the northern flanks of Donnelly Dome (site 15).
the specimen at ALA is from Dall Island, at the south-
11. Draba stenopetala Trautv. (thin petal
ern end of southeast Alaska. It was found in the moist,
whitlowgrass) G3 S3: A tightly compact whitlowgrass.
gravelly soil of the northeast corner of Buffalo Drop
Described as "rare and remarkable" by Hulten (1968),
Zone (site 26), an abandoned creek bed now kept clear
it is now known to be not quite so rare, but it is uncom-
of brush and used for training maneuvers. Several dozen
mon and still remarkable. It was found on a high ridge
clumps of plants were observed. Also reported from
crest on Molybdenum Ridge (site 22).
site 101, east of Buffalo Drop Zone, by the LCTA crew.
12. Festuca brevissima Yurtsev G3 S3: A small al-
20. Stellaria alaskana Hulten (Alaska starwort) G3
pine fescue, described by Hulten (1968) under the name
S3: A distinctive, large-flowered starwort, endemic to
Festuca ovina L. ssp. alaskensis Holmen. It was found
the region. It was found on gravelly screes, at many
at Donnelly Dome (site 15) and Molybdenum Ridge
sites on Molybdenum Ridge.
21. Viola selkirkii Pursh ex Goldie (Selkirk violet)
(site 53).
13. Glyceria pulchella (Nash) K. Schum. G5 S2S3:
G5? S3: A small and easily overlooked violet. It was
A small manna grass. It was found at site 11, southeast
found at the same site and general habitat as
Cryptogramma stelleri; it is known from a few widely
of Canister Lake.
14. Phlox hoodii Richards. (spiny phlox) G5 S1S2:
spaced locations within Alaska.
22. While not especially rare, specimens of Primula
A dwarf phlox known mostly from further north in
eximia collected on Molybdenum Ridge were notable
Alaska and from central Yukon Territory. It was found
by ABR biologists growing on a steep, south-facing
for their large size--some scapes were approximately
bluff on Buffalo Hill (site 109), in a sagebrushgrass
40 cm tall.
With the exception of Draba stenopetala, Festuca
community.
15. Phlox sibirica L. ssp. richardsonii (Hook.)
brevissima, Salix setchelliana, and Stellaria alaskana,
Hulten (Richardson's phlox) G4T2T3Q S2: A dwarf
which are endemic to the region, these taxa are periph-
phlox, now known from several sites in the Alaska
eral species, with larger populations centered further
Range, but still quite rare. It was found growing in grav-
south in North America, or west in Asia. Some of them
elly open soil and among rock outcrops along the ridge
barely reach Alaska, and are known from only a few
crest at the north end of Donnelly Dome (site 15), and
sites in the state or nearby Canada (State Rank 1 or 2).
is not very common there.
Vascular plant range extensions
16. Potamogeton obtusifolius Mertens and Koch G5
S1: A distinctive but probably much overlooked pond-
A number of plants found during this survey are sig-
weed. It was not recorded in Hulten (1968) and only
nificant range extensions. Besides the tracked species
Carex deweyana, Carex sychnocephala, Draba incerta,
one record was shown in Cody (1996). There are only
Festuca brevissima, Potamogeton obtusifolius, Phlox
two other Alaska records (both recent) for this plant at
hoodii, Phlox sibirica ssp. richardsonii, Sisyrinchium
ALA: one from Palmer and one from Fort Yukon. It
montanum, and Viola selkirkii described above, sev-
was found in shallow water at Mark Lake (site 34).
17. Salix setchelliana Ball (Setchell willow) G3G4
eral other more common plants were found more than
S3: A small, distinctive endemic. It was found on most
100 km (60 miles) beyond the ranges given in Hulten
of the gravel bar sites of the Delta River and at the mouth
(1968):
1. Artemisia globularia Cham. ex Bess. (purple
of Jarvis Creek.
18. Saxifraga adscendens L. ssp. oregonensis (Raf.)
wormwood): A Beringian plant found mostly in the
Bacig. G5T4T5 S2S3: A small, uncommon alpine spe-
western part of the state. One other recent record exists
cies. Several plants without flowering stalks were found
for the Mount Hayes area. It was found at sites 17 and
on the terminus of the Trident Glacier (site 57).
53 on Molybdenum Ridge.
19. Sisyrinchium montanum Greene (mountain blue-
2. Calypso bulbosa (L.) Oakes (fairy slipper): A
eyed grass) G5 SP: A small, densely tufted blue-eyed
briefly flowering orchid known from farther south and
grass. Apparently, it is new to Alaska, except for an
farther north in the Fairbanks area. It is currently known
unpublished collection from the southeastern portion
from a number of new locations. It was found in a thick
of the state.* The nearest record in Hulten (1968) is
white spruce forest that had little understory growth
approximately 400 km away in the Yukon Territory, and
(site 8).
3. Cypripedium guttatum Sw. var. guttatum Sw.
(spotted lady's slipper): A large lady slipper with a range
similar to calypso. This orchid, also known from many
new sites, was fairly commonly on dry slopes at sites
*Personal communication with A. Batten, A. Cholewa, and
C. Parker, ALA, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 1998.
13 and 29.
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