The Ouachita National Forest is a vast congressionally-designated National Forest that lies in the western portion of Arkansas and portions of extreme-eastern Oklahoma, USA.
The Ouachita Mountains, simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thrust Belt, one of the important orogenic belts of North America. The Ouachitas continue in the subsurface to the northeast, where they make a poorly understood connection with the Appalachians and to the southwest, where they join with the Marathon uplift area of West Texas. Together with the Ozark Plateaus, the Ouachitas form the U.S. Interior Highlands. The highest natural point is Mount Magazine at 2,753 feet (839 m).
Hydrophyllum is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the waterleaf family. It consists of nine species, all of which are native to North America.
Hydrophyllum virginianum, commonly called Virginia waterleaf or eastern waterleaf, is a species of plant in the borage family (Boraginaceae). It is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Eastern North America where it is primarily found in the Midwest, Northeast, and Appalachian regions.
Ouachita National Recreation Trail is a 223-mile (359 km) long, continuous hiking trail through the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas. It is the longest backpacking trail in the Ouachita National Forest, spanning 192 miles across its length. Approximately 177 miles of the trail is in Arkansas and 46 miles of the trail is in Oklahoma. The trail is used by hikers, backpackers, hunters, and mountain bikers. It is a non-motorized single track trail open only to foot traffic and partially open to mountain bicycles. Segments opened to mountain bikes are from the western terminus of the Ouachita Trail at Talimena State Park to the Big Cedar trailhead on US Highway 259 at approximately Mile Marker (MM) 30.5 in Oklahoma, and from the Talimena Scenic Drive Trailhead at MM 54.1, east to Highway 7 at mile 160.4, north of Jessieville, Arkansas.
Amsonia hubrichtii, commonly known as Hubricht's bluestar, Arkansas bluestar, or thread-leaf bluestar, is a North American species of perennial flowering plant in the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family, first described in 1943. It is native to Oklahoma and Arkansas in the south-central United States. It is commonly used as an ornamental plant.
Quercus acerifolia is a rare North American species of oak in the red oak section of Quercus. It is endemic to just four locations within the Ouachita Mountains of the State of Arkansas.
Bayou Bartholomew is the longest bayou in the world, meandering approximately 364 miles (586 km) between the U.S. states of Arkansas and Louisiana. It contains over 100 aquatic species making it the second most diverse stream in North America. Known for its excellent bream, catfish, and crappie fishing, portions of the bayou are considered some of the best kept secrets of Arkansas anglers. It starts northwest of the city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in the Hardin community, winds through parts of Jefferson, Lincoln, Desha, Drew, Chicot, and Ashley counties in Arkansas, and Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, and eventually enters the Ouachita River after passing the northernmost tip of Ouachita Parish, near Sterlington, Louisiana. The bayou serves as the primary border separating the Arkansas Delta from the Arkansas Timberlands.
Rosa palustris, the swamp rose, is a shrub in the rose family native to much of eastern North America. It can be found from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in the north, south to Florida and west to Arkansas and Ontario. It is a host of the blinded sphinx moth and Coptotriche admirabilis.
Hydrophyllum capitatum, is a species of waterleaf known by the common name ballhead waterleaf. It is native to Western North America from British Columbia to Utah.
Amorpha ouachitensis is an uncommon North American species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Ouachita leadplant, Ouachita Mountain leadplant, Ouachita false indigo, and Ouachita indigobush. It is native to Oklahoma and Arkansas in the United States.
Solidago ouachitensis is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Ouachita Mountain goldenrod. It has a very limited range, found only in the Ouachita Mountains along the border between Arkansas and Oklahoma in the United States.
Houstonia ouachitana, the Ouachita bluet, is a species of plants in the coffee family. It is endemic to the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. It is an herb up to 20 cm tall, with lanceloate basal leaves and narrowly linear cauline leaves.
Galium arkansanum, the Arkansas bedstraw, is a plant species in the Rubiaceae. It is native to the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains of Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma in the United States.
Sedum pulchellum is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common names widowscross and widow's cross. It is native to calcareous areas of the South-Central and Southeastern United States and where it is found on flat rock outcrops, particularly cedar glades. Most populations are in the Interior Low Plateau, and Ozark and Ouachita Mountains.
Erigeron mancus is a rare North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names depauperate fleabane and imperfect fleabane. It has been found only in southeastern Utah.
Hydrophyllum macrophyllum, commonly known as the hairy waterleaf or largeleaf waterleaf, is a species of plant in the borage family. It is native to the eastern United States where it is found primarily in the Midwest and Upper South.
Hydrophyllum appendiculatum, commonly known as great waterleaf, appendage waterleaf, or woolen breeches, is a species of plant in the Boraginaceae (borage) family. It is native to central and eastern North America where it is found primarily in the Midwest and Upper South of the United States. It is a biennial that produces lavender-colored flowers in late spring and early summer.
Hydrophyllum canadense, known as bluntleaf waterleaf, broadleaf waterleaf, or Canada waterleaf, is a flowering plant in the borage family, Boraginaceae. It is native to the eastern United States and Canada.
