COX, PATRICIA B. Department of Botany, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1100 USA. - A Re-evaluation of the Pteridophyte Flora in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
As a component of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory in the Great
Smoky Mountain National Park, a re-evaluation of the pteridophyte
flora is being undertaken. In addition to the inventory of species, we
are also mapping the distribution of ferns in the park. Currently
there are 64 species of pteridophytes reported from the GSMP.
Twenty-five (39%) are considered to be rare in the park. There are
historical records for Lycopodium annotinum, Thelypteris
simulata, and T. phaegopteris. It has been determined that
T. simulata, had incorrect label data and was not collected
inside the park. Searches for specimens of the other historical
records have been made and are thought to be extripated from this
area. A tetraploid species of Isoetes, was recently collected
in the Cade's Cove area, and is currently under investigation by both
Dr. Carl Taylor and Kerry Heafner. A few of the other rare species
known from the GSMNP are Asplenium pinnatifidum, Botrychium
lanceolatum var. anustisegmentum, B.
matricarifolium, Lygodium palmatum, and Woodwardia
virginica.
Key words: distributional data, ferns, flora, inventory, Pteridophyte, rare plants