Vascular Plant Flora of Two Natural Areas in Wabash County, Indiana

The Kokiwanee (56 ha) and Hathaway (29 ha) preserves are located in northeastern Indiana. Both sites include gorges cut by tributaries of the Wabash River, which produce a range of microenvironments that are unusual for this part of Indiana. Floristic inventories were done from 2004 through 2011. Kokiwanee had 467 vascular plant species, while Hathaway had 316. A total of 529 species, representing 325 genera and 104 families, were found in the two sites combined, with 254 species being found in both. Many of the 213 species found only at Kokiwanee occurred in mature forest on a southwest-facing bluff or in fens; most of the 62 species found only at Hathaway were found in a crop field, old fields, or an east-facing gorge wall. Forty-three percent of the species found were county records. Nineteen percent of species were exotic, a significantly lower proportion than for the state as a whole. One state threatened-list species (Dactylorhiza viridis) and three state watch-list species (Liparis loeselii, Panax quinquefolius, and Veratrum woodii) were found. A number of species are near their northern range limits at these sites. Floristic quality is relatively high.