Flora of Arkansas

Quercus acerifolia (also called maple-leaf oak) is a rare North American species of oak in the red oak section of Quercus (known as Lobatae). The species was first described in 1927 from samples collected by E.J. Palmer in the Ozark Mountains. The initial documentation classified the species as Quercus shumardii var. acerifolia. The species was first perceived as a variant of Shumard oak due to its similar foliage and ranges. Over two decades later, the tree was re-evaluated by botanists Nick Alan Stoynoff and William J. Hess, who determined that it was a distinct species. Their case for

Sabatia arkansana, commonly known as Pelton's rose gentian, is an herbaceous annual in the gentian family. It was discovered in 2001 in several glades of the Ouachita Mountains in Saline County, Arkansas by John Pelton, a retired mechanic turned amateur photographer and naturalist. It is known only from two locations in this county and is considered critically imperiled as a result of the presence of nearby housing developments and due to the absence of a fire regime. In summer it shows attractive rose-purple flowers.

Liatris compacta, sometimes called Arkansas gayfeather, is a herbaceous plant species in the family Asteraceae and genus Liatris. It is native to the Ouachitas of west-central Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma in the central United States, where it is found growing in habitats such as rocky ridges, bluffs, hillsides, weathered sandstone, and open woods. It blooms in June to September and may start blooming as early as May, it has purple flowers grouped into heads. It was known as a variety of Liatris squarrosa as Liatris squarrosa var. compacta until relatively recently.

Hydrophyllum brownei, or Browne's waterleaf, is a rare North American plant species found only in the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas. It grows in forested hillsides above the Cossatot River in Howard County, as well as in Polk and Garland Counties. Hydrophyllum brownei is an herb up to 50 cm (20 inches) tall, spreading by means of underground rhizomes. Leaves are pinnately compound, the leaflets very often pinnately lobed, with short bristly hairs. Flowers are lavender to almost white, 10–12 mm long.

Helenium campestre is a North American perennial plant in the sunflower family, commonly known as oldfield sneezeweed or arkansas sneezeweed. It is native to the southeastern United States, in Arkansas and northwestern Louisiana.

Tradescantia longipes, commonly known as the wild crocus (although it is not closely related to plants in the genus Crocus), is a perennial herbaceous plant in the dayflower family. It is found only in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas in the Midwest United States. A spring blooming species, its flowers can be observed from April to May, typically in its preferred habitat of wooded slopes on rocky hillsides. While most other members of the genus in North America have stems reaching at least a few inches above the soil, the flowering shoots of Tradescantia longipes

Amsonia hubrichtii, commonly known as Hubricht's bluestar, Arkansas bluestar, or thread-leaf bluestar, is a North American species of perennial flowering plant in the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family, first described in 1943. It is native to Oklahoma and Arkansas in the south-central United States. It is commonly used as an ornamental plant.

Amorpha ouachitensis is an uncommon North American species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Ouachita leadplant, Ouachita Mountain leadplant, Ouachita false indigo, and Ouachita indigobush. It is native to Oklahoma and Arkansas in the United States. Amorpha ouachitensis is a shrub growing up to about 2 meters (80 inches) tall. The compound leaves are each made up of several oval leaflets. The inflorescence is made up of many flowers with purple petals and yellow anthers. Amorpha ouachitensis is native to the Ouachita Mountains. In Oklahoma it occurs in Le

Vernonia lettermannii, the narrowleaf ironweed, is a plant species known only from Arkansas and Oklahoma. It grows on floodplains and terraces at elevations of 100–200 m (330–660 ft). Vernonia lettermannii is a perennial herb up to 60 cm (24 in) tall. Leaves are filiform (thread-shaped), up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long but less than 3 mm (0.12 in) wide. Flower heads are purple, arranged as a corymb.

Solidago ouachitensis is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Ouachita Mountain goldenrod. It has a very limited range, found only in the Ouachita Mountains along the border between Arkansas and Oklahoma in the United States. Solidago ouachitensis is a perennial herb growing up to about 1.1 meters (44 inches) in height. It produces one or more erect stems from a woody caudex. The serrated (toothed) leaves are 10 to 13 centimeters (4.0-5.2 inches) long around the middle of the plant and smaller higher on the stem. One plant will produce

Houstonia ouachitana, the Ouachita bluet, is a species of plants in the coffee family. It is endemic to the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. It is an herb up to 20 cm tall, with lanceolate basal leaves and narrowly linear cauline leaves.

Delphinium treleasei, commonly known as named glade larkspur or Trelease's larkspur, is a perennial flowering plant found it temperate areas of the eastern United States. It is native to Missouri and Arkansas where it is often situated in limestone glades but is not common in North America. It is endemic to Ozark highlands in eight southwestern Missouri counties and eight counties in northwestern Arkansas. D. treleasei is a vascular, seed plant, part of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). The name Delphinium treleasei originates from the Greek "delphis" which means dolphin in reference to

Streptanthus squamiformis is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common names pine-oak jewelflower or Goodman's jewelflower. It is a narrow endemic to Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Micranthes palmeri, commonly called Palmer's saxifrage, is a species of plant in the saxifrage family that is native to Oklahoma and Arkansas in the United States.

Spiranthes niklasii, also known by the common name Niklas' ladies' tresses, is a terrestrial orchid nearly endemic to the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas and Oklahoma with a few other known populations.

Maclura pomifera, commonly known as the Osage orange ( OH-sayj), is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, native to the south-central United States. It is a member of the mulberry family, Moraceae. It typically grows about 8 to 15 m (30–50 ft) tall. The distinctive multiple fruit resembles an immature orange, is roughly spherical, bumpy, 8 to 15 cm (3–6 in) in diameter, and turns bright yellow-green in the fall. The fruit excretes a sticky white latex when cut or damaged. Despite the name "Osage orange", it is not related to the orange. Due to its latex secretions and woody pulp, the fruit

Hamamelis vernalis, the Ozark witchhazel (or witch-hazel) is a species of flowering plant in the witch-hazel family Hamamelidaceae, native to the Ozark Plateau in central North America, in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. It is a large deciduous shrub growing to 4 m (13 ft) tall.

Astragalus soxmaniorum is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is sometimes referred to by the common name Soxman's milkvetch, that is native to Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas in the United States of America.

Crataegus nitida, the glossy hawthorn or shining hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae, native to the US states of Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. Hardy to USDA zone 5, it is useful in landscaping applications where a small, showy tree with thorns is desired.

Tradescantia ozarkana, the Ozark spiderwort, is a species of Tradescantia. It is part of the Commelinaceae family, native to the States of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma in the south-central United States. It flowers from April to May and can be found in rich, rocky areas, including woods and bluff ledges.

Streptanthus maculatus is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name clasping jewelflower. It is found in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. It is the type species for the genus.

Physaria filiformis (syn. Lesquerella filiformis) is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common names Missouri bladderpod and limestone glade bladderpod. It is native to Missouri and Arkansas in the United States. It was federally listed as an endangered species in 1987 and it was downlisted to threatened status in 2003. P. filiformis remains listed as an endangered species at the state level in Missouri.

Coreopsis intermedia, the goldenwave tickseed, is a North American species of plants in the family Asteraceae. It is native to a small region in the south-central United States (eastern Texas, western Louisiana, southwestern Arkansas. Coreopsis intermedia is an annual or short-lived perennial up to 90 cm (3 feet) tall, with yellow flower heads containing both ray florets and disc florets.

Tradescantia reverchonii, commonly called Reverchon's spiderwort, is a species of plant in the dayflower family that is native to central and eastern Texas, western Louisiana and southwestern Arkansas in the United States. It is a perennial that produces purple or blue flowers in the spring on herbaceous stems.

Solidago gattingeri, common name Gattinger's goldenrod, is a species of plant that is a goldenrod. It is native only to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Missouri and to the Nashville Basin of Tennessee. Its preferred habitat is cedar glades, cedar barrens, and limestone outcrops. It is adapted to dry habitats. Solidago gattingeri is a perennial that produces yellow flowers in late summer. One plant can produce as many as 250 small yellow flower heads, some of then in large arrays at the top of the plant, others in smaller clusters on side branches. It is distinguished from the related

Scutellaria cardiophylla, known as gulf skullcap and heartleaf skullcap, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family. It is native to Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma; it is considered a rare/imperiled species across most of its range. Skullcaps get their name from (and are recognized by) their crested calyx. Its habitat may be rocky or sandy soil in seepage areas, ancient fields, banks, grassy regions in open woodlands, and woodland edges.

Galium arkansanum, the Arkansas bedstraw, is a plant species in the Rubiaceae. It is native to the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains of Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma in the United States.

Vernonia lindheimeri, commonly known as woolly ironweed, is a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae). It is native North America, where it is native to the state of Coahuila in Mexico and to the state of Texas in the United States. Its natural habitat is in open, calcareous areas. Vernonia lindheimeri is a robust perennial, growing to 3 feet high. It has narrow linear leaves, which are white-woolly beneath. It produces purple heads of flowers in the summer.

Solidago ludoviciana, the Louisiana goldenrod, is a North American plant species in the family Asteraceae native to Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. It can be found in dry open woods and along roadsides and other sunny, disturbed locations. Solidago ludoviciana can be as tall as 150 cm (5 feet). It has round to elliptic leaves and open panicles of yellow flower heads. One plant can produce as many as 140 small heads

Helenium elegans is a North American perennial plant in the sunflower family, commonly known as pretty sneezeweed. It is native to the south-central United States and to northeastern Mexico. Helenium elegans is an annual herb up to 120 cm (4 feet) tall. Stems have wings, meaning that they have flaps of tissue running down the sides. One plant can produce 200 or more small flower heads, in branching arrays. The head is very nearly spherical, nearly covered with as many as 700 disc florets, each floret yellow near the base but brown towards the tip. There are also 1-17 yellow or brown ray