On rich slopes, the Bluegrass forests are typically composed of Acer saccharum, Aesculus glabra, Carya laciniosa, Celtis occidentalis, Fraxinus americana, F. quadrangulata, Gleditsia triacanthos, Gymocladus dioicus, Juglans nigra, Juniperus virginiana, Prunus serotina, Quercus muhlenbergii, Q. shumardii, and Ulmus americana. A particularly rich assemblage of trees were found in ravines along the Kentucky River with Acer nigrum, A. rubrum, A. saccharum, Aesculus flava, Carya cordiformis, C. laciniosa, C. ovata, Cladratis kentuckea, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, F.
quadrangulata, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus alba, Q. muhlenbergii, Q. rubra, Q. shumardii, Tilia americana, Ulmus americana, and U. rubra. These communities are similar to those described by the KSNPC (2010a, b) as Calcareous Mesophytic Forest. A similar community, the Bluegrass Mesophytic Cane Forest, has been identified (KSNPC 2010b) and is considered Endangered.
Swamp forests and flatwoods were found in the Outer Bluegrass tend to be similar to those described for the Knobs. Flatwoods were found to
contain Acer rubrum, Carya ovata, C. laciniosa, Diospyros americana, Fraxinus pensylvanica, Platanus occidentalis, Quercus alba, Q. bicolor, Q. palustris, and Q. stellata. Near the Kentucky River and along major streams a floodplain forest develops with Acer negundo, A. saccharinum, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus occidentalis, Populus deltoides, Tilia americana, and Ulmus americana. These flatwoods, streambank, and terrace communities are similar to those described by the KSNPC (2010b) as Wet Flatwoods and Riparian Forest.
Native grasslands were found along xeric cliffs of the Inner Bluegrass in the Kentucky River Palisades and also in the Outer Bluegrass in the Dolomitic Foothills. Stunted trees and shrubs form an ecotone or transition zone to closed canopy communities; Celtis tenuifolia and Juniperus virginina are indicators. Characteristic herbaceous plants were Andropogon gerardii, Asclepias tuberosa, A. viridiflora, A verticillata, Blephilia ciliata, Bouteloua curtipendula, Calamintha glabella, Carex crawei, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Danthonia spicata, Dichanthelium acuminatum,
Eleocharis compressa, Erigeron pulchellus, Fragaria virginiana, Galactia volubilis, Hedyotis nigricans, Hypericum dolobriforme, Liatris squarrosa, Lithospermum canescens, Leavenworthia uniflora, Lespedeza hirta, L. repens, Lobelia spicata, Monarda fistulosa, Orbexilium onobrychis, Panicum anceps, P. flexile, Penstemon hirsutus, Plantago aristata, Pynanthemum tenuifolium, Ratibida pinnata, Rudbeckia fulgida, Ruellia humilis, Schizachyrium scoparium, Scirpus pendulus, Scutellaria parvula, Silphium terebinthinaceum, S. trifoliatum, Sisyrinchium albidum, Solidago
nemoralis, Spiranthes magnicamporum, Sporobolus vaginiflorus, and Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pringlei. This plant community is similar to Limestone/Dolomite Prairie.
REFERENCES
[KSNPC] Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission. 2010a. Rare and extirpated biota and natural communities of Kentucky. Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science 71: 67-81.
quadrangulata, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus alba, Q. muhlenbergii, Q. rubra, Q. shumardii, Tilia americana, Ulmus americana, and U. rubra. These communities are similar to those described by the KSNPC (2010a, b) as Calcareous Mesophytic Forest. A similar community, the Bluegrass Mesophytic Cane Forest, has been identified (KSNPC 2010b) and is considered Endangered.
Swamp forests and flatwoods were found in the Outer Bluegrass tend to be similar to those described for the Knobs. Flatwoods were found to
contain Acer rubrum, Carya ovata, C. laciniosa, Diospyros americana, Fraxinus pensylvanica, Platanus occidentalis, Quercus alba, Q. bicolor, Q. palustris, and Q. stellata. Near the Kentucky River and along major streams a floodplain forest develops with Acer negundo, A. saccharinum, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus occidentalis, Populus deltoides, Tilia americana, and Ulmus americana. These flatwoods, streambank, and terrace communities are similar to those described by the KSNPC (2010b) as Wet Flatwoods and Riparian Forest.
Native grasslands were found along xeric cliffs of the Inner Bluegrass in the Kentucky River Palisades and also in the Outer Bluegrass in the Dolomitic Foothills. Stunted trees and shrubs form an ecotone or transition zone to closed canopy communities; Celtis tenuifolia and Juniperus virginina are indicators. Characteristic herbaceous plants were Andropogon gerardii, Asclepias tuberosa, A. viridiflora, A verticillata, Blephilia ciliata, Bouteloua curtipendula, Calamintha glabella, Carex crawei, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Danthonia spicata, Dichanthelium acuminatum,
Eleocharis compressa, Erigeron pulchellus, Fragaria virginiana, Galactia volubilis, Hedyotis nigricans, Hypericum dolobriforme, Liatris squarrosa, Lithospermum canescens, Leavenworthia uniflora, Lespedeza hirta, L. repens, Lobelia spicata, Monarda fistulosa, Orbexilium onobrychis, Panicum anceps, P. flexile, Penstemon hirsutus, Plantago aristata, Pynanthemum tenuifolium, Ratibida pinnata, Rudbeckia fulgida, Ruellia humilis, Schizachyrium scoparium, Scirpus pendulus, Scutellaria parvula, Silphium terebinthinaceum, S. trifoliatum, Sisyrinchium albidum, Solidago
nemoralis, Spiranthes magnicamporum, Sporobolus vaginiflorus, and Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pringlei. This plant community is similar to Limestone/Dolomite Prairie.
REFERENCES
[KSNPC] Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission. 2010a. Rare and extirpated biota and natural communities of Kentucky. Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science 71: 67-81.