Plant Collection - Coastal New Jersey

BIOLOGY X 424.41 Plant Taxonomy and Iden fica on Plant Collec on - Coastal New Jersey Frank Miranda

UCLA Extension Hor culture Cer ficate Professor: Valerie Wong, Ph.D Winter 2021

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(h ps://www.new-jersey-map.org/topo-map.htm,2005-2021)

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BIOLOGY X 424.41 Plant Taxonomy and Iden fica on Plant Collec on - Coastal New Jersey Frank Miranda

Table Of Contents Chapter

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Specimen Map.................................................................................................................................ii Table Of Contents.............................................................................................................................iii Specimen 1 Baccharis halimifola - Groundsel Tree (Eastern False Willow)........................................................5 Family: Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae 2 Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) Bri on, Sterns & Poggenb. - Atlan c White Cedar.............................7 Family: Cupressaceae 3 Dicranum Scoparium Hedw. - Broom Moss....................................................................................9 Family: Dicranaceae 4 Hypnum imponens Hedw. - Brocade Moss.....................................................................................11 Family: Hypnaceae 5 Opun a humifusa – Eastern Prickly Pear (Devils Tongue)..............................................................13 Family: Cactaceae 6 Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. - Common Reed...........................................................15 Family: Poaceae/Gramineae References.......................................................................................................................................17

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Baccharis halimifola - Groundsel tree (Eastern False Willow) Date: January 15, 2021 Loca on: Manasquan, New Jersey, bank of Stockton Lake Soil condi ons + habitat: Riparian, sandy, coarse and rocky soil. 1-3 above sea level.

Height & habit: 5-8 tall, four individual woody and narrow stems growing from soil, 6-8in in diameter, small leafy branches growing close together. Foiliage sparse and bri le (assumed due to winter). Surrounded by other woody plants along lake bank.

Light and moisture condi ons: full sun with sandy soil. Dry at grade but assumed wet at 1-3 due to adjacent lake.

Eleva on: 1-3 above sea level Characteris cs: Leaves: lanceolate with margins en re, ovate with margins en re and dentate margined ovate leaves. Acute, cuneate and oblique leaf bases on all. Main midrib with two angular veins beginning from pe ole and termina ng ¾ or so from apex. Leaf nodes alterna ng along branch and termina ng at panicle inflorescence with pedicellate leaves and buds.

Stem: four woody and independent stems arising from soil. Mul ple small and individual sparsely and alternately leafed branches. Dry and woody, dark green and brown/tan color Flower: mul ple small, regular, radially symmetrical flowers with 16+ petals and three rows of alterna ng, separate, sepals/bracts along panicle inflorescence. Furry white pappus present.

Iden fica on: Specimen appeared to be a Dicotyledon following iden fica on of lanceolate/ovate veins from midrib and four, separate and woody stems growing from soil. Although much of the leaves and flowers were dried and bri le, all were regular, radially symmetrical flowers with 16+ petals and mul ple rows of alterna ng bracts. This led me to further inves gate the Aster family on page 163 of ‘Botany in a Day’ where the flowers are iden fied as posessing mul ple layers of bracts with radial or “ray” like flowers.(Eipel, 2018) From here I began searching for Aster’s na ve to the east coast/New jersey which was...overwhelming. This led to trying to search for characteris cs like ‘panicle inflorescence aster’ or ‘lanceolate leaf aster’ and even ‘small radial brown flowers aster’. This brought up a few promising results but they all looked like small non-woody plants.

Upon searching for ‘aster tree’ and found that there is only one ‘tree’ in the Asteraceae family. It was described as having unusual shaped leaves and “persistent white pappus of the infructescence that remains showy for months a er the plant stops blooming” (TopTropicals, N.D). A few of the photos that were included showed leaves that matched my specimen but the flowers did not look similar. It was not un l a further search on the USDA Plants database led me to realize that the difference in flower was because it had already bloomed and died (as it is winter) and that I was seeing dead bracts and petals.

In addi on to the matching photos, the characteris cs listed on the USDA facts sheet are matching.

A Botanists Vocabulary was referenced to be er understand all terms found in ‘Botany in a Day’ and on the USDA database. (Pell & Angell, 2016) Iden ty: Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionata – Vascular Plants Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed Plants Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering Plants Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Subclass: Asteridae Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae – Aster family Genus: Baccharis L. – baccharis Species: Baccharis halimifolia L. – eastern baccharis or groundsel tree (USDA, 2021)

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Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) Bri on, Sterns & Poggenb. - Atlan c White Cedar Date: January 20, 2021 Loca on: Ca us Island State Park, Toms River, New Jersey Soil condi ons + habitat: Coastal marsh, sandy, coarse and rocky soil. 3-5 above sea level.

Height & habitat: 30 tall, individual woody and apically dominant central stem growing from soil, 12in in diameter, columnar scale like leaves alterna vely arrangement. Full foliage crown growing close together. Surrounded by other trees and grasses plants along marsh bank.

Light and moisture condi ons: full sun with sandy soil. Dry at grade but adjacent to wet marsh 1-2 below.

Eleva on: 1-3 above sea level Characteris cs: Leaves: scaley and glaucous with margins en re. Alterna vely arranged in dis chous overlapping, rhombic pa ern. Evergreen. Brown cones at terminal node.

Stem/trunk: singular ver cal trunk. Reddish brown, Woody, thick, fibrous and peeling in long strips, o en par ally twisted around the trunk.

Iden fica on: Specimen appeared to be a gymnosperm as it is an evergreen conifer with scale like leaves. This led me to further inves gate the naked seed entries on pages 46-49 of ‘Botany in a Day’ where the specimen most similarly matched the cypress or cedar family on page 48 as it is an “evergreen tree or shrub with small, scaley leaves”.(Eipel, 2018) I originally believed the specimen to be a juniper tree due to the length of the individual sprays of scales.

This led me to research decussate scale pa erns in google images where I found a key on researchgate and matched my specimen to the Chamaecyparis sample but did not agree with the species listed. From here I searched the genus but was overwhelmed with results with full foliage. It was not un l I searched for Chamaecyparis exposed trunk where I found the eastern white cedar.

I confirmed the specimen characteris cs on the USDA forestry website, Wikipedia and USDA Plants website star ng with the natural range of the specimen, the bark and the scale descrip ons and photos. The main iden fying characteris c of the bark as “reddish-brown, irregularly furrowed and ridged, peeling in long, fibrous strips, o en par ally twisted around the trunk”(USDA,2021) matches my specimen. Addi onally, the specimen is described as “bordering dal marsh”(USDA,2021) and my specimen is located in a salt marsh.

In addi on to the matching photos, the characteris cs listed on the USDA facts sheet are matching.

A Botanists Vocabulary was referenced to be er understand all terms found in ‘Botany in a Day’ and on the USDA database. (Pell & Angell, 2016) Iden ty: Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division: Coniferophyta – Conifers Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Cupressaceae – Cypress family Genus: Chamaecyparis Spach – cedar Species: Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) Bri on, Sterns & Poggenb. – Atlan c white cedar 7

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Dicranum Scoparium Hedw. - Broom Moss Date: January 24, 2021 Loca on: Lenape Woods Nature Preserve, Atlan c Highlands, New Jersey Soil condi ons + habitat: Sandy, coarse, Leaf li er and tree bark. On decaying tree stump. Moist and Shaded.

Height & habitat: 1in tall, sec ons depending on tree stump. Wide area. Damp, shaded by above tree canopy.

Light and moisture condi ons: dry leaves, moist roots/sand/leaf li er.

Eleva on: 260 above sea level Characteris cs: Leaves: lanceolate, curved, margins en re arranged falcate- secund, spiral phyllotaxy, overlapping, shiny, translucent. No midvein. Color ranging from dark green to light green. Individual tall gametophytes joined together and standing erect at rhizoid.

Gametophyte: standing erect, acrocarpous, clumping together Roots: Rhizoma c, a ached to tree bark, decaying trees, rock, gravel and sand Sporophyte: Not present Iden fica on: Specimen appeared to be non-vascular as leaves have no midrib or vasculature. Low lying. Specimen was found in a shaded area of wooded area in clumps on a decaying tree stump among rocks and leaf li er. ‘Botany in a Day’ references spore plants without a vascular system on page 8 as “limited in size, especially common on rocks along babbling brooks where they are above the water, but constantly damp.” (Eipel,2018) as Eipel does not cover these plants, this led to a google search of “bryophytes NJ” which led to a visual key from ‘Morphology of Mosses (Phylum Bryophyta)’ from efloras no ng the varia ons in leaf morphology. The drawing which most closely matches the specimen shows the dicranum mosses as having falcate-secund leaves.

Further research led to ‘Field Guide to the Moss Genera in New Jersey With Coefficient of Conserva on and Indicator Status’. For cross- confirma on I u lized the key which separated species into keys using three field characteris cs., I noted the specimen had an upright growth form, a costa which extended to the apex, and Leaves that are broader at the base. This led to Key I which noted “Leaf cells smooth, leaves appear shiny due to reflec on of light” and “Leaves tapering to a long, narrow p, o en curved” (Bowman, 2017) as belonging to the dicranum family. The entry for dicranaceae/dicranum mosses on pg 111 notes similar characteris cs to the entry in eflora. Erect stems, shiny tu s, lanceolate leaves which are falcate- secund(bowman, 2017). The entry for Dicranum Scoparium Hedw. most closely matches the specimen both visually and based on habitat (mesic woodland) and substrate (decaying stumps and logs) (bowman,2017) I confirmed the specimen characteris cs on the USDA forestry website and referenced the classifica on report.

A Botanists Vocabulary was referenced to be er understand all terms found in ‘Botany in a Day’, ‘Morphology of Mosses (Phylum Bryophyta)’, ‘Field Guide to the Moss Genera in New Jersey With Coefficient of Conserva on and Indicator Status’ and on the USDA database. (Pell & Angell, 2016) Iden ty: Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Division: Bryophyta – Mosses Subdivision: Musci Class: Bryopsida – True mosses Subclass: Bryidae Order: Dicranales Family: Dicranaceae Genus: Dicranum Hedw. – dicranum moss Species: Dicranum scoparium Hedw. – dicranum moss (USDA,2021)

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Hypnum imponens Hedw. - Brocade Moss Date: January 24, 2021 Loca on: Lenape Woods Nature Preserve, Atlan c Highlands, New Jersey Soil condi ons + habitat: Sandy, coarse, Leaf li er and tree bark. At tree base, along Forest floor. Moist. Shaded.

Height & habitat: 1-3in tall, sec ons depending on tree roots + forest floors. Wide area. Damp, shaded by above tree canopy.

Light and moisture condi ons: dry leaves, moist roots/sand/leaf li er.

Eleva on: 260 above sea level Characteris cs: Leaves: pinnate, overlapping, shiny, opague and geometric leaves, fibrous, woven pa ern Alterna vely arranged. No midvein. Color ranging from dark green to light green to light brown. Individual tall gametophytes joined together and “carpe ng” at rhizoid. Pleurocarpus.

Roots: Rhizoma c, epiphy c, a ached to treebark, rock, gravel and sand Sporophyte: Not present Iden fica on: Specimen appeared to be non-vascular as leaves have no midrib or vasculature. Low lying. Specimen was found in a shaded area of the forest floor covering the roots of the base of a tree, several rocks and leaf li er. ‘Botany in a Day’ references spore plants without a vascular system on page 8 as “limited in size, especially common on rocks along babbling brooks where they are above the water, but constantly damp.” (Eipel,2018) as Eipel does not cover these plants, this led to a google search of “moss pinnate leaf” which ul mately led to a visual key from ‘Western Carolina Botanical Club’ which classifies the specimen as a Hypnum following the characteris cs of a curved, pinnate leaf with no midrib and grows on logs.(WCBC, accessed 2021) The specimen matched the ID and the photo.

I then searched google for “Pinnate leaf moss hypnum” and found an entry on the ‘Ohio Moss and Lichen Associa on’ website with matching photos and characteris c descrip ons. The site refers to this moss as Brocade moss or Hypnum imponens. The included characteris c descrip on of “medium-sized to large, pinnately branched pleurocarps (carpet mosses) with leaves that are dis nctly falcate-secund”(OMLA, Accessed 2021) and photos match the specimen.

I confirmed the specimen characteris cs on the USDA forestry website and referenced the classifica on report.

A Botanists Vocabulary was referenced to be er understand all terms found in ‘Botany in a Day’, ‘Western Carolina Botanical Club’, ‘Ohio Moss and Lichen Associa on’ and on the USDA database. (Pell & Angell, 2016) Iden ty: Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Division: Bryophyta – Mosses Subdivision: Musci Class: Bryopsida – True mosses Subclass: Bryidae Order: Hypnales Family: Hypnaceae Genus: Hypnum Hedw. – hypnum moss Species: Hypnum imponens Hedw. – hypnum moss (USDA,2021)

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Opun a humifusa – Eastern Prickly Pear (Devils Tongue) Date: January 30, 2021 Loca on: Island Beach State Park, Ocean County, New Jersey Soil condi ons + habitat: Sandy, coarse, leeward side of sand dune. Windy.

Height & habitat: wilted + laying flat.

Light and moisture condi ons: par ally shaded to full sun. Slightly moist sandy soil.

Eleva on: 30 above sea level Characteris cs: Pads: Tear or pear shaped, wilted, green and glabrous with spines and areoles. Three to four segmented cladodes Flowers: not present Fruit: not present Iden fica on: Specimen was found in a par ally shaded area of leeward side of beach dune. ‘Botany in a Day’ references succulent plants with spines and desert habitats as belonging to the cactus family on page 25 (Eipel, 2018). The entry for the cactus family depicts a similarly shaped cactus known as an opun a, or prickly pear, and describes them as having small pads, big spines and hairlike glochids(Eipel, 2018).

Further state search by genus was conducted in the USDA plant database by searching Opun a in NJ. One species is present; Opun a humifusa or devil’s-tongue (USDA, accessed 2021).

Specimen was then verified to be Opun a Humifusa as it is the only na ve cactus to NJ due to its ability to survive harsh winters (Jersey Friendly Yards, Accessed 2021) A Botanists Vocabulary was referenced to be er understand all terms found in ‘Botany in a Day’ and on the USDA database. (Pell & Angell, 2016)

Iden ty: Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Subclass: Caryophyllidae Order: Caryophyllales Family: Cactaceae – Cactus family Genus: Opun a Mill. – pricklypear Species: Opun a humifusa (Raf.) Raf. – devil’s-tongue (USDA,2021)

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Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. - Common Reed Date: January 9, 2021 Loca on: Ca us Island County Park, Toms River, New Jersey.

Soil condi ons + habitat: coastal, shallow submerged plant in what appears as sandy clay loam soil with slight odor of sulfur.

Height & habit: 5-8 tall, individual narrow stalk, individual, in groups.

Light and moisture condi ons: full sun with wet, shallow submerged soil depending on de.

Eleva on: at sea level or slightly below Characteris cs: Leaves: long, singular, flat, oblong leaves with parallel veins beginning at node off main stem and ending at a point Stem: singular main stem, tall, ver cal, narrow and hollow with nodes where leaves begin. Dry, bri le and woody, golden/tan color Roots: green, s lt root, short horizontal roots from base of stem. Possible rhizome present.

Flower: compact, furry panicle inflorescence. Glumes unequal in length and shorter than lemma. Palea appears shorter than lemma on several spiklets Iden fica on: Specimen appeared to be a monocot judging by the parallel veins on the leaves. This was confirmed on page 23 of ‘Botany In a Day’ which lead me to the key to monocot flowers sec on on page 34. Here, I found the plant to be a grass as it has ‘knee like joins (nodes) present on the main flower stem’. The grasses sec on(pg 207) of the guide further described grassy plants with ‘knee like nodes on hollow flower stems’ belonging to the family Poaceae (Elpel, 2018.)

From here I a empted to Iden fy specific characteris cs and input them into the Grasses of New Jersey plant key on the ‘USDA plant database’. I started by describing the roots as having rhizomes present, since the specimen I pulled out of the ground had parallel roots and another grass specimen was also unearthed. Unfortunately, due to the soil being mostly frozen and submerged the root broke before I could inves gate further. I then entered the characteris cs of the stem. Entering that it was erect or ascending, with hollow internodes as discovered from the site and inflorescence 2-6m tall. As for the leaves I noted the leaf blades as mostly flat and linear. This le several entries un l I entered that I believed the lemma was awnless and the glumes were dis nctly unequal. This le five species of three genera which matched: Panicum amarum Panicum virgatum Phragmites australis

Spar na alterniflora Spar na cynosuroides

Upon entering that the palea appeared shorter than the lemma, one species was le : Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. - Common Reed

In addi on to the matching characteris cs, the plants are visually similar.

A Botanists Vocabulary was referenced to be er understand all terms found on the USDA database. (Pell & Angell, 2016) Iden ty: Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionata – Vascular Plants Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed Plants Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering Plants Class: Liliopsida - Monocotyledons Subclass: Commenlinidae Order: Cyperales Family: Poaceae/Gramineae - Grass family Genus: Pharagmites Adans. - Reed Species: Pharagmites Australis (Cav.) Trin.ex Steud. - Common Reed (USDA, 2021)

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References 1 Baccharis halimifola - Groundsel Tree (Eastern False Willow) Family: Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae Baccharis halimifolia L. Show All eastern baccharis. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15, 2021, from h ps://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?sym bol=BAHA USDA Natural Resources Conserva on Services Plants Database Baccharis halimifolia, Aster Tree, White Cloud Tree, Snow Bush, Eastern Baccharis, Flannel Bush -. (2003). Retrieved January 15, 2021, from h ps://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/baccharis_halimifolia.htm Elpel, T. J. (2018). Profile your Flower Before using the Key, Choose the correct dicot Key, Pa erns of the Aster or Sunflower family, Aster family Aster Subfamily Groundsel Tribe. In Botany in a day APG: The pa erns method of plant iden fica on: An herbal field guide to plant families of North America (6th ed., pp.

23-25,163,170). Pony, MT: HOPS Press, LLC.

2 Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) Bri on, Sterns & Poggenb. - Atlan c White Cedar Family: Cupressaceae Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) Bri on, Sterns & Poggenb.Show All Atlan c white cedar. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2021, from h ps://plants.usda.gov/core/ profile?symbol=CHTH2 Chamaecyparis thyoides. (2021, January 15). Retrieved January 21, 2021, from h ps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamaecyparis_thyoides Elpel, T. J. (2018). How to use the keys, Cypress or Cedar Family - cupressaceae. In Botany in a day APG: The pa erns method of plant iden fica on: An herbal field guide to plant families of North America (6th ed., p. 23,48). Pony, MT: HOPS Press, LLC. SPECIES: Chamaecyparis thyoides. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2021, from h ps://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/chathy/all.html#15

3 Dicranum Scoparium Hedw. - Broom Moss Family: Dicranaceae Bowman, K., PhD. (2017). Field Guide to the Moss Genera in New Jersey With Coefficient of Conserva on and Indicator Status. Field Guide to the Moss Genera in New Jersey With Coefficient of Conserva on and Indicator Status, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protec on, New Jersey Forest Service, Office of Natural Lands Management, Trenton, NJ, 08625. Submi ed to United States Environmental Protec on Agency, Region 2, State Wetlands Protec on Development Grant, Sec on 104(B)(3); CFDA No. 66.461, CD97225809. 6-36,103-112. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from h ps://herbarium.rutgers.edu/ documents/Field-Guide-to-the-Moss-Genera-in-New-Jersey.pdf.

Crandall-Stotler, B. J., & Bartholomew-Began, S. E. (n.d.). Morphology of Mosses (Phylum Bryophyta). Retrieved February 05, 2021, from h p://flora.huh. harvard.edu/FloraData/001/WebFiles/fna27/FNA27-1-Morphology.htm Elpel, T. J. (2018). Spore plants without a vascular system. In Botany in a day APG: The pa erns method of plant iden fica on: An herbal field guide to plant families of North America (6th ed., p. 8). Pony, MT: HOPS Press, LLC. Plants profile for Dicranum Scoparium (DICRANUM moss). (n.d.). Retrieved February 05, 2021, from h ps://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DISC71

4 Hypnum imponens Hedw. - Brocade Moss Family: Hypnaceae Bryophytes. (2020, October 17). Retrieved January 29, 2021, from h ps://wcbotanicalclub.org/bryophytes/ Elpel, T. J. (2018). Spore plants without a vascular system. In Botany in a day APG: The pa erns method of plant iden fica on: An herbal field guide to plant families of North America (6th ed., p. 8). Pony, MT: HOPS Press, LLC. Hypnum imponens “brocade moss”. (2021). Retrieved January 29, 2021, from h ps://ohiomosslichen.org/moss-hypnum-imponens/ Hypnum imponens Hedw. hypnum moss. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2021, from h ps://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=HYIM3

5 Opun a humifusa – Eastern Prickly Pear (Devils Tongue) Family: Cactaceae Elpel, T. J. (2018). Key to regular dicot flowers with numerous petals, Cactus family – Cactaceae. In Botany in a day APG: The pa erns method of plant iden fica on: An herbal field guide to plant families of North America (6th ed., p. 25,123). Pony, MT: HOPS Press, LLC. Plants profile for OPUNTIA HUMIFUSA (devil’s-tongue). (n.d.). Retrieved February 08, 2021, from h ps://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=OPHU Opun a humifusa - jersey-friendly yards(2020, june17). Retrieved February 08,2021, from h p`s://www.jerseyyards.org/plant/opun a-humifusa/#:~:text=descrip on%3A-,Prickly%pear%20is%20New%20only%20na ve%20cactus?%20Flat%202C%20fleshy,pad%20and%20bloom%20june-july.

6 Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. - Common Reed Family: Poaceae/Gramineae Bogler, D. (n.d.). Grasses of New Jersey. Retrieved January 10, 2021, from h ps://plants.usda.gov/plantkeys/new_jersey_grasses/NEW_JERSEY_GRASSES. html (Links to an external site.)

Elpel, T. J. (2018). Is your plant a monocot or dicot, Key to Monocot Flowers, Grass family - Poaceae. In Botany in a day APG: The pa erns method of plant iden fica on: An herbal field guide to plant families of North America (6th ed., p. 23,35,207). Pony, MT: HOPS Press, LLC.

Map New Jersey topographical map. (2005). Retrieved February 08,2021 from h ps://www.new-jersey-map.org/topo-map.htm

Terms Pell, S. K., & Angell, B. (2016). A botanist’s vocabulary: 1300 terms explained and illustrated. Portland, OR: Timber Press.

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