The Vascular Flora of Five Florida Shell Middens

Abstract

RICHARD STALTER (Dept. Biol. Sci., St. John's Univ., Jamaica, NY 11439) AND DWIGHT KINCAID, (Dept. Biol. Sci., Lehman College CUNY, Bronx, NY 10468). The vascular flora of five Florida shell middens. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 131:95-105. 2004.-This study described the vascular flora of five Florida shell middens: Fort George Shell Ring, Guana River State Park Shell Ring, Tomoka State Park Shell Midden, Green Mound, and Turtle Mound. These protected middens were located on state or National Park property. The vascular flora consisted of 190 species within 159 genera in 81 families. Poaceae and Asteraceae were the largest families and the largest genera were Cyperus, Quercus, Smilax, and Solidago. Native species composed 95.3% of the flora. Soil salinity and daily flooding affected the distribution of vascular plants at tidal midden sites. Calcareous soils influenced species distribution at upland shell midden sites. Each taxonomic entry in the checklist is accompanied by site location.