The vascular flora in three prairie cemeteries in Henry County, Indiana

An inventory of the vascular flora occurring at three mesic, tallgrass prairie cemeteries (Bechtelheimer Cemetery, Current Cemetery, and Rogersville Cemetery) located in northeast Henry County, Indiana, revealed a total of 184 species representing 134 genera from 60 families. Of the 184 species, 138 (75%) were native, 46 (25%) were exotic, and 98 (,53%) occurred in eight families, i.e., Asteraceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae (all Carex), Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Lamiaceae, and Liliaceae. Of the 46 exotics documented, 29 species (,63%) occurred in the same families minus the Cyperaceae, and 10 were from the Poaceae. Bechtelheimer Cemetery had 110 species, Current Cemetery had 103 species, and Rogersville Cemetery had 104 species. Forty-three species occurred in all three cemeteries. Bechtelheimer and Rogersville cemeteries were dominated by graminoids and forbs, while Current Cemetery was dominated by woody plants. Of the three cemeteries, Rogersville was the most prairie-like due to recent management practices. FQIs for native species ranged from 23.6 to 30.3, and the Cav ranged from 2.6 to 3.3. The low FQIs obtained for these sites were due to their size (approximately 0.2 hectares each). Eight species are Henry County records, including Calystegia spithamea, Carex meadii, Lysimachia lanceolata, and Symphyotrichum laeve. The use of fire to enhance and maintain these cemeteries as tallgrass prairies is recommended.