Floras and Other Floristic Studies in Rhodora and Special Publications of the New England Botanical Society: 1899–2023

This paper summarizes floras and other floristic studies published in Rhodora from 1899 to 2023 and includes information from floras published as part of the New England Botanical Society's special publication series. During this period, floristic subject matter comprised more than a third of the printed pages in the journal, including approximately 200 floras, an average of 16 per decade. Studies have been heavily concentrated in New England (58%), but other areas of the United States (22%) and Canada (13%) are well represented, and other contributions cover sites ranging from Greenland to Bolivia. Classified by taxonomic group, floras of vascular plants were most frequent (63%), followed by those dealing with algae (18%), bryophytes (9%), and lichens (4%). The remaining studies addressed fungi, slime molds, Cyanobacteria, or a combination of two or more major groups. Study duration varied widely, with a median of two years of fieldwork and a range from one or two days to more than 10 years. Most floristic studies contributed descriptive information on distribution, frequency, and habitat affiliation. Many were also conceived or subsequently used to facilitate comparisons, either geographically or temporally, to understand the effects of unusual habitats or substrates on the flora or to serve as a baseline for management of protected areas. Despite the long history of published floras, many areas have received little or no floristic attention and our knowledge of the floristics of groups other than vascular plants and marine algae is limited. Further, the rapid climate change now occurring and its likely future intensification indicate an important role for floristic studies in documenting and understanding current and future plant distributions.