Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science Volume 36 Article 17 1982 Endemic Flora and Fauna of Arkansas Henry W. Robison Southern Arkansas University Kenneth L. Smith Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas Part of the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons Recommended Citation Robison, Henry W. and Smith, Kenneth L. (1982) "Endemic Flora and Fauna of Arkansas," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 36 , Article 17. Available at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol36/iss1/17 This article is available for use under the Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). Users are able to read, download, copy, print, distribute, search, link to the full texts of these articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 36 [1982], Art. 17 THE ENDEMIC FLORA AND FAUNA OF ARKANSAS HENRY W. ROBISON Department of Biological Sciences Southern Arkansas University Magnolia, Arkansas 71753 KENNETH L.SMITH Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission Suite 500, Continental Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 ABSTRACT Arkansas has an amazing diversity of plants and animals contained within its political boundaries. Forty-seven taxa are reported as Arkansas endemics, including seven plants, thirteen crustaceans (two amphipods, three isopods, eight crayfishes), nine insects (one mayfly, one caddisfly, three stoneflies, four beetles), ten snails, six fishes, and two salamanders. INTRODUCTION ANNOTATED LIST OF ARKANSAS' ENDEMIC FLORA ANDFAUNA Arkansas has been richly blessed withan amazing diversity ofplant and animal life. Primarily responsible for this rich diversity are the varied The following annotated listis provided with the names ofthe endemic physiography and topography within the state, a sufficiently long forms, type localities, date oforiginal collection, collector, and museum geological history of favorable climates and habitats, and the fact that number ofholotype, when known, as well as distribution and habitat. Arkansas was not affected greatly by Pleistocene glaciation. To save space the original literature reference for each taxon is given Contained within the diversity of Arkansas' —biological forms is an and combined with the name ofthe describer. The complete citation element identifiable as the "endemic" portion those life forms con- is provided in the "Literature Cited" section of the paper. fined to a particular geographic region or area. For example, the Interior Highlands region has long been recognized as an area of endemism for both plants and animals. Possibly 100-150 species may I. PLANTS be endemic to this region of the Central United States. For practical purposes, the politicalboundaries of Arkansas have been delineated Class Angiospermae - Flowering Plants as the "endemic area" to be considered. A first effort at providing a Order Campanulales list of state endemic forms was given by the Arkansas Department of Family Asteraceae - Sunflower Family Planning (1974) listingnine endemic species (four plants, four fishes, and one salamander). In this paper we list 47 taxa as endemic to 1. Helenium campestre Small (1903). Asneezeweed. The type Arkansas, including seven plants, 13 crustaceans (two amphipods, three locality is in low ground near Little Rock, Pulaski County. isopods, eight crayfishes), nine insects (one mayfly, one caddisfly, three Ithas been found in prairies and roadsides in several central stoneflies, four beetles), 10 snails, six fishes, and two salamanders. Such and eastern counties (Smith, 1978). endemic forms play a vitalrole in our state's natural heritage as they represent those biologicalentities whose entire populations have been fortuitously delineated withinour state's politicalboundaries. This paper Order Fagales is presented to: 1)serve as a first compilation ofall of those fauna and Family Fagaceae - Beech Family flora deemed endemic to Arkansas, 2) provide literature references to the original descriptions ofsuch biota, 3) indicate geographic distribu- 2. Quercus shumurclii Buckl. var. acerifolia Palmer (1927). tions of each form within the state, and 4) report general habitat Maple-leaved Oak. Known only from the type locality along occupied. rocky bluffs where it grows as an arborescent shrub on the It is hoped that exposure ofthese life forms as state endemics may north side of Magazine Mountain, Logan County (Palmer, have a positive effect in stimulating future research on them as we 1942). presently know little about these state treasures, and concomitantly, tomake persons aware ofthe special importance these organisms have Order Graminales - as part of our state's natural heritage. Family Cyperaceae Sedge Family This list of endemic species is certain to change in years to come as several species are known from areas near state boundaries. Further, 3. Carex bicknellii var. opaca F. J. Hermann (1972). The type as intensive collecting continues this list willgradually increase. Final- locality is Prairie County; river terraces (never plowed), rice ly,various undescribed species inhabitingArkansas may eventually prove region. The type specimen was collected on 10 May 1969 by to be endemic to the state. Delzie Demaree (60141) and deposited in the United States Because oftheir special intrinsic value to Arkansas, protection of National Museum. Itis found in unplowed river terraces and all forms endemic to the state should be urged at the earliest opportunity. low wet areas in Prairie and Lonoke counties. 52 Arkansas Academy of Science Proceedings, Vol. XXXVI,1982 Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1982 52 Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 36 [1982], Art. 17 Henry W. Robison and Kenneth L. Smith Order Ranales - Mountain Station, Polk County. The type specimens were Family Ranunculaceae Crowfoot Family collected by L. Hubricht on 26 April 1936. To date S. montanus is known only from springs on Rich Mountain. 4. Delphinium newtonianum D. M. Moore (1939). Moore's Delphinium. Moore's delphinium was originally discovered Order Isopoda - Isopods 2 mi. S. Jasper, Newton County on 4 July 1935 by D. M. Family Asellidae Moore (350074). The type specimen is deposited in the Missouri Botanical Garden. This species is restricted to the 3. Lirceus bicuspldalus Hubrichl and Mackin (1949). The type Boston Mountains in Johnson, Newton, Pope, and Searcy localityis a spring on a small stream behind the college chapel, counties (Smith, 1978). Itis usually found in lightto heavy Clarksville, Johnson County. It is found in small seeps, shade ofthe upland hardwood forest on moist, loamy clay springs, streams, and cave streams in the Ouachila and O/.ark with limestone influence (Moore, 1939). This is the only mountains in Conway, Jackson, Johnson, Logan, Newton, Delphinium inNorth America whichhas an inflorescence of Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Searcy, and Yell counties. cymose racemes. 4. Lirceus bidentatus Hubricht and Mackin (1949). This isopod is known only from the type locality, a seep in the Boston Order Rosales - Mountains, 9 mi. SW of Harrison, Boone County. Family Saxifragaceae Saxifrage Family 5. Caecidotea holtl (Fleming). Fleming (1972). This aquatic isopod is known only from the type locality,a small stream, 5. Heuchera villosa Michx. var. arkansana (Rydberg). E. B. 1.8 mi. E. of Casa, Perry County. The hololype (USNM Smith. Smith (1978). Arkansas alumroot. The original type 79308) was collected on 4 May 1940 by L. Hubrichl. locality is shady cliffsnear Springdale, Benton County. The holotype was collected on 16 August 1895 by J. W. - Blankenship and is deposited in the New York Botanical Order Decapoda Crayfishes and Shrimps Family Cambaridae Garden. It occurs in Benton, Faulkner, Newton, and Washington counties (Smith, 1978) and is confined to ledges 6. Bouchardina robisoni Hobbs (1977). This monotypic species streams rivers, of calcareous or sandy rock along upland and has its locality inLafayette County in borrow ditch usually type a inthe shade ofmixed hardwoods. Arkansas alumroot Road, Lewisville, by full species (Small along Sunray 4mi. (6.4 km) N.of off State is considered some taxonomists as a Route 29 (Sec. 14, R24W, T15S). It is known from Bayou and Rydberg, 1905; Rosendahl et al., 1936); however, Smith (1977) only variety of H. villosa, plant Bodcaw (Red River Basin) in Lafayette County and other considered it a a of Hempstead, Nevada, common in the western United States. areas and Columbia counties. 7. Cambarus causeyi Reimer (1966). The type locality is a spring Order Rubiales and natural pond 4 mi. W. of Sandgap on State Route 124 in Pope County. The holotype is USNM 116678. It inhabits Family Valerianaceae - Valerian Family complex burrows on a hillside and near the spring and pond Valerianella palmeri at the type locality. 6. Dyal (1938). A corn salad. The type Hobbs and Bedinger This locality is inMagnet Cove, Hot Spring County. It col- 8. Cambarus zophonasles (1964). was troglobiteis known only from the type locality, Hell Creek lected on 19 April 1926 by E. J. Palmer (29726) and is Cave, Stone County (Sec. 30, R10W, T15N). The holotype deposited at the Missouri