Vascular Plant Flora of the South Atlantic Coastal Plain Limestone Forest: A Globally Imperiled Association Endemic to Central Georgia

Abstract

Abstract The South Atlantic Coastal Plain Limestone Forest is a globally imperiled (G2) association restricted to the upper Coastal Plain of central Georgia. We conducted a comprehensive floristic inventory of this unique forest type during 2008–2011 at 7 sites (total of 44.67 ha [110.60 ac]) in Houston, Bleckley and Twiggs counties. The survey documented 336 vascular plant species in 98 families. The largest families were Asteraceae (28 spp.), Cyperaceae (22 spp.), Poaceae (19 spp.), Fabaceae (17 spp.), Rosaceae (16 spp.), and Fagaceae (14 spp.). Only 4.2% of this flora was non-native. Seventeen species were listed as rare, including the federally endangered Silene catesbaei. We provide a vouchered plant checklist for this association and general descriptions of the 3 main vegetation communities: uplands, slopes, and bottomlands.