H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest Floristic Studies
Dr. Scott Sundberg
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (AEF), with its broad elevational range and wide variety
of habitats, is botanically diverse. 570 vascular plant species, subspecies and varieties (taxa) have
been observed in the AEF. This represents approximately 12.8 percent of the vascular plant taxa
found outside of cultivation in Oregon. The AEF taxa are classified in 76 families and 287
genera. Approximately 11.3 percent of vascular plant taxa are non-native aliens, which is lower
than the 18.1 percent alien taxa found in the state. For the past six years I have been inventorying
the vascular plants of the AEF and curating the collection of vascular plant vouchers in the AEF
herbarium. The goal is to produce a comprehensive list of vascular plants in paper and electronic
forms, document their presence with voucher specimens, and improve the herbarium for use by
AEF researchers.
In 1971 J.F. Franklin and C.T. Dyrness published A Checklist of Vascular Plants on the H.J.
Andrews Experimental Forest, Western Oregon, which listed all vascular plants known in the
AEF at the time. Arthur McKee and I are currently revising this list to include recent discoveries
and to update its nomenclature. Plant nomenclature has changed a great deal during the 31 yr
since the checklist was published; 20 - 25% of the names on their list do not reflect current
taxonomic concepts. In addition, alternate systems of nomenclature exist. Nomenclature may
differ among Oregon floras, the PLANTS database maintained by the NRCS and the Oregon
Vascular Plant Checklist (currently being written at OSU). To address the confusion about plant
names in the AEF, we are listing the name currently accepted for the Oregon Vascular Plant
Checklist and if needed, providing alternate names from the PLANTS database and other sources.
The checklist is maintained in a Paradox relational database that includes fields for accepted
name, authority, voucher citations, habitat, life form (herb, shrub, etc.) and abundance in the
AEF. The finished list will also include for each taxon one or two common names, plant origin
(native or introduced), selected synonyms, and miscellaneous notes from the Oregon Vascular
Plant Checklist. The PLANTS "symbol," the abbreviation of its name, will also be included.
While nomenclature of the AEF list is being revised, work is progressing on the Oregon checklist,
for which approximately 58% of the taxa have been reviewed. Pending completion of the Oregon
list, nomenclature of AEF taxa is being determined by evaluating alternate treatments in floras
and taxonomic monographs. A "crosswalk" table is also being produced that will more
efficiently enable us to determine the corresponding names accepted in the PLANTS database.
Concurrently with revising the checklist, I am annotating and curating voucher specimens. Most
AEF plant taxa are represented in one or more of three sets of voucher specimens. An intensive
effort was made from 1958 to 1971 by Franklin and Dyrness to collect vouchers for their
checklist. The checklist cites vouchers for approximately 77% of the 480 taxa they listed. Herm
Fitz and Susan McAlister collected a second set from 1977 to 1979. Their vouchers of 445 taxa
from AEF and about 26 additional localities complement well the earlier collections. I collected
a third set of vouchers from 1995 to 1997, approximately 230 of which will be deposited at OSU
and 100 at AEF herbarium. Fitz, McAlister and I have so far found over 90 new records for the
AEF, including several recent arrivals of noxious weeds.
We are currently of curating all specimens in the AEF herbarium and collections made at the AEF
that are at OSU. Fitz and McAlister collections have been transferred to single-fold folders,
grouped by major plant categories (ferns and fern allies, gymnosperms, monocots and dicots) and
sorted alphabetically. The specimens have been repaired and strengthened by additional gluing.
Specimens have been frozen to kill insects. Although no living insects were found, insects have
damaged some specimens in the past. A new, insect-tight herbarium cabinet has been ordered
and all specimens will be frozen once more before being filed.
Identifications have been confirmed and nomenclature revised for approximately 85% of the
specimens in the AEF herbarium, including specimens collected by Fitz and McAlister, as well as
the earlier collections by Franklin, Dyrness, and others that are filed in three-ring binders.
Annotations reflect currently accepted names in the Oregon Vascular Plant Checklist and in the
PLANTS database, respectively. In addition, specimens collected in the AEF have been pulled
out of the OSU Herbarium. About 80% of these have also been annotated and are being refiled.
In the next few months I will finish reidentifying voucher specimens from the AEF and OSU
herbaria. The electronic checklist will be finished shortly after this and could then be put on the
Internet. Nomenclature of some genera will remain in flux while the Oregon Vascular Plant
Checklist is being finalized, but I anticipate few changes in the final list.
Scott Sundberg
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
2082 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-4338
sundbers@bcc.orst.edu