New York Flora Association - New York State Museum Institute Gerry Moore, Catherine Rushworth, and Steve Young, Editors Correspondence to NYFA, 3140 CEC, Albany, NY 12230 Vol. 18 No. 2 Summer 2007 e-mail: [email protected] Dues $20/Year website: ww.nyflora.org to a successional forest. The soils are mesic and Carex flacca (Heath Sedge) a Non- associated species include Penstemon digitalis, Lonicera morrowii, Galium mollugo, Rosa Native (? Invasive) Addition to the multiflora, Cornus racemosa, and Equisetum Flora of Tompkins County and South arvense. It is colonial and forms a very dense Central New York. monospecific patch. In other parts of North America it is known from abandoned quarries, By David Werier ditches, marshes, and wet forest edges (Standley 2002). In Europe it is known from various habitats Last winter (2005-2006) while walking along a but usually prefers calcareous soils (Chater 1980). gas pipeline right-of-way I became aware of a large Although Carex flacca is only known from a clonal patch of a sedge. I was unable to identify the few locales in North America, it is believed to be species as it was not familiar to me and was in a increasing (Standley 2002). The population in vegetative state. I was particularly intrigued Tompkins County appears to be well established, because it grew in a dense patch about 25 square robust, and dominant to the exclusion of other meters in size, to the exclusion of all other plants. plants. From just seeing this one population I am This spring (May 2006) I returned to the site and obliged to believe that this species could become collected a voucher specimen (DW 2987, to be invasive. Unfortunately, C. flacca is being sold for deposited at BH). The species turns out to be the cultivation at least in parts of the United States and non-native Carex flacca (heath sedge). The site is in this may assist it in becoming an invasive species. the town of Dryden in Tompkins County. Mechanical eradication of even the one known Carex flacca is native to most of Europe (Chater population in Tompkins County would require 1980) and is naturalized in New Zealand and in extensive effort as the plant has long rhizomes North America in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, which probably need to be removed in order to Michigan, and New York (Standley 2002). The eliminate the population. Michigan records are from collections made in Carex flacca superficially resembles species in 1896 and 1903 and it is currently considered a waif Carex section Phacocystis but differs from these in (i.e. a non-persistent escape) in that state (Hermann having three stigmas and trigonous achenes. In New 1951, Voss 1972). In New York it appears that it York, the following set of characters distinguish it has only recently been found with specimens from all other Carex species: 1-3 staminate spikes; reported from as early as 1987 from Dutchess, 1-3 pistillate (or androgynous) spikes; perigynia Lewis, and Madison Counties (Tucker 1995, Weldy with dense, large, and long papillae and sometimes and Werier 2005). Till the present it has not been a few minute stiff hairs; achenes trigonous; 3 recorded (Clausen 1949) or vouchered from south stigmas; rhizomes elongate; proximal bracts central New York or Tompkins County (specimens sheathless to short-sheathing; and dense, large searched at Bailey Hortorium). papillae on the abaxial (back) side of the leaves. The Tompkins County population occurs in an Efforts should be made to learn how to identify open gas pipeline clearing in full sun but is adjacent C. flacca and collections should be made for all populations encountered. More observations and research should be done on this species to help Carex workshop in Warrensburg better determine if it is likely to become invasive. Perhaps eradication efforts should be undertaken a Success before it becomes more of a problem. Still, even as we despair the loss of biodiversity caused by the The New York Flora Association sponsored a two- increase of non-native species, let us keep in mind day workshop at Pack Forest near Warrensburg July that the problem is more complex. Also, let us 23 and 24th. Tony Reznicek, Carex expert from the never forget the beauty, wonder, and miracle of all University of Michigan and author of the Carex species, including the non-native invasive ones. treatment in the Flora of North America, instructed 15 participants in the finer points of identifying Literature cited Carex species as well as other graminoids in the area. Field characters that can be seen without a Chater, A.O. 1980. Carex. In: T. G. Tutin et al., eds. hand lens are Tony’s specialty and everyone had a 1964-1980. Flora Europaea. 5 vols. great time learning these. Workshops planned for Cambridge. Vol. 5, pp. 290-323 next year include one on violets, another graminoid Clausen, R. T. 1949. Checklist of the Vascular workshop and one on asters and goldenrods. Plants of the Cayuga Quadrangle 42 degrees- Remember, there will be another field trip this 43 degrees N, 76 degrees-77 degrees W. September in Ontario County at a site containing Cornell University Agricultural Experiment many of the fern species of New York. Station, Ithaca, NY, USA. Hermann, F. J. 1951.Additions to the Genus Carex NYFA Carex Workshop July 2007 Plant List in Michigan. American Midland Naturalist 46:482-492. Pack Forest Standley, L.A. 2002. Carex Linnaeus sect. First Marsh (near wood processor building) Thuringiaca G. Don in J. Loudon. Pages 419- 420 in Flora of North America Editorial Agrostis hyemalis Committee (Editors), Flora of North America, Brachyelytrum erectum (aristosum) north of Mexico, Volume 23, Magnoliophyta: Carex bebbii Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford Carex comosa University Press, New York, NY, USA. Carex crawfordii Voss, E. G. 1972. Michigan Flora. Part I. Carex cryptolepis Gymnosperms and Monocots. Cranbrook Carex echinata Institute of Science Bulletin 59 and University Carex flava of Michigan Herbarium, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Carex gracillima Tucker, G.C. 1995. Preliminary keys to Carex Carex intumescens (Cyperaceae) in New York State. New York Carex lupulina Flora Association Newsletter 6(2): 3-18. Carex lurida Weldy, T. and D. Werier. 2005. New York Flora Carex normalis Atlas. [S.M. Landry, K.N. Campbell, and L.D. Carex projecta Mabe (original application development), Carex pseudocyperus Florida Center for Community Design and Carex scoparia Research. University of South Florida]. New Carex stipata York Flora Association, Albany, NY, USA. Carex vulpinoidea Accessed Dec. 4, 2006. Available on the web Danthonia spicata at (http://atlas.nyflora.org/). Dulichium arundinaceum Eleocharis intermedia David Werier’s article reprinted with permission Juncus dudleyi from Solidago: The Newsletter of the Finger Lakes Juncus effusus Native Plant Society 7(4): 4-5. 2006. Scirpus atrocinctus Scirpus atrovirens Scirpus cyperinus 2 Second Marsh (beaver meadow) Juncus marginatus Juncus pelocarpus Carex baileyi Panicum rigidulum Carex cristatella Rhynchospora capitellata Carex deweyana Scirpus hattorianus Carex gynandra Scleria triglomerata Carex leptalea Spartina pectinata Carex pedunculata Trichophorum clintonii Carex projecta Xyris torta Carex scabra Carex scoparia River Road Rock Pools Third Marsh (beaver lake) Calamagrostis pickeringii Carex buxbaumii Carex stricta Carex cryptolepis Carex lasiocarpa Carex flava Carex utriculata Carex viridula Carex vesicaria Dichanthelium clandestinum Eleocharis obtusa Eriophorum virginicum Juncus articulatus Roadside Stop Juncus nodosus Carex annectens Snake Rock Carex brevior Cyperus lupulinus ssp. macilentus Carex buxbaumii Carex ?tetanica Fourth Marsh (Frantz's Vly) Eleocharis palustris Carex nigra - not seen in New York since 1915! Carex hystricina Scirpus microcarpus South of the Glen Riverside Ice Meadows Warrensburg Park Bromus kalmii Carex brevior Carex conoidea Carex cryptolepis Carex flava Carex lenticularis Carex pellita Carex torta Carex viridula Cladium mariscoides Workshop participants along the Hudson River Ice Meadows Cyperus dentatus Deschampsia cespitosa Eleocharis acicularis Eriocaulon aquaticum Juncus articulatus 3 Upcoming Field Trips of NYFA and Wolf Gully, Ontario Co. the Torrey Botanical Society Saturday, September 8 at 1 pm. Miller Field Beach, Staten Island, Richmond Dr. Bruce Gilman will lead a walk to this site in Co. Sunday, September 2 southwest Ontario County. It was identified in the Nature Conservancy's planning sessions for the Observe coastal flora along the south shore of Western Finger Lakes Landscape Conservation Staten Island. Meet at 10:00 AM; the trip will last Area. It is a forested landscape situated around an approximately 3 hours. Directions from SI ferry Ice Age glacial meltwater channel and abandoned terminal: proceed south on Bay Street (about 2.5 plunge pool. Wolf Gully has exceptional biological mi) until the traffic light just before the Ft. diversity, most notably in ferns, where 31 species Wadsworth entrance; take a right and proceed south have been described over the years, one of the along Father Capodanno Blvd. until intersection highest fern diversity sites in the state. Meet to with Lincoln Ave. (just north of Miller Field) where carpool to the site at the Finger Lakes Community we will meet in huge parking lot on the left at College. The Finger Lakes Community College can "Midland Beach." The Midland Ave bus (no. 51), be reached from the NYS Thruway, Canandaigua which departs from St. George Ferry/Bus terminal, Exit (#44). Travel south on Route 332, which has a stop one block up from Lincoln Ave on becomes Main Street once you enter the city limits. Midland Ave. Directions by car: If driving on SI At the end of Main Street there is an intersection Expressway, take "Lily Pond Ave" exit, the final with Routes 5 & 20; turn left, travel east on 5 & 20. exit on SI as one proceeds toward the Verrazano Go about 2 miles, 6 traffic lights, and you'll arrive Bridge.