Document Type

Research

Keywords

Loess Hills, pteridophytes, ferns, Botrychium, Equisetum

Abstract

Eleven species of pteridophytes and one hybrid occur in the Loess Hills of western Iowa. Adiantum pedatum L., Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Camptosorus rhizophyllus (L.) Link, Cystopteris tenuis (Michx.) Desv., Cystopteris protrusa (Weath.) Blasdell, and Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Todaro are widely distributed in Iowa, but restricted in this area to the most mesic woodlands, probably due to the drought sensitivity of their shallow rhizomes and above-ground gametophytes. Equisetum hyemale L. and E. arvense L. are common in riparian habitats and moist roadside ditches. These two species likely survive by maintaining contact with a permanent water table. Equisetum laevigatum A. Braun, E. Xferrissii Clute, Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw., and a new species, Botrychium "prairie", inhabit native Loess Hills prairies. These Equisetum taxa avoid prairie drought through deep underground rhizomes, early senescence of aerial stems, and a low above-ground to below-ground biomass ratio. Underground gametophytes and rhizomes and early spring phenology are attributes allowing survival of the Botrychium species on the prairie. B. "prairie" of the subgenus Botrychium may be a Pleistocene relict.

Publication Date

December 1985

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

196

Last Page

198

Copyright

Language

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Farrar, Donald R. (1985) "Pteridophytes of Iowa's Loess Hills - Adaptations to Dry Habitats," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 92(5), 196-198.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol92/iss5/11

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Pteridophytes of Iowa's Loess Hills - Adaptations to Dry Habitats

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