Vascular Plant Flora of the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center, Alabama

Abstract

A survey of the vascular plant flora was conducted at the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center in south-central Alabama. Over 2000 vascular plant specimens were collected from the 2144 ha site comprising 152 families, 498 genera and 1015 species. This represented a density of 47 species/km2 and accounted for 25% of all known vascular plant species from the state of Alabama, highlighting the unusually rich biodiversity of this site. The most diverse plant families in this flora were Asteraceae (132 spp.), Poaceae (108), Fabaceae (74), Cyperaceae (69), and Lamiaceae (24). The most diverse genera in the survey included Carex (23 spp.), Quercus (20), Juncus (15), Cyperus (15), Dichanthelium (14) and Hypericum (14). A total of 133 non-native species were identified (13.1% of the flora) including 22 state-listed invasive species. Rare and threatened species tracked by the ALNHP made up 2.1% (21 species) of the flora and included notable taxa such as Stewartia malacodendron, Hamamelis ovalis, Epidendrum magnoliae, Pityopsis oligantha, Lilaeopsis carolinensis and Stylisma aquatica among others. A brief description of the geology, geography, climate and historical land use of the property is included along with a checklist of taxa.