Plant species list for Island Beach State Park
This long list of plants includes the latin names and common names, where applicable. The list was put together as part of a report from a Torrey Torrey Botanical Trip to Island Beach State Park in September of 1997 (and documented here). Not all of these plants were seen during that visit but the trip apparently served as the impetus for putting this together. The credits are given as folows: "Linda Kelly has done most of the work on the botany of Island Beach (Karl Anderson provided valuable assistance)."
There is also a herbarium at Island Beach and they are begining to post pictures of carded, pressed plants on their website - Emily De Camp Herbarium
Trees:
Acer platanoides (Norway maple)
Acer rubrum var. trilobum (red maple) common
Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven)
Betula populifolia (gray birch)
Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic white-cedar) few
Ilex opaca var. opaca (American holly) some
Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (red cedar) common
Liquidambar styraciflua (sweet gum)
Magnolia virginiana (sweet bay magnolia)
Nyssa sylvatica (tupelo) few
Pinus echinata (shortleaf pine)
Pinus rigida (pitch pine)
Pinus thunbergii (Japanese black pine)
Populus alba (white poplar)
Populus x jackii (balm of Gilead)
Populus nigra (black poplar)
Prunus serotina var. serotina (wild black cherry) common
Quercus alba (white oak) few
Quercus falcata (Spanish oak) some
Quercus marilandica (black-jack oak) some
Quercus palustris (pin oak)
Quercus phellos (willow oak) few
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)
Quercus x subfalcata (subfalcate oak)
Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)
Sassafras albidum (sassafras) some
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese elm)
Shrubs:
Alnus glutinosa (European alder)
Amelanchier canadensis (Canada shadbush) some
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (bearberry)
Aronia arbutifolia (red chokeberry)
Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry)
Aronia x prunifolia [arbutifolia x melanocarpa] (purple chokeberry) some
Baccharis halimifolia (groundsel-tree) some
Cephalanthus occidentalis (buttonbush)
Clethra alnifolia (sweet pepperbush) some
Comptonia peregrina (sweet fern)
Decodon verticillatus (swamp loosestrife)
Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive)
Gaultheria procumbens (wintergreen)
Gaylussacia baccata (black huckleberry) few
Gaylussacia frondosa (dangleberry)
Hudsonia tomentosa var. tomentosa (beach heath)
Iva frutescens ssp. oraria (marsh elder)
Kalmia angustifolia (sheep laurel) few
Ligustrum obtusifolium (privet)
Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle)
Lyonia mariana (staggerbush)
Mitchella repens (partridge berry)
Myrica pensylvanica (common bayberry) common
Opuntia humifusa (prickly pear cactus)
Prunus maritima var. maritima (beach plum) some
Quercus ilicifolia (bear oak) common
Rhododendron viscosum (swamp azalea) few
Rhus copallina var. latifolia (winged sumac) common
Rosa carolina (pasture rose)
Rosa palustris (swamp rose) some
Rosa rugosa (wrinkled rose) few
Rosa virginiana (Virginia rose)
Rosa wichuraiana (memorial rose)
Rubus argutus (tall blackberry)
Rubus flagellaris (northern dewberry)
Salix fragilis (crack willow)
Salix sp. (willow)
Sambucus canadensis (common elder)
Syringa vulgaris (lilac)
Vaccinium atrococcum (black blueberry)
Vaccinium corymbosum (highbush blueberry) common
Vaccinium macrocarpon (large cranberry)
Vaccinium pallidum (hillside blueberry)
Viburnum dentatum var. lucidum (arrow-wood viburnum) few
Vines:
Calystegia sepium ssp. sepium (hedge bindweed) some
Campsis radicans (trumpet-creeper) few sites
Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet)
Cuscuta gronovii (dodder)
Hedera helix (English ivy) few
Humulus lupulus (hop)
Hypericum stragulum (St. Andrew's cross)
Ilex glabra (inkberry) some
Ilex verticillata (winterberry)
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) some
Parthenocissus quinquefolia var. quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) some
Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)
Smilax glauca (sawbrier)
Smilax rotundifolia (round-leaved greenbrier) common
Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade)
Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans (poison ivy) common
Vitis labrusca (fox grape)
Herbs:
Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis (yarrow) some
Agalinis purpurea (purple gerardia)
Allium vineale ssp. vineale (field garlic) few
Amaranthus retroflexus (rough pigweed)
Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior (common ragweed) few
Anagallis arvensis (scarlet pimpernel)
Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)
Arabidopsis thaliana (mouse-ear cress)
Arctium minus (common burdock)
Artemisia stelleriana (dusty miller)
Artemisia vulgaris var. vulgaris (common mugwort) few
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)
Aster dumosus (bushy aster)
Aster fragilis var. subdumosus (aster) few
Aster novi-belgii var. elodes (New York aster)
Aster pilosus (var. pilosus?) (aster) some
Aster racemosus (small-headed aster)
Aster subulatus var. subulatus (aster) few
Aster tenuifolius (perennial salt-marsh aster)
Atriplex hastata (spearscale)
Atriplex patula (orache)
Atriplex prostrata (orache) some
Barbarea verna (early winter-cress)
Barbarea vulgaris (common winter-cress)
Bartonia paniculata (climbing screwstem)
Bassia hirsuta (hairy seablite)
Bidens bipinnata (Spanish needles)
Bidens connata (swamp beggar-ticks)
Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle)
Cakile edentula ssp. e. var. edentula (sea rocket) few
Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse)
Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress)
Centaurea jacea (brown knapweed)
Centaurea maculosa (spotted knapweed) few
Cerastium vulgatum (common mouse-ear chickweed)
Chamaesyce nutans (eyebane) few
Chenopodium album (lamb's quarters)
Chenopodium ambrosioides (Mexican tea)
Chondrilla juncea (skeletonweed) few
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (ox-eye daisy)
Chrysopsis falcata (sickle-leaved golden aster)
Cichorium intybus (chicory) few
Cirsium horridulum (yellow thistle) few
Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)
Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) few patches
Conyza canadensis var. pusilla (horseweed) some
Coreopsis lanceolata (lance-leaved coreopsis)
Croton glandulosus (tooth-leaved croton)
Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace) few
Dianthus armeria (Deptford pink)
Diodia teres var. teres (buttonweed) some
Drosera intermedia (spatulate-leaved sundew) few
Erechtites hieraciifolia (pilewort)
Erigeron philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane)
Erigeron strigosus (lesser daisy fleabane)
Erodium cicutarium (storks bill)
Eupatorium album var. subvenosum (white-bracted eupatorium) some
Eupatorium hyssopifolium (hyssop-leaved thoroughwort)
Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset) few
Eupatorium pilosum (rough thoroughwort)
Eupatorium rotundifolium var. ovatum (hairy round-leaved thoroughwort) few
Eupatorium serotinum (late-flowering thoroughwort)
Euphorbia maculata (milk purslane)
Euphorbia polygonifolia (seaside spurge)
Euthamia graminifolia var. nuttallii (grass-leaved goldenrod) few
Euthamia tenuifolia var. tenuifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod) common
Froelichia gracilis (cottonweed)
Galium aparine (cleavers)
Galium mollugo (wild madder)
Galium tinctorium (Clayton's bedstraw)
Geranium pusillum (small-flowered cranesbill)
Glechoma hederacea (gill over the ground)
Gnaphalium obtusifolium var. obtusifolium (fragrant cudweed) some
Helenium autumnale var. parviflorum (sneezeweed)
Hemerocallis fulva (tawny day lily)
Hibiscus moscheutos (swamp rose mallow)
Hieracium caespitosum (king devil hawkweed)
Hieracium floribundum (glaucous hawkweed)
Hieracium gronovii (hairy hawkweed)
Hieracium pilosella (mouse ear hawkweed)
?Hieracium x marianum (Maryland hawkweed)
Hypericum canadense (Canada St. Johnswort)
Hypericum gentianoides (pineweed or orange grass)
Hypericum mutilum (dwarf St. Johnswort)
Hypericum perforatum (common St. Johnswort)
Hypochoeris radicata (cat's-ear) few
Iris versicolor (larger blue flag)
Kosteletzkya virginica (seashore mallow)
Krigia virginica (dwarf dandelion)
Lactuca canadensis var. latifolia (wild lettuce) few
Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce)
Lamium amplexicaule (henbit)
Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus (beach pea) 1 patch
Lechea maritima (beach pinweed)
Lemna minor (little duckweed)
Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass)
Lepidium virginicum (peppergrass)
Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)
Lespedeza striata (Japanese clover)
Limonium carolinianum (sea lavender)
Linaria canadensis (blue toadflax)
Linaria vulgaris (butter and eggs)
Lotus corniculatus (birdfoot trefoil)
Lycopus americanus (cut-leaved water horehound) few sites
Lycopus amplectens (sessile-leaved water horehound)
Lycopus uniflorus (northern water horehound)
Lycopus virginicus (bugleweed)
Lysimachia punctata (spotted loosestrife) few
Lysimachia quadrifolia (whorled loosestrife)
Lysimachia terrestris (yellow loosestrife)
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) few
Malva neglecta (common mallow) few
Matricaria matricarioides (pineapple weed)
Medicago lupulina (black medick)
Melilotus alba (white sweet clover)
Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet-clover) few
Mentha spicata (spearmint) few
Mollugo verticillata (carpetweed)
Monotropa uniflora (Indian pipe)
Myosotis micrantha (blue scorpion-grass)
Oenothera biennis (evening primrose)
Oenothera fruticosa (narrow-leaved sundrops)
Oenothera perennis (dwarf sundrops)
Oxalis corniculata (creeping yellow wood sorrel)
Oxalis stricta (upright wood sorrel)
Phytolacca americana var. americana (pokeweed) few
Plantago aristata (bracted plantain)
Plantago lanceolata (English plantain) some
Plantago major (common plantain)
Pluchea odorata var. succulenta (marsh fleabane) some,
Polygala cruciata (cross-leaved milkwort)
Polygala verticillata (whorled milkwort)
Polygonella articulata (coast jointweed) common
Polygonum arenastrum (dooryard knotweed) few
Polygonum cespitosum var. longisetum (cespitose knotweed) few, roadside
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed)
Polygonum hydropiperoides (false water pepper)
Polygonum lapathifolium var. lapathifolium (nodding smartweed) few
Polygonum pensylvanicum (Pennsylvania smartweed)
Polygonum persicaria (lady's thumb knotweed)
Polygonum punctatum var. punctatum (dotted smartweed) large patch
Portulaca oleracea (purslane)
Potentilla canadensis (dwarf cinquefoil)
Potentilla recta (rough-fruited cinquefoil)
Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)
Proserpinaca palustris (common mermaid weed)
Prunella vulgaris (self heal)
Ptilimnium capillaceum (mock bishop's weed)
Ranunculus bulbosus (bulbous buttercup)
Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan)
Rumex acetosella (sheep sorrel) few
Rumex crispus (curly dock) few
Sabatia campanulata (slender marsh pink)
Sabatia stellaris (sea pink) some
Salicornia europaea (slender glasswort)
Salicornia maritima (glasswort) some
Salicornia virginica (perennial glasswort)
Salsola kali ssp. kali (saltwort) some
Samolus floribundus (water pimpernel)
Scleranthus annuus (knawel)
Sedum acre (stonecrop)
Senecio vulgaris (common groundsel)
Silene latifolia (white campion)
Sisymbrium altissimum (tumble mustard)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium (narrow-leaved blue-eyed grass)
Sisyrinchium atlanticum (eastern blue-eyed grass)
Smilacina stellata (star-flowered false Solomon's seal)
Solanum carolinense (horse nettle nightshade)
Solanum nigrum (black nightshade)
Solidago canadensis var. scabra (tall goldenrod)
Solidago fistulosa goldenrod some
Solidago juncea (early goldenrod)
Solidago odora (sweet goldenrod)
Solidago rugosa ssp. r. var. rugosa (goldenrod) few
Solidago sempervirens var. sempervirens (seaside goldenrod) common
Sonchus arvensis (field sow-thistle)
Spergula morisonii (Morison's spurrey)
Spergularia marina (salt marsh sand spurrey)
Stellaria graminea (lesser stitchwort)
Stellaria media (common chickweed)
Strophostyles helvula (wild-bean) few
Suaeda linearis (Southern seablite)
Taraxacum officinale (dandelion)
Teesdalia nudicaulis (shepherd's cress)
Teucrium canadense var. canadense (American germander)
Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress)
Tradescantia occidentalis (western spiderwort)
Triadenum virginicum (marsh St. Johnswort) some
Trientalis borealis (starflower)
Trifolium arvense (rabbitfoot clover)
Trifolium dubium (little hop clover)
Trifolium campestre (low hop clover)
Trifolium pratense (red clover)
Trifolium repens (white clover)
Triodanis perfoliata (Venus's looking glass)
Typha latifolia (broad-leaved cattail)
Utricularia sp. (bladderwort)
Vallisneria americana (water-celery) common
Verbascum blattaria (moth mullein)
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein)
Verbena hastata var. hastata (blue vervain)
Veronica arvensis (corn speedwell)
Veronica peregrina (purslane speedwell)
Veronica serpyllifolia (thyme-leaved speedwell)
Vicia angustifolia (narrow-leaved vetch)
Viola arvensis (filed pansy)
Viola lanceolata (lance-leaved violet)
Xanthium strumarium var. canadense (common cocklebur) few
Xyris torta (slender yellow-eyed grass)
Yucca filamentosa (bear-grass) few
Rushes:
Juncus biflorus (large grass-leaved rush)
Juncus bufonius (toad rush)
Juncus canadensis (Canada rush)
Juncus dichotomous (forked rush)
Juncus effusus (soft rush)
Juncus gerardi (black grass)
Juncus marginatus (grass-leaved rush)
Juncus pelocarpus (brown-fruited rush)
Juncus scirpoides (scirpus-like rush)
Juncus secundus (secund rush)
?Juncus tenuis var. platyphyllus (eastern rush)
Juncus tenuis (path rush)
Sedges:
Carex albolutescens (sedge) few
Carex exilis (coast sedge)
Carex kobomugi (Japanese sedge)
Carex nigromarginata (sedge)
Carex silicea (sea beach sedge)
Carex swanii (Swan's sedge)
Carex umbellata (umbellate sedge)
Carex vulpinoidea (fox sedge)
Carex vulpinoidea var. ambigua (yellow-fruited sedge)
Cladium mariscoides (twig rush)
Cyperus bipartitus (umbrella sedge) some
Cyperus dentatus (toothed cyperus)
Cyperus esculentus (yellow nut sedge)
Cyperus filicinus (Nutall's cyperus)
Cyperus flavescens (umbrella sedge)
Cyperus grayii (Gray's cyperus)
Cyperus retrorsus (pine barrens cyperus)
Cyperus strigosus false nutsedge some
Fimbristylis autumnalis (autumn fimbristylis)
Fimbristylis caroliniana (Carolina fimbristylis)
Eleocharis tenuis var. tenuis (spikerush) common
Rhynchospora capitellata (clustered beak rush) few
Scirpus cyperinus (woolly grass bulrush)
Scirpus pungens (common three-square bulrush) some
Scirpus robustus (salt marsh bulrush)
Grasses:
Agrostis hyemalis (ticklegrass)
Agrostis perennans (autumn bentgrass)
Agrostis perennans var. elata (autumn bent grass)
Agrostis stolonifera (creeping bent grass)
Aira caryophyllea (silvery hairgrass)
Aira praecox (early hairgrass) some
Ammophila breviligulata (American beach-grass) some
Andropogon virginicus var. abbreviatus (bushy beardgrass)
Andropogon virginicus var. virginicus (broomsedge grass) some, roadside
Anthoxanthum odoratum (sweet vernal grass)
Bromus japonicus (Japanese brome grass)
Bromus racemosus (upright brome grass)
Bromus tectorum (downy chess grass)
Bromus willdenowii (rescue grass) -- might be gone now
Calamagrostis cinnoides (pine barrens reed grass)
Cenchrus longispinus (field sandbur)
Cenchrus tribuloides (dune sandbur) few
Chasmanthium laxum (slender spike grass)
Dactylis glomeratus (orchard grass)
Danthonia spicata (poverty oatgrass)
Digitaria ischaemum (smooth crabgrass)
Digitaria sanguinalis (large crab-grass) common
Distichlis spicata (marsh spike grass) some
Echinochloa crusgalli (barnyard grass)
Echinochloa walteri (salt marsh cockspur grass)
Eleusine indica (goose grass)
Elymus virginicus var. virginicus (Virginia wild-rye) 1 patch
Elytrigia repens (quack grass)
Eragrostis pectinacea (Carolina lovegrass)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass) few
Festuca ovina (sheep fescue)
Festuca pratensis (meadow fescue)
Festuca rubra (red fescue)
Holcus lanatus (velvet grass)
Lolium perenne (ssp. perenne?) (perennial ryegrass) few
Lolium temulentum (darnel)
Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimble will muhly grass)
Panicum amarum (beach panic grass)
Panicum amarulum (southern beach panic grass)
Panicum clandestinum (deer-tongue panic grass)
Panicum columbianum (Columbia panic grass)
Panicum commonsianum (common's panic grass)
Panicum dichotomiflorum (spreading panic grass)
Panicum dichotomum (panic grass)
Panicum lanuginosum (woolly panic grass)
Panicum leucothrix (matting panic grass)
Panicum rigidulum var. pubescens (panic grass) some
Panicum scoparium (velvet panic grass)
Panicum sphaerocarpon (round-fruited panic grass)
Panicum virgatum var. virgatum (switch-grass panic grass) common
Paspalum setaceum var. psammophilum (prostrate beard grass)
Paspalum setaceum var. muhlenbergii (beard grass)
Phleum pratense (timothy grass)
Phragmites australis (giant reed grass) some
Poa annua (annual bluegrass)
Poa compressa (Canada bluegrass)
Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass)
Ruppia maritima (ditch grass)
Schizachyrium scoparium ssp. littorale (little bluestem grass) some
Setaria faberi (nodding foxtail grass)
Setaria geniculata (perennial foxtail grass)
Setaria glauca (yellow foxtail grass)
Setaria viridis (green foxtail grass)
Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass)
Spartina patens (salt meadow cordgrass)
Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass)
Sphenopholis obtusata (early bunch grass)
Tridens flavus (purple top grass)
Triplasis purpurea (sandgrass)
Vulpia myuros (rat's-tail fescue)
Vulpia octoflora (six-weeks fescue grass)
Zostera marina (eelgrass)
Ferns and Fern Allies:
Lycopodium appressum (southern bog clubmoss)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern) some
Osmunda cinnamomea var. cinnamomea (cinnamon fern) some
Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (royal fern) few
Pteridium aquilinum (bracken fern)
Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens (marsh fern) some
Woodwardia areolata (netted chain fern)
Others:
Cetraria arenair (lichen)
Cladonia cristatella (British soldiers lichen)
Cladonia subtenuis
David Snyder writes that Oenothera oakesiana has been seen, but not collected, at Island Beach.