There are thousands of species of plants in the Elk River Basin. Trees, shrubs, flowers, and vines are all plants. Plants need clean water, just like animals. Some plants that are of conservation concern in the Elk River Basin include running buffalo clover, Alabama lip-fern, wooly lip-fern, Ozark chinquapin, marine vine, low prickly pear, Virginia whitlow wort, mock orange, soapberry, and Ozark corn salad.

Running Buffalo Clover
Running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) is a native clover species of Missouri that is facing habitat destruction and competition with introduced clover species.   It is listed as endangered by both state and federal agencies. Historically, bison and other herbivores helped to disperse the seeds of running buffalo clover and helped the plants establish themselves by trampling the ground. With the loss of bison in the Midwest, the running buffalo clover has lost its mean of dispersal. Visit http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/endangered/endanger/clover/ for more information on running buffalo clover.

Running Buffalo Clover

Source: Picture credit Julian Campbell, USFWS. http://www.lighthouse123.com/id100.htm

Alabama Lip Fern

(Image source)

Ozark Corn Salad (Valerianella ozarkana)

(Image source)

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Missouri Department
of Natural Resources

Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN)
Send comments to: mowin1@missouri.edu
205 Agricultural Engineering
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-0085
Toll Free: (MO only): 1-877-H20-shed (426-7433)
Fax: (573) 884-5650

Page last updated August 26, 2008