Noteworthy Collections from the District of Columbia and Maryland

Castanea, Jun 2004 by Steury, Brent W

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

These collections add 11 species of vascular plants to the known flora of the District of Columbia and three new records to the State of Maryland. District and State records are based on reviews of Brown and Brown (1984), Dabydeen and Levi (1998), Fleming and Kanal (1992), Hermann (1946), Kartesz (1999) and Shetler and OrIi (2000) and on searches of herbaria at CM, DOV, MARY, NA, and US. Herbarium acronyms follow Holmgren et al. (1990). Nomenclature follows Kartesz (1999).

Alopecurus carolinianus Walt. (POACEAE)-District of Columbia: Anacostia Park, Poplar Point, seasonally wet meadow with sparse herbaceous competition approximately 100 m south of the Anacostia River, 30 April 2002, Steury 020430.1 (National Capital Parks-East Herbarium, MARY, US). At least 2,000 flowering stems were observed over an area measuring 30 m × 17 m. A common associate was Veronica peregrina L. spp. peregrina.

Significance. This is the first record of Alopecurus carolinianus (Carolina or tufted meadow-foxtail) for the District of Columbia. Native to the continental United States, it has been recorded along the East Coast from Florida to New York, extending west to California, except in Nevada (Kartesz 1999). Typically found on moist open ground and old wet fields (Hitchcock 1950), it is cited as "rare" in Maryland and Pennsylvania (Brown and Brown 1984, Kartesz 1999).

Ludwigia leptocarpa (Nutt.) Hara (ONAGRACEAE)-District of Columbia: Kenilworth Park, Kingman Marsh, open edge of tidal marsh along the western bank of the Anacostia River and at the edge of a small pond adjacent to the marsh, 12 September 2001, Steury 010912.2 (National Capital Parks-East Herbarium, US). Five plants, four in flower and fruit, were observed. The largest plant measured 1.6 m tall. A common associate was juncus effusus L.

Significance. This is the first record of Ludwigia leptocarpa (angle-stem primrose-willow) for the District of Columbia. Native to the southeastern continental United States and tropical America in swamps, pond-margins, and ditches (Gleason and Cronquist 1991), it has been recorded from Texas to Missouri and Pennsylvania (Kartesz 1999). This species is cited as "rare" in West Virginia and Maryland (Kartesz 1999, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Division 2001).

Ammannia coccinea Rottb. (LYTHRACEAE)-District of Columbia: Kenilworth Park, Kingman Marsh, tidal sandy mud near center of marsh, 17 September 2001, Steury and Krafft 010917.1 (National Capital Parks-East Herbarium). One plant with numerous fruiting and flowering branches was observed on the date of collection. A common associate was Ludwigia peploides (Kunth) Raven.

Significance. Cited as rare for the District of Columbia (Kartesz 1999), no specimens of this taxon from the District of Columbia were found at CM, DOV, NA, MARY, or US and the species is not cited for the District of Columbia by Shetler and OrIi (2000). Reported from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, tropical America, and in the continental United States from California and New Mexico, north to North Dakota, Minnesota and Illinois, and east to New Jersey, on wet shores and muddy (often alkaline) places (Fernald 1950, Kartesz 1999), this report represents a rare collection of this species in the District of Columbia.

Eriochloa contracta A.S. Hitchc. (POACEAE)-District of Columbia: Kenilworth Park, dry to seasonally moist meadow just southeast of the junction of Kenilworth Marsh and the Anacostia River, 12 September 2001, Steury 010912.1 (National Capital Parks-East Herbarium, MARY, US). Thousands of plants observed in fruit on the date of collection over an area of at least 30 m × 15 m.

Significance. This is the first record of Eriochloa contracta (prairie cup-grass) from the District of Columbia and the eastern most record from North America. Native to the southerncentral United States from Nebraska to Colorado, Louisiana and Arizona on open ground, low fields and wet places (Hitchcock 1950) it has been introduced on the East Coast in Florida, South Carolina and Virginia (Arlington, Page and Powhatan Counties) (Kartesz 1999, Harvill et al. 1992).

Ranunculus parviflorus L. (RANUNCULACEAE)-District of Columbia: Kenilworth Park, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, on grassy paths between lily ponds, 10 May 2000, Steury 000510.1 (NA, National Capital Parks-East Herbarium, US). At the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, at least 100 plants were observed in flower and fruit on 10 May 2000.

Significance. This is the first record of Ranunculus parviflorus (stickseed or small-flowered crowfoot) from the District of Columbia. Native to Europe, the Pacific Islands and Australia, it is naturalized in North America along the East Coast from New York to northern Florida, along the Gulf Coast to eastern Texas, northward in the interior states to southern Missouri and Illinois and along the West Coast from California to Washington (Kartesz 1999, Whittemore 1997).

Cyperus difformis L. (CYPERACEAE)-District of Columbia: Kenilworth Park, wet depressions and ditches between Kingman Marsh and the Anacostia River just north of Benning Road, 13 September 2000, Steury 000913.2 (National Capital Parks-East Herbarium, US). Hundreds of plants in fruit observed over a distance of at least 500 m.