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Jefferson County, West Virginia
The
following is a list of taxa found in an inventory of this wetland
conducted on September 9, 1999, by Robert Hunsucker and Dorothy
Simkins: The symbol * indicates that the taxon also occurs in the
Folly Mills calcareous wetland in Virginia (Hunsucker and Mueller,
1998)
In the vicinity of the
stream (Evitts Run), which meanders through several habitats, but
mostly swamp forest, the following plants (in order of observation)
were found: In the marsh section
the following plants were found:
Butterflies
Observed in the general area were as follows:Altona Marsh
June 2004
The Altona
Marsh is located in Jefferson County, West Virginia, about one mile
west of the city of Charles Town. Most of the wetland, which is on
private land, is under easement to The Nature Conservancy. The
elevation of the wetland is 515 feet (157 meters) asl. Rocks in the
immediate vicinity consist of closely folded and faulted Cambrian
Conococheague and Elbrook Formations and the Ordovician Stonehenge
Formation. All these formations are dominated by limestones and
dolomites (Cardwell et al, 1968). Since the wetland is
apparently spring-fed by springs emerging from these carbonate rocks,
its waters are calcareous in nature, and its subsoils consist of the
unconsolidated calcareous substance marl.
*Platanus
occidentalis (Sycamore) -dominant
*Acer negundo (
Boxelder) - codominant
Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple) - codominant
Fraxinus
americana (White Ash) - codominant
Ulmus americana (American Elm) - codominant
*Salix nigra
(Black Willow) - mostly along stream
*Salix alba (White Willow) - an alien species; one large tree seen
*Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
Cornus amomum (Silky Cornel) - dominant shrub
Lindera benzoin
(Spice Bush) - common
Viburnum
cassinoides (Wild Raisin)
Cephalanthus
occidentalis (Button Bush)
Sambucus
canadensis (Black Elderberry)
Rhus radicans
(Poison Ivy)
Parthenocissus
quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper)
Rosa multiflora
(Multiflora Rose) - an alien species
Lonicer japonica
(Japanese Honeysuckle) - an alien species
Celtis tenuifolia
(Dwarf Hackberry)
Berberis
thunbergii (Japanese Barberry) - an alien species
Clematis
virginiana (Virgin's Bower)
Phytolacca
americana (Poke}
Solanum ducamera
(Bittersweet 2)
Sparganium
chlorocarpum (Small Burreed)
Sparganium
eurycarpum (Large Burreed)
*Asclepias
incarnata var incarnata (Swamp Milkweed)
Stachys cordata
(Riddell's Hedge Nettle)
*Phalaris
arundinacea (Reed Canary Grass) - abundant in many areas
*Impatiens
capensis (Spotted Jewelweed) - abundant
*Vebena
urticifolia (White Vervain)
Verbena hastata
(Blue Vervain)
Vitis vulpina
(Winter Grape)
*Glyceria striata
(Fowl Mannagrass)
Carex stipata
Carex comosa
*Carex frankii
Carex spp.
*Scirpus
atrovirens
Sium suave (Water Parsnip)
*Cicuta maculata
(Water Hemlock)
Equisetum arvense
(Common Horsetail)
*Pilea pumila
(Clearweed)
Eupatorium
maculatum (Mottled Joe-pye Weed) - frequent
Eupatorium
coelestinum (Mistflower) - rare
Eupatorium
semiserratum () - a few on border
*Verbesina
alternifolia (Wingstem)
Solidago altissima
(Tall Goldenrod)
*Vernonia
noveboracensis (New York Ironweed)
*Erectites
hieracifolia (Pilewort)
*Gaura biennis
(Gaura)
*Agrimonia
gryposepala (New York Ironweed)
Sanicula
sp. (unidentified sanicle)
Aster
praealtus (Tall Aster)
*Aster
simplex (Panicled Aster)
Cuscuta gronovii
(Common Dodder)
Polygonum sagittatum
(Arrow-leaf Tearthumb)
*Epilobium
coloratum (Purple-leaved Willow-herb)
*Scutellaria
lateriflora (Mad-dog Skullcap)
Boehmeria
cylindrica (False Nettle)
*Phalaris
arundinacea (Reed Canary Grass) - abundant
*Impatiens
capensis (Spotted Jewelweed) - scattered and in large patches
Sagittaria
latifolia (Wapato)
*Elodea canadensis
(Canada Waterweed }
Eupatorium
maculatum (Mottled Joe-pye Weed)
*Eupatorium
perfoliatum (Boneset)
Verbena hastata
(Blue Vervain)
Cyperus strigosus
(Calingale)
Cyperus bipartitus
Cyperus odoratus
(syn. C. flavescens)
Eleocharus
acicularis (Spikerush)
Eleocharis
intermedia (Intermediate Spikerush)
*Eleocharus
palustris (incl. E. smallii )
Juncus
brevicaudatus- infrequent
Cuscuta gronovii
(Common Dodder)
Diospyros
virginiana (Persimmon) -one sapling seen
Apocynum
cannabinum (Indian Hemp)
*Alisma
subcordatum (Common Water Plantain)
Sagittaria
latifolia (Broadleaf Arrowhead)
Equisetum hyemale
(Scouring Rush)
*Scirpus validus
(Great Bulrush)
Cicuta bulbifera
(Bulbiferous Water Hemlock)
Ranunculus
scleratus (Cursed Crowfoot)
Veronica americana
(American Brooklime)
Panicum capillare
(Old Witch Grass)
*Campanula
aparinoides (Marsh Bellflower)
Agrostis stolonifera
(Spreading Bentgrass)
Polygonum
caespitosum (Asiatic Water Pepper)
Polygonum
lapathifolium (Dock-leaved Smartweed)
*Polygonum punctatum
(Water Smartweed)
*Mentha
arvensis (Field Mint)
*Hypericum
mutilum (Small-flowered St. John's-wort)
*Epilobium
coloratum (Purple-leaved Willow-herb)
*Scutellaria
lateriflora (Mad-dog Skullcap)
*Bidens
frondosa (Leafy Beggar-tick)
*Lobelia
siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia)
*Ludwigia palustris
(Marsh Purslane)
*Rorippa
nasturtium aquaticum (Water Cress) -aquatic
Hydrocotyle
ranunculoides (Floating Water Pennywort)
Lycopus
americaus (Water Horehound)
*Lycopus
uniflorus (Northern Bugleweed)
Galium
tinctorium (Clayton's Bedstraw)
Scirpus purshianus (Club Rush)
Echinochloa
crus-galli (Barnyard Grass)
Eragrostis
hypnoides (Creeping Lovegrass)
*Penthorum
sedoides (Ditch Stonecrop)
Leersia
oryzoides (Rice Cutgrass)
Typha
latifolia (Broad-leaved Cattail)
*Mimulus
ringens (Common Monkeyflower)
Boehmeria
cylindrica (False Nettle)
Callitriche
sp (a water starwort) - without flowers or fruits
Aster
praealtus (Tall Aster)
Carex spp
Sium
suave (Water Parsnip)
Other Insects Observed:
Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea) - on Black Walnut
Herpes Observed:
Snapping
Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) - one
A
basking turtle-unidentified
Birds Observed in the general area were the following:
We now present for comparison the observations of participants in the Eastern Panhandle Native Plant Society field trips as reported by Sally Anderson on the web site < http://www.wvnsp.org/Altonamarsh03.html >Trip Leaders were Dr. Carl Bell, Shepherd College, on the 7-7-01 trip and Larry Stritch, EPNPS president on the 5-4-03 trip. As previously, the symbol * indicates that the taxon also occurs in the Folly Mills calcareous wetland.
Observed on the 7-7-01 trip were the following:
*Chara
sp (an unidentified stonewort) - a green algae in Evitt's Run
*Sparganium
americanum (American Burreed)
*Cardamine
bulbosa (Bulbous Cress)
*Caltha
palustris (Marsh Marigold)
*Salix
sp (a shrubby willow)
Carex
suberecta - a sedge standing in water in tufts
*Juncus
sp (a rush)
Juncus balticus (Baltic Rush)
*Polygonum
sp (a smartweed)
*Salix
nigra (Black Willow)
*Nasturtium
officinale (Watercress) - an alien species
During the 7-7-01 visit by the EPNPS attention was drawn by Dr. Bell to iron oxide and oil stains in certain waters of this wetland, an effect that could be attributable to pollution or natural bacterial action. Such emissions are common to many wetlands, including those of calcareous nature.
A list of rare species of the Altona Mash, a number of which appear in the foregoing inventories, was provided by the West Virginia Natural Heritage Program. Species which also occur in the Folly Mills calcareous wetland are indicated by the symbol *, while characteristically northern species are indicated by (N).The following plants were listed:
Carex
buxbaumii (Brown Bog Sedge) (N)
Carex
comosa (Bearded Sedge)
Carex
conoidea (Field Sedge) (N)
Carex
lacustris (Lake Sedge) (N)
Carex
lasiocarpa var americana (Slender Sedge) (N)
*Carex
prairea (Prairie Sedge) (N)
Carex suberecta
(Prairie Straw Sedge) (N)
Carex
tetanica (Rigid Sedge) (N)
Eleocharis
intermedia (Matted Spike Rush) (N)
Eleocharis
rostellata (Beaked Spike Rush)
Equisetum
fluviatile (Water Horsetail) (N)
Hierochloe
hirta ssp arctica (Holy Grass) (N)
Hydrocotyle
ranunculoides (Floating Water Pennywort)
Juncus
balticus var littoralis (Baltic Rush) (N)
Juncus
scirpoides (Scirpus-like Rush)
Juncus
torreyi (Torrey's Rush)
Liparis
loeselii (Loesel's Twayblade) (N)
Lobelia
kalmii (Kalm's Lobelia) (N)
*Lysimachia
quadriflora (Four-flowered Loosestrife)
Lysimachia thyrsiflora
(Water Loosestrife) (N)
Lythrum
alatum var alatum (Winged Loosestrife)
*Parnassia
grandifolia (Largeleaf Grass-of-Parnassus)
*Pedicularis
lanceolata (Swamp Lousewort)
Polygonum
amphibium var emersum (water Smartweed)
Ranunculus
scleratus var scleratus (Cursed Growfoot)
*Salix
discolor (Glaucous Willow or Pussy Willow) (N)
Schoenplectus
acutus (Hard-stemmed Bulrush)
Scutellaria
galericulata (Hooded Skullcap)
Stachys
tenuifolia (Smooth Hedge-nettle)
It should be noted that certain of the observed taxa of these wetland inventories are characteristic of upland and even dry habitats. Examples are Poison Ivy, Virginia Creeper, Virgin's Bower, Indian Hemp, Staghorn Sumac and Oenothera, among others. While some of these occurrences may be attributable to local patches of elevated or well drained sites not specifically distinguished, some or all may represent examples of metastability (Mueller, 2000), by which a plant that was seeded during a dry period can persist in an environment too wet for full stability.
The rare species list contains an unusual assemblage of northern species for this low elevation habitat, a characteristic shared by the Folly Mills calcareous wetland (Hunsucker and Mueller, 1998). It seems likely that the stability fields of these species are expanded to lower elevations in such rich calcareous habitats.
Cardwell, Dudley H., Robert B. Erwin, Herbert P. Woodward and Charles W. Lotz (1968) Geologic Map of West Virginia, slightly revised in 1986. West Virginia Geologic and Economic Survey, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Hunsucker, Robert and R. F. Mueller (1998) Folly Mills Calcareous Wetland, Augusta County, Virginia. Forests of the Central Appalachians Project. Virginians for Wilderness web Site.
Mueller, R. F. (2000) Stability Relations in Forests. Forests of the Central Appalachians Project, Virginians for Wilderness Web Site.