U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Geological Survey

Paradise Lost?The Coastal Prairie ofLouisiana and Texas

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Coastal prairie is anative grassland foundalong the coast of Texasand Louisiana. Over ninemillion acres of prairieonce existed as a grasslandparadise for NativeAmericans and earlysettlers. Today less than1% remains as a refugefor rare and endangeredbirds, mammals, reptiles,insects and plants. Is“Paradise Lost?” Privategroups, conservationorganizations, andgovernment agencies areworking together to protectand restore this “criticallyimperiled” ecosystem.They need your help andsupport if this effort is tosucceed.

Historical range ofCoastal Prairie. Starsrepresent nationalwildlife refuges.

HistoryThe Coastal Prairie is located alongthe western gulf coast of the UnitedStates, in southwest Louisiana andsoutheast Texas, just inland from thecoastal marsh (see map). This CoastalPrairie is a tallgrass prairie similar inmany ways to the tallgrass prairie ofthe midwestern United States. It isestimated that, in pre-settlementtimes, there were nine million acres

of Coastal Prairie, with2.5 million acres in

Louisiana, and 6.5 million acres inTexas. Today, substantially less thanone percent of the Coastal Prairieremains with remnants totaling lessthan 100 acres in Louisiana and lessthan 65,000 acres in Texas. While

much of theformer prairiehas beenconverted topasture forcattle grazing,the majority hasbeen altered forgrowing rice,sugarcane,forage, and

grain crops. In Louisiana, most of theprairie’s few remaining remnants arefound on narrow strips of land alongrailroad tracks. A larger amountremains in Texas because it was usedfor cattle production and neverplowed. Many species, however, havebeen lost through overgrazing.

Coastal Prairierailroad remnant inJuly

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The “Cajun Prairie” of LouisianaThe portion of Coastal Prairie found in southwestLouisiana is often called the “Cajun Prairie”because it was settled in the early nineteenthcentury by exiled Acadian settlers. As of 1999, lessthan 100 acres remain of the 2.5 million acres thatonce dominated this area, making it one of our mostendangered ecosystems. Most of the few remainingremnants of prairie in Louisiana are found onnarrow strips of land along railroad tracks. Despitethe small size of these remnants, most contain a highdiversity of native tallgrass prairie flora.

What makes Coastal Prairie a prairie?The Coastal Prairie can be likened tothe central and northern “tallgrassprairie.” Many wildflowers commonto the Midwestern prairies such asbutton snakeroot, compass plant,Kansas gayfeather, and black-eyedsusan are also found in CoastalPrairie. In those remnants that stillexist in Louisiana, switchgrass, littlebluestem, big bluestem, andIndiangrass dominate just as they doin the Midwest. Because of theregion’s high rainfall, and the factthat Coastal Prairie gradually turnsinto coastal marsh in Louisiana,switchgrass is more common than inMidwestern prairies. In contrast,remnants of Coastal Prairie in Texasare dominated by little bluestem,brown-seed paspalum, andIndiangrass. Common wildflowersfound here are the prairie coneflower,Texas coneflower, white heath asterand yellow-puff.

Coastal Prairie differs from thatfound in the Midwest because plantspecies like sweet golden rod, redmilkweed, and the grasses slenderbluestem and brown-seed paspalumare found here. Coastal Prairie alsoprovides habitat for the Attwater’sprairie chicken, a relative of theextinct heath hen once found in theMidwest.

Factors that contribute to theestablishment and maintenance ofprairie are soil type, fire, rainfall, andgrazing. Drought, fire, andcompetition from adapted plantspecies combine to prevent theestablishment of woody plants andmaintain a grass-dominatedecosystem.

Many prairie species depend on firefor seed production because itremoves accumulated plant litter andsatisfies seed dormancy needs.Drought occurs in areas of lowrainfall and heavy clay soils holdwater making it unavailable to plants.Plants can also experience drought-like stress as a result of rootrestriction caused by a 8-12" deephard pan layer in some soils thatroots cannot penetrate. Grazing(historically bison and elk and nowcattle) affects prairie vegetation invarious ways. While it helps seeds togerminate by removing their seed

Attwater’s prairiechicken

Rejuvenating prairiewith winter fire

Grasshopperforaging on prairiegrass

Cajun prairie alongrailroad right-of-wayin May

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Grasses and grasslike plants of the Coastal Prairie

little bluestem big bluestem

longspike tridens

bushy bluestem

falling beakrush

gaping panicum

gulf cordgrass

knotroot bristlegrass

pinewoods dropseed

silver bluestem

split-beard bluestem

switchgrass

Indiangrass brown-seed paspalumEastern gamagrass

thin paspalumFlorida paspalum

purple silkyscale

Texas wintergrass toothache grass

Carolina’s whipgrass Vahl’s hairy fimbry

white-top sedge

yellow-eyed-grass

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coat during digestion, it also stressesgrazed plants and createsdisturbances that allow other plantsto establish. Smaller grazers such asgrasshoppers and other plant-eatinginsects often concentrate on a singleplant species, leaving its neighborsuntouched, therefore giving them anadvantage over their competitors.

Natural prairie abounds with long-lived perennials which form a dense“sod” or mat of intertwined roots.Disturbances to this dense mass arerapidly filled in by growth fromsurrounding plants. With theexception of partridge pea, false-foxgloves and a few others, annualsare rare in undisturbed prairie sod.

PlantsCoastal prairie vegetation consistsmostly of grasses overlain by adiverse variety of wildflowers andother plants. Its wildflowers are oftenfound in patches creating a “flowergarden” in the green sea of grass.Nearly 1,000 plant species have beenidentified in Coastal Prairie andalmost all are perennials withunderground structures (not all thesestructures are roots) like rhizomes,tubers, or crowns. These undergroundstructures have a variety of functions,one of which is to ensure survival afterfire. The underground portion ofCoastal Prairie plants may be up tothree times the size of theaboveground part.

Coastal Prairie flowers bloom in avivid range of colors from the greenof the green flowered milkweed andnose burn; to the white of floweringspurge and button snakeroot; to theyellow of partridge pea and compassplant; to the blue of blue waterleafand Sampson’s snakeroot; to the pinkof false dragonhead and sensitive

briar; to thepurple ofgayfeathers andironweed; and tothe red of thered milkweedand winecup.Coastal Prairiewildflowers area diverse groupwith manyspeciesbelonging to thesunflower,legume, andmint families.NativeAmericans andEuropeansettlers on theCoastal Prairieused plants forfoods, spices,dyes, textiles,and medicines.

Some of the more spectacular plantsin Coastal Prairie include: blazingstars (with up to three foot spikes ofpurple flowers); compass plants (withleaves pointing east and west); buttonsnakeroot (an important nectarsource for many insects); sweetgolden rod (with a liquorice odor andthat can be used to make a tea); falseindigos (yellow or white floweredspecies, whose flowers were used byearly settlers to dye Easter eggs);and butterfly weed (with brightorange flowers favored bybutterflies).

Butterfly weed andblackeyed Susan inflower in May andJune.

Kansas gayfeather inmass during August

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drummond rain lilyfalse garlic

hairy ticktrefoilIllinois bundleflower

Wildflowers of the Coastal Prairie

white colic-root

spider lily swamp lily spring beauty

snowy orchid spring ladies’-tresses ten petal anemone

multibloom-hoarypea

white wild-indigo

white prairie clover flowering spurge

snow on the prairie New Jersey tea woolly rose-mallow

pennywort button snakeroot

water hemlock American snowball whorled milkweed

narrowleaf sandvine tansy dogshade silky evolvulus

cluster bushmint clusteredmountain-mint

slender mountain-mint

white mountain mint poorjoe prairie bluets

large-floweredbeeblossom

Indian plantain narrowleaf boneset roundleaf boneset

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seaside goldenrod

prairie buttercup

partridge pea

doll’s daisy

marsh fleabane rabbit tobacco climbing hemp vine

heath aster yarrow

golden colic-root eastern yellowstargrass

huisache yellow-puff

nodding wild-indigo yellow wild indigo arrowleaf rattlebox

sidebeak pencil-flower

stiff yellow flax candyroot

roundpod St. John’swort

nits and lice St. Peter’s-wort

grassland pricklypear

Texas prickly pear yellowmeadowbeauty

narrowleaf seedbox common evening-primrose

prairie parsley

Canada lousewort false dandelion woolly groundsel

Canadian goldenrod shiny goldenrod

sweet goldenrod wrinkle-leafgoldenrod

flat-topped goldenrod

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silkgrass

Texas coneflower

rayless goldenrod hairy golden aster Maryland golden-aster

rosinweedcompass plant

prairie coneflower spotflower

annual sunflower Maximiliansunflower

narrowleaf sunflower

ashy sunflower tall coneflower black-eyed susan

lanceleaf coreopsis plains coreopsis tall tickseed

yellow Indian-blanket

bitterweed fringed sneezeweed

purple-headsneezeweed

meadow garlic red iris

bearded grass-pink sensitive briar sessile-leaf ticktrefoil

round-headbushclover

coralbean spurred butterfly pea

pink wildbean downy milkpea sandbur

Maryland milkwort drumheads pink milkwort

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pale coneflower

single stem scurfpea

swamp milkwort Turk’s cap Texas star hibiscus

winecups Maryland meadowbeauty

showy evening-primrose

red milkweed

centuary prairie rose-gentian butterfly-weed

water southernmorning-glory

saltmarshmorning-glory

prairie phlox American germander slender falsedragonhead

Texas paintbrush Lindheimer’sbeebalm

spotted beebalm

false foxglove sharpsepalbeardtongue

Texas thistle

hairy spiderwort Virginia dayflower

eastern blue-eyedgrass

prairienymph southern blueflag

Carolina larkspur blue jasmine Sampson’s snakeroot

Louisiana vetch arrow-leaf violet

maypop lanceleaf loosestrife blueflower eryngo

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white bractblazingstar

three-seeded mercury

catchfly prairiegentian

lemon beebalm

tall ironweed

hooker’s eryngo eastern blue-star

blue waterleaf Texas vervain rough skullcap

small skullcap blue sage

silverleaf nightshade western horsenettle Muskogeebeardtongue

old field toadflax Florida bluehearts prairie petunia

Venus’ looking-glass downy lobelia pale lobelia

Kansas gayfeather scaly gayfeather slender gayfeather

Texas ironweed

blue-mist flower ivyleaf boneset late purple aster

western silver aster willowleaf aster American aloe

woolly croton betonyleaf noseburn

pineland milkweedgreen milkweed long-leaf milkweed

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What’s at risk?Wildflowers and grasses oncecovered the Coastal Prairie region,along with birds, butterflies, andother insects. In earlier times it washome to herds of bison andpronghorn antelope, and red wolvesroamed among the riverine foreststhat crisscrossed the area. Today, thebison, antelope, and red wolves havedisappeared, and this ecosystem islisted as “critically imperiled” bymajor conservation organizations.

No one knows how many CoastalPrairie species have followed theprairie vole and the Louisiana Indianpaintbrush to extinction, but it iscertain that many other species arenow quite rare. The black-lace cactusand Texas prairie dawn-flower are the

AnimalsCoastal Prairie, and its adjacentmarsh habitat, provided immensespaces for waterfowl and thousands ofother forms of wildlife. Even in itsaltered state, Coastal Prairieroutinely hosts more red-tailed hawk,northern harrier, white ibis, andwhite-faced ibis than any other regionin the United States. Waterfowl,sandpipers, and other shorebirds areabundant during the fall, winter, andspring months, paralleling and oftensurpassing other regions withlongstanding traditions as crucialstopover areas for these species.Many rare European species such asnorthern wheatear, black-tailedgodwit, curlew sandpiper, and ruffhave also been observed routinely.

Prairie flowers and insects naturally gotogether. Native insects need nativeplants as food, and many prairie plantsprovide plentiful and continuoussupplies of nectar. Prairie also provideshabitat with relatively little insecticideresidue. The result is unique insectdiversity including butterflies,dragonflies, and numerous kinds ofbees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers,beetles, and preying mantis. Thisplethora of insects provides a foodsource for many animals enhancingthe habitat value of Coastal Prairie.

The most conspicuous prairie insectsare the butterflies and skippers withmore than 100 species found inLouisiana’s prairie alone. The gulffritillary, also known as the passion-vine butterfly, is the most commonbutterfly species found in CoastalPrairie. Monarchs, whose larvaedepend on the many milkweeds foundin Coastal Prairie, are frequentvisitors. More than 100 differentspecies of dragonfly eat mosquitoesand other insects as they dart and bobover the prairie. The prairie forceptailis a unique dragonfly in the CajunPrairie as it is seen nowhere else.

white ibis

red-tailed hawks

preying mantis

hummingbird onashy sunflower

Milkweed ButterfliesThe milkweed butterflies are afamily of mostly tropical butterfliesthat includes the monarch and thequeen. Monarch butterflies cannotwithstand freezing temperatures, sothey migrate south for winter, flyingseveral thousand miles. The larvaeof these North American speciesfeed on milkweeds, incorporatingtoxic substances into their bodiesand making them distasteful topredators.Twelve species ofmilkweed occur in Coastal Prairie,making the area an importantelement in the migration flyway ofmonarchs. Some monarchs winteron the gulf coast, depending on thegreat variety of Coastal Prairiewildflowers for nectar.

Illustrated at left are the stages ofmetamorphosis of a monarchbutterfly:

1. the egg,2. the caterpillar,3. the pupa or chrysalis, and4. the adult butterfly.

1

2

3

4

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black swallowtail

cloudless sulphur

tiger swallowtail,female

gorgone crescent tiger swallowtail,male

pipevine swallowtail

red admiral

red spotted purple

spicebush swallowtailspring azure

zebra longwing

zebra swallowtailbuckeye butterfly gulf fritillary, female

goatweed

hackberry

gulf fritillary, malepearl crescent queen

question markvarigated fritillary viceroy

wood nymph

gray hairstreak

Butterflies of the Coastal Prairie

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Chinese tallow

The suppression of fire allowsremnants to become overgrown withnative shrubs like eastern baccharisand wax myrtle. Another ableinvader, and a primary threat toCoastal Prairie, is the Chinese tallowtree. Chinese tallow and other exoticplants invade Coastal Prairie, oftenbecoming the focus of land managers.While fire is an important tool in thecontrol of these exotic plants,herbicides are also used. The impactof herbicide used for control ofprairie invaders and weeds onadjacent croplands has not yet beenfully explored. There are other exoticplants that are fire and herbicidetolerant and while they have not yetarrived in Coastal Prairie may

present evengreaterproblems inthe future.

The currentabsence ofbig bluestem,Indiangrass,and somewildflowersin manyTexasprairies maybe due toovergrazing

by cattle. Palatable native grassessuch as big bluestem, Indiangrass,and eastern gamagrass cannottolerate the close grazing of cattlebut are adapted to the occasional,fast moving, tip nipping of bison.Foreign species, such as vaseygrass,from South America, andjohnsongrass, from the Mediterranean,are adapted to cattle grazing andflourish in overgrazed prairie. Whilehaying and rotational grazing areimportant tools of prairiemanagment, overgrazing candecrease diversity and impact theeffectiveness of fire.

only Coastal Prairie plant species onthe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’sendangered species list. However,more than a dozen plant species arelisted as imperiled or criticallyimperiled, including the wild coco,Texas windmill grass, coastalgayfeather, and Correll’s falsedragonhead. Another 15 plant speciesare listed as rare to very rare includingTexas coneflower, fringed sneezeweed,Silveus dropseed, southwesternbedstraw, and lemon beebalm.

In addition to plants, the CoastalPrairie is home to the federally-endangered Attwater’s prairiechicken (North America’s mostendangered bird) and is the exclusive

wintering ground of thefederally-endangeredwhooping crane. Otherresidents such as the gulfcoast hognosed skunk andthe Cagle’s map turtleare also criticallyimperiled. A number ofrare migratory grasslandbirds depend on coastalgrasslands includingBachman’s, Texas oliveand Henslow’s sparrowsand the loggerheadshrike.

ThreatsDevelopment poses the greatest riskto what remains of Coastal Prairie.Most remnants are privately ownedwith only a small percentagepreserved on government land. Thelargest and most pristine remnantsin Texas are hay meadows, and theyare in danger of development orconversion to other kinds ofagriculture. Remnants alongrailroads make up much of whatremains in Louisiana and arecurrently being destroyed whenadjacent highways are widened orrailroad beds are graded or sprayedwith pesticides.

wild coco

American bison

Henslow’s sparrow

whooping crane

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calico pennant black saddlebags blue dasher, female

blue footed dancer

citrine forktail, male

common greendarner, male

common greendarner, male

common whitetail,female

common whitetail,male

eastern pondhawk,female

ebony jewelwing

familiar bluetprairie forceptail,female

widow skimmer,female

golden wingedskimmer

golden wingedskimmer

Halloween pennant,female

prairie forceptail,male

widow skimmer, male

Needham’s skimmer

painted skimmer

Rambur’s forktail

roseate skimmer,male

varigatedmeadowhawk

Dragonflies of the Coastal Prairie

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prescribed burns, haying, andchemically controlling invasive plants.

The Coastal Prairie ConservationInitiative is a partnership betweenthe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,the U.S. Department of Agriculture’sNatural Resources ConservationService, local soil and waterconservation districts, and privatelandowners along the middle and

upper gulf coastregion of Texas. Thegoals of this initiativeare to conserve andrestore the CoastalPrairie ecosystem,reintroduce captive-bred Attwater’sprairie chickens onprivate lands, andprovide privatelandowners withincentives directed atCoastal Prairieconservation.

Restoration methodsvary betweengeographical areasand individualrestorationists, and

success varies from year to year.Planting a restoration involves:

1. site preparation by herbicide,solarization, and/or tillage;

2. planting by haying, seeding,hydromulching, sodding,plugging, and/or reintroduction;and

3. management by mowing,irrigation, grazing, and/orburning.

Fall and winter are generally the besttimes for planting. Seeds can bepurchased commercially but aresometimes hard to find. If seeds arecollected from wild populations it isbest to collect from plants in thevicinity of your restoration. These

RestorationEven if every acre of Coastal Prairienow in existence were preserved forfuture generations, we would continueto lose species to extinction. Plantsand animals need large areas of habitat

for survival, so iffuture generations areto enjoy thebiodiversity found inCoastal Prairie, morearea must be restored.Enthusiasm forrestoration of CoastalPrairie is growingthanks to the efforts ofpioneers like Drs.Charles Allen andMalcolm Vidrine whoin 1988 succeeded in

restoring a prairie in Eunice,Louisiana. A number of private groupsand conservation organizationsexchange information, provideeducation, work to preserve remnants,and assist restoration efforts whilegovernment agencies assist privateland owners with incentive programs.Scientists at the U.S. GeologicalSurvey’s National Wetlands ResearchCenter are conducting experimentsrelevant to prairie restoration andmanagement and are developingmethods to disseminate this information.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicelists restoration of Coastal Prairieas one of its top priorities in the gulfcoast area. National wildlife refugesincluding Anahuac, Aransas,Attwater, Brazoria, CameronPrairie, Lacassine and Sabine arerestoring and managing prairie onfederal lands. Lacassine NWR inLouisiana has embarked on severalCoastal Prairie restorationsincluding 327 acres called theDuralde Prairie. Brazoria NationalWildlife Refuge in Texas hasundertaken to restore more than5,000 acres of overgrazed prairie bylimiting cattle grazing, conducting

Sign at eleven-year-old restoration site.

Hand held seedcollection.

Top: USGSrestorationexperiments.Below: mechanizedseed collection.

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ambush bug

black swallowtail

buckeye butterfly

cloudless sulphur

crab spider

dickcissels

eastern hognosedsnake

fence lizard flower beetle

giant swallowtail grass spider

grasshopper andTurks cap

green tree frog

gulf coast toad

gulf fritillary halictid bee andpartridge pea

halictid bee andwild petunia

leopard frog

loggerhead shrike

lynx spider metallic bee ontickseed

Potter’s wasp

tiger swallowtailwalking stick onblazing star

Other Species of the Coastal Prairie

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prairie in the winter and early spring.It is most common to burn whenplants are dormant, but an occasionalburn during the growing seasonenhances diversity. Where fire is notan option, the restoration may bemowed or hayed (mowing and hayingare very different — hay is notremoved after mowing), but this mayaffect the species that survive longterm. Weeds such as Chinese tallowtrees may have to be sprayed withherbicide or physically removed,especially from wet spots where firedoes a poor job of control. It will takeseveral years before a Coastal Prairiepatch begins to mature, but when itdoes, most weedy exotics will beexcluded naturally.

The Coastal Prairie is a unique andvital part of the biosphere that hasalmost vanished within the last 100years. Much has been lost both interms of land coverage and nativespecies, and what remains is in need ofprotection and rehabilitation. Becauseso little remains, the future of CoastalPrairie depends on restoration.Americans can help in this effort toprotect and restore Coastal Prairie by

supporting orparticipating inrestorationefforts. Even asmall backyardprairie garden(12' x 12')provides a pieceof this nativeecosystem.Thousands ofsuch gardens dotthe midwesterncountryside,providing arefuge for nativeplants, insects,and birds, and analternative,sustainablelandscape.

plants are adapted to local conditionsand their gene pools should bepreserved. Restorationists do notagree on how far from a site seedsmay be collected, and distancesrange from 50 to 250 miles. Mostrestorationists use 100 miles as a

rule of thumb,and that distancecan be stretchedeast or west ifno other seedsare available.Individuals ororganizationsinterested inrestorationshould thoroughlyexplore the

options. Several books, websites, andexperts are available to assistrestorationists, and some are listed atthe back of this brochure.

ManagementRestorationists are often discouragedwhen the first few years after arestoration has been implemented,aggressive annual weeds dominatethe site. However, they shouldn’tdespair for perennials will eventuallydisplace the weedy annuals. Expertsdon’t recommend the use of fertilizerbecause it will often give weedyannuals an advantage.

Burning is the natural mechanism bywhich prairie renews itself. Fireprevents woody plants fromestablishing, stimulates seedgermination, replenishes nutrients,and allows light to reach youngleaves. Winter burning after the firstyear speeds the change from anannual community to one dominatedby perennial plants. Restorations canbe burned every one to three yearsbased on available fuel andmanagement objectives. Historically,prairie fires occurred in the summeras a result of lightning strikes.Native Americans often burned

Hay seeding CoastalPrairie at LacassineNational WildlifeRefuge.

Using fire to controlChinese tallow trees.

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Native Prairies Association of Texas3503 Lafayette Avenue, Austin, TX 78722-1807512/327 5437

The Nature Conservancy of TexasP.O. Box 1440, San Antonio, TX 78295-1440210/224 8774

Texas Organization for Endangered SpeciesP.O. Box 12773, Austin, TX 78711

Texas Audubon Society2525 Wallingwood, Suite 301, Austin, TX 78746-6922512/306 0225

Texas Society for Ecological RestorationUniversity of North Texas, 225D EESAT, Denton, TX 76203940/565 4332

Texas Chapter - The Wildlife Society, Welder Wildlife FoundationP. 0. Box 1400, Sinton, TX 78387

Texas Chapter - Society for Range Management, Clifford W. Carter234 Lakeview Drive, Victoria, TX 77905361/578 9296

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service17629 el Camino Real, Suite 211, Houston, TX 70058281/286 8282

BooksA Cajun Prairie Restoration Journal:1988-1995. M. F. Vidrine,C. M. Allen and W. R. Fontenot

Butterflies of Houston & Southeast Texas, 1996. John & Gloria Tveten.

Grasses of Louisiana, 1992. Charles Allen.

Grasses of the Texas Gulf Prairies and Marshes, 1999.Stephan L. Hatch, Joseph L. Schuster, and D. Lynn Drawe.

Restoring Tallgrass Prairie: an illustrated manual for Iowa and theupper midwest, 1994. Shirley Shirley.

The Tallgrass Restoration Handbook for prairies, savannas,andwoodlands, 1997. Stephen Packard and Cornelia F. Mutel.

Wildflowers of Houston, 1993. John & Gloria Tveten.

Wildflowers of Texas, 1994. Geyata Ajilvsgi

InternetWeb siteswww.fws.gov (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

www.nwrc.usgs.gov/coastalprairie (National Wetlands Research Center)

www.cajunprairie.org (Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society)

www.fws.gov/r4lcs/lcsframe.htm (Lacassine NWR)

E-mailfw4 es lafayette@fws.gov (Lafayette office of USFWS)

fw2 es houston@fws.gov (Houston office of USFWS)

fw4 rw lacassine@fws.gov (Lacassine NWR)

mvidrine@lsue.edu (Malcolm Vidrine, L.S.U. at Eunice)

larry_allain@usgs.gov (Larry Allain, N.W.R.C.)

biallen@alpha.nlu.edu (Charles Allen, U. of L. at Monroe)

AppendixContacts for more information

Louisiana OrganizationsCajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society, Dr. Charles AllenDept. of Biology, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA 71209318/342 1814

Cajun Prairie Gardens, Dr. Malcolm Vidrine1932 Fournerat Road, Eunice, LA 70535337/457 4497

Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge209 Nature Road, Lake Arthur, LA 70549337/774 5923

Louisiana Native Plant Society, Beth Erwin, SecretaryP.O. Box 126, Collinston, LA 71229318/874 7777

U.S.G.S. National Wetlands Research Center700 Cajundome Boulevard, Lafayette, LA 70506337/266 8500

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service646 Cajundome Boulevard, Suite 400, Lafayette, LA 70506337/291 3100

Texas OrganizationsAnahuac National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 278, Anahuac, TX 77514409/267 3337

Aransas National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 100, Austwell, TX 77950512/286 3559

Armond Bayou Nature Center, c/o Mark Kramer, StewardshipCoordinator, 8500 Bay Area Blvd., P.O. Box 58828, Houston, TX 77258713/474 2551

Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 519, Eagle Lake, TX 77434409/234 3021

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge1212 North Velasco, Angleton, TX 77515409/849 7771

Coastal Prairie Conservation InitiativeSam Houston RC&D Area, c/o John Campbell, Coordinator1410 South Gordon, Alvin, TX 77511281/388 1734

Environmental Institute, University of Houston, c/o Dr. Jim Lester,Director, 2700 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, TX 77058281/283 3950

Houston Audubon Society440 Wilchester Boulevard, Houston, TX 77079-7329713/932 1639

Katy Prairie Conservancy3015 Richmond Avenue, Suite 230, Houston, TX 77098-3114713/523 6135

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center4801 Lacrosse Avenue, Austin, TX 78739512/292 4200

Native Plant Society of TexasP.O. Box 891, Georgetown, TX 78627512/238 0695

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Plant species photographscommon name scientific name

Gulf coast muhly ................................ Muhlenbergia capillarisHairy golden aster ............................ Chrysopsis pilosaHairy spiderwort ............................... Tradescantia hirsutifloraHairy ticktrefoil ................................. Desmodium ciliareHeath aster ......................................... Aster ericoidesHooker’s eryngo ................................ Eryngium hookeriHuisache ............................................. Acacia farnesianaIllinois bundleflower ......................... Desmanthus illinoensisIndiangrass ........................................ Sorghastrum nutansIndian plantain ................................... Arnoglossum ovatumIvyleaf boneset .................................. Eupatorium ivifoliumKansas gayfeather ............................ Liatris pycnostachyaLanceleaf loosestrife ......................... Lythrum alatum var.lanceolatumLanceleaf tickseed ............................ Coreopsis lanceolataLarge-flowered beeblossom ............ Gaura lindheimeriLate purple aster ............................... Aster patensLemon beebalm ................................. Monarda citriodoraLindheimer’s beebalm ...................... Monarda lindheimeriLittle bluestem .................................. Schizachyrium scopariumLongspike tridens ............................. Tridens strictusLong-leaf milkweed .......................... Asclepias longifoliaLouisiana vetch .................................. Vicia ludovicianaMarsh fleabane .................................. Pluchea foetidaMaryland golden-aster ..................... Chrysopsis marianaMaryland meadow beauty ............... Rhexia marianaMaryland milkwort ........................... Polygala marianaMaypop ................................................ Passiflora incarnataMaximilian sunflower ....................... Helianthus maximilianiMeadow garlic .................................... Allium canadense var. mobilenseMultibloom-hoarypea ....................... Tephrosia onobrychoidesMuskogee beardtongue .................... Penstemon laxiflorusNarrowleaf boneset .......................... Eupatorium hyssopifoliumNarrowleaf sandvine ........................ Cynanchum angustifoliumNarrowleaf seedbox .......................... Ludwigia linearisNarrowleaf sunflower ....................... Helianthus angustifoliusNew Jersey tea .................................. Ceanothus americanusNits and lice ....................................... Hypericum drummondiiNodding wild-indigo ......................... Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaeaOld field toadflax ............................... Linaria canadensisPale coneflower .................................. Echinacea pallidaPale lobelia .......................................... Lobelia appendiculataPartridge pea ..................................... Chamaecrista fasciculataPennywort ........................................... Hydrocotyle sp.Pineland milkweed ............................ Asclepias obovataPinewoods dropseed ......................... Sporobolus junceusPink milkwort .................................... Polygala incarnataPink wildbean ..................................... Strophostyles umbellataPlains coreopsis ................................. Coreopsis tinctoriaPoorjoe ................................................ Diodia virginianaPrairie bluets ..................................... Hedyotis nigricansPrairie buttercup ............................... Ranunculus fascicularisPrairie clover ..................................... Dalea candidaPrairie coneflower ............................. Ratibida pinnataPrairie parsley ................................... Polytaenia nuttallii

Plant species photographscommon name scientific name

American aloe .................................... Manfreda virginicaAmerican germander ........................ Teucrium canadenseAmerican snowball ............................ Styrax AmericanaAnnual sunflower .............................. Helianthus annuusArrowleaf rattlebox .......................... Crotalaria sagittalisArrow-leaf violet ................................ Viola sagittataAshy sunflower .................................. Helianthus mollisBearded grass-pink ........................... Calopogon oklahomensisBetonyleaf noseburn ......................... Tragia betonicifoliaBig bluestem ...................................... Andropogon gerardiiBlack-eyed susan ............................... Rudbeckia hirtaBlueflower eryngo ............................. Eryngium integrifoliumBlue jasmine ....................................... Clematis crispaBlue sage ............................................. Salvia azureaBlue waterleaf .................................... Hydrolea ovataBlue-mist flower ................................ Eupatorium coelestinumBushy bluestem ................................. Andropoogon glomeratusButterfly-weed ................................... Asclepias tuberosaBrown-seed Pasaplum ...................... Paspalum plicatulumButton snakeroot ............................... Eryngium yuccifoliumCanada lousewort .............................. Pedicularis canadensisCanadian goldenrod .......................... Solidago canadensisCandyroot ........................................... Polygala nanaCarolina larkspur .............................. Delphinium carolinianumCentuary ............................................. Centaurium breviflorumClimbing hemp vine .......................... Mikania scandensCluster bushmint ............................... Hyptis alataClustered mountain-mint ................. Pycnanthemum muticumCommon evening primrose .............. Oenothera biennisCompass plant ................................... Silphium laciniatumCoralbean ........................................... Erythrina herbaceaDoll’s daisy ......................................... Boltonia diffusaDowny lobelia ..................................... Lobelia puberulaDowny milkpea .................................. Galactia volubilisDrumheads ......................................... Polygala cruciataDrummond rain lily .......................... Cooperia drummondiiEastern blue-eyed-grass .................. Sisyrinchium atlanticumEastern blue-star .............................. Amsonia tabernaemontanaEastern gamagrass ........................... Tripsacum dactyloidesEastern yellow stargrass ................. Hypoxis hirsutaFalling beakrush ................................ Rhynchospora caducaFalse dandelion .................................. Pyrrhopappus carolinianusFalse foxglove .................................... Agalinis sp.False garlic ......................................... Nothoscardum bivalveFlat-topped goldenrod ...................... Euthamia tenuifoliaFlorida bluehearts ............................. Buchnera floridanaFlorida paspalum .............................. Paspalum floridanumFlowering spurge .............................. Euphorbia corollataFringed sneezeweed .......................... Helenium drummondiiGaping panicum ................................. Panicum hiansGolden colic-root ................................ Aletris aureaGrassland prickly pear ..................... Opuntia macrorhizaGreen milkweed ................................. Asclepias viridifloraGulf cordgrass .................................... Spartina spartinae

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Plant species photographscommon name scientific name

Prairie petunia ................................... Ruellia humilisPrairie phlox ....................................... Phlox pilosaPrairie rose-gentian .......................... Sabatia campestrisPrairienymph ..................................... Herbertia lahue ssp. caerulaPurple-head sneezeweed .................. Helenium flexuosumPurple silky scale .............................. Anthaenantia rufaRabbit tabacco ................................... Pseudognaphalium obtusifoliumRayless goldenrod ............................. Bigelowia virgataRed iris ................................................ Iris fulvaRed milkweed .................................... Asclepias lanceolataRosinweed .......................................... Silphium gracileRough skullcap .................................. Scutellaria integrifoliaRound-head bushclover .................... Lespedeza capitataRoundleaf boneset ............................. Eupatorium rotundifoliumRoundpod St. John’s Wort ............... Hypericum cistifoliumSaltmarsh morning-glory ................ Ipomoea sagittataSandbur ............................................... Krameria lanceolataSampson’s snakeroot ........................ Orbexilum pedunculatumScaly gayfeather ................................ Liatris squarrosaSeaside goldenrod ............................. Solidago sempervirensSensitive briar .................................... Schrankia microphyllaSessile-leaf ticktrefoil ....................... Desmodium sessilifoliumSwamplily ........................................... Crinium americanumSharpsepal beardtongue .................. Penstemon tenuisShiny goldenrod ................................. Solidago nitidaShowy evening-primrose ................. Oenothera speciosaSidebeak pencil-flower ..................... Stylosanthes bifloraSilkgrass ............................................. Pityopsis graminifoliaSilky evolvulus ................................... Evolvulus sericeusSilver bluestem .................................. Bothriochloa laguroidesSilverleaf nightshade ........................ Solanum elaeagnifoliumSingle-stem scurfpea ........................ Orbexilum simplexSlender false dragonhead ................ Physostegia intermediaSlender gayfeather ........................... Liatris acidotaSlender mountain-mint .................... Pycnanthemum tenuifoliumSmall skullcap .................................... Scutellaria parvulaSnow-on-the-prairie .......................... Euphorbia bicolorSnowy orchid ...................................... Habenaria niveaSouthern blueflag .............................. Iris virginicaSplit-beard bluestem ........................ Andropogon ternariusSpot flower ......................................... Acmella oppositifoliaSpotted beebalm ................................ Monarda punctataSpider lily ........................................... Hymenocallis carolinianaSpringbeauty ...................................... Claytonia virginicaSpring ladies’-tresses ....................... Spiranthes vernalisSpurred butterfly pea ....................... Centrosema virginianumStiff yellow flax .................................. Linum mediumSt. Peter’s-wort .................................. Hypericum stansSwamp lily .......................................... Crinum americanumSwamp milkwort ................................ Polygala leptocaulisSweet goldenrod ................................ Solidago odoraSwitchgrass ........................................ Panicum virgatumTall coneflower ................................... Rudbeckia grandifloraTall ironweed ...................................... Vernonia gigantea

Plant species photographscommon name scientific name

Tall tickseed ....................................... Coreopsis tripterisTansy dogshade ................................. Limnoscaiadium pinnatumTen-petal anemone ............................ Anemone berlandieriTexas coneflower ............................... Rudbeckia texanaTexas ironweed .................................. Vernonia texanaTexas paintbrush ............................... Castilleja indivisaTexas prickly pear ............................. Opuntia lindheimeriTexas star hibiscus ............................ Hibiscus coccineusTexas thistle ....................................... Cirsium texanumTexas vervain ..................................... Verbena haleiTexas wintergrass ............................. Nassella leucotrichaThin paspalum ................................... Paspalum setaceumThree seeded mercury ..................... Acalypha gracilensToothache grass ................................. Ctenium aromaticumTurks’ cap ........................................... Malvaviscus arboreusVenus’ looking glass .......................... Tridanis perfoliataVirginia dayflower ............................. Commelina virginicaWater hemlock ................................... Cicuta maculataWater southern morning-glory ....... Stylisma aquaticaWestern horsenettle .......................... Solanum dimidiatumWestern silver aster .......................... Aster sericeusWhite bract blazingstar .................... Liatris elegansWhite colic-root ................................. Aletris farinosaWhite mountainmint ......................... Pycnanthemum albescensWhite prairieclover ........................... Dalea candidaWhite-top sedge ................................. Rhynchospora colorataWhite wild-indigo .............................. Baptisia albaWhorled milkweed ............................ Asclepias verticillataWild coco ............................................. Pteroglassaspis ecristataWillowleaf aster ................................. Aster praealtusWinecups ............................................. Callirhoe papaverWoolly croton ..................................... Croton capitatusWoolly groundsel ............................... Senecio tomentosusWooly rose-mallow ............................ Hibiscus lasiocarpusWrinkled-leaf goldenrod .................. Solidago rugosaYarrow ................................................. Achillea millefoliumYellow-eyed-grass .............................. Xyris laxifloraYellow Indian-blanket ....................... Gaillardia aestivalisYellow meadowbeauty ....................... Rhexia luteaYellow wild indigo .............................. Baptisia sphaerocarpaYellowpuff ........................................... Neptunia lutea

Project Coordinator: Vicki Grafe

Coastal Prairie brochure text by:Larry Allain, Malcolm Vidrine, Vicki Grafe,Charles Allen, Steve Johnson

Photos provided by:Larry Allain, Malcolm Vidrine, Steve Johnson,Dave Patton, Robert E. Stewart, Sr., Nick Milam

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1 800/344 WILDhttp://www.fws.gov/r4eao

October 1999