and sIze; .. collected many species of plants. This collection contained about 20 horse che species taken from Indiana on a trip across the state from LouisviHe to we saw, v Vincennes in August 1795 (12; 24). Four days were required for the grape Vlll trip of 125 miles. In commenting on this trip he writes, "Of all direction. the journeys I have made in North America in the past ten years, this is one of the most diHicult owing to the quantity of trees overturned "Che by storms. to the thick brushwood through which one is obliged to on the pe pass: to the number of Flies by which one is devoured, etc." This the soil is total collection formed the basis for the first general flora of North timber be' America. The publication appeared in 1803 following his death in and spice- Nladegascar in 1802. Sugar oa~ His son. Francois Andre Michaux, travelled some 2000 miles on "open a trip through the Ohio valley in 1802. Observations on plants and such are, agriculture were recorded briefly in his "Travels," but his major Apparent] work, completed after further travels (2), was his "North American treeless al prairie: ,. Sylva." wastes ar David Thomas. a ci viI engineer by profession. (born June 5, 1776. an Impelll 111 Montgomery County, Pennsylvania). journeyed along the Ohio ing under River from eastern Indiana and ultimately reached Vincennes in 1816. of moistu In the account of his travels he records 95 species of plants taken from admit am Indiana (23). The following quotation makes an interesting' reference the scient: to the situation regarding floods during that early period. "He (his host) pointed to a mark on the wall, about four feet above the first Const. floor, and observed that the river had been there; and that they had the EL1ro taken refuge in the neighboring hills. It is said that the difference earliest re between high- and low-water mark sometimes equals 60 feet perpen per'od fn dicular, and our observations tend to give credence to this statement." central :\ 144 A few other quotations will give the present-day botanist a vivid picture of the character of the vegetation. "The rank vegetation of IN THE STUDY OF IN the river flats crowded so close as sometimes to brush both sides of RA us as we rode along and indeed everything conspired to remind us FRIESKER being in a new country. After a traverse of three or four miles·we came to Rising Sun. This village of 40 or 50 house~ is built on an Indiana vascular flora was done easy slope that fronts the Ohio. s. Andre MichalL'C, born in Satory li46, spent ten years in North "On leaving, we ascended the hills, the soil of which is very time he travelled from Hudson's fertile, and the vegetation uncommonly fine. 'Ne gazed at the majestic tic to the Mississippi River, and beech of this country, three feet ill diameter, with branches of great his collection contained about 20 size; . we had seen the honey locust, the black walnut and the horse chestnut (sweet buckeye) of equal magnitude; . and here across the state from Louisville to we saw, with surprise, the black locust almost a rival in stature, with Four days were required for the grape vines, like cables hanging from the tops of the trees in every on this trip he writes, "Of all direction. America in the past ten years, this the quantity of trees overturned "Chestnut grows near the base (of the knobs) and chestnut oak through which one is obliged to on the peaks; but as we leave these, and advance westward where hich one is devoured, etc." This the soil is less exposed to the wasting action of winds and rains, the r the first general flora of North timber hecomes nearly as thrifty as on the plains below; and pawpaw in 1803 following his death in and spice-wood, as usual constitute the principal underbrush." Sugar maple and beech are mentioned often and he writes of the x, travelled some 2000 miles on "open oak woods" passing "into an extensive plain or prairie. Here 802. Observations on plants and such are called barrens, but improperly, for the soil is very fertile." "n his "Travels," but his major Apparently the term "barren" was applied in these early days to any s (2), was his "North American treeless area surrounded by forest. He speculates on the cause of the prairie: "To me it is evident that the immediate causes of these wastes are fire and inundation; but the predisponent cause is eitber y profession. (born June 5, 1776. an impenetrable hardpan, or a level rock ... the same rock extend nia). journeyed along the Ohio ing under drier parts confines the roots and intercepts the supply ately reached Vincennes in 1816. of moisture that subsoils generally contribute. The trees thus stunted . 95 species of plants taken from admit amongst them a luxurient herbage." The cork elm was gi,'en on makes an interesting reference the scientific name Ulmus IholllGsi in his honor by Sargent (19). ing that carly period. "He (his , about four feet above the first Constantine Samuel Refinesque, born October 22, 1i93, at Galata, d been there: and that they had the Enropean residential district of Constantinople (1) was the s. It is said that the difference earliest resident botanist west of the Alleghanies. During the 25-yeClr metimes equals 60 feet perpen per'od fr0111 1815 to 1840, he tra\'clled on foot through l11llch of the gi\'e credence to this statement." central :\ Iississippi valley and the states eastward to the Atlantic 145 seaboard. collecting, studying, and writing about the plants, animals, lately ha~ and other natural history materials of the area. He spent some of this to considl time at the New Harmony settlement and mentions meeting Dr. TliIiller Merri (Dr. Christoph Miller or Mueller). who gave him "some fine plants" the conch and with whom he "went ... to herborl:>:e in the meadows," (14). tility of ; No doubt he made numerous trips into the Ohio valley portions careless, of Indiana during his professorship at Transylvania University. Of activity, r a total of 1235 Rafinesquian names (11) proposed for 634 taxonomic tiol1s of h entities occurring in Indiana, he specifically cites 21 as being based on lack of in specimens from Indiana, but includes Indiana within the range of evaluate many others.