BOTANICAL EVALUATION OF THE GOAT ISLAND COMPLEX, NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK
P. M. Eckel
Buffalo Museum of Science
1020 Humboldt Pkwy
Buffalo, NY 14211 U.S.A.
www.buffalomuseumofscience.org

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THE FUNGAL FLORA
Charles Peck was New York State Botanist from 1883 to 1915, largely through the influence of Governor DeWitt Clinton's son George W. Clinton, a member of the State Board of Regents (Both, 1984). Peck began to specialize in the study of fungi after 1868, although he was responsible for other plant groups as well (see section on bryology). Peck eventually became the leading North American authority on fungi describing "some 2,000 new species, at least half of which have stood the test of time, and he monographed over 40 genera or sections of genera as they occur in New York State" (Both 1984).

George Clinton collaborated with Peck as Clinton explored western New York, and they published new species and interesting reports together (e.g. Peck, 1873). Clinton enjoyed collecting on Goat Island and the Three Sisters, throughout the Niagara Gorge and all of the secluded Islands in the Niagara River, and so it is not surprising that many of his collections were derived from these special areas (Clinton, unpubl. diary). Goat Island, for example, was the type locality for Peziza hesperidea published by Clinton and Peck ("Among fallen leaves. Goat Island, where it was first found. Clinton," Peck, 1873), Puccinia clintonii Peck ("Leaves of Pedicularis. Goat Island. Clinton. October, Peck, 1875), and Thelephora willeyi Clinton ("Goat Island").

In his journal, George Clinton first mentioned collecting fungi on Goat Island on June 1, 1865, where "from a stump, a small lead colored fungus in the gills, & a larger one, perhaps the same." Peck published a report of Polyporus ferruginosus Fr., a fungus that Clinton found on "prostrate trunks of trees" at Niagara Falls (Peck, 1873).

In a relatively undisturbed natural condition with a diversity of habitats, as Goat Island was in the latter half of the nineteenth century, there would be a variety of organisms of all kinds and a diversity of associated and dependent or related fungal organisms. Many fungi, for example such as parasitic vascular plants as Squaw-root, Conopholis americana, which grow on oaks, are host-specific, occurring in association with only one species host, or hosts in a single genus or family of plants. Other specific organic substrates, such as animal remains, support particular fungus species, such as Clinton's 1869 specimen from Goat Island of Oidium equina Pers., growing "On a decaying horn" and perhaps indicative of carriage use on the Island. Presumably this fungus was more frequently seen in the horse and buggy era (cf. an accompanying specimen from Machias, New York, growing on the "decaying hoofs of horses").

Such historic mycological specimens frequently yield otherwise unobtainable floristic data, because the plant hosts were often noted on the specimen label. The fungus species listed below, for example, with their plant hosts, have been tabulated from George W. Clinton's mycological collections at the Clinton Herbarium (BUF):

FUNGUS [Scientific name] AND ITS HOST [English and Scientific Name]

Aecidium allenii

BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis (Second Sister)

Aecidium ranunculacearum

BANEBERRY Actaea sp.

Depazea cruenta

GREAT SOLOMON'S SEAL Polygonatum biflorum

Diatrype betulina

BIRCH Betula sp.

Microsphaeria peckii

ELDERBERRY Sambucus canadensis

Phyllactinia guttata

BITTERSWEET Celastrus scandens

Polyactis vulgaris

PRICKLY GOOSEBERRY Ribes cynosbati

Prosthemium sp.

ARBOR VITAE Thuja occidentalis

Puccinia violarum

DOWNY YELLOW VIOLET Viola pubescens

Puccinia clintonii

COMMON LOUSEWORT Pedicularis canadensis

Roestelia lacerata

SHADBUSH Amelanchier sp. (Three Sisters)

Roestelia cornuta

SHADBUSH Amelanchier sp.

Vermicularia dermatium

SWEET CICELY Osmorhiza claytonii

Vermicularia liliacearum

WILD LEEK Allium tricoccum

It is somewhat unfortunate that Charles Peck's contribution to the 1883 publication of the "Plants of Buffalo and Vicinity" by David F. Day dealt primarily with systematics and no plant localities were given, although most, if not all were based on collections made in western New York by George Clinton. Duplicates of the specimens on which Peck made his reports will be in the State Herbarium, Albany, and localities may be noted from their specimen labels.

Maintenance policies throughout the past century which favor the removal of stumps, brush, diseased tree and shrub material and other non-living organic substrates has and will continue to impoverish the fungal flora on Goat Island and throughout the Reservation. Such substrates also promote the establishment of seedlings of many kinds of forest species, perhaps all of them, particularly ferns (note the fern flora from Goat Island has been eliminated). Mosses also favor rotted stumps and logs.

One interesting observation based on recent collections is the occurrence of so many edible species. The fungus flora of Goat Island could form the basis for an interesting interpretive program on Goat Island coupled with a change in maintenance policy toward enriching the flora.

Even reinstitution of horse and carriage service onto the islands would provide additional substrates for fungus species to colonize, with the additional benefit of the enrichment of impoverished soils.

 

FUNGI: HISTORICAL SPECIMENS IN THE CLINTON HERBARIUM

Not determined

Goat Island, Dicentra canadensis, not on Dicentra cucullaria [handwriting G. W. Clinton] May 22, 1871 (BUF).

Aecidium allenii Clinton

Goat Island [handwriting G. W. Clinton] June 28 [1880] (BUF).

Aecidium allenii Clinton

Goat Island (the middle Sister), on Shepherdia canadense [specimen included]. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. June 28, 1870 (BUF).

Aecidium ranunculacearum DC.

Goat Island, "probably Ae. cimicifugatum Schw.," on Actaea [handwriting G. W. Clinton], July 4, 1871 (BUF).

Aecidium ranunculacearum DC.

Goat Island, a. on Actaea [specimen included], b. Thalictrum cornuti [specimen included]. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. July 4, 1871 (BUF).

Agaricus atrocaeruleus Fr.

[Goat Island.] Pleurotus Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. June, 1870 (BUF).

Agaricus atrocaeruleus Fr.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 2, 1875 (BUF).

Agaricus bombycinus Schaeff.

Goat Island, decaying side of a living Acer saccharinum on Goat Island, Volvaria. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Aug. 17, 1874 (BUF).

Agaricus ostreatus Jacq. Goat Island, Pleurotus. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. 1870-1 (BUF).

Agaricus phalloides Fr.

Goat Island. Amanita. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. 1871 (BUF).

Agaricus silvaticus Schaeff.

Goat Island, Psalliota. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Oct., 1871 (BUF).

Cladosporium lignicolum Cd.

Goat Island. a. On Oak ties. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. June 15, 1877 (BUF).

Corticium oakesii B. et C.

Goat Island [handwriting G. W. Clinton] March 2 [1871] (BUF).

Coryneum clavaesporum Peck

The Sister's Wood [presuming The Three Sisters just S of Goat Island] [Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y.] 4 Jan. 6. (BUF).

Cytispora sp.

Goat Island, on Acer saccharinum. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Oct. 7, 1876 (BUF).

Depazea cruenta Fr.

Goat Island, Polygonatum biflorum [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Nov. 2 [1871] (BUF).

Diatrype betulina Peck

Goat Island [on Betula]. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. April, 1871 (BUF).

Diatrype disciformis Fr.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. April 24, 1870 (BUF).

Geaster saccatus Fr.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Sept., 1873 (BUF).

Helminthosporium episphaericum C. et P.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Sept. 5, 1874 (BUF).

Hemiarcyria rubriformis Pers.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Sept., 1870 (BUF).

Hydnum septentrionale Fr.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton April 24, 1870 (BUF).

Hypocrea gelatinosa Fr.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Oct., 1873 (BUF).

[Hypocrea gelatinosa] Fr.

Goat Island, [no name given, but on a sheet with other collections of this name] 20, April 18 (BUF).

Hypocrea patella C. et. P.

Goat Island, [two specimens, one March 14, the other April 18 ?]. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. (BUF).

Hypoxylon atropurpureum Fr.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 26, 1871 (BUF).

Hypoxylon atropurpureum Fr.

Goat Island. [Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y.] Oct. 1875 (BUF).

Lenzites sepiaria Fr.

Goat Island [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Sept. 25 [1877] (BUF).

Leocarpus fragilis Dicks.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Sept., 1870 (BUF).

Leucostoma persoonii (Nitsche) Togashi

Second Sister, west end, in oak maple forest, on dead Prunus, Buck, 16366 Nov. 2, 1988 (BUF).

Melanconium bicolor Nees

Goat Island [handwriting G. W. Clinton] May 8 [1871] (BUF).

Merulius lacrymans

Goat Island [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Nov. 5 [1871] (BUF).

Microsphaeria peckii Gerard.

Goat Island, on Sambucus canadensis, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 1874 (BUF).

Nectria cinnabarina Tode

Goat Island, Acer saccharum [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Oct.7(8) [1877] (BUF).

Oidium equina Pers.

Goat Island, on a decaying horn, a. on decaying hoofs of horse, Machias, Oct. 23, 1875. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. 1869 (BUF).

Oidium fulvum Lk.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 1873 (BUF).

Oidium megalosporum B. et C.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 1871 (BUF).

Paxillus atrotomentosus Fr.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. April 20, 1870 (BUF).

Peziza citrina Batsch.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton Jan, 1870 (BUF).

Peziza citrina Batsch.

Goat Island, No. 56. "This little beauty, found only in one stick, on Goat I" (BUF).

Peziza coccinea Jacq.

Goat Island [three specimens from here], a: April 1870, b: April 1871, c: June 28, 1871, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. April 1870 (BUF).

Peziza hesperidea P. et C.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. June 28, 1871 (BUF). [Possible type specimen; possible lectotype]

Peziza tiliae Peck

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 26, 1871 (BUF).

Phyllactinia guttata Lev.

Goat Island, Celastrus [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Oct. 13 [1880] (BUF).

Podosporium rigidum Schw.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Dec. 18, 1877 (BUF).

Polyactis vulgaris Link. "?"

Goat Island, On Ribes cynosbati, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov., 1871 (BUF).

Polyporus abietinus Fr.

Goat I. (Luna I.) [handwriting G. W. Clinton] July 4 [1880] (BUF).

Polyporus salviae P. et C.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 1870 (BUF). (Reported as new to New York State in 1874 by Charles Peck based probably on a duplicate of this specimen.)

Prosthemium sp.

Goat Island. Thuja. West side above the Three Sisters. [other notations occur on label, q.v.] [handwriting G. W. Clinton] July 4, 1874 (BUF).

Prosthemium sp.

Goat Island, on Thuja occidentalis, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. July 4, 1874 (BUF).

Puccinia clintonii Peck

Goat Island, Pedicularis canadensis [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Nov. 4 [1880] (BUF).

Puccinia clintonii Peck

Goat Island, Pedicularis canadensis [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Oct. 9, 1875 (BUF).

Puccinia clintonii Peck

Goat Island, On Pedicularis canadensis, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y., Nov. 4, 1874 (BUF). [Perhaps a type: "Leaves of Pedicularis. Goat Island. Clinton. October, in Peck, 1875."]

Puccinia violarum Lk.

Goat Island, [specimen enclosed], on Viola pubescens. "The yellowish dots are Trichobasis violarum Berk. but are only the early state of the Puccinia" Peck. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. July 4, 1871 Aug. 12, 1875 (BUF).

Roestelia cornuta Tul.

Goat Island, on Amelanchier [specimen enclosed] Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y., Sept. 7, 1871 (BUF).

Roestelia lacerata Tul. fide Peck.

One of the Sister Is., Niagara Falls, on Amelanchier, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y., June 28, 1871 (BUF).

Septoria scrophulariae Peck

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 4 (BUF).

Speira velutina P. et C. "nov. sp." Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Dec. 18, 1877 (BUF).

Sphaeria doliolum Fr.

Goat Island [handwriting G. W. Clinton] April 26 [1875] (BUF).

Sphaeria ovina Pers.

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Oct. 9, 1875 (BUF).

Stereum albo-badium Frieson

Goat Island, Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Oct. 12, 1872 (BUF).

Stictis versicolor Fr.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y., Nov. 9, 1875 (BUF).

Thelephora willeyi Clinton

Goat Island, "near T. Swertia, but upper surface not rough [...]" (BUF). [Corr. with Stanley Smith enclosed]. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. Sept., 1870 (BUF). [Correspondence at BUF demonstrates this is the type material of what is now referred to as Stereum diaphanum]

Tremella albida Hud.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. June 28, 1871 (BUF).

Tremella aurantia Schw.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. April 20, 1870 (BUF).

Tubulina cylindrica Bull.

Goat Island. Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. July 5, 1875 (BUF).

Uncinula circinata C. et P.

Goat Island, Sugar Maple, on Acer saccharinum [= Acer saccharum of the nineteenth century] [handwriting G. W. Clinton] (BUF).

Ustilago erythronii Clinton

Goat Is. "Prof. Wm. G. Farlow (letter No. 234, Mar. 15, 1878) says this is Ustilago Ornitho-gali (S.&K.) Magnus, and that Prof. Fischer de Waldheim is of the same opinion." Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. May 24, 1873 (BUF).

Vermicularia dermatium Fr.

Goat Island, on Osmorhiza brevistylis (= Osmorhiza claytonii) [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Nov. 4 [1877] (BUF).

Vermicularia liliacearum Schw.

Goat Island, Allium tricoccum [handwriting G. W. Clinton] Sept. 25 [1871] (BUF).

Xylaria digitata Grev.

Goat Island, "Mr. Peck now deems it X. hypoxylon v. pedata, Fr. see letter 149. Feb. 1870." Ex Coll. G. W. Clinton, Buffalo, N.Y. June 28, 1870 (BUF).

 

MODERN COLLECTIONS

Curated in both the Clinton Herbarium, Buffalo Museum of Science (BUF) and the New York Botanical Garden (NY)

Bisporella citrina (Batsch:Fries) Korf & Carpenter

Goat Island, north slope, on rotten log, 1 Nov 1988, Buck 16294 (BUF, NY).

Cladobotryum varium Nees ex Duby

Second Sister, west end, on Trametes versicolor, 2 Nov 1988, Buck 16367A (NY).

Coprinus comatus (Muell. ex Fr.) S. F. Gray. SHAGGY MANE.

Goat Island, north side, wooded slope, Eckel Nov. 1, 1988. [Specimen rotted before processing.]

Coryne dubia (Persoon) S. F. Gray

Goat Island, north slope, on rotten log, 1 Nov 1988, Buck 16288 (NY).

Flammulina velutipes (Curtis ex Fries) Singer WINTER MUSHROOM.

Goat Island, north slope, on tree trunk, 1Nov1988, Buck 16310 (BUF, NY); stump, northern wooded slopes of the island, sticky smooth chestnut brown to orange to yellowish caps, velvety stipe base, Eckel with R. Zander, Nov. 1, 1988 (BUF); stump by east entrance to the restaurant by Terrapin Point, old Acer saccharum stump, sticky smooth chestnut brown to orange to yellowish caps, velvety stipe base, Eckel ver. E. Both, Oct. 28, 1988 (BUF).

Goat Island, rocky base of island near American Falls, rotted wood by entrance to the elevator, sticky smooth chestnut brown to orange to yellowish caps, velvety stipe base, Eckel w. R. Zander, Nov. 1, 1988 (BUF).

Ganoderma applanatum (Persoon) Patouillard

Goat Island, north slope, on dead tree, 1 Nov 1988, Buck 16314 (BUF, NY).

Second Sister, west end, on tree stump, 2 Nov 1988, Buck 16391 (BUF, NY).

Gibellula pulchra (Saccardo) Cavara

Goat Island, north slope, on dead spider, 1 Nov. 1988, Buck 16307 (NY).

Hymenoscyphus calyculus (Sowerby:Fries) Phillips

Second Sister, west end, on dead wood, 2 Nov. 1988, Buck 16374 (NY).

Hysterium angustatum Albertini & Schweinitz

Luna Island, on stump, 1 Nov. 1988, Buck, 16322 (BUF, NY).

Lactarius sp.

Second of the Three Sisters Islands, west end, specimen uniformly brownish orange, Eckel prelim. det. E. Both, Oct. 28, 1988 (BUF).

Lecanidion atratum (Hedwig ex Fries) Endlicher

Goat Island, north slope, on rotten log, 1 Nov. 1988, Buck 16290 (BUF, NY).

Lepista glaucocana

Goat Island, central woods, soil, toward east end, white to buff to tan all over, Eckel det. E. Both, Nov. 2, 1988 (BUF).

Marasmius sp.

Goat Island, moist, rich soil by culvert in woode, north end of the island, east of the pedestrian bridge, Eckel w. R. Zander prelim. det. E. Both, Sept. 23, 1988 (BUF).

Pholiota sp.

Goat Island, chestnut brown top, side of rotten wood, Eckel prelim. det. E. Both, Nov. 1, 1988 (BUF).

Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacquin ex Fr.) Kummer

Goat Island, stump in Ash-Sugar maple-Elm woods, north slope, pileus pearly grayish-white, Eckel w. R. Zander Nov. 1, 1988 (BUF).

Polyporus squamosus Mich. ex Fries

Goat Island, in shaded Acer saccharum-Fraxinus americana mixed woodland, on old stump, Eckel 8704001, Sept. 9, l984 (BUF); base of cliff, west end, on old log, Eckel 881101, Nov. 1, 1988 (BUF). Polyporus squamosus is a common and conspicuous fungus to be seen in the area collected and throughout the Niagara River Gorge and surrounding woodlands.

Polyporus sulphureus (Bull.) Fr. SULPHUR POLYPORE, CHICKEN MUSHROOM.

Goat Island, south end in split trunk of living Fraxinus americana, brilliant yellow, Eckel Oct. 28, 1988 (BUF).

Scolecosporiella typhae (Dudemans) Petrak

Second Sister, east end, on dead leaves of Typha angustifolia, 2 Nov 1988, Buck 16397 (NY).

Trametes sp.

On dying Prunus virginiana, near maintenance shed, Eckel prelim. det. E. Both, Oct. 28, 1988 (BUF).

Trametes versicolor (Linnaeus:Fries) Pilat

Second Sister, west end, on stump, 1 Nov. 1988, Buck 16367 (BUF, NY).

Ustulina deusta (Hoffman:Fries) Petrak

Goat Island, north slope, on dead tree, 1 Nov. 1988, Buck 16296 (NY).

The assistance of Ernst Both of the Buffalo Museum of Science in certain determinations is gratefully acknowledged. Dr. William R. Buck also generously collected fungi on Goat Island and acknowledgement is made to Dr. Clark Rogerson of the New York Botanical Garden, who has determined certain of these specimens.