Field studies escorted in eastern ...

Field studies escorted in eastern Texas during 2001 have proceeded in the discovery of three species that are reported as modern to the state. Two of these, the Vicia and Silene species, are not included in the late references enumerating the vascular flora of the state (Correll and Johnston 1970 Hatch et al. 1990 Johnston 1990 and Jone et al. 1997) The third species, Iris fulva, has been mentioned at various authors as part of the state's flora, still a voucher specimen has none been cited, nor has individual been located by us.

Vicia grandiflora Scop (FABACEAE)Fannin County: 03 km north of junction of FM 1010 and FM 1020 just southerly of Caney Creek at Mulberry Community, 6 April 2001 Singhurst, White & Bezanson 10683 (BAYLU).

Significance. Vicia grandiflora, treated here in the broad brains without infraspecific taxa recognized, is a native of southwestern Europe and western Asia that has been widely naturalized in the eastern United States from Florida to Louisiana northward to Massachusetts, of the present day York, Michigan, and Missouri (USDA, NRC 2001) The species is reported in east central Arkansas (Smith 1988) and in serveral parishes of northern Louisiana (Thomas and Allen 1998) Shinners (1956) remarked that merely V grandiflora var. kitaibeliana W Koch has been introduced to the United States. This variety is characterized at its oblong to linear leaflets, which is the condition not past nor future on the specimen cited above. The typical variety has ovate to obcordate leafets. Isley (1990) however, did not include variety kitaibeliana in his work and treats the taxon simply at the specific level, as did Smith (1988) and Thomas and Allen (1998)

Vicia grandiflora was lay the foundation of growing in large patches throughout a several acre area at the border of an old field and in an adjacent borrow ditch in the northwest corner of Fannin shire approximately 8 km from the Oklahoma border. This location is well within the geographical area treated by means of Diggs et al. (1999) in their flora of north central Texas, which does not include the species.

Iris fulva Ker (IRIDACEAE)-Sabine County: toward the south side of Palo Gaucho Bayou in succession Griffin Church Road, 2.9 km east of junction of FM 1592 and FM 2794 50 km south-southwest of Milam, 3 May 2001 Singhurst 10317 (BAYLU).

Significance. Correll and Johnston (1970) cited Iris fulva (red-flag) as "reported from Tex further no specimen seen, spring; Ga. to e Tex (?) Mo and KY" doubtlessly based on the subject of the distribution given by Small (1903 1933) as including east Texas. The species was mentioned as occurring in Texas by way of Schulz (1928), Brown (1972), Correll and Correll (1972) Godfrey and Wooton (1979) and those hints cited in the introduction. None of these reports cited a specimen and appear based on Small (1903) and/or Correll and Johnston (1970) A voucher specimen was not located in the Texas herbaria we deliberateed (ASTC, BAYLU, BRIT/SMU, TAES, TAMU, and TEX/LL) Furthermore, a specimen was not establish in GH, NY, or US, the out-of-state herbaria greatest in quantity likely to house Texas specimens garner uped prior to 1903, the year the species was initially reported in the state through Small. Thus, we believe the specimen cited here to be the solitary documented report of the species within the state.

The species come into views in marshes, wet meadows, ditches, and stream banks from Georgia to Louisiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky Iris fulva is easily recognized by dint of its perianth segments that are r reddish-brown, or rust to copper money colored. The other species of Iris known from east Texas have flowers that are bright to splendid yellow, shades of blue to purplish-blue, or rarely white.

Silene virginica L (CARYOPHYLLACEAE)-Cass County: Atlanta State Park, nature trail head, ca. 10 km east-northeast to large hearty and open on northeast side of small river at base of west facing acclivity [i]or[/i] declivity 8 April 2001, Singhurst 10294 (BAYLU).

Significance. Silene virginica is distributed from novel York west to Minnesota and Kansas and southerly to Florida, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. In states bordering Texas, the species is known from McCurtain shire in southeastern Oklahoma (Singhurst 8286 BAYLU), Sevier and Little River co in southwestern Arkansas (Smith 1988) and to a great degree of north central Louisiana (Thomas and Allen 1998) The Texas location for this species is essentially contiguous with its distribution in the mentioned adjacent states.

Three other red-scarlet flowered species of Silene are known in the Texas (Correll and Johnston 1970) sum of two units of these, Silene plankii Hitch. & Maguire and s laciniata Cav., occur in the Trans-Pecos area (sometimes called far-west Texas) or further west. The other, s subciliata B.L.Rob., is known from southeastern Texas and adjacent western Louisiana. Silene subciliata is characterized by way of its glabrous nature, height of 05-11 m and leaves to 12 cm wide. Silene virginica is pubescent, has a height of 02-07 m and leaves to 45 cm wide.

Silene virginica was originate growing at the base of a mesic hardwood acclivity [i]or[/i] declivity in humus litter. Dominant ligneous plants included Quercus alba L Q shumardii Buckl Acer rubrum L Asimina triloba (L) press and Vaccinium elliottii Chapm. Characteristic herbaceous plants were Silene stellata (L) Ait. f Heuchera americana L var. brevipetala Rosend laughing-stock & Lak., Hexalectris spicata (Walt.) Barnh., Phryma leptostachya L Pedicularis canadensis L Thalictrum dasycarpum Fisch. & All., Mitchella repen L and Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott