tree-logo.gif (7741 bytes) Plant Taxonomy (BIOL308)  -  Stephen G. Saupe, Ph.D.; Biology Department, College of St. Benedict/St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 56321; ssaupe@csbsju.edu; http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe/

Plants of the St. John's Prairie

      Before the arrival of European settlers, prairie was the primary vegetation type in western Minnesota.  Roughly speaking, prairie would have been occurred to the south and west of an imaginary diagonal line drawn from the northwest corner of Minnesota to the southeast corner.   To the causal observer, prairies can be "boring."  However, upon closer examination, prairies have a wealth of species from the dominant grasses to the diverse forbs (non-grass herbaceous plants). 

  Table 1 is a checklist of some of the common fall-flowering plants on the restored prairie on the campus of St. John's University, Collegeville.  These species were observed on field trips in Plant Taxonomy (Biol308).  The St. John's Arboretum web site also has a more detailed checklist of plants that includes distribution data (click here).  For a brief history of the restoration project at St. John's, click here.

ObjectivesUpon completion of this field trip the student should be able to:

  1. define forb
  2. describe characteristics of the MN prairie
  3. describe some adaptation plants use for survival on the prairie
  4. identify approximately 30 species of species common in the St. John's prairie
  5. identify some of the vegetative characteristics of the grass (Poaceae) family

Procedure:  Today we will visit the St. John's prairie to study the common species.  The following list should provide a good guide to the species that we are likely to find.

Table 1.  Checklist of Common Prairie Plants in the St. John's Arboretum

Family

 

Binomial

Common Name

Anacardiaceae

Rhus radicans

Western poison ivy

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

Zizia aptera

Golden Alexander

Apocynaceae (=Asclepiadaceae) Asclepias syriaca Common milkweed

Apocynaceae (=Asclepiadaceae)

Asclepias tuberosus

Butterfly weed

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Achillea millefolium

Yarrow

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Ragweed

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Artemisia absinthium

Wormwood

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Artemisia frigida

Sage

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Artemisia ludoviciana

Prairie sage

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Aster sp.

Aster

Asteraceae (Compositae) Centaurea maculosa Spotted knapweed

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Cirsium arvense

Canada thistle

Asteraceae (Compositae) Cirsium vulgare Bull thistle

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Conyza canadensis

Horseweed

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Echinacea angustifolia

Purple coneflower

Asteraceae (Compositae) Erigeron sp. Fleabane
Asteraceae (Compositae) Eupatorium maculatum Joe Pye weed

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Helianthus sp.

Sunflower

Asteraceae (Compositae) Helianthus maximiliani Maximiliani sunflower

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Heterotheca villosa

Golden Aster

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Liatris punctata

Spotted blazing star

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Ratibida columnifera

Brown coneflower

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Ratibida pinnata

Gray-headed coneflower

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Rudbeckia hirta

Black-eyed Susan

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Solidago gigantea

Late goldenrod

Asteraceae (Compositae) Solidago nemoralis Gray goldenrod

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Solidago rigida

Stiff goldenrod

Asteraceae (Compositae) Sonchus oleraceus Common sow-thistle

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion

Brassicaceae

Berteroa incana

Hoary alyssum

Cactaceae Opuntia sp. Prickly pear
Campanulaceae Campanula rapunculoides European bellflower
Campanulaceae Campanula rotundifolia Harebell

Caprifoliaceae

Symphoricarpos occidentalis

Wolfberry

Caryophyllaceae

Lychnis alba

White campion

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Amorpha canescens

Lead plant

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Amorpha fruticosa

False indigo

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Dalea (Petalostemum) candidum

White prairie clover

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Dalea (Petalostemum) purpureum

Purple prairie clover

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) Desmodium sp. Tick-trefoil

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Lespedeza capitata

Round-headed bush clover

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Lotus corniculatus

Bird-foot trefoil

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Medicago lupulina

Black medic

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Melilotus alba

White sweet clover

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Melilotus officinalis

Yellow sweet clover

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Trifolium arvense

Rabbit-foot clover

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Trifolium pratense

Red clover

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) Trifolium repens White clover

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Agastache foeniculum

Fragrant giant hyssop

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Monarda fistulosa

Bergamot

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Monarda punctata

Horsemint, Spotted bee-balm

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Pycnanthemum virginianum

Mountain-mint

Nyctaginaceae

Mirabilis nyctaginea

Four o-clock

Plantaginaceae  Plantago sp. Plantain
Plantaginaceae  Plantago lancolata Ribgrass

Poaceae (Graminae)

Andropogon gerardii

Big bluestem, Turkey foot

Poaceae (Graminae)

Bouteloua curtipendula

Side-oats grama

Poaceae (Graminae)

Bouteloua gracilis

Blue grama grass

Poaceae (Graminae) Bromus inermis Smooth brome

Poaceae (Graminae)

Elymus canadensis

Canada wild rye

Poaceae (Graminae) Panicum sp. Panic grass
Poaceae (Graminae) Phalaris arundinacea Reed canary grass
Poaceae (Graminae) Poa sp. Blue grass, Meadow grass

Poaceae (Graminae)

Schizachyrium scoparium

Little Bluestem

Poaceae (Graminae)

Setaria sp.

Foxtail

Poaceae (Graminae)

Sorghastrum nutans

Indian grass

Poaceae (Graminae) Spartina pectinata Prairie cord-grass

Polygonaceae

Rumex sp.

Dock

Rosaceae

Potentilla arguta

Tall cinquefoil

Rosaceae Potentilla argentea Silvery cinquefoil
Rosaceae Prunus virginiana Chokecherry

Rosaceae

Rosa sp.

Wild rose

Saxifragraceae

Heuchera richardsonii

Alumroot

Scrophulariaceae

Linaria vulgaris

Butter-and-eggs

Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon grandiflorus

Large-flowered beardtongue

Scrophulariaceae

Scrophularia lanceolata

Figwort

Scrophulariaceae

Verbascum thapsus

Common mullein

Scrophulariaceae

Veronicastrum virginicum

Culver's root

Solanaceae

Physalis virginiana

Ground cherry

Typhaceae Typha angustifolia Narrow-leaved cat-tail
Typhaceae Typha latifolia Broad-leaved cat-tail
Ulmaceae Ulmus pumila Siberian elm

Verbenaceae

Verbena bracteata

Creeping vervain

Verbenaceae

Verbena stricta

Hoary vervain

Vitaceae

Parthenocissus inserta

Virginia creeper, Woodbine

Web Sites:

References:

| Top | Plant Tax. Home | SGS Home | Disclaimer |

Last updated:  08/20/2007 / � Copyright by SG Saupe