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This is a checklist of many of the plants that grow in New
York State — according to Chuck. Thus, it is not comprehensive, nor
is it authoritative. For a comprehensive and authoritative NYS checklist,
see NY Flora Atlas.
I compiled the database in 1999 from various classification schemes, of which
all are under constant revision. The flowering plant classification scheme
is from
Cronquist,
1988. The suprageneric ranks of non-flowering plants are from the
Whittaker
classification system; ferns and their allies are from
Croft;
gymnosperms from
Earle.
Sixteen years since Cronquist, mostly due to advances in molecular techniques,
many revisions to the Cronquist plant taxonomic system have taken place. So
I will soon begin a companion site based on the
APG
scheme that will show taxonomic relationships of the same plants, but in
a scheme that will more realistically reflect the more recent morphological
and molecular findings.
Of the roughly 3,000 persistent species of vascular plants growing in NYS,
about 2,000 are native. The remaining 1000 have come from abroad and by various
means have become naturalized in the wild. Of the roughly 570 species growing
in the Adirondack upland region, as described by
Kudish,
some 460 are native, the remaining naturalized. In addition to wild
species that grow in NYS, I have included in the database selected
non-native (pink color-coded) landscape plants cultivated for their
aesthetic value in our gardens, yards, parks, and streets here in New York
State. I have also included selected (brown color-coded) familiar non-native
plants which serve to show representatives of taxa not represented by NYS
plants, and to show their relatedness to their NYS relatives.
| KEY TO SPECIES SYMBOLS |
|
|
|
Blue Background |
|
Grows wild in New York State, but
not in the Adirondack upland
region.
An asterisk (*) indicates the plant
is naturalized (not native to NYS). |
Green Background |
|
Grows wild in the
Adirondack upland region.
An asterisk (*) indicates the plant
is naturalized (not native to NYS). |
White Background |
|
Grows wild in the
Adirondack alpine region,
and found above 4000
feet in elevation). |
Pink Background |
|
Cultivated as an ornamental plant
in NYS; usually non-native. |
Brown Background |
|
The plant does not grow in NYS.
Selected familiar plants are included in the
database either to show representatives of
taxa not represented by NYS plants, or to
show their relatedness to their NYS relatives. |
| EXAMPLES TO ILLUSTRATE SPECIES SYMBOLS |
|
|
|
Eupatorium perfoliatum |
|
BONESET - New York State native, but not growing in the Adirondack
upland region. |
Eupatorium maculatum |
|
JOE PYE WEED - New York State native, and growing in the
Adirondack upland region. |
Solidago cutleri |
|
ALPINE GOLDENROD - In NYS grows
only in high-altitude, arctic-alpine regions. |
*Arctium lappa |
|
BURDOCK - Introduced from Europe,
and has spread to become naturalized. |
Centaurea cineraria |
|
DUSTY MILLER - A commonly planted perennial in NYS; native to
Europe. |
Wollemia nobilis |
|
WOLLEMI PINE - Illustrative of the ARAUCARIACEAE family
– not represented in NYS. |
All plants in the database with a blue background, whether native
or non-native, grow in the wild in at least one locality within New York
State, but do not grow within the light green Adirondack upland
region or white arctic-alpine region.
All plants in the database with a light green background, whether
native or non-native, grow in the wild in the Adirondack upland region,
as described by Kudish. Plants with a white background grow in the
wild in the arctic-alpine region, as described by Kudish. Plants growing
in either of these two regions may grow in the wild outside these regions
(as they almost always do.)
Kudish defines the Adirondack upland region (above
map) as a 2827 square-mile region within a 30-mile radius circle centered
at the Cubley Library on the Paul Smith's College campus in the hamlet of
Paul Smiths, NY. The region has a lower elevational limit of 1000 feet, and
an upper elevational limit of 4000 feet. Kudish characterizes the flora of
this region as distinct, and quite uniform throughout.
The arctic-alpine region, as defined by Kudish,
is the area comprising the Adirondack high peaks generally above 4000 feet
in elevation. Plants growing in this region are tundra species: remnants
from the last glaciation.
EXPLANATION OF FAMILY FLORAL FORMULAS
The floral formula represents 7 common distinguishing features of a plant
family's flowers. The top two floral features describe the flower's
symmetry and sex. Under these, described in order are the calyx, corolla,
androecium, and gynoecium. If these features are not underlined, the flower
is hypogynous (ovary superior), unless noted as perigynous. If these features
are underlined, the flower is implied as epigynous (ovary inferior), and
the gynoecium is described below the line. In some cases, especially in the
subclass Asteridae, where the androecium is epipetalous (stamens positioned
on the corolla), the floral features are over lined, with the androecium
described above the line. The bottom line of the floral formula names the
fruit type(s). Aggregate fruits are specified; simple fruits are implied.
See these excellent reviews
(part
1) and
(part
2) of basic parts of a flower, and this
review
of floral formulas. (I will soon simplify the floral formulas by using
gifs instead of ASCII characters.)
KEY TO FAMILY FLORAL FORMULAS |
|
(1) Symmetry
a = actinomorphic
z = zygomorphic
i = irregular |
|
(2) Sex
pf = perfect
mo = monoecious
di = dioecious
po = polygamous |
|
(3) Calyx
x = sepals are distinct
(x) = sepals are fused
(x = sepals are basally fused
x) = sepals are apically fused
-x- = tepals
# = many |
|
(4) Corolla
x = petals are distinct
(x) = petals are fused
(x = petals are basally fused
x) = petals are apically fused
# = many |
|
(5) Androecium
x = stamens are distinct
(x) = stamens are fused
(x = stamens are basally fused
x) = stamens are apically fused
# = many
* = staminode(s) |
|
(6) Gynoecium
x = pistils are distinct
(x) = pistils are fused
(x = pistils are basally fused
x) = pistils are apically fused
# = many |
|
(7) Fruit type
Aggr = aggregate fruit
(simple is implied)
ach = achene
bac = baccate
ber = berry
cap = capsule
dru = drupe
fol = folicle
hypan = hypanthium
nutl = nutlet
pyx = pyxis
sam = samara
silc = silicle
silq = silique
scz = schizocarp
syn = syncarp
utr = utricle |
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To Kingdoms
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