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The Atlas of Vascular Plants in Kentucky: Dec 2018 web version

By Julian J.N. Campbell* & Max E. Medley [Dalton GA]

[*Lexington KY; email julian.campbell@twc.com; phone 859 229 7711]

This website is being assembled by Judy Redden [Dickson TN], in cooperation with Julian Campbell. The content has been gradually developed since about 1980, initially through the graduate work of Medley (1993), then combined with continuing review of herbarium collections throughout the state and elsewhere. An Access database was established in 2000 by Kăto Wilbur [Louisville KY] for species names, county records and other information. In 2012 an initial printing of these data was posted at bluegrasswoodland.com; that will remain archived there, together with an expanded text introducing and explaining the project. We are continuing to update the data, and this new website will hopefully be developed into a multi-faceted resource that incorporates selected images and more diverse commentary from varied partners, dealing with new, uncertain or difficult content using some kind of approved “chat”. In current format, the central goal is efficient mapping of county records, but more work is needed to add many details and to improve display or explanation of the data. In taxonomic philosophy, we split if in doubt but allow for future lumping if needed. There are several names that are speculative, but they are our best estimates based on limited available evidence, as noted in the text. In mapping, we use open dots for “uncertain” records that may be reasonable and deserve to be checked; also, in many taxonomic distinctions (especially among varieties) there are occasionally intermediate plants that cannot be assigned with complete confidence. In notes on each species, we select information that is not generally available in traditional standard literature. There are details of morphological distinction, ecological aspects, and unusual chemical features with notes on medicinal or nutritional uses. Some notes are relevant to problems in regional (eg SERNEC) or national (eg BONAP) databases. These notes are not yet consistently developed for all taxa, but they could become increased and improved in future versions of this work. We are particularly grateful to Mason Brock [APSC] for recent input.

Brief Partial Explanation

Family, genus and species names at upper left:
these are followed by selected synonyms or alternatives.

Taxa excluded from mapping, as indicated on top line:
C (cultivated), H (hybrid), R (records uncertain),
T (taxonomic distinction unclear), W (waif).

Codes to right above notes
ALI: AS = East Asian; EU = Eurasian; SA = South American; etc.
HAB: typical habitats (see complete explanation)

(i) Numbers 1-12 indicate classes of natural habitat, with most typical listed first. Preceding letters are for disturbed variants:
   F (fields, farmland or suburban land);
   G (grazed/hayed areas, powerlines or similar sites);
   H (horticultural contexts, cropland and similar sites);
   R (roadsides, lawns and similar sites);
   S (short trampled or mowed vegetation).
   1. Rivers & stream corridors plus shrubby or grassy banks.
   2. Lakes & ponds plus associated shrubby/grassy marshes.
   3. Cypress/tupelo or other deep swamp forest and open variants.
   4. Riparian ("streamside") forest (relatively well-drained soil).
   5. Mesic forest ("moist woods"); lacking xeric/hydric tendency.
   6. Subhydric forest ("damp" or "wet woods") and open woodland.
   7. Submesic forest (average "upland woods") and open woodland.
   8. Deciduous seral thickets, maintained by repeated disturbance.
   9. Hydric-tending flats with oak woodland or grassland.
 10. Xeric-tending plains with oak woodland or grassland.
 11. Subxeric oak forests ("dry or rocky woods"). 
 12. Xeric coniferous forest/glades and transitions to oak.

(ii) Microhabitat: association with rock, water, bare ground, or unusual substrates.
   +       Loosely associated with rock outcrops or boulders
   --       Partially associated with flat rock outcrops
   ==     Strongly associated with flat rock outcrops
   \        Partially associated with cliff tops or ledges
   \\       Strongly associated with cliff tops or ledges
   |        Partially associated with vertical rock faces
   ||        Strongly associated with vertical rock faces
   /        Partially associated with cliff bases or rockhouses
   //       Strongly associated with cliff bases or rockhouses
   ~|      Associated with seeping, dripping or sprayed rock faces
   ~       Growing partially in water or on receding shoreline
  ~~      Strongly associated with water in growing season
   ::       Partially associated with bared ground at least seedlings
   ::::     Strongly associated with bared ground
  ^        Facultative epiphyte on trees
  ^^      Obligate epiphyte on trees

(iii) Gradient from acidic infertile soils to basic fertile soils.
   A      Association with strongly acid soils (ca. pH 4-5) and low overall fertility; typical upland oaks include Quercus montana and Q. coccinea; Castanea dentata was formerly frequent; Ericaceae are common.
   B      Transitional or uncertain assignment between A and B.
   C      Association with medium acid soils (ca. pH 5-6) and medium overall fertility; typical upland oaks include Q. alba, Q. velutina, Q. stellata and Q. falcata.
   D      Transitional or uncertain assignment between C and E.
   E       Association with weakly acid to neutral soils (ca. pH 6-7) and medium to high overall fertility, especially in bases (Ca, Mg, K); typical upland oaks include Q. muhlenbergii, Q. shumardii, Q. macrocarpa and locally Q. imbricaria.

(iv) Association with sun versus shade.
   1       Persistent in deep shade, generally excluded from full sun.
   2       Moderately persistent in shade, but more vigorous in sun.
   3       Mostly in partial shade, thin woods or edges.
   4       Often in full sun, but most abundant in thin woods or brush.
   5       Most abundant in full sun with relatively intact grassland.
   6       Most abundant in full sun with bare ground, rock or water.

ABU: global (g) and state (s) abundance with 11-point scales;
also the final number, 13-point (with plus or minus), is estimate of degree to which taxon has increased or decreased since settlement.

Notes on distribution, ecology and taxonomy (at base of page):
see complete explanation (for abbreviations) and literature cited.