Bland County, Virginia
April 2000
Source Walks: 7-1-99 and 7-2-99
The Little Wolf and Laurel Creeks are part of the headwaters of Wolf Creek, a tributary of the New River. The area is underlain by Devonian and Mississippian rocks of diverse lithologies. In upstream areas the watershed of Little Wolf Creek is occupied by undifferentiated Mississippian Maccrady Shale and Price Formation (Rader and Evans, 1991) . These rocks are succeeded downstream along Laurel Creek by the Chemung and Brallier Formations of Devonian age. The Mississippian rocks appear to be the most complex, with lithologies ranging from shales, siltstones and sandstones to limestones and salt beds, at least in some areas of their occurrence. Elevations in the areas of our inventories are in the range of 2500 feet (763 m) asl.
On 7-1-99 a camp was established along Laurel Creek at the site of an old quarry in siltstone about 1/4 mile (0.4 km) below the confluence with Little Wolf Creek. The weather was warm, dry and pleasant, with temperatures in the range of 80 deg F (27 deg C) .
Our inventories here were conducted almost entirely during the afternoon of 7-199. The first of these extended from a little downstream from our camp to the Little Wolf confluence. The second extended perhaps 1/5 mile (0.32 km) upstream along Little Wolf Creek on the Appalachian Trail.
The road along Laurel Creek,State Route 615, was cut into the lower slope, perhaps 20 feet (6 m) above the flood plain. The forest on this slope and on the flood plain is of a rich acid-mesic Appalachian type, with a canopy dominated by Canada hemlock, Black Birch, Yellow Buckeye, Tuliptree, White Basswood, Sugar and Red Maples, Cucumbertree, Fraser Magnolia, Northern Red and Chestnut Oaks, White Ash, Black Locust, Sycamore and a little White Pine and Sassafras. Where Hemlock dominates, as on much of the slope above the road and on parts of the flood plain, there are few shrubs and herbaceous plants, but where the canopy is thinner, these show considerable diversity. Upstream, at the Little Wolf confluence, there is a little Black Walnut, perhaps as a consequence of limestone in the vicinity. Where the canopy is not too dense there is an understory that includes Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) and Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) and a shrub layer dominated by Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) with common Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia), as well as minor components such as Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina) . Dutchman's Pipe Vine (Aristolochia macrophylla), Summer Grape (Vitis aestivalis), Common Greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and Poison Ivy (Rhus radicans) were conspicuous vines.
Our detailed inventory along the road was largely confined to the upper road bank, which was under the influence of seeps from the forest upslope and very little -except for dust - from the road gravel. Presumably plants here correspond to those formed in small forest openings under the existing microclimate and aspect. Species successively noted on moving along the road toward the Little Wolf confluence from a little downstream from our camp were as follows: Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens) Hairy Disporum (Disporum lanuginosum), American Spikenard (Aralia racemosa), Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Bluntlobe Hepatica (Hepatica americana), Bracken Fern ( Pteridium aquilinum), Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) in bloom, the forest sedge Carex platyphylla, Bowman's Root (Gillenia trifoliata ), White Wood aster (Aster divaricatus) the sedges Carex gracilescens and C. baileyi, Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana), Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia), a Red-spotted Purple (Lemenitis arthemis astyanax) Butterfly, abundant Great Rhododendron, Teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens ), Pale Green Orchis (Habenaria flava) in bloom, Hog Peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata), Mountain Laurel, Broad-leaved Panic Grass (Panicum latifolium), Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) in bloom, Sassafras and abundant Hemlock.
Continuing under the dominantly acid regime, we saw Mountain Bellwort (Uvularia pudica), a Heartleaf (Hexastylis sp), abundant Delicate Fern Moss (Thuidium delicatulum) and Partridge Berry. However, also seen here was Virginia Srawberry (Fragaria virginiana) with ripe fruit, then Carex gracillima, a muhly grass (Muhlenbergia sp), Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), Crooked-stem Aster (Aster prenanthoides), the large, beautiful moss Brachythecium oxycladon, Red Maple, the mossRhodobryum roseum and Common Greenbrier. These were followed by less characteristically acidiphile Filmy Angelica (Angelica triquinata), Purple Bedstraw (Galium latifolium) in bloom, four-leaved Yam (Dioscorea quaternata), Pasture Rose, Horse Balm ( Collinsonia canadensis), Shrubby St. Johns-wort (Hypericum spathulatum) and Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata ). Next seen however, was the acidiphile Rock Fern (Polypodium virginianum) on sandstone, then our first White Oak, here with White Avens (Geum canadense), and Cleavers (Galium aperine) .
The acid - mesic, but moisture and nutrient - rich character of the road bank, as well as its heterogeneity is shown by the interruption of dominant communities of such species as Teaberry and Partridge Berry by species such as American Spikenard and Horse Balm that range into more alkaline environments.
At the Little Wolf Creek confluence the canopy consisted of White Oak, Sugar Maple, Black Locust, Fraser Magnolia, Hemlock, White Pine and Black Walnut. Then moving up the Appalachian Trail, along the Little Wolf, we noted at the bridge crossing Black Birch, a few seemingly healthy Beech, White Ash, Hemlock, Northern Red Oak, Tuliptree, Striped Maple, abundant Great Rhododendron, Wild Hydrangea, seedlings of Black Oak, a blackberry (Rubus sp), Summer Grape, Common Greenbrier, Dutchmann's Pipe Vine, Christmas Fern, Four-leaved Yam, White Wood Aster, Carex platyphylla andC. digitalis.
Now climbing along the side of the steep - sided ravine, we saw first Chestnut Oak and Witch Hazel, then noted a deep, sandy colluvial soil. This soil was occupied by a dominantly acidiphile community consisting of Teaberry, Indian Cucumbr-root (Medeola virginiana), abundant Gall of the Earth (Prenanthes sp), American Alumroot (Heuchera americana), the wedge grass Sphenopholis intermedia , Curtis Goldenrod, Blunt-lobe Hepatica , Partridge Berry and Gaywings under a canopy dominated by Black Birch and Tuliptree. A moss of the genus Campylium appeared to be common. Next seen were Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens), Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphylla maculata), Wavy-leaf Aster (Aster undulatus), Crooked-stem Aster, Squaw Root (Conopholis americana), Southern Bellflower (Campanula divaricata), Round-leaf Pyrola (Pyrola rotundifolia) in bloom, American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) sprouts, Jack-O-Lantern (Ompholatus illudens) fungus on the base of a moss-covered fallen tree, then Wild Liquorice (Galium circaezans), the woodrushLuzula acuminata and Halberd-leaf Violet (Viola hastata) .
We now saw the first New York Fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis), the grass Panicum boscii and Mountain Oat Grass (Danthonia compressa), then Heart-leaved Skullcap (Scutellaria ovata) in bloom, followed by Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina), Canada Brome Grass (Bromus pubescens), the forest bluegrass Poa alsodes, Indian Turnip (Arisaema triphyllum), Large Summer Bluets (Houstonia purpurea), Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana), Basil Balm (Monarda clinopodia), Early Meadowrue ( Thalictrum dioicum) and Black Cohosh. A spot inventory of the canopy here yielded White Oak, Black Birch, Red Maple, a little Shagbark Hickory and Tuliptree.
Advancing again, we encountered Downy Many Knees (Polygonatum pubescens), American Basswood (Tilia americana), a Marasmius fungus, abundant Atrichum moss (likely A. undulatum), Round-lobe Hepatica with attractive varigated leaves, Carrion Flower (Smilax herbacea), then Galax (Galax aphylla), Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) and a large patch of ferns comprised of a mixture of New York, Interrupted and Lady Fern, with the last-named most abundant and vigorous - appearing. Immediately following were Mountain Holly (Ilex montana), the forest grass Brachyelytrum erectum and Dog Lichen (Peligera canina) .
Now, considering the prevailingly acid character of this slope, we came upon what appeared to be a richer, more alkaline patch of soil as indicated by the flora. This consisted of Canada Violet (Viola canadensis), Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis), Foam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia), the mint Meehania cordata, Hispid Greenbrier (Smilax hispida) and Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) . It is possible that this community marks an alkaline seep,perhaps from a confined carbonate - bearing stratum upslope.
The slope a few meters above this community was however occupied by a ledge of sandstone immediately below and upon which grew more acidiphile plants. Notable among these was Wild Lily of the Valley (Convallaria montana), while the sandstone itself bore Apple Moss (Bartramia pomiformis), the moss Aulocomnium heterostichum and the fern Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes) .
Again along the trail, we saw more Wood Nettle, Canada Brome Grass and Smooth Rockcress (Arabis laevigata) ; then, in a marked return to acidiphiles, Great Rhododendron, Galax, Cow Wheat (Melampyrum lineare), Gay Wings, Teaberry, Southern Bellflower, Bushy Panic Grass (Panicum dichotomum), Mountain Bellwort, Bootts Goldenrod (Solidago boottii) and Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) . These occurred under Black Birch, Northern Red Oak and Red Maple.
Where a Dutchman's Pipe Vine ascended a small trail-side sapling, we saw a caterpillar of the Pipe Vine Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio philenor) feeding on the vine. Here also we again noted the very sandy soil, a characteristic that seemed to apply quite generally to this slope. Other species tallied in the vicinity were Chestnut Oak, Mockernut Hickory, another Marasmius fungus, Rattlesnake Fern (Botrychium virginianum), Hairy Heuchera (Heuchera villosa) on a steep cliff and a large brown and red millipede without detectable odor.
Now viewing the slope below, not far above the stream, we were attracted by a vigorous patch of the uncommon Fraser's Sedge (Cymophylus fraseri), a species we were also to see later along Laurel Creek. At his point we descended to the stream.
Of particular interest on the partially dry cobble bar in the stream bed was the rather uncommon Rough Goldenrod (Solidago patula) . This tall, robust goldenrod, not yet in bloom, was associated with Wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa), Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus), Common Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum), Boneset (E. perfoliatum), Panicled Aster (Aster simplex ), Flat-top White Aster (A. umbellatus) a lobelia, likely Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Deer-tongue Grass (Panicum clandestinum), Small-fruited Panic Grass (P. microcarpon), Fowl Manna Grass (Glyceria striata ), the Creeping Five-leaf Potentilla simplex, Upright Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta) and the stream sedge Carex torta. . The thallus liverwort Pallavicina lyellii also occurred here. Small ( 3 inch/ 8 cm) fish, crayfish and the shed exoskeleton of a Dolomedes spider were seen in the stream. Our inventory here was terminated by a threatening thundershower.
The following additional fungi were collected and identified from this traverse by R. Hunsucker: Polyporus varius, Phellinus rimasus, Tyromyces chioneus, Stereum ostrea, Pluteus cervinus, Fomitopsis cajander and Fomes fomentarius .
On 7-2-99 R. Hunsucker inventoried a wet meadow downstream from camp. Found there were Steel's Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium steelei), Sundrops (Oenothera perennis), Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris), Lance-leaved Loosestrife (Lysimachia lanceolata) and Winter Grape (Vitis vulpina) .
Faunal observations at camp included the following:
Surprisingly few birds were seen or heard. No forest thrushes were noted, although American Robins (Turdus migratorius), Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus), Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) were regularly seen and/or heard, and on 7-2-99 a Rose-breasted Grossbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus ) and a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) were heard. On the late evening of 7-2-99 a Screech Owl (Otus asio) flew only a few meters overhead and called frequently. Barred Owls (Strix varia) called from a considerable distance on both nights. Ringneck (Diadophis punctatus) and Common Garter (Thamnophis sirtalis) Snakes, both dead, were seen on the road.
The generally heterogenious lithology, particularly of the Little Wolf watershed, is reflected in the variation of floral type along the traverses. However the dominance of acidiphile communities is clear and probably a consequence of the general prevalence of siliceous rocks such as siltstones sandstones and shales. In a few places, it appears, minor carbonate beds intervene with resultant localized eutrophic flora.
Reference
Rader, E. K. and N. H. Evens, editors, 1993,Geologic Map of Virginia, Expanded Explanation. Virginia Div. of Mineral Resources, Charlottesville, Va.
Back to Forests of the Central Appalachians | Feedback