Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve is a
Natural Area Preserve in
Floyd County, Virginia.
Description
Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve covers the summit and slopes of Buffalo Mountain, a peak in southwest Virginia.
It is open to the public and includes a small parking area from which an approximately trail may be traversed to reach the summit.
[
The treeless summit is home to rare plant species including three-toothed cinquefoil ('' Sibbaldia tridentata'') and Rocky Mountain woodsia ('' Physematium scopulinum''); other rare plants, such as bog bluegrass ('' Poa paludigena'') and large-leaved ]grass-of-Parnassus
The genus ''Parnassia'', also known as grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are plants now placed in the family Celastraceae, formerly classified in Parnassiaceae or Saxifragaceae. The plants occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well as in dune ...
('' Parnassia grandifolia''), are found at seeps along the mountain's base. In total, the preserve protects thirteen rare plant occurrences, three rare animal occurrences, and six significant natural communities.[ Buffalo Mountain is also the only place in the world where the ]mealybug
Mealybugs are insects in the family (biology), family Pseudococcidae, unarmored scale insects found in moist, warm habitats. Many species are considered pest (animal), pests as they feed on plant juices of greenhouse plants, house plants and sub ...
'' Puto kosztarabi'' is known to live.
See also
* List of Virginia Natural Area Preserves
The Virginia Natural Area Preserve System is a system of protected areas in the state of Virginia. It is managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
, there are sixty-six (66) dedicated preserves in Virginia, containing exa ...
References
External links
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation: Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve
Virginia Natural Area Preserves
Protected areas of Floyd County, Virginia
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