Abstract Detail

Systematics Section / ASPT

Brasher, Jeffrey W. [1].

Updated Field Checklist from A Floristic Study of the Southern Wasatch Mountains, Utah (including Snowbird).

Information on the identity, distribution, abundance, and habitat of an area’s plants is essential to subsequent research in systematics, ecology, and other fields. In 1995-1996 a Brigham Young University master’s thesis floristic inventory was conducted. The goal was to fill large gaps remaining in the floristic understanding of the rugged southern Wasatch Mountains, adjacent to Utah’s urban corridor. The study included the front range from Little Cottonwood Canyon on the north to the southern end of the Mt. Nebo complex. Vascular plant collections were made in largely uncollected areas and information from diverse sources was compiled to produce an up-to-date, unifying study of the entire area. Collections made during the study number 1,972, representing some 435 taxa. The collections included eight apparent Utah County records, one apparent Salt Lake County record, evidence for naturalization of the cultivated species Zelkova serrata, a paratype for the new variety Senecio werneriifolius A. Gray) A. Gray var. malmstenoides S. Welsh, and potentially an Epilobium taxon new to science. Another ca. 290 herbarium-verified taxa are included from earlier collectors. In preparation for the Botany 2004 conference to be held within the study area at Snowbird, the thesis’ field checklist has been revised and reduced to six pages. It now follows the APG II (2003) family classification and is updated below the family level with new taxa and nomenclature (over 50 different names) from the new 3rd edition of A Utah Flora (Welsh et al. 2003). Based on the revised checklist the study found a total of 718 taxa, nearly 1/5 of the taxa of Utah. Among these are 83 families, 327 genera, and 688 species. Photocopies of the list will be available with the poster, and a free pdf download will be available before and after the conference at http://www.unco.edu/biology/herbarium/.

1 - University of Northern Colorado, Department of Biological Sciences, Greeley, Colorado, 80639, USA

Keywords:
biodiversity
floristics
Utah
Snowbird
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Wasatch Mountains
APG II
A Utah Flora
plant systematics.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 32-129
Location: Special Event Center (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004
Time: 12:30 PM
Abstract ID:294