Substrate Associated Plants
Chestnut Oak – Quercus montana
This substrate specific tree has rounded toothed leaves that are arranged entirely and alternate. This tree produces acorns, which are food for many animals, but they are high in tannins. This tree provides home for songbirds, small mammals, and shade for all. This tree is extremely strong, which can be used by humans for construction. Chestnut Oaks have silvery bark, and the leaves change as the seasons do. (University of Kentucky)
Eastern Hemlock – Tsuga canadensis
This tree that lives in sandstone substrate is a conifer with opposite flat leaves. The tannins from the tree were once used to tan hides amongst Indigenous American cultures. It is not poisonous, and can be made into a tea that is high in vitamin C. (University of Kentucky)
Sourwood – Oxydendrum arboreum
This tree has simple alternate leaves that have slightly wavy edges. Deer feed on twigs of this tree (petrides 289). The flowers are very attractive to bees. It is well known for the brilliant display of colors as the weather changes. (University of Kentucky)
Mountain Maple – Acer Spicatum
This tree has opposite and simple leaves. They are toothed and ridged. You can boil the sap to get a syrup that is decently sweet. The tannins in this tree can also be used to tan hides. (NC State)
Ferns
New York Fern
This fern has a monomorphic frond type and is pinnate-pinnatifid. It is a lime green color, and it is more fragile/ softer than other types of ferns we saw. It greatly tapers from tip to end.
Interrupted Fern
This fern has a hemidimorphic frond type. It is also twice pinnate. This fern is larger than the New York Fern, with barely any taper from tip to end. It is what I would consider more of a “true” green.
Appalachian Gametophyte
The Appalachian Gametophyte, Vittaria appalachiana, is quite the unique fern. This fern gets its name because it’s dominant life stage is as a gametophyte, rather than the usual sporophyte. This fern reproduces asexually by releasing what is known as gemmae, “vegetative propagules along the margins of the gametophyte”, which in turn make a genetically identical daughter plant (Pinson, Jerald and Eric Scheuettpelz). However, because gemmae are larger than spore, they are not able to travel such distances, resulting in a smaller range of dispersal for this fern. Instead, the plant travels short distances by wind, water, and even on carrier animals. There has even been evidence of travel by slug! There is evidence of poor dispersal for this unique plant because it is absent farther than the Appalachian, the extent of the last glacial maximum. It is suggested that the gametophyte lost its ability to produce as a sporophyte sometime before or during the last ice age.
Most of the characteristics I mentioned may lead one to believe that the range of locations that the Appalachian Gametophyte occupies is quite small. However, it is larger than you would think! This is because there is evidence that this fern is able to travel long distances ranges using sporophytes of other ferns. Experiments suggest that this plant is a polyploid hybrid of a distant common relative to many other species of fern.
Invasives
Multiflora Rose
Multiflora rose is native to Eastern Asia, and was introduced as an ornamental fence. This tree “forms dense thickets that invade pastures and crowd out native species” (National Invasive Species Information Center). It’s recommended removal is to manually remove as much as possible, and if any is left to use chemical sprays to control and prevent growth (Trees Atlanta).
Japanese Stilt Grass
Japanese Stilt Grass is an incredibly invasive plant from Asia. This rapidly growing grass “impact[s] the diversity of native species, reduce wildlife habitat, and disrupt important ecosystem functions” (National Invasive Species Information Center). Because the seed remains viable in the ground for so long, it is highly recommended control should be done by first attempting to prevent introduction, but then by preventing the spread of the seeds through both mechanical removal and chemical sprays (NC State).
American Chestnut
The American Chestnut is a tree that once was very attractive for a multitude of reasons, but is now in nearly extinct due to disease. First beginning in the south and then moving to cover the north too, this pathogen “reduced the American chestnut from its invaluable role to a tree that now grows mostly as an early-successional-stage shrub” (American Chestnut Foundation). Not only did humans find the tree extremely useful for its hardness, resistance to rot, and size, but many animals lived in and on the tree’s nut. Several foundations and researchers are working on developing a reintroduction plan, which involves finding the “importance of site quality to chestnut competitive ability and blight resistance” (US Department of Agriculture).
Flowering Plants with Unique Leaves
Goodyera pubescens – “Downy Rattlesnake Plantain”
This orchid has unique leaves that are white veined. The flower is a dense cylindrical spike full of white flowers. See my artistic rendition!
Mitchella repens – partidgeberry
This trailing plant has white or pinkish flowers that turn into an edible red berry. I thought the leaves were unique due to their small size, singular light vein, and the shape was slightly ridged. See my artistic rendition!
Citations –
“Acer Spicatum (Mountain Maple) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.”
Plants.ces.ncsu.edu, plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-
spicatum/#:~:text=It%20prefers%20cool%2C%20shady%2C%20moist. Accessed 17 Sept. 2023.
“Canadian Hemlock | Department of Horticulture.” Www.uky.edu, www.uky.edu/hort/Canadian-Hemlock.
Accessed 17 Sept. 2023.
“Chestnut Oak | Department of Horticulture.” Uky.edu, 2020, www.uky.edu/hort/Chestnut-Oak.
“History of the American Chestnut.” The American Chestnut Foundation, tacf.org/the-american-
chestnut/history-american-chestnut/.
Hodgins, Jane. “What It Takes to Bring Back the near Mythical American Chestnut Trees.”
Www.usda.gov, 29 Apr. 2019, www.usda.gov/media/blog/2019/04/29/what-it-takes-bring-back-
near-mythical-american-chestnut-trees#:~:text=The%20tree.
“How to Remove Multiflora Rose | Trees Atlanta.” Www.treesatlanta.org, www.treesatlanta.org/how-to-
remove-multiflora-rose/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2023.
“Multiflora Rose | National Invasive Species Information Center.” Www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov,
www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/multiflora-rose.
Neal, Joe, and Caren Judge. “Japanese Stiltgrass Identification and Management | NC State Extension
Publications.” Content.ces.ncsu.edu, 18 Feb. 2013, content.ces.ncsu.edu/japanese-stiltgrass-
identification-and-management.
Petrides, George A. 1972, Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and North Central US and Southeast and South Central Canada (Peterson Field Guide). Houghton Miflin, 428 pp.
“Sourwood | Department of Horticulture.” Www.uky.edu, www.uky.edu/hort/Sourwood. Accessed 17 Sept.
2023.