1999 Division of Parks and Recreation, MSC 1615, Raleigh, NC 27699-1615

NOTES FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM

NC BASINWIDE WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND WETI.AND RESTORATION PLANS INCLUDE NHP INFORMATION

The biodiversity in aquatic the rare species and high-quality aquatic, riparian, and wetland habitats ecosystems of the southeastern wetland and riverine natural in each river basin and provides this United States has become a hot topic communities in each of the state's 17 information to the DWQ. This in ·tonservation. The diversity of river basins. This information is information highlights aquatic and animal and plant species living in the included in Basinwide Water Quality wetland natur,al areas as well as streams, rivers, and lakes of the Management Plans prepared by DWQ clusters of important terrestrial sites. Southeast has been the subject of for each river basin and associated To date, Natural Heritage Program recent studies by The Nature wetlands. information has been incorporated Conservancy and the World Wildlife Basinwide management is a into the following basinwide plans: Fund and has been brought to the watershed-based approach to water Broad, Catawba, Chowan, Hiwassee, attention of people worldwide by quality protection. A basinwide plan Lumber, Neuse, Pasquotank, colorful articles in National Geographic is prepared for each river basin in Savannah, Tar-Pamlico, and Yadkin magazine. Yet, while the plentiful order to communicate the state's rivers. As DWQ develops plans for array of species that inhabit freshwater rationale, approaches, and other river basins, the Natural ecosystems in the Southeast is recommended long-term water quality Heritage Program will be sure to celebrated, the survival of many of management strategies for each basin continue to communicate the these species is dependent on to policy makers, the regulated important relationsh j_e between water maintaining or improving water quality community, and the general public. quality and aquatic biodiversity in in this habitat. Given the current The draft plans are circulated for North Carolina's waters. condition of the water quality in some public review and comment, re­ of the rivers and streams in the evaluated, and updated at five-year Southeast, it is no surprise that many intervals. Ann Prince, freshwater aquatic species are The Natural Heritage Program Environmental Biologist imperiled. consults its Biological Conservation For the past two years, the North Database and GIS coverages to Carolina Natural Heritage Program has determine which species, natural Amalie Couvillion, provided information to the NC communities, and significant priority Former Protection Specialist Division of Water Quality (DWQ) on lands are directly associated with

NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES James B. Hunt Jr., Governor Bill Holman, Secretary PROTECTION REALITY f OR WATERFALLS, WETLANDS AND WHITE CEDAR

Jocassee Gori:es Horsepasture River gorge have several rare animals. The spray become state game lands. Most zones of waterfalls and rapids are The recent conclusion of negotiations of the Thompson River gorge has home to the largest number of rare and securing of funds has cleared the been purchased by the U.S. plants, but others occur on drier way for public acquisition of one of Forest Service, which already rocks, in rich coves, and in other the most ecologically valuable natural owns part of the Horsepasture forest communities. Perhaps the landscapes in the southeastern gorge and most of the most famous rare plant is the Appalachians and North Carolina. Whitewater River gorge. New Oconee bells, a small herb with Known for a hundred years to park trails and facilities will bring showy white flowers. Found only in naturalists and botanists as a treasure parts of this spectacular area eastern Asia and North America, garden of rare species, the area has within easier reach of the public. this relative of galax has its entire been called the Gorges, Jocassee In addition to its rugged North American population along Gorges, and the "Embayment." The beauty, the greatest natural the Blue Ridge escarpment in two region, located where the steep significance of this region is its limited areas; the three gorges eastern face of the Blue Ridge turns unusual collection of rare species. being acquired have most of the westward along the South Carolina A total of 50 rare plant species world's native populations. Less border, with its relatively warm and are known to exist within the showy, but equally interesting, are extremely wet climate (over 80 inches three gorges acquired, along with the 20 rare nonvascular plants of rainfall a year), creates a unique (mosses, liverworts, and lichens) in setting within the Blue Ridge. Several the area, the largest collection in small rivers have carved the mountain North Carolina. Eleven of these face into a rugged topography of have global ranks of G1 or G2, the plunging waterfalls, overhanging crags rarest categories. Some are limited and cliffs, and vast forested slopes. to this general area while other Perhaps the most significant species, common in the tropics, accomplishment of the purchase of have this as their only temperate the region is the acquisition of three zone occurrence. Another notable of these rivers and the surrounding tropical connection is the filmy landscapes. Approximately 6700 fern, tiny ferns with fronds only acres in the Toxaway River gorge have one cell thick, which are found on become the new Gorges State Park spray-wetted rock faces along and another 3000 acres in the streams.

concentration of the distinctive deep water cypress swamps, to Horseshoe Lake (Su22s oriented, oval depression land dense beds of water lilies, to Millpond) and Marshy Bay forms known as Carolina bays. unique floating mats of sedges and The tract includes at least six pitcher plants. The floating mats Acquired by the Wildlife Resources medium to large bays as well as are reminiscent of the quaking bogs Commission from a timber sandy uplands with longleaf pine of the glaciated North. corporation, this 9700 acre tract has vegetation. Horseshoe Lake become a game land. A Natural itself occurs in a large Carolina The rest of the bays support fully Heritage Program priority for at least bay, whose outlet was dammed natural peatland communities, 15 years, Horseshoe Lake is located decades ago to create a millpond. primarily tall, nearly impenetrable in the Bladen Lakes region of the The combination of the pond High Pocosin and Pond Pine Coastal Plain, near the Cape Fear with the peatland vegetation of Woodland, but also include some River southeast of Fayetteville. This the bay has evolved into Atlantic White Cedar Forest. The region is famous for having the largest distinctive communities, from longleaf pine communities range

2 from Wet Pine Flatwoods to rare plants and animals live in the threadleaf sundew and Venus extremely dry Xeric Sandhill Scrub varied habitats, including alliga­ flytrap in the Wet Pine Flatwoods, (Sand Barren Variant) with its tors and anhingas around the and white wicky, a white-flowered glaring white sand and distinctive open water, northern white bog relative of mountain laurel, which plants and animals. A number of sedge on the floating mats, occurs in the Pond Pine Woodlands.

Buckrld&e Water Management Trust Fund, pine woodland, Atlantic white cedar

The Upper Tar River Basin is home to two of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, nation's most biologically diverse freshwater subbasins and the North Carolina Department of Environ­ - - Swift Creek and Fishing Creek. The federally ment and Natural Resources. Champion has endangered .Tar spinymussel (Elfiptio steinstansana), agreed to place 200-foot buffers along portions of endemic to North Carolina, occurs in both subbasins. eight streams within their ownership. The buffer The dwarf wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon), includes a SO-foot (or to the top of the natural also federally endangered, occurs in the Fishing Creek levee, if this is greater) preservation zone directly subbasin. Eight other rare mussels, as well as numer­ adjacent to the stream . The remaining portion of ous rare fishes, amphibians, and birds, occur in the the buffer is managed for conservation, allowing Upper Tar. low-intensity selective harvest according to a prescription defined in the memorandum. To conserve this watershed's irreplaceable aquatic Champion's buffers encompass 800 acres on 40 diversity, Champion International Paper Company separate tracts within eight counties and include has entered into a memorandum-of-understanding over 30 miles of streamside buffer. The riparian with The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and buffers will be added to the NC Registry of Natural Wildlife Service, North Carolina Partners in Flight, the Heritage Areas, which now totals 601,933 acres. NEWLY DEDICATED NATURE PRESERVES Dedicated nature preserves in North Carolina in­ South Mountains) and one state natural area (Run creased by approximately 16,000 acres in 1998 to a Hill). The following list summarizes the features of total of 58,000. Of this total, about one-fifth each dedicated area : occurred on lands owned by The Nature Conser­ vancy at Grandfather Mountain and Bluff Mountain, South Mountains State Park, Burke County (11,043 and by the Triangle Land Conservancy at Swift Creek acres) . Large areas of undisturbed forest with wildlife Bluffs. The remainder occur on lands dedicated at and numerous rare and unusual plants, including the three state parks Uockey's Ridge, Raven Rock, and federal endangered small whorled pogonia.

3 Raven Rock State Park, Harnett natural sand dunes on the Atlantic Avery and Watauga counties (975 County (1,590 acres) . Location on Coast with high quality maritime acres) . One of the most important the Fall Line encourages excep­ forest, shrub, grassland communi­ sites for rare plant species in the tional diversity in plant communi­ ties; and wetlands. southern Appalachians, including ties, supporting species typical of the mountain bluet, Heller's blazing mountains, piedmont, and coastal Bluff Mountain (TNC), Ashe star, Blue Ridge goldenrod, and cliff plain. Rare plants 9ccur within County (1755 acres) Exceptionally avens, all of which are federally basic forests and along acidic cliffs diverse area supporting over 60 listed. Also supports federally listed bordering the Cape Fear River. occurrences of rare plants, animals, animal species: Carolina northern and natural communities. The flying squirrel, Virginia big-eared Jockey's Ridge State Park, Dare upper plateau contains two globally bat, and spruce-fir moss spider. County (392 acres). The tallest rare natural communities: an herb­ dominated, seepage-fed fen and a active dune system on the Atlantic Swift Creek Bluffs (TLC), Wake high elevation glade with basic soils Coast. Contains high quality County (23 acres) . Exceptionally characterized by diverse and rare maritime grassland and shrub mature hardwood forests with assemblage of mosses and lichens. communities, supporting rare massive beech trees and rare Rarities include the only known woolly beach heather and maritime floodplain pool communities. population of Bluff Mountain pinweed. Small inclusions of Underlying basic soils support a reindeer lichen and federally listed maritime forest and wetland rich display of spring wildflowers. communities. Heller's blazing star, cliff avens, and mountain bluet.

Run Hill State Natural Area, Dare Amalie Couvillion, County (121 acres). One of larger Grandfather Mountain (TNC), Former Protection Specialist

NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM STAFF

Linda Pearsall - Program Head Richard LeBlond-lnventory Biologist Jame Amoroso-Botanist Harry LeGrand, Jr.-Vertebrate Zoologist John Finnegan-Protection Specialist Shawn Oakley-Inventory Biologist Susan Giles-Admin. Assist. I Ann Prince-Environmental Biologist /Information Specialist Mike Schafale-Ecologist Steve Hall - Invertebrate Zoologist

NC NATURAL HERITAGE TRUST FUNDS CONSERVATION PROJECTS

The Board of Trustees of the Natural Heritage Trust of the rare and fragile natural community, Low awarded $13.7 million in 22 grants for land Elevation Appalachian Bog, are habitat for the most acquisition and natural area inventories to three state endangered plant in NC, bunched arrowhead. In the agencies in 1999. These awards make possible the Coastal Plain, an award was made to fund the acquisition of approximately 29,202 acres of land to acquisition of portions of the Boiling Spring Lakes be put aside for conservation, preservation and Wetlands Complex in Brunswick County. This 4600 recreational purposes and the inventory of rare acre site contains the increasingly threatened pocosin species and natural communities. and longleaf pine natural communities, home to 40 The Plant Conservation Program of the rare species, including Venus flytrap and the federal . Department of Agriculture received two awards endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. totaling $1,617,000 to purchase 4621 acres of The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission received wetlands in the coastal plain and mountains. Bat Fork eleven awards totaling $6.7 million. Six awards allow and Ochlawaha Bogs in Henderson County, examples for acquisition of 12,170 acres in the western counties

4 of Rutherford, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Wilkes, Polk Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National and Haywood, which will be managed for wildlife Military Park), will create a matrix of conservation habitat enhancement and provide hunting and lands covering about 15,000 acres. This connector passive recreation. An award of $200,000 to will provide a large contiguous corridor for recreation purchase the Cranberry Iron Mine lands will provide and forested habitat for wide-ranging animals and protection for bats such as the federal endangered forest interior animals. Grants to the Natural Heritage Virginia big-eared bat, which use the mine as a winter Program fund inventories to gather data about rare hibernating site. Three awards totaling $2 .9 million species and natural communities in the new Gorges will contribute to the purchase of the Van Swamp of State Park, rare and common bats at state parks, the Washington County and two Currituck County sites; range and distribution of the Allegheny woodrat, and protection will enhance the water quality of these · aquatic species. The Division of Coastal Management Coastal Plain areas by protecting nonriverine swamp received an award to complete the purchase of the forest, pond pine pocosin, wetlands and watersheds Buckridge Coastal Reserve in Tyrrell County, an from soil erosion and intense agriculture and forestry important opportunity to preserve some of the practices. These lands provide a safe haven and diminishing Atlantic white cedar population in eastern critical habitat for black bear and other far-ranging North Carolina. and migratory species. Since 1988, the Trust has funded 190 state agency Three divisions of the Department of Environment projects with awards totaling $58.8 million. With and Natural Resources received ten awards totaling these awards, approximately 131,600 acres have $3,000,266. The Division of Parks and Recreation been acquired for state protection, conservation and received awards to acquire land for expansion at preservation projects, and recreational and cultural Hammocks Beach and Crowders Mountain State activities. Parks. The purchase of land in Gaston and Cleveland counties between Crowders Mountain State Park in Susan Reece Giles, NC and two state parks in South Carolina (Kings Staff, NC Natural Heritage Trust RARE SPECIES AND NATURAL AREA INVENTORIES "From Murphy to Manteo" THE MOUNTAINS: Heritage Chatham Game Land, and Stone at about 1400 feet in elevation to Work Enhances Protection of Mountain State Park, the macrosite the Blue Ridge Parkway at 3200 Stone Mountain Escarpment contains a complete elevational feet. The rugged, dry slopes of this Biological surveys of two profile of natural communities on area are underlain by acidic granite privately-owned tracts in the escarpment, from the foothills gneiss. Chestnut Oak Forests and Alleghany County were performed Acidic Cove Forests form a matrix by the NC Natural Heritage across the macrosite, with embed­ Program in 1998 at the request of ded Ridge Pine Heath and scat­ the Conservation Trust for North tered Montane Acidic Cliff commu­ Carolina. The neighboring tracts nities. An excellent Low Elevation are located between the Blue Rocky Summit community occurs Ridge Parkway and Stone Moun­ at Alligator Back in Doughton Park. tain State Park, in the nationally At least nine rare plant species significant Stone Mountain Escarp­ occur in this part of the escarp­ ment Complex Macrosite. The ment. macrosite, in excess of 20,000 The tracts surveyed by the NC acres, is significant as one of the NHP are located below the Blue largest expenses of publicly-owned Ridge Parkway. They include a natural lands in the escarpment 125-acre tract located below the region of North Carolina's north­ Bullhead Mountain overlook and a ern mountains. 450-acre tract below the Stone Formed primarily by Mountain overlook. They support Doughton Park, Thurmond exemplary Chestnut Oak Forest s and Ridge Pine Heath communities and contribute State Park. The upper acreage will be exchanged for to wildland recreational values, as well as to scenic federal lands, to even up irregular boundaries between viewsheds from the parkway and the state park. the state park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The NC Upon obtaining results of the field survey, the Division of Parks and Recreation is also negotiating for Conservation Trust for North Carolina secured an acquisition of the lower portion of the 450-acre tract. option to purchase the 125-acre tract. The option The National Park Service is interested in acquisition of was conveyed to the NC Division of Parks and the upper portions of the tract. Recreation, which will acquire the tract. The lower parts of the tract will be added to Stone Mountain Shawn Oakley, Inventory Biologist

Phase One of graduate advisor. Heather Cheshire, Laura Bunyan, Gorges Inventory Declared A Success and Frank Koch of the NCSU Natural Resources Pro­ The first year of the Jocassee Gorges inventory gram have worked on mapping vegetative cover using project has concluded with both the rare plant color infrared photographs of the gorges, and the tools survey and the natural community mapping being of the photogrammetry lab at the NCSU Center for successfully completed by teams from Western Earth Observation. These maps, once refined and Carolina University and North Carolina State tested for accuracy, will be a valuable tool for the University respectively. Mike Ivy and Dan Pittillo zoological studies starting in the spring of 2000. of WCU searched the Toxaway and Horsepasture The Natural Heritage Trust recently awarded funds River watersheds for rare vascular plants, seeking for a second year of biological inventory. Several new to confirm past element occurrences and docu­ projects will include a geological survey, a fish commu­ ment new ones. They were able to update 30 nity survey and stream habitat assessment, and an records and added 8 new rare plant population amphibian and terrestrial mollusk survey. Other surveys records of their own. During the second year of being conducted by associated groups include a timber the Gorges inventory, they will continue this two­ rattlesnake study by John Sealy of Appalachian State point focus at the areas proposed for park facilities University, who has located gestation sites in the park. development. This information has been extremely significant to the Ross Philips, NCSU Botany Department, park development planning process. surveyed 102 community sites over the field season, collecting data using a "rapid assessment Seth Lambiase, Environmental Biologist technique" developed with Tom Wentworth, his Resource Management Program

THE PIEDMONT: Jordan Lake Inventory identified in the Classification of the Natural The NC Natural Heritage Program surveyed Communities of North Carolina (this should be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lands at Jordan considered as a new community type in the upcoming Lake for locations of high quality natural Fourth Approximation of the above reference). communities and rare species. This 1998 field Another discovery is a previously unreported example work followed the same methodology of the of Upland Depression Swamp Forest on the Corps work done in 1997 at Kerr Reservoir on the lands, a rare community in the state. Other notable North Carolina - Virginia state line. community finds were a surprisingly large number of Thirty-six sites were identified that merit Basic Oak-Hickory Forests (mainly over diabase dikes) protection with at least a third of these being and an unusual example of Low Elevation Seep with newly reported. One site, the Haw River Aquatic several Coastal Plain species present. Habitat, merits National significance, and several Relatively few rare species were found, with the most sites in the New Hope Creek floodplain merit notable being a previously unreported, large population State significance. of big shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa) at the upper Sixteen natural communities were identified end of New Hope Creek. This tree is currently known including several good to excellent examples of a in the state from two natural levee sites along the new community or variant - Mesic Mixed Roanoke River, in the Coastal Plain, plus the new Jordan Hardwood Forest, Floodplain variant - not site. Seven populations of Lewis' heartleaf (Hexastylis

6 lewisii) were found; most were newly discovered. eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nests have been Jordan Lake thus contains significant populations of reported on Corps lands at the lake in 1998. this plant, which is endemic to central North Carolina and southern Virginia. Three active bald Harry E. LeGrand, Jr., Vertebrate Zoologist

THE COASTAL PLAIN: rivers and loblolly New Work on the Waccamaw River pine is not In 1998, Duke Intern Kim Williams and Mike uncommon, no Schafale of the Natural Heritage Program, found other river north of ·':_rr:. both good news and bad news in a study of the Florida is known to Waccamaw River floodplain, which is an update of have live oak as a the inventory and site design previously completed ' component of in 1985. The good news is that the communities Bottom land along the river are as interesting as ever and more Hardwoods. Also, unique than was realized earlier. The bad news is no other river is how many of the areas identified in 1985, for known to have which it was hoped protection could be arranged, Atlantic white cedar have been lost to the widespread clearcutting in the as a major region. component. Some The Waccamaw River has its beginning in Lake combination of Waccamaw, a body with its own outstanding floodplain structure, ecological significance in the largest concentration sandy soils, and of endemic aquatic animals in the Mid-Atlantic possibly calcareous waters presumably is responsible. region . A few of these species spill over into the Lower parts of the floodplain support a more typical upper river. Farther down river, a major focus is Bottomland Hardwoods community of overcup oak and the bar communities. Most rivers have bars, but laurel oak, with some spectacular mature examples. low, silty, intermittently exposed bars with rare Some of the Cypress-Gum Swamp communities are plants seem to be peculiar to the middle reaches of typical of blackwater rivers, while other are distinctive, the Waccamaw River. Among the rare plants is the deeply flooded backwater communities. Of note in these showy Plymouth gentian. Outside of the is abundant water elm, a small southern tree that reaches Waccamaw River bars, the nearest place its pink, its northern range limit on the Waccamaw and lower many-petalled flowers are seen is on Cape Cod. Lumber rivers. Others are the globally rare dwarf burhead and The surveys found that many of the best Bottomland Harper's fimbry. Both are tiny plants, only an inch Hardwoods sites had been clearcut since 1985. It tall, and without showy flowers. They are known identified the best remaining sites, including some good mainly from pond shores, both in New England quality ones in areas that had not been examined and in a few southern locations. previously. A grant to undertake river protection was The forest communities along the river are received by the Coastal Land Trust. It is hoped that a unique in their own right. The higher terraces newly hired protection specialist with that group will be support a Bottomland Hardwoods community able to arrange protection for some of the best remnants dominated by a mix of laurel oak, loblolly pine, along this unique river. Atlantic white cedar, and live oak. While laurel oak is typical of this community on other blackwater Michael P. Schafale, Ecologist

Outer Coastal Plain NHP Survey Highlights geminiscapa), currently known from only two other sites in Streamhead Pocosin habitat very similar to that the state, both in the Sandhills region. The rare Lewis's occurring in the Sandhills region of North Carolina heartleaf (Hexastylis lewisii), endemic to eastern North was found this summer at Cone's Folly along the Carolina and southern Virginia, was also found in this Black River in western Pender County. Among the habitat, and is new to Pender County. Other rare species unusual and rare species found in this habitat at found in Cone's Folly Streamhead Pocosin habitat include Cones Folly is two-flowered bladderwort (Utricularia Carolina asphodel (Tofieldia glabra) and savanna cowbane (Oxypolis ternata). 7 An unusual and apparently old growth hardwood · Carolina coast. forest was found during a survey at Dover Bay Pocosin The third and fourth currently known population in Craven County. The canopy is variously dominated have been found for a very rare and undescribed by swamp red maple (Acer rubrum var. trilobum) or goldenrod (Solidago) species first discovered in 1949, swamp tupelo (Nyssa biflora) with frequent appear­ and known only from coastal southeastern North ances by tulip-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), plus an Carolina. It was originally mis-identified as a species from occasional large pond pine (Pinus serotina). The forest the upper Mississippi River region, and then either floor is littered with rotted logs, and ferns are frequently forgotten or ignored until rediscovered during a Natural abundant The community appears most closely Heritage Inventory of Camp Lejeune in Onslow County related to the Nonriverine Swamp Forest. in 1991 . A second Camp Lejeune population was Saltmarsh dropseed (Sporobolus virginicus), ''.AWOL'.' found in 1995, and late this summer a third population in North Carolina since 1950, was rediscovered in salt was found in Pender County near the tidal portion of marsh habitat at Ocean Isle in Brunswick County by Long Creek. A fourth population was found on Camp Paul Peterson, curator of grasses at The Smithsonian Lejeune in early November. This goldenrod shows a Institution, and Alan Weakley, TNC regional ecologist at strong coastal edge affinity, and responds very favorably Chapel Hill. This diminutive dropseed closely re­ to forest openings created by hurricane blowdowns. sembles the common salt grass (Distichlis spicata), and may very well be hiding elsewhere along the North Richard J. LeBlond, Inventory Biologist

ANIMAL NEWS In 1999, the U.S. Fish and Assembly review. Wildlife Service proposed to Apparently not known in NC remove three species from the waters prior to several sightings in Federal endangered and the summer of 1998, clymene threatened list: Bald eagle dolphins (Stene/la clymene) have (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), ...JJ .. been observed and photographed Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), · · -~"",·,._,. in the Gulf Stream. A sighting of at and Dismal Swamp southeastern ~ least 120 dolphins was made in the shrew (Sorex longirostris fisheri). i__ - ---- area off the NC coast while the The Bald eagle and Dismal Swamp · .._ species has also been found much southeastern shrew had been Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, farther offshore. Federally listed as Threatened while Freshwater Fishes, Mollusks, and A number of new birds have the Peregrine falcon was listed as Crustaceans convened in the been found in North Carolina Endangered. These proposals 1980's, and lists of rare species including the first North American became a reality with all three needing State protection as report (with photograph) of being removed from the Federal Endangered, Threatened, or Swinhoe's storm-petrel listings by Feb 28, 2000. In the Special Concern were adopted by (Oceanodroma monorhis) and the past, the shrew had been the N.C. Wildlife Resources very rare Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria considered to be limited to the Commission in 1987. These bulwerii), both made in August in Great Dismal Swamp region in councils re-convened in 1997 and the Gulf Stream. Photographs southeastern Virginia and adjacent 1998 and have prepared revised taken of the later are the first for North Carolina, but recent surveys lists of species that should be given the Atlantic coast of the United · have discovered many populations State protection. A change in State States. Other reports include an of the taxon in eastern North law now requires all proposed Anna's hummingbird (Calypte Carolina, ranging southward to legislation to be sent to the State anna) at a feeder in Charlotte (a Brunswick County. An increase in General Assembly for final first for the state), a brambling the two bird populations in the approval. This change has slowed (Fringilla montifringil/a) in Brevard, a U.S. was termed a success and so the process of rule-making for all road-killed MacGillivray's warbler they were removed from the listing age ncies, and there is always the (Oporornis tolmiei) in Hyde also. chance that some proposed species County, and a lesse r nighthawk Scientific Cou ncils for Mammals, will not survive the General (Cordeiles acutipennis) found

8 injured (and later died) in Carteret the compilation on a Web Site, and and associated wildfires in Florida County. These last three species people can read and download the might have caused a large-sca le are also first state records, pending material; the address is < http:// movement of southern species confirmation by museum biologists www.ncsparks.net/butterfly/ northward. and the state's records committee. nbnc.html>. New species found The 1999 Natural Heritage Harry LeGrand, NHP, and the and added to the NC list in 1998 Program List of the Rare Animal Division's South District naturalist, were the soldier (Danaus eresimus), Species of North Carolina, revised Tom Howard have completed a 6th photographed at Fort Fisher, and edition, is available for $5.00 and Approximation of Notes on the the dorantes longtail (Urbanus may be obtained from the NHP Butterflies of North Carolina, an dorantes), collected in Alleghany office in Raleigh. account of each of the 162 species County. These two species occur recorded from the state, with text, primarily in .Florida, and thus their county dot maps, and flight period occurrence in NC was quite a Harry E. LeGrand, Jr., histograms. Howard has placed surprise, though the severe drought Vertebrate Zoologist

UP-CLOSE AND BOTANICAL

Latest Natural Heritage Program species was last reported for the List of The Rare Plant Species of county in 1958 and for the state iri North Carolina Available 1970. Bruce Sorrie discovered several new populations of Salvia In the two years since the plant azurea (azure sage) during his list was last revised, several new inventory of the Sandhills Game discoveries have been made, and Land. Azure sage was last reported ranks and statuses have changed. in the game land in 1972. The following are some of the During the Cabarrus County more significant changes which inventory, Lilium canadense var have been made to the 1999 plant canadense (Yellow Canada lily) was list which is available for $5.00. . found by John Soule and Lisa

The range of several plants was •• {J,, 1 r\_ Gaffney. This is only the second expanded to North Carolina. In 1 .. ' · • · ~ location reported for the state, the June 1997, Gaylussacia tomentosa ~ < first being from Watauga County in (hairy huckleberry) was discovered 't_') 1963. And both the Cabarrus by Alan Weakley and Richard County inventory and the LeBlond, and Helianthemum nashii described in the literature (Rhodora Randolph County inventory turned (Nash's sunrose) by LeBlond during 100:261-275) by Dr. Daniel up new county records for the red a survey of Military Ocean Terminal Brunton and D.M. Britton. /soetes Canada lily (Li/ium canadense var Sunny Point (MOTSU) Buffer Zone microvela (a quillwort) occurs along editorum). in New Hanover County. Nash's the White Oak River and tributar­ Species listed as proposed for sunrose is endemic to peninsular ies of the Lockwood Folly River, but state endangered, threatened, or FL, now disjunct in southeastern is not known outside North Caro­ special concern in the 1995 list North Carolina. After the newly lina. This new species will be listed have gone through the new listing found population in North Caro­ as a State Candidate species. rules. Now Adiantum capillus­ lina, hairy huckleberry is next Several rediscoveries of plants veneris (venus hair fern), Carex found in southern coastal South listed as "state historical" were lutea (golden sedge), Carex Carolina south to central peninsu­ made. State historical is the rank oligosperma (few-seeded sedge), lar Florida, west to southern used ~hen the last reported date in Dichanthelium sp1 aka Panicu,m Georgia and southwest Alabama. the database is over 20 years old. hirstii (Hirst's panic grass), Both species will be listed as Candi­ Harry LeGrand found a new Gymnocarpium appalachianum dates. population of Arabis glabra (tower (Appalachian oak fern), Helenium A new species of /soetes was mustard) in Avery County. This brevifolium (little-leaf sneezeweed),

9 Helenium vernale (spring sneeze­ listed as threatened. Plant Conservation Program Board, weed), Juncus caesariensis (rough Twenty-six plant species are but are awaiting approval by the rush), Rhynchospora thornei federally listed in NC, along with 91 Rule Review Commission and the (Thorne's beaksedge), Solidago state Endangered and 45 state legislative Oversight Committee are plumosa (Yadkin River goldenrod), Threatened species of which ten Agrostis mertensii (Arctic bentgrass), and Sphagnum fuscum (brown are also listed as Special Concern. Carex radfordii (Radford's sedge), peatmoss) are listed as endangered; No changes have been made to the Cheilolejeunea evansii (a liverwort), and Aster georgianus (Georgia federal ranks of the plant species in Hymenophyllum tayloriae (Gorge aster), Astragalus michauxii 1999, but the US Fish and Wildlife filmy fern), Lobelia boykinii (sandhills milkvetch), Baptisia minor Service is considering the de-listing (Boykin's lobelia), Sphenolobopsis (prairie blue indigo), Lilium iridollae of Hexastylis naniflora (dwarf­ pearsonii (a liverwort), and Talinum (sandhills bog lily), Macbride~ flowered heartleaf), now listed as mengesii (large-flowered fame caroliniana (Carolina bogmint), Threatened. flower). Parnassia grandifolia (large-leaved Species proposed for state grass-of-parnassus), and Spiranthes Endangered or Threatened status Jame Amoroso, Botanist longilabris (giant spiral orchid) are which have been passed by the

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CHERYL MCLEAN LIBRARY DOCUMENTS SECTION DEPT OF CULT. RESOURCES STATE LIBRARY BLDG MSC 4601 RALEIGH NC 27699-4601