Journal of the Oklahoma Native Plant Society, Volume 9, December 2009


Oklahoma Native Plant Record  
Volume 9, December 2009 

 

 

3 

Foreword 
 

F. H. Means’ 1969 doctoral thesis, “Vascular Plants of Southeastern Oklahoma from San 
Bois to Kiamichi Mountains”, includes most species now listed for that area in the Oklahoma 
Vascular Plant Database housed at the Oklahoma Biological Survey. Though not engaged in 
agricultural or botanical research since that time, he had some extraordinary experiences and 
worked with several of the state’s top botanists, whose names you will recognize. It was a 
pleasure to talk with him about his professional life and about teaching, his favorite activity. 

A native Oklahoman from Newkirk and a graduate student at KSU, he joined a team of 
faculty and students from Oklahoma and Kansas who studied the tallgrass prairie at the request 
of Kenneth S. “Boots” Adams, who owned the ranch near Foraker which later became the 
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. For his Ph.D., he worked with Umaldy Ted Waterfall (yes, that’s U.T.) 
as his major professor. His memories of U.T. include tall boots racing across the prairie and a 
big Buick everyone complained about having to park around. He also related stories about 
Charles Wallis, George Goodman (an enviable instructor), and his friend Paul Nighswonger, as 
well as Kling Anderson, professor at Kansas State University and artist of grasses, who worked 
on the Donaldson Ranch Pastures, which later became the Konza Prairie.  

Stan Rice and Phil Gibson have given us a preliminary research paper about the reproductive 
status of seaside alder. This is an example of the type of biodiversity research that needs to be 
done in Oklahoma. Oklahoma’s combination of flat topography made of clay soil along with a 
pattern of alternating drought and flood often washes out the banks of our rivers. This may be 
interacting with the reproductive habit of riparian species such as seaside alders in such a way 
that young seedlings cannot get established. It makes you ask how they ever got established in 
the first place and whether the alder will eventually be extirpated from Oklahoma. 

Many readers have expressed their appreciation for the species lists that Bruce Hoagland of 
the Oklahoma Biological Survey provides us each year from the Oklahoma Vascular Plant 
Database. One of these days we’ll have published species lists from all areas of the state, but by 
then the first ones will be out of date and he’ll have to do them again. This year, he and Newell 
McCarty bring us “Composition and Structure of Bottomland Forest Vegetation at the Tiak 
Research Natural Area, McCurtain County, Oklahoma”. It’s a little known, but beautiful area in 
the far southeastern corner of the state. His article makes you want to see it for yourself. 

Last year Bruce Smith reported on several rare ferns in Oklahoma. Realizing that two of 
those species may have completely disappeared, he has issued a full report on them. His article, 
“Whatever Happened to Cheilanthes horridula and Cheilanthes lindheimeri in Oklahoma?” describes 
the two ferns and their habitats in detail, in hope of enlisting some help finding them again. 

Chadwick Cox has been filling the post of Conservation Chair for the Society for several 
years. He has recently become involved in a national organization promoting conservation of 
native species in their natural habitats. In his essay, “Invasive Plants Versus Oklahoma’s 
Biodiversity”, he gives us insight into this important problem and the role the Society’s new 
affiliate, the Oklahoma Invasive Plant Council (OkIPC) is going to be playing in finding 
solutions.  

It’s been another great year for the Oklahoma Native Plant Record, which will be available 
online beginning in 2010. It just keeps getting better and better thanks to your input and 
support. 

 
Sheila Strawn 
Managing Editor