Home > Iowa Academy of Science > Journals & Newsletters > Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science > Volume 92 (1985) > Number 5
Document Type
Research
Keywords
Iowa vascular flora, Loess Hills, prairie, Great Plains flora
Abstract
The vascular flora of the Loess Hills landform in southeastern South Dakota, western Iowa, and northwestern Missouri totals 703 species. A species checklist is presented based upon an extensive field study over a four-year period, plus herbarium and literature searches. The geology of the area is discussed briefly, in addition to vegetational, climatic and topographic gradients. The upland prairies of the Loess Hills are similar to the mixed-grass prairies .of the Great Plains more than 70 miles to the west. The mixed-grass prairie of the Loess Hills represent a narrow peninsular range extension into an area which otherwise typically supports tall-grass prairie. At least 17 xerophytic Great Plains species reach the easternmost edge of their ranges on the loess prairies. In Iowa 13 of these species are restricted to the loess bluffs. Three new taxa are added to the vascular flora of Iowa: Asclepias stenophylla Gray, Gaillardia pulchella Foug. and Solidago mollis Bartl.
Publication Date
December 1985
Journal Title
Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science
Volume
92
Issue
5
First Page
199
Last Page
212
Copyright
© Copyright 1985 by the Iowa Academy of Science
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Novacek, Jean M.; Roosa, Dean M.; and Pusateri, William P.
(1985)
"The Vegetation of the Loess Hills Landform Along the Missouri River,"
Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 92(5), 199-212.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol92/iss5/12