National Capital Parks-East - Plants

National Capital Parks-East (NACE) has documented 1064 species of vascular plants. Of these 26.6 percent are species not native to Maryland or the District of Columbia. A total of 123 species of trees including fifteen species of native oaks (Quercus sp.) have been documented from National Capital Parks-East (NACE). Shrubs are represented at NACE by 94 species, while 111 species of grasses (Poaceae), 94 species of sedges (Cyperaceae), 14 species of rushes (Juncaceae), and hundereds of species of wildflowers have been documented. Of these vascular plants, 90 of the native species are listed by the State of Maryland as being rare, threatened or endangered within the state, including the state threatened Fringe-tiped Closed Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii).