APPENDIX: Species Accounts and Distribution Maps

This appendix includes a brief discription of each of the 17 species or genera of plants mapped in the Science II Prairie using the SURFER kriging program as well as a link to the map of each's distribution (if applicable) within Science II Prairie.

Family: Poaceae (Grass)

Height: 3-5 ft.

Flowers: Bushy inflorescence with course, thick bristles

Form: Erect

Identification:

Bristles curved downward. Seed head 8 in. long, awns 1 1/4 in. and very rough. Single seed head per stem. Leaf blades wide with seed heads resembling wheat. Considered a bunch grass with individual plants forming large colonies.

Can be confused with Virginia wild rye (E. virginicus) which has straight, not curved, bristles.

Ecological Notes:

Canada wild rye can be used as a valuable ground cover and germinates best in cool weather. Also thought to be a good forage grass. Originally, Canada wild rye was an important part of prairie pastures. It is now mainly used for ornamental landscaping.

Propagation Notes:

Cool season, short lived perennial that holds the soil well, but does not outcompete other grasses. Reproduces by tillering and seeding. Plant in fall or early spring at 5-10 lbs. per acre.

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Family: Poaceae (Graminae)

Height: 1­3 ft.

Flowers: Purplish, blooms July ­ September.

Form: erect

Identification:

Stalks are smooth, erect, and more or less 1 sided and rise from a dense root system of scaley rhizomes. The inflorences are large with numerous spikelets, which are arranged along one side of the stalk. 10 ­ 50 spikelets droop from 1 or 2 sides of the stalk. Each spikelet is about 1/3 in. long and contains 3 ­ 6 individual flowers. Leaves are thin, about 1/8 x 4­12 in. and are rough on the upper side and hairy underneath. The lower leaves tend to turn whitish and curl when dry. Green leaves often have dark spots. Ligules are hairy.

Ecological Notes:

Sideoats grama is bunch forming and are often interspersed with other grasses. It is found in drier areas of the tallgrass prairie and does not tolerate shading by tall grasses. In early fall, the fruit is a golden­rust and the plant has a very delicate, oat­like appearance. Seeds strip easily from the stalk by hand. The seeds attract birds, common wood nymph, and skipper butterflies. It is a good forage plant and is highly palatable to all kinds of livestock.

These perennial plants are drought tolerant and are good for erosion control on highway slopes and steep areas. They are also good for planting between trees in orchards.

Propagation Notes:

Occurs during the warmer seasons, by seed or division, and starts growth in April. Can grow also during cold season and can provide winter forage. Sideoats grama is considered an increaser and will usually replace taller grasses, such as big bluestem. It should be planted in fall.

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Family: Poaceae (Gramineae)

Height: 3 - 7 feet

Flowers: Matures September to October

Other common names: Wobsqua grass, blackbent, tall prairie grass, wild red top, and thatchgrass.

Identification Features:

A native, warm season perennial. Blooming time is from August to September. Pyramid-shaped flower, up to 20 in. with purplish spikelet. Borne singly at end of the branch. Strong conical structure. Large, leafy clumps. Stout and erect, green to purple, blades 8 to 10 in. long. Blade surfaces are smooth, but margins are rough. The ligule is a tuft of hairs forming a V-shaped zone where the leaf blade joins the sheath. A vigorous, sod-forming perennial often grows in dense colonies. Tough tangled root system with short scaly rhizomes that send up new shoots. Growth begins in late spring and continues through the summer if moisture is adequate.

Ecological Notes:

Found in low moist areas to upland prairies, streams, and large patches along roadsides. It's range is throughout the United States, especially at the western edge of the tall grass prairie and in the Eastern Great Plains. Frequent to common throughout Iowa. Likes a wide range of soils, even clay, but prefers loamy, sandy soil. Full sun or partial shade. Mesic, dry mesic, or dry areas. Seeds germinate easily with no special treatment required. Seeds are viable for 3 years. Seeding rate of 1 lb. per acre is recommended when planting alone. It is usually interseeded with a mix of bluestems, indian grass and sideoats gramma.

Panicum species are important food sources for many kinds of birds and foraging animals. Domesticated varieties have been developed for improved forage. The Blackwell cultivar, which has been developed for quite some time, yields excellent forage. It is resistance to stem rust, a disease that is injurious to most native switchgrass plants.

Switchgrass is excellent winter and spring cover for wildlife. Often used in Conservation Reserve Program and by wildlife managers. It produces a quick stand that is good for erosion control, but is best mixed with indian grass and big bluestem. Pheasants and quail prefer the mixed stands.

Delaware Skipper, Little Wood Satyr, and common wood nymph butterflies are attracted to switchgrass. An ornamental for landscaping, but very aggressive and needs strong competition.

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Family: Poaceae (Gramineae)

Height: 4 to 8 feet

Blooms: August to September

Other common names: wood grass, yellow Indian grass, bushy

bluestem, wild oatgrass.

Identification:

A native, warm season perennial. The beautiful, golden plume-like seed heads, 4 to 12 in. long, are on stems 4 to 8 ft. tall. Small twisted bristles on the flowers are slightly fuzzy. Closed before and after flowering, but opens away from stem during flowering. Stems are stout, erect, and unbranched. They are smooth except for a covering of soft, silky, golden hairs at the nodes. Wide leaf-blades that narrow at the point of attachment. Leaves are rough to the touch and have a whitish bloom. The ligule usually extends less than 1/8 in. upward and forms a claw-like projection. Has an extensive root system, tough, and forms large clumps. Fruit are fluffy, appearing as large plumes. Copper color on bronze stems. Fertile spikelets are 1/4 to 1/3 in. long and have 2 outer glumes, tipped with awn 3 times as long as the spikelet.

Ecological Notes:

Found with the bluestems; upland to moist prairie openings. A dominant species of the tallgrass prairie of the Midwest. Common throughout Iowa. Likes deep, well-drained soil, but will tolerate clay. Full sun. Mesic, dry mesic, dry. Germination of seed requires no special treatment and is easily established from seed. Planting can be done in the fall or late April to mid June. Plant in pure stand of 7 to 10 lb. per acre when used for pasture or hay. 1 lb. covers 1,400 sq. ft. for a heavy stand or will cover up to a full acre depending on soil, weather, seeding method, and the type of coverage desired. Used in tallgrass mixes; up to 75% along with big bluestem. Seeds per oz.: 8,300 to 10,938. Per lb.: 132,800 to 175,000.

Comments:

Can be aggressive, needs space and competition. Ornamental for landscaping and dried arrangements. Can be baled as hay and is very nutritious for livestock. Attracts birds, little wood satyr, pepper and salt skipper, and common wood nymph butterflies.

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Family: Poaceae

Height: 0.6-1.4m

Flowers: 2-7 floriferous branches on a short axis at the end of each main branch. Blooms August through September.

Form: Erect, stout nonrhizomatous or Short-rhizomatous perennials.

Identification:

Big bluestem is a robust, tufted, sometimes sod forming, and often glaucous grass. The leaves (blades) are usually 5-10 mm wide with the lower ones, along with the sheaths, sometimes villous. Plants have 3-4 racemes that are 5-10 cm long on a long-exserted peduncle. The joints of the rachis and pedicels are equal, subterete, and sparsely or,usually, densely ciliate. The appressed spiklets are 7-10 mm long with the glumes minutely scabrous and often ciliate. Fertile lemmas have an 8-20 mm awn that is twisted below and more or less bent.

Ecological Notes:

Big bluestem is found in moist and dry open places and is a major constituent of the tall-grass prairie. It is especially abundant in lowland prairies. Big bluestem ranges from Quebec to Saskatchewan, south to Florida and Arizonaand is most prevalent in the eastern part of its range. Big bluestem is a facultative mychorrhizal plant that decreases in response to grazing and responds best with mid to late spring burns. Early settlers found that corn grew best in areas that once supported big bluestem. The rosy finch, field sparrow, and chipping sparrow utilize the seeds while antelope, bison, and white-tailed deer eat the leaves. Big bluestem spreads by seeds and, slowly, by rhizomes.

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Andropogon is from the Greek words andros, meaning man's, and pogon, meaning beard. Scoparius is a Latin term for broomlike.

Family: Poaceae (Gramineae)

Height: 1­3 feet, up to 5 feet under ideal conditions

Flowers: Blooms from August to October

Identification:

Basal shoots of the lower portion of the stem leaf sheaths are partially flattened. Basal shoots are often bluish green in color. Stem nodes are usually bluish or purplish withstiff, hard, and non hollow stems, which branch towards the top of the plant. Stems are rough. Leaf sheaths can be lightly hairy and leaf blades are no more than 1/4 inch wide and 4 to 8 inches long. Seed bearing,spikelike raceme usually occur at the top one inch of each branch. The inner nodes on the stalk of the raceme is hairy with two spikeletes, one sterile and one fertile. The sterile spikelete is short and awned­tipped, which differes from the longer and sharpley bent and twisted awn of the fertiles spikelet.

Ecological Notes:

Generally associated with big bluestem. Common to the midgrass prairies of the Great Plains. Ranges from theFlint Hills region of Kansas and Oklahoma, and northward towords Canada. Little bluestem is a forge plant for deer, antelope, and buffalo, and the seeds are commonly consumed by songbirds.

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Family: Poaceae

Height: 1-2 m

Flowers: Seven to 16 cm long, consisting of 2-7 branches. Blooms July through September.

Form: Erect, stout, perennials with long course sharp-pointed rhizomes.

Identification Features:

The main leaves of slough grass are 3-18 dm long, 5-10+ mm wide with cuttingly scabrous margins and taper to a long slender point. Panicles are 2-4 dm long with 7-27 spikes that are ascending or appressed, 5-12 cm long. They are short peduncled with the rachis prolonged but not surpassing the uppermost spiklets. Spiklets are crowded on one side of the rachis.

Ecological Notes:

Slough grass is found in marshes, on shores, and in wet prairies from Quebec to Washington, south to North Carolina and Texas. It is especially abundant in the prairie states. Slough grass responds most favorably to burns that are conducted in mid to late spring. Grazing has little effect on its abundance as cattle will only eat the young spring growth; the more mature growth is not eaten due to its rough sharp nature, hence its other common name cut gut grass. Native Americans and pioneers used the leaves of slough grass to thatch their roofs, burn as fuel when wood was scarce, and, to some extent, used it to make cordage. Most propagation is by rhizomes as viable seeds are seldom produced.

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Family: Gramineae

Height: 3-4 feet

Seed Heads: 6-8 inches

Form: erect

Identification:

Smooth brome is a strongly rhizomatous perennial. Leaf blades are normally 9-21 cm long and glabrous. Auricles may be absent or present but are relatively small and inconspicuous. Moderate to large open panicles 12-19 cm long emerge from the upper leaf sheath by stem elongation in late spring or early summer. Numerous spikelets of the inflorescence are each made up of 4 to 10 florets 18-40 mm long and 2.5-5 mm wide. The lowest lemma will typically be 9-12 mm long and usually all lemmas will be unawned.

Ecological Notes:

Smooth brome is native to Europe, China, and Siberia and is adapted to most temperate climates. It was introduced into the United States in the early 1880's. Today there are approximately 34 different varieties of smooth brome that are classified into two apparent varieties: northern" and "southern". The "northern" type is the type found here in the Northern Great Plains where cool temperatures usually prevail. It's range of distribution incorporates the northern 2/3 of the U.S. with the center section extending from Minnesota to northern Texas and westwardly expanding into Canada (Figure 1.)

Smooth brome in its areas of adaptation is one of the best cool-season grasses for hay, pasture, and green crop. It is usually grown with a legume, preferably alfalfa, for forage uses. As a pasture or hay grass, smooth brome scarcely has an equal in the areas where it adapted. However, smooth brome's aggressive reproduction, either through self-seeding or vegetative spread can cause them to be classified as a weed in some situations. Smooth brome is also valuable in controlling soil erosion. It can be commonly found as erosion protection on roadsides and steep road cuts. Smooth brome is also a principal grass used in constructing waterways and terraces.

Smooth brome reproduces through either human seeding, self-seeding, or vegetative spread. Smooth brome seed may be either drilled or broadcast. Seeding in the northern midwest should be done in the spring.

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Family: Poaceae

Height: 2-8 feet

Flowers: Dense cylindrical clusters 3 to 6 inches long that become whitish with maturity.

Form: Coarse, sod-forming grass.

Identification:

Broad leaves, 3 to 8 inches long, are often harsh on both surfaces. Ligule is prominent, papery and about 3/16 inches long. Seed shiny, brown, flax-like. Seed shatters when mature.

Ecological Notes:

Reed canary grass is found throughout the temperate regions of Europe, Asia and North America but is believed to have originally been introduced to these areas from Sweden. Grows best on fertile and cool, moist or wet soils, but grows well on upland soils as well. It is one of the earliest grasses to begin growth in the spring. Reed canary grass will not survive under conditions of extremely close grazing. Reproduces by seed and vegetatively by stout, creeping rootstocks.

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Family: Convolvulaceae

Height: 2-4 in.

Flowers: Morning glory like,less than 1 in., white or pink

Form: Horizontal, creeping

Identification:

Arrow shaped leaves 1-2 inches in length. Similar to hedge bindweed, only leaves DO NOT have blunt basal lobes and are less tapering.

Ecological Notes:

Field bindweed is in the morning glory family. It utilizes tendrils to "climb" other plants and various structures to aquire access to direct sunlight. It has little or no known commercial use and is generally considered a noxious weed. Found throughout most of Iowa. Reproduces by seeding from June through September.

Distribution in the Science II prairie is known to be more extensive than indicated from this fall season inventory. Many of the plants had dropped their leaves and vines were withered.

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Family: Lamiaceae (Mint)

Height: 2-4 feet

Flowers: Lavender, blooms early July to August, the second year

Form: erect,

Identification:

The stem of Wild Bergamot is square, slightly hairy, and arises from a branched rhizome. Its leaves are opposite, 2.5-7.5 cm long, gray-green, ovate-lanceolate shaped, and sharply serrated along their margins. The inflorescences are solitary, terminal heads, 2.5-4 cm across that have many clusters of two-lipped tubular flowers. Both the leaves and flowers are dotted with glands that secrete volatile, aromatic bergamot oils. See illustration I.

Ecological Notes:

This perennial plant often grows in large colonies in hydric, mesic, and xeric prairie, as well as disturbed habitats, thickets, and along forest edges. It is often found on north facing grassland slopes, generally mid to lower slopes. It is pollinated by insects, primarily bumblebees, honeybees, and wasps. The Clear-wing Sphinx Moth also utilizes this plant.

The plant is considered a good honey plant for bees. The leaves can be used for making tea. It is considered by ranchers a plant to be eliminated from grazing land.

Wild Bergamot ranges from New England to Minnesota and South to Texas and Georgia. Map II. shows the general range of this plant in Iowa. It illustrates where the species might be found or once was growing.

Wild Bergamot is commonly associated with big bluestem, and yellow coneflower.

Pollination in wild bergamot is interesting due to two major observations. First , inflorescences are composed of several clusters, each with ten or more flowers open at a time, with some flowers in the stagnate and others in the postulate phase. However, young stigmas have a delayed receptivity to accepting self-pollen. Second, bumblebees and honeybees visit staminate and pistillate phase flowers indiscriminately for nectar. Successful cross-pollination and outbidding of wild bergamot is due, at least in part, to the continuous opening of the flowers during the day and the stigma's receptivity to cross-pollen prior to self pollen.

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Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)

Height: 3 ­ 12 ft.

Flowers: Rosy purple, blooms August ­ September

Form: erect

Identification:

Tall thistle has most of the characteristics of typical thistles. The stem may or may not be branched and has a deep taproot that can be biennial or perennial. Leaves are unlobed, alternate and deep green, growing to 12 in. long. Each lobe terminates with a sharp spine. Undersides are whitish and wooly. Flower heads are 1.5 ­ 2 in. high. Seeds are oblong and have a plume of soft bristles.

Ecological Notes:

Tall thistle is found on rich tallgrass prairie soils to the east and south. Young leaves, young stems, and roots may be used in salads or as cooked vegetables. The goldfinch is known to prefer thistle down as nest­building material.

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Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)

Height: 2 ­ 5 ft.

Flowers: Lavendar to rosy purple, blooms June ­ September

Form: erect

Identification Features:

Stems are hairy, grooved and branch near the top. Leaves are oblong, irregular, and have deeply­cut, spiny­toothed edges. Flower heads are small (3/4 in.) and compact. Seeds are small (3/16 in.), smooth, and light brown with a conical point.

Ecological Notes:

Canada thistle is deep­rooted perennial forb introduced to the North American continent from Europe. It is usually considered undesirable because it is fast spreading and difficult to eradicate. Canada thistle reproduces by seed and creeping rootstocks. Seeds are easily carried and spread by wind.

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Family: Compositae

Height: 3-5 feet

Flowers: Red-violet, blooms July to October

Form: Crown, close to the surface the first year and tall the second year

Identification Features:

During the first year this plant consists of large, hairy, heart-shaped leaves that form a dense crown (7 to 8 feet in diameter) close to the surface. The leaves of this stage resemble those of rhubarb. It has a very large, fleshy taproot that survives during the first winter. Leaves are found alternately on the stem during the second year of growth. The stem is grooved or angular and has many branches. The flower-head is 3/4 inch wide and is made of many small disk-shaped flowers surrounded by hooked bracts. The bracts eventually form a bur that is about 1/2 inch in width, resembling the burs of a thistle. The seeds are rough and gray, and 1/4 inch in length.

Ecological Notes:

This biennial "weed" is found throughout the tallgrass states. It is seen in waste places and old fields. Common burdock prefers productive, undisturbed soils. It is usually not found in cultivated areas. One individual can produce 400,000 seeds.

Common burdock reproduces only by seed. As previously mentioned, it produces massive quantities of seed. Thus, it is best to detect this plant before it matures (during its first year). Eradication consists of cutting off the rosette and removing as much of the root as possible. It is helpful to apply a concentrated brine solution (such as MCPA salt) to the cut root. This plant is also affected by 2,4-D amine.

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Family: Asteraceae

Height: 3-5 feet

Flowers: Yellow, blooms June to September

Form: Tall, erect.

Identification:

This perennial has a thin, grooved stem covered with white hairs. The stem may be branched. The leaves on the lower portion of the stem can be 10 inches long. Leaves are alternate and compound with 3 to 7 slender, drooping leaflets. Leaflets are often hairy, lance-shaped and have rough teeth. Each flower has its own stalk and 5 to 8 yellow, drooping petals arranged in the shape of a cone. Petals are usually 2 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and arranged around a slender, gray, anise-smelling cone (see Figure 1). This plant has a woody rhizomal root system. The gray-headed coneflower is also know as the yellow coneflower and the gray coneflower.

Ecological notes:

Gray-headed coneflower is found in many prairies including: loess bluffs, sandy regions, and the tallgrass prairies. It is often seen along roadsides and railroad rights-of-way. This coneflower prefers calcareous soils that are neutral (pH 6-7) and well-drained. It is found in wet mesic, mesic and dry-mesic sites preferring full sunlight.

It is a strong survivor of former prairies where most of the original plants have perished. Gray-headed coneflower is a long-lived perennial and is often associated with disturbance. It can be aggressive and it is best to plant it where there is competition from other plants. Pollination occurs by insects. This plant produces large amounts of seed. When it is young, it is considered as good grazing for livestock.

Gray-headed coneflower is easily grown from seed. It can be propagated through division of the root system, but this is often difficult. Seeds can be planted in the spring or fall and generally do not need any treatment. They can be stratified at 33 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 days. Harvesting should occur from October through November. Simply clip the cone from the stem into a bucket and rub the seeds off the cone. Seeds are about 1/8 inch long and pyramidal in shape.

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Family: Asteraceae

Height: 2 ­ 8 feet dependent upon species

Flowers: Numerous deep yellow ray flowers, blooms July­August

Form: Erect, singly or clustered

Identification:

Sunflowers grow erect, either singly or in a cluster of stems, from a thick fleshy rhizome. The stem color varies from a gray­green to purple­green with the texture being rough to somewhat smooth. Height can vary from 2 to 8 feet depending upon species and growing conditions. Leaves are typically unlobed and range from slightly egg shaped to lanceolate with the edges being shallow to coarsely toothed. Deep yellow inflorescence range in size from 1 1/2" to 4" wide with 8 to 30 rays typical. Natural hybridization commonly occurs between various sunflower species which results in interesting species characteristics (Runkel and Roosa).

Ecological notes:

The generic name for Sunflower comes from the Greek words helios for "sun" and anthos for "flower" (hence sunflower) because of the distinctive flowering heads common to all species. Sunflowers have been used as food for both humans and animals for countless years. Goldfinch and other birds are attracted to the seeds while butterflies and bees are attracted to the nectar. Today oils are also extracted by humans for use in cooking and other industrial purposes.

Because of the extensive range of species, sunflowers are often found in a wide variety of habitats ranging from dry and dry open upland sand prairies to mesic and dry mesic lowland prairies. With this diversity in range of habitat, species response to environmental conditions can vary the characteristics of individual species somewhat. An example of this might be a species common to a dry condition which is also viable in a more moist environment. Because of the increase in moisture and the availability of additional nutrients a much more robust form is the result. All species require full sun to flourish and are excellent soil holders.

Companion plants include Coreopsis, Birdsfoot Violet, Lupine, Prairie Rose, Rough Blazingstar and Flowering Spurge to name a few.

Propagation may be accomplished by either direct seeding (spring or fall) or by division with the best results done by division. To produce transplants, divide mature plants so that each division has a root and leaf bud. Transplants can also be produced in one season from seeds sown 1/4 inch deep in spring (early June in Wisconsin).

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Silphium is a Greek word relating to resinous juice; laciniatum is a Latin term for slashed.

Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)

Height: Up to 8 feet

Flowers: Yellow, sunflower-like, blooms from July to August

Indentification:

Lobed basal leaves, up to one foot long and 6 inches wide, are usually oriented in a north­south direction. Stem leaves are generally smaller with fewerlobes. The compass plant produces 3 to 4 inch wide yellow flower heads which are alternated on the stems. There may be 20 to 30 ray flowers,2 inches long, per each flower head.

Ecological Notes:

The compass plant grows from a deep tap root and is propagated by seeds. Range includes the Midwest, south to mesic prairies. The compass plant is a favorite food of cattle so that most grazed prairies lack this plant species.

The compass plant was used as a tonic, and as a diaphoretic. It was used by settlers for the treatment of rheumatism, scrofula, and glandular enlargements. The upper third of the stems produce a gummy material when the plant is in bloom. This gummy material was used by American Indians and pioneer children as chewing gum.

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Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)

Height: 1 to 5 ft.

Flowers: Small, yellow, massed in clusters, August-October.

Form: Upright rigid stems often in clumps.

Identification:

The goldenrods are familiar composites having tiny yellow-rayed blossoms massed in showy clusters taking on various forms as plume-like, elm-branched, clublike, wandlike, or flat-topped. Identification is often difficult. Most field guides first separate the various flowering forms and then separate further on the basis of leaves. We identified two species in the Science II prairie: Solidago rigida, stiff goldenrod, and Solidago canadensis, tall goldenrod.

Ecological Notes:

Goldenrods occur over a wide range of prairies, abandoned fields, borders and roadsides and on a wide range of soil types and pH from clays to dry sands. Attracts large numbers of bees and butterflies and stems frequently serve as hosts for gall forming insects. Plants inhibit the growth of other plants around them. They produce large amounts of seeds.

Goldenrods are easily started from scarified seed sown in spring or fall.

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