A Natural Areas Inventory of the - Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory ...

epresenting 5 families, 13 genera, 52 species, and 55 taxa of vascular plants and bryophytes
previously undocumented on FLMR, making a total of 103 families, 325 genera, 585 species, and
591 taxa of vascular plants and 18 families, 32 genera, 43 species of bryophytes confirmed on
FLMR. Overall, the provenance for, longevity of, and habitat regularly occupied by taxa
reported from FLMR have changed little between the 1995–1996 and 2003 field seasons.
However, the frequency of certain exotic taxa on the installation indicates that several species,
including Berberis thunbergii, Elaeagnus umbellata, and Ligustrum obtusifolium, cited by
Freeman et al. (1997) as adventive, are better considered naturalized in the area. Moreover, some
exotic taxa, such as Alliaria petiolata, Ligustrum obtusifolium, Lonicera maackii, and Rosa
multiflora, previously reported as rare, are now common, while others, such as Phalaris
arundinacea and Sorghum halepense, previously reported as common, are now abundant in
certain habitats on FLMR. Three exotic taxa, Cyperus fuscus, Euonymus alatus, and Rhodotypos
scandens, were documented for the first time in Kansas during the 2003 field season. It is
unlikely that any one of these species will exhibit a significant, negative ecological impact on
natural communities in the state.
No populations of the federal-listed species Asclepias meadii, Platanthera praeclara, or
Trifolium stoloniferum were observed during the 2003 field season. However, nine of 11 staterare
vascular plant taxa documented on FLMR during the 1995–1996 field seasons and reported
by Freeman et al. (1997) were confirmed as persisting on the installation. These were Aster
lateriflorus, Brachyelytrum erectum, Bromus nottowayanus, Hydrophyllum appendiculatum,
Osmorhiza claytonii, Packera glabella, Ranunculus recurvatus var. recurvatus, Stachys pilosa
var. arenicola, and Uvularia grandiflora. Populations of Blephilia hirsuta and Lithospermum
latifolium were not relocated during the 2003 field season, but these may persist on FLMR. In
addition, Carex radiata, Carex rosea, and Lipocarpha micrantha, three state-rare taxa reported
by Freeman et al. (1997) as occurring on FLMR but not included among the state-rare species
discussed by those authors were confirmed as persisting on the installation and seven state-rare
taxa were documented as occurring there for the first time. These were Carex crus-corvi, Carex
hirtifolia, Carex hitchcockiana, Carex normalis, Carex tribuloides var. sangamonensis,
Hypericum ascyron, and Rubus alumnus.
NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY OF FT. LEAVENWORTH II 93