Page:Shenandoah National Park Full Species List of Wildflowers.pdf/1

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Full Species List of Wildflowers

Wildflowers, also known as herbs, are comprised of 805 species and represent more than half of the floral species diversity within the park. Almost 20% of these species are in the aster (Asteraceae) family, which contains many of the park’s late-blooming plants such as goldenrods (Solidago spp.), asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), and wild sunflowers (Helianthus spp.). The next most abundantly represented plant families are the pea (Fabaceae), lily (Lilaceae), mint (Lamiaceae) and mustard (Brassicaceae) families. The rich diversity of wildflowers in the park is particularly evident in spring at lower elevations along streams such as South River, Hughes River, Rose River, and Mill Prong. Later in the season, the banks of Skyline Drive and the Big Meadows area are great places to see summer and fall wildflowers. Threats to the park’s wildflowers include competition from invasive exotic plants, illegal plant collecting, and habitat changes brought about by climate change.

This checklist was compiled on March 10, 2015 using data exported from the National Park Service NPSpecies database. The database can be accessed at https://irma.nps.gov/NPSpecies/. Here you will find search tools that make it possible to create updated or customized lists. This checklist and others are found at https://irma.nps.gov/NPSpecies/Search/SpeciesList/SHEN. Lists are currently available for the following: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, plants (complete list), trees and shrubs, wildflowers, ferns, and grasses. Please be advised that Latin scientific names often change as a result of new research; therefore, scientific names used here may not reflect the most current accepted nomenclature.