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Spring River Basin - Plants There are thousands of species of plants in the Spring River Basin. Trees, shrubs, flowers, and vines are all plants. Plants need clean water, just like animals. Some plants that are of conservational concern in the Spring River Basin include running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum), Alabama lip-fern (Chalanthes alabamensis), geocarpon (Geocarpon minimum), western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara), and Mead’s milkweed (Asclepias meadii). 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 an area of 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.
Source: Picture credit Julian Campbell, USFWS. http://www.lighthouse123.com/id100.htm Alabama Lip Fern
Source: http://www.lostsprings.com/plants.aspx?cat=Grass+-+Ferns+-+Other&photo=fern1. Mead’s Milkweed - Mead’s milkweed is a plant species that grows in tall grass prairies. Because prairies in the Spring River Basin have been cleared for farming or urban development, the habitat for Mead’s milkweed has declined. This plant can grow in hay fields throughout the year, but when the hay is cut each growing season, the plant is cut down as well.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. http://midwest.fws.gov/endangered/plants/meadsmil.html. Geocarpon - Geocarpon is a “pioneer species” that inhabits an area after a fire or flood clears the land of other vegetation. Geocarpon is struggling in the Spring River Basin due to competition by other vegetation, habitat destruction due to off-road vehicles and grazing cattle, and fire suppression practices. Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. http://midwest.fws.gov/Endangered/plants/geocarpo.html. Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
© Gary D.Tonhouse 1997–2003 Source: http://www.reflectiveimages.com/WesternPrairieFringedOrchid.htm |
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Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN) |
Page last updated August 26, 2008 |
