Notes on the Prairie Nymph, Herbertia lahue ssp. caerulea, (Iridaceae) at Vicksburg Military National Military Park, Mississippi

Abstract

ABSTRACT The prairie nymph, Herbertia lahue ssp. caerula, is a critically imperiled grassland plant in Mississippi. A large population of the prairie nymph occurs at the Vicksburg National Military Park. This population of prairie nymph occurs in a managed anthropogenic grassland with a host of associated native and exotic species. With the assistance of National Park Service staff an experiment investigating the effects of their mowing and a study of the growing conditions and pollinators of the plant was initiated. The mowing experiment was abandoned after two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and yielded no significant results. Here we report on the growing conditions and associated species. The syrphid fly, Toxomerus marginatus, was observed to be a frequent flower visitor.