A Vascular Plant Survey Of Weaver Lake

Transcription

1 100 Vascular Plant Survey Of Weaver Lake Tavis ustin* INTRODUCTION During the summer of 1994 a survey of aquatic vascular plants in Weaver Lake, Warren, New York, was taken in order to establish a database and characterization of the biotope. Samples were collected in selected areas from the eulitttoral zone. The specimens were then pressed, identified, and grouped according to collection site. MTERILS ND METODS plant specimens were collected from areas of 100 feet X 10 feet along the western shoreline of Weaver Lake using a row boat, rake, and gallon size glass jars. The object was to get as much of the plants as possible in order to make future identification as easy as possible. fter the plants were collected they were pressed and dried. This prevents the plants from rotting and allows them to be identified at a later date. To preserve them, plant presses and a large drying oven set at 120 degrees farenheight were utilized. Specimens were placed in the oven to dry for approximately 15 hours. fter several collections and pressings, plants were identified. Several taxonomic keys (see References) were used to classify the plants into their respective taxa. Common names were also ascertained. Once the flora was determined, Table 1 was constructed by organizing all of the plants alphabetically by family, indicating the areas from which they were collected. map of Weaver Lake was then drawn to show the location of the 10 sampling stations (Figure 1). fter identification plants were mounted on special herbarium paper for protection and display. Dr.. R. Dayton will examine the preserved samples to verify correct identification. n updated list of taxa will be presented as a future contribution. RESULTS Table 1 is a list arranged in alphabetically by taxa, of the plants collected during the study. Common names are included as well as the sites ( J) (see Figure 1) where they were found. *New York cademy of Sciences, igh School Research Trainee, Summer Sponsored by the National Institute of ealth and the NYS legislature, Senator James Seward.

2 101 Figure 1. athymetric map of Weaver Lake showing eulittoral plant sampling sites -J (Modified from Graham and Gardner, 1992).

3 102 Table 1. collection of plants from Weaver Lake, NY. indicating collection sites as shown in Figure 1. TX lismaceae Sagittaria latifolia sclepiadaceae sclepias incarnata sclepias purpurascens alsaminaceae Impatiens capensis Callitrichaceae Callitriche heterophylla Campanalaceae Campanula aparinoides Caprifoliaceae Conicera oblongifolia Cornaceae Cornus amomum Cyperaceae Carex cumosa Carex lurida Carex poeudes-cyperus Carex vesicara Eleocharis rostellata Scirpus americanum Scirpus debilis Scirpus validus Gramineae lopecurus aequalis eckmannia syzigachne Calamigrostis canadensis Phalaris arundinacea aloragidaceae Myriophyllum exalbescens ydrocharitaceae nacharis canadensis yperaceae ypericum boreale Leguminosae strogalus canadensis Lemnaceae Lemna minor Lentibulariaceae Utricularia inflata Utricularia vulgaris var. americana Lythraceae mmannia auriculata Decodon verticillatus Lythrum salicaria COMMON NME rrowhead, Duck potato Swamp Milkweed Purple Milkweed Spotted Touch-me-not Water Starwort edstraw ell Flower Swamp-fly oneysuckle Silky Dogwood ulrush ulrush Short-awn Foxtail Slough Grass lue Joint Reed Canary Grass Water Milfoil Elodea Saint John's Wort Milk Vetch Duckweed ladderwort ladderwort Evening Primrose Water Willow Purple Loostrife SITE # F I

4 103 Table 1. (Cont.) TX COMMON NME SITE # Myricaceae Myrica gale Najadaceae Najas flexilis Potamogeton crispus Potamogeton foliosus var. macellus Potamogeton natans Potamogeton vaginatus Nymphaeceae Nymphaea odorata Onagraceae Ludwigia palustris var. americana Plantoginaceae Galium tinctorium Polygonaceae Polygonum coccineum Polygonum hydropipruoides Polygonum pers~caria Rumex orbiculatus Pontederiaceae Pontederia cordata f. taenia Rubiaceae Cephalanthus occidentals Salicaceae Salix longipes Scrophulariaceae Mimulus ringens Solanaceae Solanum nigrum Sparganiaceae Sparganium americanum Sparganium androcladon Sparganium angustifolium Sparganium chlorocarpum Umbelliferae Cicuta bulbifera Verhenaceae Verbena hastata Sweet Gale ushy Fragrant Water Lily Evening Primrose lue ell Swamp Smartweed Mild Water Pepper Lady's Thumb Water Dock Pickerelweed utton ush Willow Squarestemmed Monkey Nightshade ur Reed ur Reed ur Reed ur Reed Water parsnip lue Vervain Flower DISCUSSION The information gathered on the flora of Weaver Lake in the summer of 1994 will be used to develop a database concerning the characterization of the Weaver Lake biotope. Similar studies will be conducted in the future in order to complete the characterization. REFERENCES rown, L Grasses, an identification guide. oughton/mifflin Company, New York. 240 p. Fassett, N. C manual of aquatic plants. University of Wisconsin Press, Wisconsin.

5 104 Fernald, M. L Gray's manual of botany. 8th ed. merican ook Company, New York p. arman, W. N Personal communication. iological Field Station, SUNY Oneonta. Knobel, E Field guide to the grasses, sedges, and rushes of the United States. Dover Publications, Inc., New York. Peterson, R. T. and M. McKenny Peterson field guide to wildflowers, Northeastern/Northcentral North merica. oughton/mifflin Company, oston. 420 p. Petrides, G field guide to trees and shrubs. oughton/mifflin Company, oston. 428 p. Reid, G. K Pond life, a guide to common plants and animals of North merican ponds and lakes. Western Publishing Company.