Day at Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens with Gary Kauffman by Jean Hunnicutt

Our September 12 trip to Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens began on a beautiful clear morning with 40% chance of rain only in the late afternoon.

We met Gary Kauffman on Buck Creek Road and almost immediately after his introduction, he reminded us:

Sedges have edges;

Rushes are round;

Grasses have joints....

and continued to remind us during the day as he helped us with details for identifying the beautiful sedges, rushes and grasses on the site.  (One fact:  Carex - rushes -  is the most abundant genus in WNC with 168 species.)  As we walked up the path to over look the area of first burning, Gary identified the flowers and plants along the way, and the sky began to get darker.  Within minutes it started raining and we scrambled for cover and to pull out rain gear and wait until it passed over.  When it didn't stop, we decided to eat our lunches in our cars.  The rain did finally ease off a bit and we looked at plants in the area before going to a second burn site.  Constantly during the day we were reminded (or informed) by Gary of taxonomic name changes and we appreciated even more the video Bob had forwarded to us the night before. 

As we saw, Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens is a floristically distinct area.  The dominant rock types, serpentinized dunite and olivine, influence the striking vegetation present.  Soil depth ranges from 0 to 60 cm, although rock outcrops represent between 5 and 10% of the landscape. The landscape appears similar to prairies or glades - with many unusual and beautiful grasses.  The rocky community contains a unique blend of mesic and xeric species within close proximity to each other.  

A total of 22 state-listed and seven watch-list plant species have been documented on the site.*  Most interesting is an endemic species of Aster identified and named by Gary and his team (Symphyotrichum rhiannon, Rhiannons's Aster).  

Rhiannon's Aster Photo by Karen Lawrence

An initial survey of butterflies and skippers documented more than 80 species within the area.  (Regular burns are done in sections so as not to affect butterfly populations.) 

It was a wonderful day in spite of the rain.  Gary's knowledge is amazing and he's entertaining, too!.  We're already looking forward to a trip with him next year.

Unfortunately the Gentianopsis crinata was not yet in bloom, but there were beautiful patches of Parnassia grandifolia as well as the other unusual and beautiful flora.  Karen's photos will tell the story.

Gentian

Grass of Parnassas; Parnassas grandifolia

Cowbane

Yellow Lousewort

Blazing Star

Dear Tongue Grass

Following photos from Kathy Stilwell

   

One of the lists Gary provided is included here.  There are two others:  Southern Appalachian Grasses and NC Asters.  If you'd like a copy, email graceplays@gmail.com and we'll send you one.  

BUCK CREEK SERPENTINE FLORA

Dryopteridaceae                                  Wood-fern Family

Dryopteris marginalis                         Marginal woodfern

Athyrium asplenioides                       Southern lady fern

Polystichum acrostichoides                Christmas fern

Thelypteridaceae                                Marsh Fern Family

Thelypteris noveboracensis                New York fern

Phegopteris hexagonoptera                 Broad beech fern

Polypodiaceae                                               Polypody Family

Polypodium virginianum                    Common rockcap fern

Osmundaceae                                     Royal Fern Family

Osmunda cinnamomea                        Cinnamon fern

Osmunda regalis                                  Royal fern

Aspleniaceae                                      Spleenwort Family

Asplenium platyneuron                      Ebony spleenwort

Dennstaedtiaceae                               Bracken Family

Pteridium aquilinum                            Eastern Bracken fern

Ophioglossaceae                                Adder’s-tongue Family

Botrypus virginianus                          Rattlesnake fern

Cyperaceae                                                                                                      Sedge Family

Carex echinata                                     Star sedge

Carex scoparia                                     A sedge                                  

Carex manhartii                                   Manhart’s sedge                    

Carex woodii                                       Wood’s sedge                          Locally rare, peripheral

Carex laxiflora                         Broad loose-flower sedge

Carex pensylvanica                             Pennsylvania sedge

Scleria pauciflora var. pauciflora         Nutrush

Scirpus expansus                                Woodland bulrush

Juncaceae                                           Rush Family

Juncus tenuis                                      Yard rush

Juncus marginatus                               Margined rush

Juncus effusus                                                Common rush

Luzula acuminata                               Hairy woodrush         

Liliaceae                                             Lily Family

Sisyrinchium mucronatum                  Sweet-soil blue-eyed grass

Stenanthium gramineum                      Featherbells

Xerophyllum asphodeloides               Turkey beard

Chamaelirium luteum                          Devil's bit

Uvularia puberula                               Pale yellow bellwort

Aletris farinosa                                   Colicroot

Orchidaceae                                       Orchid Family

Liparis lilifolia                         Large twayblade

Liparis loeselii                                     Fen orchid                               Locally rare, peripheral

Poaceae                                               Grass Family

Brachyelytrum septentrionale                        Northern Shorthusk grass       Locally rare, peripheral

Brachyelytrum erectum                      Shorthusk grass

Calamagrostis porteri                          Porter’s reed grass                  Locally rare, peripheral

Danthonia spicata                               Poverty grass

Danthonia sericea                                Silky oat-grass

Deschampsia caespitosa ssp. glauca   Tufted hairgrass                      Locally rare, disjunct

Poa saultensis                                     Drooping bluegrass                 Locally rare, peripheral

Muhlenbergia glomerata                      Spiked Muhly                         Locally rare, disjunct

Sporobolus heterolepsis                     Prairie dropseed                      Locally rare, disjunct

Elymus trachycaulus                          Slender wheatgrass                  Locally rare, peripheral

Andropogon gerardii                           Big bluestem

Andropogon virginicus                       Broomsedge

Schizachyrium scoparium                   Little bluestem

Sorghastrum nutans                            Indian grass

Panicum virgatum                               Switch grass

Dichanthelium dichotomum                Witch grass

Dichanthelium boscii                          Bosc's witch grass

Dichanthelium latifolium                    Broad-leaved witch grass

Dichanthelium villosissimum              White-haired witch grass

Dichanthelium commutatum               Variable witch grass

Dichanthelium clandestinum               Deer-tongue witch grass

Dichanthelium angustifolium              Narrow-leaved witch grass

Aristida purpurascens                                    Arrowfeather

Holcus lanata                                      Velvet grass

Tridens flavus                                     Redtop

Dactylis glomerata                              Orchard grass

Smilaceae                                           Greenbrier Family

Smilax glauca                                       Whiteleaf greenbrier

Smilax rotundifolia                              Common greenbrier

Apiaceae                                             Carrot Family

Angelica venosa                                  Hairy Angelica

Oxypolis rigidior                                 Cowbane

Sanicula marilandica                            Maryland Sanicle

Taenidia integrrima                             Yellow Pimpernel

Zizia aptera                                         Heartleaf Golden-Alexanders

Aristolochiaceae                                 Birthwort Family

Hexastylis arifolia var. ruthii              Appalachian Little Brown jug

Asclepiadaceae                                   Milkweed Family

Asclepias verticillata                           Whorled milkweed

Asteraceae                                           Aster or Daisy Family

Achillea millefolium                            Yarrow

Arnoglossum atriplicifolium               Indian-plantain

Symphyotrichum undulatum              Wavy-leaved aster

Symphyotrichum rhiannon                 Rhiannon’s aster                     Locally rare, endemic

Symphyotrichum puniceum               Purple-stem aster

Leucanthemum vulgare                       Ox-eye daisy

Coreopsis major var. rigida                 Stiffleaf Coreopsis

Coreopsis pubescens                          Hairy Coreopsis

Doellingeria infirma                             Appalachian flat-topped white aster

Helianthus glaucophyllus                   Whiteleaf sunflower               

Helianthus atrorubens                         Appalachian sunflower

Helianthus microcephalus                   Small-headed sunflower

Erigeron philadelphicus                      Daisy fleabane

Eupatorium purpureum                      Purple-node Joe-Pye-weed

Eupatorium steelei                              Appalachian Joe-Pye-weed

Liatris  scariosa                                   Large blazing star

Rudbeckia hirta                                   Black-eyed susan

Rudbeckia triloba                                Threelobed coneflower

Packera anonyma                                Small's ragwort

Packera plattensis                               Prairie ragwort                        Locally rare, disjunct

Seriocarpus asteriodies                       White-topped aster

Silphium trifoliatum                            Rosinweed

Solidago arguta                                    Cutleaf goldenrod

Solidago patula                                    Rough goldenrod

Solidago nemoralis                              Gray goldenrod

Caprifoliaceae                                    Honeysuckle Family

Diervilla sessifolia                               Smooth southern bush-honeysuckle

Viburnum cassinoides                         Wild raisin

Caryophyllaceae                                 Pink Family

Silene virginica                                    Fire pink

Convolvulaceae                                  Morning Glory Family

Calystegia catesbiana var. sericata      Blue Ridge bindweed              Locally rare, narrow range

Ericaceae                                            Heath Family

Rhododendron viscosum                    Clammy Azalea

Vaccinium stamineum                         Deerberry

Epigaea repens                                    Trailing arbutus

Lyonia ligustrina                                 Maleberry

Gaylussacia baccata                            Black huckleberry

Gaylussacia ursina                              Bear Huckleberry

Gaultheria procumbens                       Wintergreen

Fabaceae                                            Bean or Pea Family

Thermopsis villosa                             Aaron’s  Rod

Desmodium nudiflorum                      Naked flower tick-trefoil

Robinia pseudoacacia                          Black locust

Gentianaceae                                     Gentian Family

Gentianopsis crinata                           Fringed gentian                        Locally rare, peripheral

Frasera caroliniensis                            Colombo                                 Locally rare, peripheral

Sabatia angularis                                  Rose pink

Lamiaceae                                          Mint Family

Satureja vulgaris                                  Field basil

Salvia lyrata                                        Wild sage

Scutellaria incana                                 Downy skullcap

Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides      Southern mountain-mint

Onagraceae                                        Evening-primrose Family

Oenothera fruticosa                            Southern sundrops

Oenothera tetragona                            Northern sundrops

Oenothera perennis                             Little sundrops                       Locally rare, peripheral

Parnassiaceae                                     Grass-of-Parnassus Family

Parnassia grandifolia                           Bigleaf Grass-of-Parnassus     Locally rare, rare S Apps

Polemoniaceae                                   Jacob’s-ladder Family

Phlox ovata                                         Appalachian phlox

Phlox carolina                                      Carolina phlox

Polygalaceae                                      Milkwort Family

Polygala paucifolia                              Gay wings

Polygala senega                                   Seneca Snakeroot

Ranunculaceae                                  Buttercup Family

Thalictrum macrostylum                    A meadowrue                          Sensitive

Thalictrum revolutum                         Skunk meadowrue

Ranunculus fascicularis                       A buttercup                            Locally rare, disjunct

Rhamnaceae                                       Buckthorn Family

Ceanothus americanus                        New Jersey tea

Rosaceae                                             Rose Family

Aronia melanocarpa                            Black chokeberry

Agrimonia grysosepala                       Common agrimony

Physocarpus opulifolius                     Ninebark

Porteranthus trifoliatus                       Indian Physic

Sanguisorba canadensis                       American burnet                     Locally rare, peripheral

Spiraea latifolia                                   Broadleaf meadowsweet

Spiraea alba                                         Narrowleaf meadowsweet

Scrophulariaceae                               Figwort Family

Castelleja coccinea                              Indian paintbrush

Melampyrum lineare                          Cow-wheat

Pedicularis canadensis             Wood-betony

Pedicularis lanceolata                          Swamp lousewort                   Locally rare, peripheral

Violaceae                                            Violet Family

Viola appalachiensis                           Appalachian violet                  Sensitive

Viola sororia                                        Common blue violet

Viola cucullata                         Bog violet

Viola sagittata                                     Arrowhead violet