Book Description

Four tracts of Kentucky State Forest land totaling 351 ha on Pine Mountain in Harlan and Bell Counties (southeastern Kentucky) were investigated for vascular plant constituents during two growing seasons (May 2004-September 2005) and two additional trips in May and July 2008. The study area included additions to the Kentucky Ridge and Kentenia State Forests. These tracts, within the Cumberland Mountains section of the Appalachian Plateaus Province, are inhabited by mixed mesophytic forest. This study yielded 514 taxa representing 109 families and 294 genera. Constituents of the flora include 29 pteridophyte, seven gymnosperm, 380 dicot and 98 monocot taxa. The flora is dominated by three families: Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae, accounting for 27.8% of the total flora. A total of 54 species of naturalized or persistent non-native vascular plants were collected, comprising 10.5% of the total flora. Of these, 21 taxa are considered to be significant or severe threats to the native flora of the state. A total of 13 taxa are state-listed by the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission. These include Adiantum capillus-veneris, Baptisia tinctoria, Castanea dentata, Corydalis sempervirens, Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum, C. parviflorum var. pubescens, Eupatorium steelei, Gentiana decora, Hexastylis heterophylla, Juglans cinerea, Muhlenbergia bushii, Prosartes maculata, and Solidago curtisii. In addition, three taxa that are candidates for monitoring in Kentucky were collected. This study produced 27 new records for Bell County and 29 for Harlan County. The collection of Amelanchier laevis is the second for the state.