Plants of Coal Creek Farm

The plants at Coal Creek Farm represent 599 vascular plants grouped into 117 families and 337 types. The flora includes 59 species of trees, 40 shrubs, three subshrubs, 13 woody vines, 348 forbs, 109 graminoids (grasses, sedges, rushes), and 27 ferns and fern-related plants. Nineteen non-vascular plants like mosses, liverworts, and hornworts were found, and 14 species of moss with five liverworts.  There are 110 species of fungi, lichen, and slime molds were also found.

Three plant species of state conservation concern occur on the Farm in a variety of habitats, with two also considered to be of global conservation concern. No federally listed species (species listed as Threatened or Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act) were found.

Fourteen percent of the plants are not native to Tennessee. Of the non-native species present, at least 18 are invasive or have the potential to become invasive in natural communities on the property (not counting the pasture/field and disturbed areas).

Eupatorium species

Photographs of the newly discovered Eupotorium species from Coal Creek Farm.

A. Eupatorium species have oppositely arranged leaves, or two leaves per node.

B. Successfully germinated seeds.

C. A broader view of the inflorescence

D. Upper (adaxial) leaf surface.

E. Lower (abaxial) leaf surface.

F. Close-up of florets.

G. Roots.

H. Close-up of pubescence (hairs) on the lower leaf surface.