Missouri's New Find!

By Christopher Shulse, MoDOT Northeast District Roadside manager

MoDOT plants colorful Indiangrass, Sorgastrum nutans.

This brilliant gentian is a native hybrid on a Missouri roadside.

Mother Nature and modern technology recently came together to announce the exciting finding of a new native wildflower hybrid in Missouri.

Traveling along the highways of northeast Missouri in September and October is a wonderful way to see the splendor of the tallgrass prairie remnants scattered throughout the region. The various species of goldenrod, sunflowers, and compass plants with their bright yellow flowers combine with the reds and oranges of big bluestem, little bluestem, and Indian grass as they begin to grow into their rich fall colors. The pink and purple asters, along with ironweed and perhaps a few late blooming blazing stars and spiderworts join in to create a spectacular pallet of colors for motorists to sample on their travels.

White Mother Nature is hard at work nurturing all the beautiful wildflowers motorists see from the comfort of their vehicle, the Missouri Department of Transportation is working with her to ensure it finds and keeps track of her hard work. MoDOT is experimenting with the use of technology to catalog roadside vegetation. This information is then incorporated into a database which allows vegetation managers to track their progress with integrated vegetation management (IVM), locate prairie remnants and other sensitive areas, and improve methods of vegetation management practices. MoDOT is also partnering with colleges and universities to conduct IVM research projects using Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.

However, motorists should he aware that some of the most beautiful gems of the tallgrass prairie cannot he viewed from the seat of a car traveling at highway speeds. Tucked into the taller grasses and forbs, and sometimes bent to the ground with the weight of their flowers, are two species of wildflowers that can only be seen by someone lucky enough to stumble across a patch as they hike through prairie vegetation.

These two wildflowers are officially known as downy gentian (Gentiana puberulenta) and bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii). Downy gentian flowers open widely to forth a deep, cup shape that can be so dark that they appear almost purple. Bottle gentian flowers do not actually open and resemble a large flower bud of a much lighter hue: flowers within a single cluster can range from sky blue to rose. Downy gentian tends to he found in dryer prairie remnants, whereas bottle gentians seem to prefer wetter areas. However, in one location in northeast Missouri, these two species can not only be found growing side by side, but flowers with similar characteristics as these two species can be found as well.

During the fall of 2002, Ashli Houchins, a student at Culver Stockton College, conducted research to determine if the plants with intermediate characteristics of the two species were actually hybrids. MoDOT allowed her to use GPS and GIS technology to map and analyze the locations of the possible hybrid. This technology, along with a traditional taxonomic study, resulted in the conclusion that these plants are indeed hybrids. While hybrids between downy and closed gentians have been found in other states, this was the first record of them in Missouri.

So, as Mother Nature and modern technology continue to work together and more progress is made, the scenic beauty of the roadsides of Missouri will continue to be preserved and enhanced. And, whether seen from the car or on the roadside, Missouri motorists have lots of colorful wildflowers to enjoy for years to come.