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<br />FINAL Saddle Club Rare Plant Survey 8 -20 -13
<br />Field Survey Methods
<br />The site was surveyed by Annie Weeks and Jason Naber on 29 July, 30 July and 31 July 2013. Wet
<br />meadows, wetland margins (based on the wetland delineation by Earth Science Associates, Inc.), and
<br />ecotones of the site, were intensively surveyed, as these are the locations that rare plants are most
<br />likely to occur. These areas were surveyed using a phalanx formation with two individuals spaced
<br />approximately 3 -5 meters apart. Woodlands were surveyed using wider transects, approximately 20
<br />meters apart, as these areas are Tess likely to harbor the rare plants listed above. GPS waypoints were
<br />recorded at several locations across the site where species lists were compiled (Map 4). Any species
<br />that could not be identified in the field were photographed in detail and later identified using Gleason
<br />and Cronquist (1991) or various field guides. No voucher specimens were collected.
<br />Results
<br />No state or federally listed rare plant species were observed during the survey. However, the site does
<br />contain suitable habitat for many of the rare species listed above, and several species that are indicators
<br />of high quality habitats were observed. Below are descriptions of plant communities within the site.
<br />Note: the species listed below are not complete species lists within each plant community, but species
<br />that were the most common/ dominant.
<br />The eastern half of the site contains intact wet meadows, oak and aspen woodlands, marshes, and
<br />ecotones that are relatively undisturbed and have a low density of invasive species. Species observed
<br />within the wet meadows include Polygala sanguinea, Spirea tomentosa, Monarda fistulosa, Solidago
<br />spp., Verbena hastata, Lycopus uniflous, Potentilla simplex, Lobelia spicata, Thelypteris palustris,
<br />Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Asclepias syrica, Achillea millefolium, Salix interior, Euphorbia corollata, and
<br />Lespedeza capitata (Map 4, points 1, 16). The presence of Polygala sanguinea is known to be an
<br />indicator of Polygala cruciata, a state endangered species. Invasive species observed within the
<br />meadows include Linaria vulgaris, Coronilla varia, Euphorbia cyparissias, Poa pratensis, and Phleum
<br />pretense, and Rumex acetosella.
<br />Although, the meadows contain several invasive species, native species are dominant and diversity is
<br />high. Aspen appears to be encroaching on the meadows from the edges, but there are no woody
<br />species within the open wet meadows, indicating that the structure of the meadows is intact.
<br />Ecotones between the wet meadows and woodlands on the eastern half of the site were, generally, in
<br />good condition, and had low densities of invasive species. Species along the margins of the woodlands
<br />and meadows included Corylus americana, Athyrium filix femina, Asclepias syriaca, Cornus spp.,
<br />Eupatorium maculatum, Thelypteris palustris, Spirea alba, Persicaria amphibian, Osmunda claytoniana,
<br />Onoclea sensibilis, Thalictrum dasycarpum, and Geranium maculatum, Populus tremuloides, (Map 4,
<br />points 2, 8, 14, 17, 18). An intact sedge meadow with a high diversity of native species also occurs on
<br />the eastern edge of the site (Map 4, point 15).
<br />The margins of all the open water marshes on the site were invaded by reed canary grass (Map 4, point
<br />6, 21, 22, 23). A large patch of reed canary grass also occurs in one wetland area in the northeastern
<br />corner of the site (Map 4, point 7).
<br />Woodlands on the site are diverse and include upland oak and aspen woodlands, forested wetlands
<br />(Map 4, point 24), and lowland hardwood forests (Map 4, point 19) comprised of Fraxinus pennsylvanica
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