Get Your Botany On!

Green in Winter: Marginal Fern

2012-01-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

Dryopteris marginalis is a frequent native in the eastern half of North America. Especially common and abundant in the Appalachians, it is one of the most characteristic plants of steep, cool slopes and shaded rock cliffs.

Photographed in LaPorte County, Indiana on January 29, 2012.

It is very well expressed at Turkey Run and Shades State Parks in west-central Indiana, as well as several nature preserves in the vicinity. It is virtually absent from the northern third of the state, with one known exception being a robust population in LaPorte County, on a steep sandy slope above Trail Creek. It occurs at a few sites just to the north in Berrien County, Michigan.

The sori (clusters of tiny sporangia, where spores are produced) occur along the margins of the pinnules (smallest blade divisions), hence the specific epithet marginalis.

Ferns are lovely. Ferns are beautiful. Emma Bickham Pitcher

Nature made ferns for pure leaves, to show what she could do in that line. Henry David Thoreau

Green in Winter: Christmas Fern

2012-01-29T07:25:00.000-08:00

Polystichum acrostichoides grows in a variety of woodlands and is especially at home on north and east facing slopes. The acrostic fertile portion of the blade normally withers away after sporulation, so it is only occasionally visible in winter (acrostic = densely fertile, as in Acrostichum, a tropical fern genus) .

This attractive, native fern has blades that are coriaceous (thick and leathery), stipes (lower stems) that are densely scaly, and pinnae (side branches) with auricles (ears) near their proximal end (nearest the point of attachment).

Photographed on December 24, 2011 at Potato Creek State Park, St. Joseph County, Indiana

"A beautiful form has as much life at one season as another."

Henry David Thoreau

The Flora of...

2012-01-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been planning for a botanical excursion in the United States and wondered what floras or field guides might be available to help with plant identification in that part of the country?

Here's a recently published resource that may help...

Flora and Field Guide References Supporting All U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Regional Supplements

Marianne Giolitto sent this along to me today, and I just had to share. Thanks Marianne! I'm sure that Lindsay will be happy that now I have a new checklist for books I have to have.

Green in Winter: Wild Columbine

2012-01-25T11:19:00.000-08:00

These leaves of Aquilegia canadensis emerged in the landscaping around my house during mild weather in December, 2011. They seem a little thin for winter leaves but they persist, even with freezing temps and no snow cover. Wild Columbine is one of the easiest native plants to grow from seed, and it will flourish in almost any conditions. It is very popular with hummingbirds.

Photographed in rock landscaping on January 1, 2012 in Marshall County, Indiana.

This is how the plant looked in May, 2011 in a shaded hollow between wooded dunes in Porter County, Indiana.

"Without anxiety let us wander on, admiring whatever beauty the woods exhibit." Henry David Thoreau Journal, 1850.

Green in Winter: Ground Cedar and Running Ground Pine

2012-01-24T19:29:00.000-08:00

Exceedingly rare in Indiana, the little-known and poorly recognized Ground Cedar (Lycopodium tristachyum) is occasional in semi-dry, sandy, early-successional flats behind the dunes, mainly in LaPorte County. This plant is sometimes called Diphasiastrum tristachyum.

Photographed in LaPorte County, Indiana on December 28, 2011.

It is similar to the somewhat common Running Ground Pine or Fan Clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum var. flabelliforme) shown below, but the latter has horizontal stems at the surface and “leaves” on the lower side of the branch much reduced and not overlapping. In addition, the antrorse lateral leaves of the latter are slightly more appressed, a little less spreading.

Photographed in LaPorte County, Indiana on December 31, 2011.

One could make a full time job out of trying to stay current with the bothersome revolving door of clubmoss nomenclature. To wit, the latter species has the following handles involved in its identity crisis: Diphasiastrum digitatum, Lycopodium digitatum, L. complanatum, L. flabelliforme, and L. complanatum flabelliforme. Some botanists feel obligated to provide all 4011 names so as not to offend anyone’s tender sensibilities, alas.

Aye Aye... That's Potentilla arrrrrggguta, Matey!

2012-01-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

Potentilla arguta

... at least that's how I picture the conversation between William Dampier and a field assistant upon seeing the species above. What the heck am I talking about? You've got to take a look at this blog post on the NPR webpage...

CLICK HERE!

Green in Winter: Plant Quiz - Phlox divaricata

2012-01-20T18:30:00.000-08:00

Good call, Scott! It is Phlox divaricata, Woodland Phlox, a common native plant in Midwestern forests.

Posted earlier: This plant shows up occasionally in mesic forests in winter. Barbara Plampin, Myrna Newgent and I used to see it as we explored the forests of northern Indiana on winter outings. We disagreed on its identification, so eventually I marked a colony and returned to it in the spring. Barbara had the identification correct - no surprise there! Can you name the plant? Feel free to name it or just take a guess.

This is how it looked in May, 2009 near Dowagiac, Michigan.

"Is not January the hardest month to get through? When you have weathered that, you get into the gulf stream of winter, nearer the shores of spring." Henry David Thoreau Journal, February 2, 1854.

Green in Winter: Round-Lobed Hepatica

2012-01-16T19:33:00.001-08:00

Hepatica americana is a colorful and attractive member of the Ranunculaceae (Crowfoot or Buttercup Family). It has a special affinity for rotting oak leaves and shaded, acid sandy soil. The dark green leaves have three rounded lobes, often mottled with deep maroon. Flowers open in very early spring and range in color from white through pink to purple. New leaves emerge as flowers fade away. Photographed in the Ardmore section of South Bend, Indiana in January, 2012.

Green in Winter: Monarda punctata, Plant Quiz Solved!

2012-01-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Andrew "The Commander" Blackburn for correctly identifying the winter leaves of Monarda punctata, Horse Mint. A common plant of dry sand in the dunes region of Indiana, this attractive mint produces pale yellow flowers with magenta spots (punctata = dotted). Upper bracts of the plant are pale pinkish or lavender and get a lot more attention than the flowers, which also are attractive. The entire plant has an extremely good minty smell, even the brunnescent, dried inflorescence in winter.

Posted earlier: Can you name this plant? It was photographed near Portage, Indiana on January 8, 2012. Good luck! I have no idea what the white blotches are on the leaves, but my guess is fungal growth.

This is how the plant looked in August, 2011 at Ogden Dunes, Indiana.

Green in Winter: False Rue Anemone

2012-01-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

Frequent in mesic woods, Isopyrum biternatum is one of the most abundant green plants in winter. In a very cold winter the leaves are mostly purple. It's a member of the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family) and its white flowers are a big part of the floral display in springtime woodlands. The flowers have no petals - just white petaloid sepals (aka "tepals")! Photographed at Bendix Woods County Park in St. Joe County, Indiana, on January 7, 2011.

This is how the plant looked in April, 2011 at Turkey Run State Park in west-central Indiana.

"The more thou learnest to know and enjoy, the more full and complete will be for thee the delight of living." Frances Theodora Parsons, 1899.

Honoring Emma Bickham Pitcher (again!)

2012-01-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

Rough Sand Sedge, Cyperus schweinitzii, scribes a series of nearly concentric arcs in Porter County, Indiana. Sand arcs like these, along with any kind of gentians, were favorite photo subjects of Emma Pitcher.

"Bickie" was an excellent naturalist in the Indiana Dunes region. She was remarkably observant and very sensitive to subtle detail and beauty. After she moved to Michigan, several of her well-written essays were compiled into a delightful book entitled "Of Woods and Other Things (Beach Leaf Press, Kalamazoo, 1996). Earlier I posted some of my favorite quotes from the birding section of the book. Here are my favorites from the botany section:

[Re: Dandelions]: Every spring dandelion battles are enjoined again. Are you for or against them? Are you for strong sprays and a country club lawn? Or for letting Mother Nature have her way? She’ll sprinkle your lawn for free with golden yellow blossoms. The soil will have no chemicals and be full of worms…”

[Re: orchids]: “Let us all look at orchids long and appreciatively and let them be.”

[Re: Wild Cucumber]: “One of my favorite nature pleasures is to pick a two-inch fruit when it is dry and carefully remove bits of outer skin. Underneath I find a reticulated tissue of incredibly fine spun gold.”

[Re: Juneberry or Serviceberry]: They flower when the outdoors is still brown and dreary. It warms the heart to find delicate wispy white petals scattered over prevailing bleakness… It is hardy in southern Michigan, adapts to all soils, blossoms profusely, and bears tasty fruit enjoyed by humans and our feathered friends alike.”

[Re: white oak]: In contrast to most oak species, this acorn is ripe by its first autumn instead of the usual second season.”

[Re: Basswood or American Linden]: Pistils are almost lost among stamens but develop into woody nutlets attached to long leafy bracts. These act as parachutes when seeds are ready to drop. Basswood nectar is a favorite of bees and honey from it is considered unexcelled in flavor.”

[Re: Thuja occidentalis]: “The name arbor vitae originated with Frenchmen in Jacques Cartier’s St. Lawrence River expedition who were stricken with scurvy. Friendly Indians gave them tea brewed with Vitamin C-rich branchlets of this cedar which cured their condition. Thus, the name tree of life was born.” In a glacial relict Indiana bog, the state’s only known site for this tree, the hundred or so white cedars appear to be root sprouts from older trees. There are no young ones.”

[Re: Liriodendron tulipifera]: Fossils from the Upper Cretaceous era, 70 to 100 million years ago, indicate that this tulip and a Chinese cousin are the only Liriodendrons to survive the Ice Age. European species were wiped out by the glaciers.” A detail that never fails to attract me is the way leaves unfold. Terminal buds are flat, shaped like a duck’s bill. When stipules (parts of the bill) separate, a curled-over leaf folded exactly on the midrib straightens out and unfolds, revealing a perfectly shaped miniature leaf. At its base inside the stipules is another duck’s bill which also opens to disgorge another curled-over, folded-down-the-midrib leaf, and so on and so on, ad infinitum.

From the birding section (posted previously):

“Nature writing of necessity involves two delightful occupations: roaming around wild places observing flora and fauna and later poring over relevant books attempting to learn more. In such pleasant ways do naturalists grope toward understanding. Questions always remain – leading to the next foray. Fortunately, the learning never ends.”

“… the nostalgic, somewhat dreamy whistle of an unseen migrating white-throated sparrow on a misty spring morning, a sound that sets blood a stirring in birdwatchers everywhere.”

“…when the flute-like ee oh lay of the wood thrush sounds through the woods, I drop everything to treasure each crystalline note.”

“One of the most astonishing all-time banding records is that of an Arctic tern found dead on the same Maine island where he had been banded thirty-four years earlier. At 25,000 migratory miles flown in a year, this tern weighing four ounces flew 850,000 in its lifetime.”

“A white-throated sparrow, that bird of haunting, ethereal whistles…”

[Ah, yes, my favorite quote of all time from any author]: "...pale satiny yellow breasts and dark velvety smudges around eyes are apparent." [I'm basking in the beauty of the image this evokes... of Cedar Waxwings!].

“In winter, tough, scaly fringes grow on toe edges of the feet of ruffed grouse, serving as unique snow shoes. These drop off in spring…. Like willow ptarmigan, these grouse will spend cold winter nights in a snow bank.”

“A family of barred owls lived near me and one often hooted from the big pine just outside my bedroom window. It was a scary but delightful experience to be wakened by that call of the wild just ten feet from my bed.”

[Re: barred owls]: “Invisible ears are cavities in lower sides of the head covered with loose-ribbed feathers that can spread to form funnels.”

[Re: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird]: “… when a thumb-sized ruby-throated leaves for South America in fall, this wee being makes an extraordinary 500-mile nonstop flight across the Gulf of Mexico from the tip of Florida to the coast of Yucatan. Miracle? Yes.”

[Re: Blue Jays]: “When they do migrate, they move by day. On April28, 1981, 2,210 were observed flying eastward along the Lake Michigan shore east of Gary, Indiana.”

[Re: Blue Jays]: “Edward H. Forbush tells of jays not only feeding and guarding an old, partly blind jay, but also leading it to water. Who would have expected compassion from this often aggressive intruder?”

[Re: Black-Capped Chickadees]: In cold weather they become totally round, fluffing feathers to almost twice their normal size, thereby trapping air as insulation. One morning at twenty-five degrees below zero, I saw inflated chickadees covered with hoarfrost crystals, dazzling in the sunlight.”

[Re: Cedar Waxwings]: “Sometimes wing tips contain a bright red wax-like substance visible only at close range. The function of those waxy droplets is unknown.”

Green in Winter: Goldie's Fern

2012-01-07T23:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted this as a plant quiz: "Photographed in a beech-maple forest in St. Joe County, Indiana on January 7, 2012. Can you identify it?"

Legendary photographer Pete Grube identified it correctly as Goldie's Fern, Dryopteris goldiana. This is a rare one of high quality forests and deep shade, and it is rather difficult to find in northern Indiana. It has a subtle zigzag to the rachis and the pinnules are of uneven lengths. In season, the blade is often held at such an angle to the Earth that it is almost horizontal. The two lowermost pinnae are usually directed back or downward at an angle, giving the blade a sagittate gestalt.

Good work Pete!!

Green in Winter: Downy Rattlesnake Plantain

2012-01-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Goodyera pubescens: The basal rosette of this attractive orchid is a good thing to look for on winter hikes. It grows in a variety of forest types, but is especially at home on a sandy substrate among rotting oak leaves. One unusual place to find it is in conifer plantations that are so thick that very little light reaches the forest floor. This, along with the allelopathic effect of a thick bed of rotting needles, ensures that very few herbaceous plants are able to live there. White flowers open in early to mid summer in northern Indiana. Dried and empty seed capsules remain into the following year.

Green in Winter: Partridge Berry

2012-01-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

Providing color and variety for the winter hiker, Mitchella repens is a member of the Madder family (Rubiaceae). It grows on cool, shady rock ledges down south, and in northern Indiana it's a regular member of the cool, high quality swamp forests behind the dunes. Note the two scars on the berry. This plant has flowers in pairs that are fused at the base, so two floral ovaries produce one berry with twin scars. Photographed in LaPorte County on December 31, 2011.

Green in Winter: Cardamine hirsuta, First Flower of 2012!

2012-01-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

"The sun that brief December day rose cheerless over hills of grey, and darkly circled, gave at noon a sadder light than waning moon...." Snowbound by John Greenleaf Whittier comes to mind when a winter howler is bearing down. This morning I went to the garden to compost a bucket of kitchen midden before the approaching snowstorm and saw rosettes of Cardamine hirsuta with white flower buds showing near the base. By the time I returned with the camera, snow was beginning to fall.

Hairy Bitter Cress, Cardamine hirsuta, with flowers present on New Year's Day, 2012.

At first glance it seemed that flowers were only in bud, but a close look reveals a flower that's partially open (lower left part of the inflorescence)! This may be a weed, but I saw my first flowering plant of 2012 today, January 1st. The weather forecast for northern Indiana suggests it may be a while before anything else achieves anthesis.

Plant Quiz - Too Easy

2011-12-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

I recently posted the following plant quiz...

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Name that plant...

Photo taken in September in northcentral Indiana. Good luck, and happy new year!

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Too easy, I guess. Keith quickly correctly identified the plant above as Solidago flexicaulis. Nice call, Keith!

Who says you can't identify asters and goldenrods vegetatively?!

Green in Winter: Chimaphila maculata

2011-12-29T07:47:00.000-08:00

Despite having a wide distribution in Indiana, Spotted Wintergreen is not very easy to find, though it can be locally frequent where it occurs. This little shrub is especially at home in sandy acid soil beneath oaks, but sometimes it shows up in other habitats. Several species of plants that grow in low light conditions have thick, dark green leaves with wide veins that allow light to penetrate deep into leaf tissue and perhaps even pass through to other leaves. Photographed in LaPorte County in December, 2011.

Plant Quiz Solved - Viola pedata!

2011-12-27T10:46:00.001-08:00

Good call, Scott! It is Viola pedata, Birdfoot Violet, a denizen of the dry country. It's especially at home in dry sand among a thin growth of Black Oak and Sassafras in the northern third of Indiana. Charles Deam also found it on sandstone ridges in a few counties along the southern edge of the state.

Birdfoot Violet at Ober Savanna Nature Preserve, Starke County, Indiana

The winter leaves are markedly different than those of the growing season. In winter, the leaves are coriaceous (thick and leathery), on very short petioles, usually very purple, and the lobes are short and wide. New leaves emerge in spring with long and very narrow lobes. Here's a photo of purple winter leaves and the old, withered leaves lying on the ground.

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Here's a clue: some plants produce winter leaves that are shaped a little different than those of spring and summer. Also, here's another photo that offers a few more clues. This is an Indiana native plant, photographed December 23, 2011. Good luck!

Plant Quiz Solved - Trailing Arbutus!

2011-12-27T10:41:00.001-08:00

Good call, "Euphorb!" It is Epigaea repens, Trailing Arbutus. At home on acid slopes, this tiny native shrub stays green all winter and flowers in April and May. The flowers emit a very strong, very attractive spicy fragrance that can be detected from a distance. Look for it on the steepest slopes, especially cool north and east-facing ones where mosses are abundant. A photo of this plant in flower is posted below.

Photographed December 26, 2011 in northern Indiana

Photographed April 25, 2009 in northern Indiana

Green in Winter: Little Tea of the Woods

2011-12-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

The french fur trappers who came through the Great Lakes region called this delightful little subshrub Petit the de bois meaning "little tea of the woods." It's the plant we know as Wintergreen or Teaberry, Gaultheria procumbens, and it has an enjoyable wintergreen flavor and aroma. Find a forest with sandy, acid soil and this tiny shrub is a possibility. It's one of several native plants that stay green all winter and add color to the winter landscape.

It's About Time

2011-12-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, in fact it is about time that I compose another post for Get Your Botany On!, as it's been nearly two months since my previous post. But that's not what I am referring to with the title of this post. I'm referring to the fact that it is about time that one of this country's great botanists gets immortalized on a postage stamp.

This is the third in a series of stamps acknowledging the contributions of American scientists. Previous stamps in this series have recognized:

Barbara McClintock, a cytogeneticist known for her work on the genetic structure of maize;
Josiah Willard Gibbs, a physicist, chemist, and mathematician known as the father of physical chemistry;
John von Neumann, a mathematician and computer scientist known as one of the greatest mathematicians of the modern era, as well as for his work in quantum mechanics and nuclear physics;
Richard Feynman, a physicist known for his work in the field of quantum mechanics as well as for assisting with development of the atomic bomb and introducing the concept of nanotechnology;
Gerty Cori, a biochemist known for her work on carbohydrate metabolism;
Linus Pauling, a chemist and biochemist known for his work in the field of quantum chemistry;
Edwin Hubble, an astronomer known for discovering that there are galaxies outside of the Milky Way; and
John Bardeen, a physicist known for inventing the transistor.

In the current set of stamps, botanist Asa Gray is recognized along with three other American scientists.

Here is information on each of these scientists from the U.S. Postal Service webpage:

Melvin Calvin (1911-1997) advanced our understanding of photosynthesis and conducted pioneering research on using plants as an alternative energy source. He won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1961. The stamp art includes a photograph of him taken by Yousuf Karsh. The background shows excerpts from the carbon cycle, and chemical symbols and structures he used to represent the process of photosynthesis.

Asa Gray (1810-1888), one of the nation's first professional botanists, advanced the specialized field of plant geography and became the principal American advocate of evolutionary theory in the mid-nineteenth century. The stamp art features illustrations of plants studied by Gray and the words "Shortia galacifolia" in Gray's handwriting.

Maria Goeppert Mayer (1906-1972) developed a theoretical model that helped explain the structure of the atomic nucleus; for this work she became the only woman other than Marie Curie to win a Nobel Prize in physics. The stamp art combines photographs of Mayer with a chart and a diagram she used to illustrate aspects of the atomic nucleus.

Severo Ochoa (1905-1993), a biochemist, was the first scientist to synthesize ribonucleic acid (RNA) and competed in the race to decipher the genetic code. He won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1959. The stamp shows Ochoa in his laboratory in 1959, along with figures representing some of his work on protein synthesis.

Art Director Ethel Kessler worked with Designer Greg Berger to make each stamp a carefully structured collage of photographs, signatures, and representations of equations and diagrams associated with the scientist's research.

Unfortunately, the post office in my town doesn't carry these stamps. I was able to purchase them online at face value plus $1.00 for shipping and handling. These are "forever" stamps, so buy a bunch now and use them forever.

Not to be greedy, but what I want to know is when the Merritt Lyndon Fernald stamps are coming out so that I can stock up on those!

Juday Creek, South Bend, Indiana

2011-12-18T09:12:00.001-08:00

Clear water is an unusual phenomenon in northern Indiana, but this stream flows clear even after heavy rains. It is my hope that landscape developers will do more to preserve and restore the natural features of the land in and around their projects, allowing water to move gradually through natural areas, being cleaned as it percolates through soil. Then it could seep into attractive, meandering streams instead of being shunted immediately to mud-walled ditches and fouling everything downstream with silt and chemicals. If we truly had clean, oxygen-rich water in our rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands, our quality of life would be improved dramatically, and our fish, wildlife, and native plant life would be much more diverse. Special thanks to the many people who work to keep Juday Creek clean and intact!

Plant Quiz Solved - Oenothera laciniata!!

2011-12-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

Good call Nick! It is Oenothera laciniata, Ragged Evening Primrose, a common native plant of bare sandy soil. These leaves seem a bit too large, but basal leaves often are noticeably different, and so are winter leaves. On a side note, I have never even thought about tasting this plant! What does it taste like?

Exploring the dune country of Lake County, Indiana last weekend, I was surprised at the many subtle colors in the winter leaves of this plant.

Stalked Bur Grass, Tragus racemosus

2011-11-30T16:21:00.000-08:00

Last summer while botanizing a railroad in Porter County, Indiana I noticed a dense, reddish colony of a short grass that from a distance looked like Stink Grass (Eragrostis megastachya or E. cilianensis).

Drawing closer I was startled to see uncinate spines on the indurated glumes and/or lemmas. It's difficult to tell what's a glume and what's a lemma on this unusual grass.

It turns out to be a little weed of limited distribution called Stalked Bur Grass, Tragus racemosus. According to literature, it catches in lambs' wool and shows up around woolen mills but does not persist.

Further exploration revealed two more colonies along this same track in neighboring Lake County, Indiana. This little grass certainly is not native here, but it's new and that makes it interesting, at least to me! Specimens are being deposited at the herbarium of the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois.

Mosquito Fern

2011-11-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

This tiny, floating aquatic fern is occasional on quiet backwaters in northern Indiana. It usually bears a reddish color, making it stand out from the little duckweeds with which it grows. Its reproductive cycle is much different than terrestrial ferns (it produces separate male and female spores, each producing their own gametophyte), and it lives in symbiosis with a blue-green algae, Anabaena azollae, which fixes atmospheric nitrogen. There is debate on identification of two species in the Midwest: Azolla caroliniana and Azolla mexicana.

In other parts of the world, Azolla species can be very beneficial in agriculture, covering the water's surface in rice paddies, adding nitrogen to the mix and growing so thick as to keep weeds at bay, but these same tendencies can have disastrous effects in natural wetlands, especially where freezing weather does not occur. When crowded, it tends to grow upwards from the water's surface.

Photographed in a bayou of the Kankakee River in Indiana on November 25, 2011.

Plant Quiz Solved - Arabis lyrata!

2011-11-23T08:16:00.000-08:00

The indefatigable Pete Grube has identified this plant correctly. It is Arabis lyrata, the Lyre-leaved Rock Cress, or whatever they call it now. Winter leaves are often thicker and with lobes more blunt. When it flowers on the foredunes in early spring, the basal leaves wither away very early, and often are not visible at all. Photographed in the high dunes of the Indiana Dunes State Park on a warm November 6, 2011. Good call Pete!

It's enjoyable to find something green and growing in November when most plants are going dormant. This is one of my favorite plants - I like the display of radial symmetry (though imperfect) and the fact that the upper layers of leaves are positioned so as not to block sunlight from the lower. Even more remarkably, the lobes on the upper leaves tend to be directly above the sinuses (empty spaces between lobes ) below!

Chlorophyll Haiku

2011-11-19T18:08:00.000-08:00

Last spring, after a few lectures on the wonders of photosynthesis, I had my students each write a haiku about this magical process. Here is my favorite:

thylakoid pancake

gooey green stacks of grana

stroma syrup please

Seneca Hills Nursery for sale

2011-11-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

My friend Ellen in upstate New York is selling her beautiful country home and native plant nursery. The price is a bargain, especially when you consider the quality and size of the house, the nearly 9 acres included, and the many, many perennial plants that remain. Here is the text of her email - make sure to view the photos after clicking on the link. Go well Ellen, and thanks again for the Polymnia uvedalia that flowers so nicely every summer in my rain garden.

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Dear Friends - since my iContact account is active until the end of the
year, I'm using it to mail you one last time to let you know that the property
of the former Seneca Hill Perennials is for sale. Most of you
can hit the "delete" button right now, but for those who might be
interested in a beautiful house in a beautiful place, at a price you can't
buy a garage for where some of you live, read on.

In brief: the property consists of a 4 BR, 2.5 bath 1914 American
foursquare on 8+ acres. Included are the one remaining greenhouse (28' x
48') roughly 2 acres of gardens, a row of mature blueberry bushes, lots of
rare and beautiful trees and plants, a large dug pond with koi, goldfish,
bullfrogs, green frogs, and breeding toads in season, an old garage for
storage, a newer 2.5 car garage with heat, insulation and a
finished interior. We have city utilities (natural gas and water) and a
septic system. The price ($169,900) reflects the value of the buildings and land on
the local market. You get roughly $100K worth of gardens, plus the
greenhouse, at no additional cost (the rest of the greenhouses have been removed).

I am, of course, happy to answer questions, but if you wish to view the
property you must go through a realtor. My husband and I are in the
process of packing to move to Shrewsbury, MA, and I don't have time to
market this house as well.

Here's the link to the listing: http://www.prudentialcnyrealty.com/viewhome.asp?HomeID=S262125

Enjoy!

Ellen

The Field Botanist

2011-10-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

Abby recently sent me the quote and picture of an engraving below, which reminded her of her first summer of monitoring with Tony and me. I liked them so much that I created a poster out of them...

Solidago sempervirens

2011-10-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

One of the most attractive goldenrods in the Chicago region, Solidago sempervirens, just happens to be introduced from the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

For more information on this species and others that grow in the salty areas along our highways, see my recent post at Through Handlens and Binoculars.

We're Overdue

2011-09-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

Last night, I posted the following plant quiz...

It's hard to believe we've let nearly three months go by without a plant quiz! Try your luck at this one...

It didn't take long to get an answer. At work today, Abby asked me if this was Polymnia canadensis, and Keith also guessed Polymnia canadensis. Both are correct.

A more typical leaf

Polymnia canadensis is known from damp, shaded areas with calcareous soils throughout the eastern half of North America.

Flower heads

Nice job, Abby and Keith!

Penthorum... dissectum? (Revisited)

2011-09-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

If you are a regular follower of this blog, you may remember my post about an odd Penthorum sedoides individual that I saw at a mitigation wetland in Lake County, Indiana about a year ago (http://getyourbotanyon.blogspot.com/2010/09/penthorum-dissectum.html). Last year, the plant that I saw wasn't flowering. This year, just after telling Abby Lima about the odd Penthorum I had seen the previous year at the site, we found a Penthorum sedoides plant with deeply lobed leaves that had two aboveground stems. This year, though, both stems were flowering. I apologize for the poor photo quality, but it was cloudy and raining when we saw the plant, and I only had my work camera with me.

I collected the aboveground portion of the more mature stem to submit to the herbarium at Morton Arboretum (MOR), and only after making the collection did I think to take a photo. The inflorescences on the other stem were narrower with flowers spread more loosely than on typical Penthorum sedoides. I made a collection of a typical Penthorum sedoides plant that was growing very close to this plant, and I plan to look at the two more closely this winter (before submitting to MOR) to see if I can find any other differences. Unfortunately, this is the only Penthorum sedoides individual with deeply lobed leaves that we saw at the site. I haven't been able to find any named forms of the species, so maybe this is just a mutant, and I was lucky enough to happen upon the same plant with this mutant characteristic two years in a row.

Monotropa hypopithys, Pinesap

2011-08-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Pete Grube and I were scouting for unusual plants in a swamp forest at the Indiana Dunes State Park and Pete discovered a colony of the elusive little Pinesap. This plant lacks chlorophyll and derives its nutriment without photosynthesis, making it well-suited for deep shade. Long thought to be a saprophyte, it is now considered myco-heterotrophic, living in association with soil fungi. It has a special affinity for oak woods with abundant rotting leaf litter, and such woods often are inhabited by the closely related Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora), as well as several orchids of late summer and fall. When heavy rains occur in August, look for these mysterious little plants a few days later.

Walking Fern and Pinnatifid Spleenwort

2011-08-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

The magnificent rock cliffs and canyons of central Indiana support a nice variety of pteridophytes. Walking Fern, shown below, grows on damp rock walls and fallen boulders, especially where it's mossy. It's called "walking fern" because sometimes it gets up and moves around to find a more suitable place to grow! OK, that's not true, but it does have a pretty cool trick. The long-attenuate blades take root at the tip and new plants sprout - an excellent form of vegetative reproduction. Sometimes the tips are not touching the substrate, but little plantlets grow and eventually fall off, spreading the fern to new locations.

Camptosorus rhizophyllus, or Asplenium rhizophyllum, Walking Fern

A rare hybrid of Walking Fern and Ebony Spleenwort is called Pinnatifid Spleenwort, Asplenium pinnatifidum. It sometimes shows up on a damp rock shelf beneath an overhanging outcrop.

Asplenium pinnatifidum, Pinnatifid Spleenwort

Any trip to central or southern Indiana should include waterfall photos. They're tough to find right now, however, as many are almost completely dried up

Re: Thismia hunt 2011

2011-08-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

If you go into a wet prairie remnant and spend 5 hours crawling through dense vegetetion looking for Thismia americana, and if you run afoul of Slough Grass or Prairie Cord (Spartina pectinata) in the process, this is what your arms might look like afterward. Even so, it's a good way to spend a day, and there are lots of other great things to be learned and discovered. Certainly Thismia is out there somewhere, waiting to be rediscovered!!

Triphora trianthophora, Three Birds Orchid

2011-08-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

The exceedingly rare and elusive Three Birds Orchid flowered profusely in northern Indiana this year, in high quality forested sites.
It's an unusual plant for many reasons, but its strangest characteristic is the timing of anthesis. Most plants have three flower buds, and all plants in a forest will open their first flower on the same day, as if they could communicate. Twins like the ones shown here are only occasional.

The flowers only last a day, and about two or three days later, the second set of buds will open, an so on. If your timing is not perfect, you are not likely to see the plant in flower.

It sometimes lies dormant for several years, then suddenly flowers show up in mass profusion. After initially seeing this plant in 1996, open flowers eluded me until now. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Pete Grube for keeping me posted on the status of the plants, or I probably would have forgotten about this species entirely.

Thismia Hunt 2011 Is Just Around The Corner

2011-08-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

Next Saturday (August 13, 2011) is Thismia Hunt 2011. I hope to see some of you there.

To learn about this tiny, mysterious plant, see my recent post at Through Handlens and Binoculars.

Indiana's Lady's Slippers

2011-07-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had the good fortune this spring of seeing all of Indiana's naturally occurring lady's slipper orchids (Cypripedium spp.), save the hybrids. Four of the five species were observed in Indiana, with the fifth observed in Wisconsin.

Translated, Cypripedium means either foot or sandal of Cypris, the goddess of love and beauty. Although Indiana is home to five species in this genus, there are approximately 50 species of Cypripedium worldwide, all distributed in the Northern Hemisphere in temperate or colder climates. Within North America, only Nevada, Florida, and Hawaii have the misfortune of having no naturally occurring lady's slipper orchids.

Cypripedium acaule, Pink Lady's Slipper (also commonly called Moccasin Flower), is the only species in the genus with basal leaves and a leafless stem. As with other lady's slipper orchids, this species has a distinctly saccate lip (the "slipper").

Although I observed this species in LaPorte County, Indiana this spring, these photographs were taken in Carlton County, Minnesota, as my Indiana photos of Pink Lady's Slipper didn't come out so good as a result of poor lighting due to an impending storm.

Pink Lady's Slipper grows in acidic soils, whether they be in bogs or in dry conifer and oak woodlands. I remember being shocked to see this species years ago in Rhode Island on a dry sandy bank next to a parking lot, growing in a dense duff layer of pine needles. Prior to that, I had only seen it in a bog. Since that time, I've seen the species in a range of moisture conditions, but always in very acidic conditions. Cypripedium acaule can be found througout the eastern United States as far south as Alabama and Georgia, and into Canada as far north and west as the Northwest Territories. However, in the United States, it is mostly restricted to New England, the Appalachians, and areas surrounding the Great Lakes.

Unlike the previous species, Cypripedium candidum (White Lady's Slipper) grows in alkaline conditions, on calcareous substrates, often in organic soils. It can most commonly be found in Indiana in fens and sedge meadows, but it also is found in marshes and prairies. Prior to the conversion of prairies to agricultural fields, White Lady's Slippper was much more abundant, as it primarily occurred in calcareous prairies in Illinois and Indiana. I've also seen this species growing on a dolomite glade in Missouri.

The flowers of Cypripedium candidum begin to form when the plant is still emerging from the ground in the spring. During and after anthesis, the plants continue to grow, resulting in much taller plants (up to about 1.5 feet) later in the season. Even at that height, after flowering, White Lady's Slipper plants can be difficult to find amongst the dense vegetation that surrounds them in prairies and fens in the late spring/early summer.

White Lady's Slipper is found mostly in the upper Midwest, with its greatest distributional density clustered around the Great Lakes and the border between Minnesota and the Dakotas. Disjunct populations also exist as far away as New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Missouri, and Nebraska. These photographs were taken in the sedge meadow portion of a fen in northwest Indiana, where this species and the next grew in close association.

Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin, Small Yellow Lady's Slipper, is probably the least common of Indiana's five lady's slipper species. Its lips are smaller and generally shinier than those of the following species, and its petals and sepals are a deep maroon color. Hybrids between this species and the previous are called Cypripedium x andrewsii, Andrews' Lady's Slipper.

Once known as Cypripedium calceolus var. parviflorum, this lady's slipper is only found in the northern half of Indiana, where it grows primarily in fens and calcareous swales in the dune-swale community in the northwestern portion of the state. Its North American distribution includes New England, areas around the Great Lakes, and a band stretching through Canada and into Alaska. It also extends south through western Canada and into Montana and Washington, with disjunct populations in California, Colorado, and Utah.

With a larger floral lip and petals and sepals that are yellowish green (sometimes with purple blotches or lines), Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens, or Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, usually seems different enough to consider it a separate species from the previous as opposed to just a different variety of the same species. However, the two are said to intergrade frequently in areas where their ranges and habitats overlap. Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens is found throughout much of eastern North America, as well as within the Rocky Mountain range, with a few disjunct populations as far south as Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

Previously known as Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens, Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, the most common lady's slipper in Indiana, eluded me this year within Indiana, but I saw it blooming in Superior, Wisconsin. Habitats in which this orchid can be found include mesic forests, dry-mesic forests, thickets, hill prairies, and seepy wetlands with high groundwater. It rarely hybridizes with Cypripedium candidum, in which case the hybrid can be called Cypripedium x favillianum, Faville's Lady's Slipper.

The final lady's slipper that I saw this spring was observed in a fen in LaPorte County, Indiana. I was a bit late, so only two of the plants in this fairly dense population of Cypripedium reginae (the aptly named Showy Lady's Slipper) were still displaying flowers. This is the largest of the Cypripedium in Indiana, growing to nearly 3 feet tall with a lip 1-2 inches long.

Within Indiana, the range of Cypripedium reginae is restricted to the northern half of the state. This is because of the limited distribution of the fens, seeps, and swales in which it grows. It was said to once grow by the thousands in the area that is now downtown Gary, Indiana. Hard to picture. Its North American range centers mostly around the New England and Great Lakes states and provinces, with outlier populations as far away as North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan.

Globe Thistle, Echinops sphaerocephalus

2011-07-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

Ever seen a blue thistle? Neither have I! This one got my attention as I wandered the backroads on a beautiful summer day. It's unusual in having tiny flower clusters, or heads, aggregated into larger spherical clusters - in other words, primary and secondary heads. It's a weed, but learning a new plant is always enjoyable. This colony is in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

Summer... I love it!

Plant Quiz Solved - Carex frankii!

2011-07-09T11:12:00.001-07:00

Good call, A.L., it is Carex frankii, Bristly Cattail Sedge. The perigynia bodies are strongly obconic and the awns of the pistillate scales exceed the perigynia.

This attractive sedge was on a roadside near South Bend, Indiana.

Great Basin Plants part 3

2011-07-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

As we moved across the playa wetlands where the Parish Phacelia was growing, we came to an emergent wetland community. Aquilegia formosa was blooming beside some open water. Two photos of the same flower from different angles.

I believe this shooting star is Dodecatheon pulchellum. There were so many of them that they turned the marsh purple/pink.

I believe this heliotrope is Heliotropium curassavicum. Gorgeous little flowers.

We were excited to find this member of the Hydrophyllacea. I believe this is Hesperochiron pumilus. It was growing in the open part of the wetland.

This Monkeyflower was blooming beside the Columbine in the wetland. I believe this is Mimulus guttatus. As with all of these flowers, feel free to comment with ID corrections.

Great Basin Plants part 2

2011-07-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the common plants that we would see in Spring Valley. Of course there is a lot of Sagebrush and Greasewood. Some Saltbrush and Winterfat. But the Spiny Hopsage (Grayia spinosa) sure was attractive this time of year with its red bracts.

T
here is quite the diversity of Astragalus species out in the Great Basin. This one was fairly common and widely distributed throughout the area. It was fun to look at the different patterns on the pods. Some where all red, some green, and many in between.

One of the more common native grasses was Elymus elymoides, or Squirreltail. The scientific name always made me wonder. Of course it is an 'elymus-like elymus'.

This Eriogonum (ovalifolium) was one of the more common ones in the valley. It was very short, but the flowering heads were very showy. A rough count of Eriogonum species (Polygonaceae) in Nevada totals 82 species.

This was one of the highly-invasive species in the valley, Halogeton glomeratus or Saltlover. It thrived on disturbance, and would grow along two-tracks and in cattle-trampled areas, forming thick mats. Initially, careful attention had to be paid to tell this from fresh sprouts of Greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) and from young Tumbleweed (Salsola tragus). Halogeton has a spiny tip to the leaves.

Great Basin Plants part 1

2011-06-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

I have had the opportunity to spend some time out in eastern Nevada this spring. It was quite a crash course in new plants, but I wanted to share some. On new plants, I at least tried to keep their genus in my memory.

Scarlet Gilia was a car-stopper kind of flower. Driving across the valley towards the cedar swamps, we spotted this flower growing in the playa/wetlands. I think I took a picture of every clump I came across. Now it is considered to be Ipomopsis aggregata instead of Gilia.

Here is our target plant in all of its glory, Phacelia parishii. This annual grows in dry, crumbly-soil lake beds. We got to see it at two sites. Where the conditions were right, it was abundant this year. Some years it never comes up.

A view of a playa covered with the phacelia. A very tall plant might have been 3" tall.

Allenrolfea occidentalis is a shrub from the Chenopodiaceae family. Named Iodine Bush, it grows in saline playas. We found this shrub everywhere we found Parish's Phacelia. I was curious about the genus, apparently it was named for an English botanist by the name of Robert Allen Rolfe.

Arethusa Bulbosa

2011-06-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

Having photographed all but one of Indiana's 41 native orchid taxa with known populations I have moved on to locating and photographing six others thought to be extirpated from the state, but still present in surrounding states.

Arethusa bulbosa has been high on my list of most wanted species. The last known plant in Indiana was photographed in a bog in Kosciusko County in 1983, and was not found subsequently. Prior to that it had been 50 years since the last sighting. (Homoya 1993).

I recently learned of a sphagnum bog less than a three hour drive into Michigan where this species can still be located, and on short notice, following a tip that it was in bloom, my wife, Nila, and I headed there early one morning a few days ago.

We found five plants along a short stretch of boardwalk leading out into the bog. One stem was bent at the base and was resting on the ground, and one had a drooping sepal hanging askew. Another was growing directly beneath a very small tamarack tree (Larix laricina) and offered no place to position a tripod. From the remaining two I chose the one that was about five feet from the boardwalk and pretty much in an open setting.

I was surprised at how small the orchids were--no more than six inches tall. This meant that my camera needed to be very close to the ground and about 12 inches away from the flower. I carefully stepped off the boardwalk onto the sphagnum moss hoping not to leave indelible footprints in this very fragile habitat, and wondering with each advancing step, against all reason, if I was going to break through the sphagnum mat into deep water.

Luckily I had purchased a right angle finder the week before which, when attached to the camera's viewfinder allowed me to focus and frame the orchid without having to lie flat on the ground. Even so, the footing was very tenuous and I ended up with far fewer photos than I normally take.

Surprisingly, the sphagnum moss recovered quickly. There was no sign of my footprints when I left, although my boots had been submerged in about four inches of water while I was working.

The photo below shows the dragon's mouth (Arethusa bulbosa) with its bog associates, sphagnum moss (Sphagnum spp.), the insectivorous pitcher plant ( Sarracenia purpurea ssp.purpurea), and large cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon).

Homoya, Michael A. 1993, Orchids of Indiana. Bloomington: Indiana University Press

South Carolina Highlights, Part 3

2011-06-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

The final day of our trip to the Palmetto State started out with a trip to Shealy's Pond Heritage Preserve in the sandhills province. The plant communities that we hoped to see at this preserve were Atlantic White Cedar Bog and the seepy margin around the edge of the mill pond formed by the dammed Scouter Creek.

In the Atlantic White Cedar Bog community we found one of the highlights of the entire trip in my opinion, Carex collinsii (shown below), a species of east coast bogs and seepages. This sedge is often found growing in association with Chamaecyparis thyoides (as it was here) or Picea mariana (as it does farther north). In South Carolina, Collins' Sedge is considered critically imperiled.

The seepage zone surrounding the mill pond is home to three species of Sarracenia, as well as several hybrids between them. The most conspicuous of the three species that we saw was Sarracenia flava var. maxima (below). Unfortunately, the flowers of this species (which McPherson (2007)) describes as some of the largest and most spectacular in the entire genus) had all dropped their petals before we arrived on 3 May, but the nearly three foot tall yellow-green pitchers helped to make up for this deficiency. Yellow Pitcher Plant grows throughout a narrow band in the coastal plain and piedmont of eastern North America and into the panhandle of Florida and southeastern Alabama in a variety of wet acidic habitats.

In the Great Lakes and New England states, as well as in Canada, Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea can regularly be seen growing in bogs and fens. That's why I was very excited to see Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa (below), the more southern subspecies. There are disjunct populations of Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea in the southern Appalachian Mountains as well, but generally the two subspecies are geographically separated around northern Virginia. The Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa plants that we saw at Shealy's Pond were much taller than any Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea that I've seen in northern Indiana.

This subspecies is named for its veiny leaves. A major difference between this and Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea is that the leaves of Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa are too heavy for the plant to support their weight, and the pitchers therefore fall over and appear to be prostrate in growth form, curving upwards at the pitcher opening (see photograph below). Frog's Breeches, as it is known, is a federal species of concern that grows in wet, acidic habitats primarily in the Atlantic coastal plain of the southeastern United States. In South Carolina, this carnivorous plant species is rare but grows in the mountains, sandhills, and coastal plain.

The third species of pitcher plant at Shealy's Pond was Sarracenia rubra (below). This species has its greatest distribution in South Carolina, but its overall range includes several small isolated populations throughout the southeastern United States. Sarracenia jonesii, which I mentioned in Part 1 of my recap, was once thought to be a subspecies of Sarracenia rubra, but the two are now thought by most to be distinct species, with the former restricted to the mountains and the latter found in the coastal plain and sandhills.

The leaves of Sarracenia rubra (shown below) are on average a bit smaller (with smaller openings) than those of Sarracenia jonesii, but there is some overlap. Sarracenia rubra supposedly preys mostly on ants, as the opening in the pitcher is said to be too small for many other insects.

After Shealy's Pond, we started our trip back through the piedmont and stopped at Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve, located along the scenic Savannah River just northeast of Augusta, Georgia. Taxodium distichum, Platanus occidentalis, and Betula nigra were dominant in the floodplain forest, in places covered with Tillandsia usneoides. In addition to the floodplain, the basic-mesic forest at Savannah River Bluffs was our targeted plant community.

At this preserve, we were excited to see another sedge in section Phyllostachyae (the section in which Carex jamesii, Carex latebracteata, Carex wildenowii, and Carex basiantha are placed), Carex superata (shown below). This interesting sedge, with tallest flower stalks less than half the height of the plant, is known from moist to dry forests and openings in the southeastern United States.

Our primary target at Savannah River Bluffs, however, was Trillium reliquum, shown below. Unfortunately, we were a bit late to see this federally endangered trillium in flower, but I still couldn't resist taking numerous photos of this amazing rarity that is known from widely separated populations in just five counties in three states (Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina). Relict Trillium, as it is known, can be identified by the s-shaped stem and silvery stripe along the leaf midveins; it grows in rich basic-mesic forests and floodplains.

After getting our fill of past-flowering Trillium reliquum, we hurried to Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve to end our trip in what some claim to be the best basic-mesic forest in the piedmont of the eastern United States. It didn't take long for us to find another of our targets, the federally threatened Ribes echinellum (shown below, in fruit). Although it can be abundant where found, the global distribution of Miccosukee Gooseberry includes just four sites in three counties: Gadsden and Jefferson Counties, Florida and McCormick County, South Carolina.

A trillium common at Stevens Creek that was still in flower when we were there on 3 May was Trillium discolor, shown below. Like so many of the other trillies, Pale Yellow Trillium has a narrow distribution, being restricted to the mountains and piedmont in the upper drainage of the Savanna River. Trillium discolor grows in deciduous forest and is known from just a handful of counties in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

To wrap up our excursion, we found one last "must see," Trillium lancifolium (below). Although it was past flowering, we couldn't resist numerous photos of this unique trillium that bares a similar appearance to the common Trillium recurvatum that grows here in northern Indiana. Lanceleaf Trillium grows in floodplains and mesic forests in widely separated populations throughout Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, the panhandle of Florida, southern Tennessee, and eastern Mississippi.

It has been fun reliving our whirlwind trip through the mountain, piedmont, and coastal plain provinces of South Carolina. As you can see, South Carolina has a lot to offer to the botanically inclined, and we had a terrific time touring the state.

McPherson, S. Pitcher Plants of the Americas. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, 2007.

South Carolina Highlights, Part 2

2011-06-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

Although Day 1 of our trip was excellent, Day 2 was even better. We only visited two sites on the second day of our excursion, but the first site that day was so interesting that it was the highlight of our trip for me. This site is known as Forty Acre Rock and Flat Creek Heritage Preserve, and it is considered by some to be the most diverse protected area in the piedmont province. We spent most of our time in the granite flatrock area of the site, pictured below.

In the photograph above, you can see numerous colors and textures indicative of a diverse array of plant species. In a few spots, including on the left side of the photo, you can see a bit of red coloration, which is a result of one of many dense colonies of Diamorpha smallii on the site. Elf Orpine, as it is known, has fleshy red leaves, a red stem, and pinkish-red fruit, and it grows in dense colonies. This tiny plant (only growing up to four inches tall) is only known from six states in the southeastern United States, where it grows in gravelly and sandy vernal pools in granite and sandstone outcrops and sandy flats.

The very similar Sedum pusillum, pictured below, also grows at this site, in populations that are geographically in close proximity to Diamorpha smallii but that are ecologically quite different. Whereas Diamorpha smallii grows in vernal pools, Sedum pusillum can be found in slightly drier parts of granite flatrocks under shade, often in association with Juniperus virginiana. Puck's Orpine, as this species is known, is only found in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia, and is a Federal Species of Concern. It flowers a bit earlier than Diamorpha smallii, and as a result many of the plants of this species that we saw had already matured to fruit.

In my previous post, I discussed Minuartia glabra. At Forty Acre Rock, the similar Minuartia uniflora was found on granite flatrocks. This tiny member of the family Caryophyllaceae, known as Piedmont Sandwort, is only known from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, where it grows in sandy or granite outcrops. As with nearly all of the other species growing on the outcrops at this site, Minuartia glabra is an annual.

Take a look at the shot below. What could Justin possibly be doing? Isn't he going to soil his Sunday best by tinkering on his tummy in that little puddle? Even if he did, it would be well worth it for the reward of the plant in the small vernal pool that is the object of his attention.

Probably the highlight plant of the trip for me was the tiny Pool Sprite that grows in these vernal pools at this preserve. Below is Amphianthus pusillus. It simply doesn't get much better than this, folks. The leaves of this plant are less than a half inch long, so you can get a feel for how small the flower is. This federally threatened species is endemic to the vernal pools in granite flatrocks in the piedmont of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. Because these vernal pools are prone to rapid drying, this only member of the genus Amphianthus, an annual plant, conducts its entire life cycle in just three to four weeks. The other plant in the photograph below, by the way, is a quillwort, possibly (Isoetes melanospora).

After spending a good chunk of the day at this site, we drove to the coastal plain and botanized at Cartwheel Bay Heritage Preserve. Most of our time here was spent in the Longleaf Pine flatwoods, but we did venture into a couple of pocasins as well.

One of our highlights at this preserve was Carolina Ipecac, Euphorbia ipecacuanhae, shown below. This mat-forming euphorb is known primarily from the sandhills and coastal plain of several states along the east coast of the United States. The specific epithet gives you an idea of what would happen if you ate this plant... not only does it induce vomiting, but it also acts as a laxative. Don't try this at home... well, that may actually be the best place to try it, if you are so inclined.

Also at Cartwheel Bay, we saw the interesting coastal plain iris known as Iris tridentata, pictured below. This showy species grows in swampy, shady areas in the southeastern United States.

As it began to get dark, a Barred Owl called, signaling the end to day two of our short three day sprint through South Carolina. After such a great day two, what would day three bring?

South Carolina Highlights, Part 1

2011-06-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that Justin Thomas and I went to South Carolina on our annual botany excursion this spring. I will try to do justice to some of our trip highlights in this and my next two posts. I will also be including additional photos at some point on Through Handlens and Binoculars.

On our first day in South Carolina we visited three sites in the Blue Ridge Mountain province of the state. The first stop on our trip was at Table Rock State Park. Our hike at this National Natural Landmark site took us through montane deciduous forest communities and along a spray cliff. Here we saw the interesting shrub Pyrularia pubera (Santalaceae), shown below. This hemiparasite, known as buffalo-nut or oil nut, should not be eaten as it contains toxic oils. It is known from mountainous regions of the eastern United States.

As we walked along we continued to see an odd Thalictrum with showy white sepals. Justin finally commented on this plant that I had been watching as well, so we looked it up and found that it was Thalictrum clavatum, shown below. Mountain Meadow Rue, as it is known, is found in mountainous regions of eight eastern states and grows in moist forests and near streams.

Our next stop was at Eva Russell Chandler Heritage Preserve. This site boasts quality cataract bogs and granite domes as its highlight plant communities.

Cataract bogs (shown above) are interesting communties that are not bogs in the true sense of the word but that instead receive water from seepages. These communities occur along the margins of small streams that sheet flow over smooth rock surfaces.

One of the seemingly early successional plant species on the granite domes at this preserve was Kinky-hair Spikemoss, Selaginella tortipila (below). This primitive spore-bearing plant forms carpets on granite domes, cliffs, and ledges, and is endemic to Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Another common plant on the granite domes was Minuartia glabra, shown below. Appalachian Sandwort, as it is commonly known, grows on rock outcrops including granite domes.

The third site that we botanized on our first day was recommended to us by a member of the South Carolina Native Plant Society who we bumped into at Table Rock State Park. This preserve, known as Ashmore Heritage Preserve, has a dammed reservoir but also contains natural bog communities.

Our target at this site was not difficult to find and can be seen in the photograph above as well as that below. This is Sarracenia jonesii, Mountain Sweet Pitcher Plant. This extremely rare pitcher plant is known only from 10 populations in five counties in mountain seepage bogs in North and South Carolina. As a result of its population numbers and distribution, Mountain Sweet Pitcher Plant is Federally Endangered. This beautiful carnivorous species was named in honor of the man who studied insect associates of pitcher plants, Dr. F. M. Jones.

An unexpected bonus at Ashmore Heritage Preserve was Calopogon tuberosus, a species of eastern North America. It is a rare occasion when the flamboyant Tuberous Grasspink, as this orchid is known, is overshadowed and nearly ignored, but such was the case at this site with the occurrence of an exceedingly rare carnivorous plant in great abundance.

This ended our first day, as dusk approached while we continued to photograph orchids, pitcher plants, sundews, bladderworts, ferns, and sedges. We saw many, many more great plants on this first day, but there are not enough hours in the day to go through each of these here. Hopefully this brief summary excites you enough to stay tuned for part 2.

Sedum ternatum, Woodland Stonecrop

2011-06-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

This native of damp rock cliffs, damp woods, and steep river banks is a member of the Crassulaceae, or Orpine family. It's related to the many species of "Live Forever" used in landscaping. Photographed in a dripping wet rock canyon along Ross Run, a tributary of the Wabash River in central Indiana.

A Member of the Loganiaceae

2011-05-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

In early May, Justin Thomas and I took our annual botany trip; this year, we botanized in South Carolina. I finally had a chance to look through my photos from the trip and will be posting more later. In the meantime, here is what may be the only current member of the family Loganiaceae that I've ever seen.

This is Spigelia marilandica, an herbaceous species of mesic forests and streambanks found throughout the southeastern United States from Maryland to Texas and south. With tubular corollas and bright red corolla tubes, there is no question why this species is preferred by hummingbirds for its nectar.

The genus of Indian Pink or Pinkroot, as it is known, is named after Adrian Spiegel, who may have been the first to describe how to prepare an herbarium.

Clear Water

2011-05-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

This attractive waterfall is on a tributary of the Salamonie River in Wabash County, Indiana. Remarkably, the stream runs clear even after heavy rains, a testament to the quality of uplands in the area.

A Few Indiana Ferns, Part 3

2011-05-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

The strange little ferns shown below are members of Ophioglossaceae, the Adder's Tongue Fern family. Many are highly variable and subject to much disagreement in nomenclature and identification.

Botrychium simplex?, Least Grape Fern

This very tiny fern was growing in thin woods along the edge of an open marsh. It is possibly Botrychium simplex, or conceivably could be a diminutive B. matricariaefolium (see below). Both species are highly variable. I am led to call it B. simplex mainly because of the absence of a midrib on the pinnae (lateral lobes of the blade).

Botrychium matricariaefolium, Daisyleaf Grape Fern

The specific epithet is also spelled matricariifolium. This curious little fern seems to be expanding its range in recent years. Once rare, it is becoming somewhat frequent in wooded areas. It has a special affinity for young Red Maple thickets that develop in formerly open areas. Its morphology is outlandishly variable.

Botrychium virginianum, Rattlesnake Fern

This is one of the few Botrychium ferns that is easy to identify. It's leaves are thin where most other Botrychiums are thick and leathery. It's blade is always triangular in outline, and it is much larger than the other Botrychiums. It is common in a variety of quality woodlands and even degraded woodlands. The reason for the common name is unclear.

Botrychium dissectum var. obliquum?, Oblique Grape Fern

This fern is somewhat common in northern Indiana, emerging in late summer or fall and persisting through the winter. Botrychium dissectum and its varieties are extremely variable; their nomenclature is caught in a never ending flux. I would be very surprised to find 3 or 4 authors who treat them the same, hence the question mark.

Ophioglossum vulgatum, Southern Adder's Tongue Fern

This small fern was photographed in deep shade in a hilly forest between the Salamonie and Wabash Rivers in central Indiana. The colony was discovered by Scott Namestnik.

Ophioglossum pusillum, Northern Adder's Tongue Fern

This inconspicuous little plant is somewhat easy to find in quality wet prairie remnants. It has a special affinity for the shade beneath large masses of Cinnamon Fern and Royal Fern in wet sand prairie. It is worth noting that it was an associate of the remarkable Thismia americana on the south side of Chicago.

Coeloglossum viride, Bracted Green Orchid

2011-05-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

This is the elusive orchid long known as Habenaria viridis var. bracteata. More recently it has been called Coeloglossum viride var. virescens or var. bracteata, and now the USDA Plants database lists it as Dactylorhiza viridis. Common names include Bracted Green Orchid, Frog Orchid, and Satyr Orchid. Indiana’s legendary botanist Charles Deam found it in several counties, mostly in the northeast part of the state with outliers in west-central Indiana. It is listed as "threatened" in Indiana, and many authors say that it normally occurs as a single plant only.
The dorsal and lateral sepals of this orchid arch and converge to form a sort of hood above the column and lip. Viewed from above, it looks like the flowers are in bud but not opened. But if you put your face down by the ground and look up at the inflorescence, you can see into the open flowers! There is another greenish orchid with long bracts in the inflorescence: Platanthera flava. Care must be exercised when identifying either species; the morphology of the lip is perhaps the best field feature.

Scott Namestnik and I had the good fortune of seeing this plant in a state of FGB (full, glorious bloom) yesterday in a forest of hills and ravines near the Salamonie River. It is a challenge to find Coeloglossum in Indiana, and we owe a special debt of gratitude to Pete Grube, Jerry Sweeten, and Dave Hicks for helping us find it. The excellent discovery of this population was made by Tim Kimmel.

Remarkably, while I was attempting to get photos, Scott went exploring and found a small, sterile plant that could be a seedling of this orchid. Amazing! Of course, it could be something else, possibly a Liparis.

One of the best experiences for a botanist or a student of the flora is to visit a new site and learn lots of new species This is what happened on Sunday, and it was profoundly enjoyable!

Trientalis borealis ssp. borealis

2011-05-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

While in swampy woods in LaPorte County, Indiana this past weekend scouting for a field trip I am leading this coming weekend, I saw several of the species that give rise to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources community classification name "boreal flatwoods." (Personally, I prefer the NatureServe community name of Pin Oak-Swamp White Oak-Red Maple Flatwoods Forest for this community, as the percentage of boreal species found in this community is actually fairly low.) One of those species, Trientalis borealis ssp. borealis, was in flower.

Trientalis means "a third of a foot," which apparently is a reference to the height of the plant (even though it gets about twice this size). The specific epithet borealis means "northern," a reference to the general distribution of this species. Although it is found as far south as Georgia, Starflower, as this species is known, is generally found in the colder climates of northern North America. In the southern reaches of its distribution, Trientalis borealis is known as a boreal relict - a species that has found refuge in the cool, wet woods with a microclimate most similar to the conditions present tens of thousands of years ago when Picea mariana and Larix laricina dominated this part of the country. Subspecies borealis is found in the eastern half of North America, whereas subspecies latifolia, with broader leaves and pink to rose corollas, is known from western North America.

Indian Love Charm, Aquilegia canadensis

2011-05-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

Like tiny chandeliers, Columbines seem to light up the shaded hollows between old, wooded dunes and rock-walled canyons.

Celandine Poppy and Celandine

2011-05-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

These two plants are sometimes confused by plant enthusiasts. Both flower at the same time and their deeply dissected leaves are similar. However, Stylophorum diphyllum is a native in rich woods with minimal disturbance, while Chelidonium majus is introduced and tends to appear along the edges of woods, especially degraded woods. The flowers and fruits of Chelidonium look like those of a mustard, but both plants are members of the Papaveraceae (Poppy Family).

Stylophorum diphyllum, Celandine Poppy (or Wood Poppy)

Chelidonium majus, Celandine

Violet Wood Sorrel, Oxalis violacea

2011-05-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

In northern Indiana this attractive little plant is occasional in dry prairie remnants and open, dry woodlands. In late summer, remontant flowers sometimes appear on scapose (leafless) stems.

Blue-Eyed Mary, Collinsia verna

2011-05-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

One of the few woodland ephemerals that is annual, Collinsia verna has been diminishing over the past several years at the few places where I've seen it. Remarkably, I visited one of the sites today in LaPorte County, Indiana and found thousands of plants in flower. I was also pleased to see several types of bees visiting the flowers in good numbers.

When my friend Deesie Daisy told me a while back that she was going to Messenger Woods in Will County, Illinois to see the widespread displays of this plant, I told her she might be in for a great disappointment. I hope I was wrong. If anyone could report observations from there or anywhere else, that would be wonderful.

Wildcat Glade

2011-05-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

I attended the Missouri Native Plant Society field trip to Wildcat Glade in southwestern Missouri last weekend. Chert glades are a very rare natural community in MO, found only in Newton and Jasper Counties.

We saw two native sedum species, although they were unfortunately not quite in bloom yet. Below is Sedum pulchellum (widow's cross):

The excitement for the day was finding Trifolium carolinanum, Carolina clover, which has not been recorded from Missouri since the 1920's. We are on the northern edge for this southern annual species. The population consists of several robust colonies.

Below is tiny Sedum nuttallianum (Nuttall's sedum):

The little plant below fooled me at first, as I tried to put it through the Linum key. But it has four petals, not five, making it Oenothera linifolia.

The Selenia aurea was just finishing up its bloom, with only a few flowering stalks left. It must have been spectacular in full bloom!

Seed pods of the Selenia aurea:

Saprophytic Orchids of Indiana

2011-04-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

There are four species of orchids with extant populations in Indiana that can be considered to be saprophytic and/or hemi-parasitic. They live their lives below ground, not subject to photosynthesis, and unable to produce their own food, but deriving it instead (via mycorrhizae) from decaying organic matter (Homoya 1993).

It is suggested that no plants are truly saprophytic, that it is not the plants that are doing the breaking down of the dead plant material, but symbiotic fungi (mycorrhiza) working with the plants that are doing the decomposing (www.helium.com).

I was fortunate to find and photograph all four species last year, but it required traveling from one end of the state to the other, beginning the first week in May and ending in the middle of September.

The first to bloom in the spring is Wister's coral-root (Corallorhiza wisteriana), which is found primarily in the southern half of the state. The flowers (below) were found in bloom on May 4, near Versailles State Park and were growing in the flood plain of a small creek and not on the moderately moist slopes of ravines where it typically occurs (Homoya 1993).

Later in the summer in late July and August one can find spotted coral-root (Corallorhiza maculata). The flowers (below) were blooming on July 18, at Cowles Bog in northwestern Indiana.

Another mid- to late-summer bloomer is crested coral-root (Hexalectris spicata), which differs from members of the coral-root genus (Corallorhiza) by having a different column structure and thicker more unbranched rhizomes (Homoya 1993). The flowers (below) were photographed on July 20, in Clark County.

Autumn coral-root (Corallorhiza odontorhiza) is the smallest member of this genus and no doubt possesses the least showy flower, if indeed the flower can even be found in its open state. I have been monitoring a small colony of this species at Cowles Bog in Porter County for four years. Only once have I found a single open flower on any of the plants.

This is the typical flower stalk of autumn coral-root (below) with its tightly closed flower.

And here--in all its glory--is the open flowered form (below) photographed on September 19.

Sadly, another saprophytic orchid, early spring coral-root (Corallorhiza trifida), has been extirpated from Indiana. It was found in one site only, in a unique natural area in the Indiana Dunes, which is now the location of a foreign owned steel mill (Homoya 1993).

Homoya, M.A. 1993. Orchids of Indiana. Indianapolis: The Indiana Academy of Science.

Plant Quiz Solved - Fragile Fern!

2011-04-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

Good call, Susan! It is Fragile Fern, a plant whose taxonomic status is not treated consistently by our many authors. Closely related and/or synonymous species and varieties include Cystopteris protrusa, C. tenuis, C. fragilis, C. fragilis var. mackayi, and C. fragilis var. protrusa, among others.

This fern emerges earlier than most. When spring ephemerals are in their prime it's unfurling among them, especially in rich woods. Eventually it gets much taller than the ones in the photos below.

Plant Quiz Solved - Ranunculus testiculatus!

2011-04-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Good call, Mary. It is Ranunculus testiculatus, also known as Ceratocephalus testiculatus, Bur Buttercup. In the eastern U.S. it grows almost exclusively in campgrounds. It is new to Gray's Manual of Botany by M. L. Fernald.

This plant is unusual in that each pistil is scrotiform (that's a botanical term) at the base, having twin protuberances that look like testicles. Hence the specific epithet testiculatus, and the unofficial common name, Ballswort! It is not, however, related to Nut Rush or Nut Sedge.

Dryopteris marginalis

2011-04-11T00:40:00.000-07:00

Many interesting ferns can be found growing on rocky outcrops, but one of my favorite common ferns has to be Dryopteris marginalis (Marginal Shield Fern).

Found flowing over the edges of sandstone outcrops and ledges as well as growing in the sandy soils of the dunes around the Great Lakes, Dryopteris marginalis is easily identified by the marginally-disposed sori, shown above. This fern is found throughout the eastern half of North America and Greenland, and is apparently also known from Brittish Columbia. I most recently saw this species on the north-facing sandstone ledges at Fall Creek Gorge in Warren County, Indiana. For more plant photos from my recent trip to Fall Creek Gorge, visit my post at Through Handlens and Binoculars.

Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis

2011-04-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

This common member of the Poppy family nearly always eludes my camera. It flowers briefly and the tepals fall of early and easily. Today I was fortunate to find a few colonies in good shape for photos. With this post I would like to honor the memory of my 4th grade teacher, Melvin Gutzler, who took my class to the woods and introduced us to the spring ephemerals. This simple and inexpensive field trip stirred in me a curious fascination about wild plants, which continues over four decades later. As a student of the flora, I have spent many, many delightful hours in quality natural areas. Thank you, Mr. Gutzler!!

Plant Quiz Solved! Ranunculus fascicularis, Early Buttercup

2011-04-06T17:44:00.001-07:00

Good call, Phytophactor and Scott. It is "ranunculaceous," and Scott is correct, it is Ranunculus fascicularis. This plant is especially at home on dry, sloping clay soil under a thin growth of oak and hickory. The specific epithet "fascicularis" refers to something being "bunched." The other day I saw this plant with its fascicled (or bunched) roots exposed from erosion. Amazing!

This plant always interests me with its change in appearance as it develops. Below are photos from last year showing how the petioles elongate and the plant thins out as the season progresses.

Hepatica acutiloba, Sharp-Lobed Hepatica

2011-04-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

Early spring on wooded slopes can be delightful when Hepatica starts emerging. In northeast Indiana, it is flowering abundantly on rich slopes in the Edna Spurgeon Nature Preserve. Normally I take a series of pictures using a variety of camera settings. Several examples are included here; the differences between the latter two are subtle. Life is good, and spring is wonderful!

Outwitting the Wily Orchids

2011-03-30T08:22:00.001-07:00

Dan, Dan, the orchid man McDowell, my mentor for all things botanical, is fond of saying, "Peter, the neat thing about orchids is they can hide, but they can't run." But knowing this to be true is not always helpful in finding the less showy members of the orchid family.

There are three woodland species of orchids here in Indiana that can neither hide, nor run, during the winter months. The green over-wintering leaves are easy to spot among the decaying leaf litter on the forest floor. Find those leaves now before the green-up, mark their location with a GPS and return later when they are in bloom, and likely to be hidden by closely growing associates.

(1) Aplectrum hyemale
Common name: puttyroot, Adam-and-Eve orchid

(2) Tipularia discolor
Common name: crane-fly orchid

(3) Goodyera pubescens
Common name: downy rattlesnake plantain

Aplectrum hyemale sends up a single leaf in late September which is usually shed when the flower stalk is present in May. It is common to find an abundance of leaves at a winter location only to find a few flowering stalks when you return in the spring.

This is the rarer greenish form of Aplectrum hyemale forma pallidum which grows at a site in LaPorte County.

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Tipularia discolor, like the puttyroot, Aplectrum hyemale, produces a single leaf in September which is absent during flowering. I recently counted 22 leaves of this species at a LaPorte County site in April, but found only one flowering stalk when I returned in August.

Note the purple underside of the leaf of Tipularia discolor.

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Unlike the preceding two species, the strikingly patterned foliage of Goodyera pubescens can be found throughout the year, and is present during flowering in July and August.

Pondberry pursuits

2011-03-24T19:07:00.000-07:00

Pondberry (Lindera melissifolia) is a federally endangered shrub, and Missouri has just one population on the Arkansas border at Sand Pond Conservation Area (and adjacent TNC property). I got to see it in bloom yesterday.

The area was hard hit by a severe ice storm in January of 2009. The largest overstory trees came crashing down, and the remainder were stripped of all their branches. You can see a large canopy gap in the photo below.

The pondberry was thriving in ankle-deep water at the base of this behemouth blown-down tree. See the person in the background for scale.

The pondberry appears to do best with specific hydrology: it tolerates being innundated with water, but apparently doesn't want water that is too deep (you can see here that it is growing only on the edges of this deeper pond. The water levels are most likely lower than usual this year: southern MO has had a relatively dry winter/spring). In other areas of the preserve, it is growing in somewhat drier areas. Although the pondberry has responded well to the canopy opening created by the ice storm, it is being outcompeted in the drier locations by greenbriar, poison ivy and other shrubs and vines which have also benefitted from the greater light levels. Pondberry seems to thrive only where it is just wet enough to keep the competition down.

The Mysterious Trillium nivale

2011-03-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

Even in Indiana, March isn't too early for some good botany. Last weekend, Lee Casebere and I headed to southeastern Indiana in search of the stunning and pre-spring blooming Trillium nivale. The specific epithet nivale means "of the snow," leading to the common name Snow Trillium for this species, which is sometimes seen blooming when snow is covering the ground. According to Wildflowers of South West Indiana, Trillium nivale was in bloom as early as March 3 this year!

There it is, right at home growing from a crevice in a moss-covered limestone outcropping. This is a tough plant, for sure, considering that it can withstand being frozen every night, and that it grows on nearly bare rock. These conditions are exactly what Trillium nivale needs, as it doesn't do well when in competition with other vegetation. Another habitat in which this little wonder is found is in gravelly-sandy alkaline floodplains, where the periodic disturbance of overbank flooding creates conditions where not many plants will grow and Trillium nivale can benefit from the lack of competition.

Trillium nivale has a somewhat spotty distribution throughout the Midwest, Great Lakes, and New England states. Its strongholds appear to be Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, where it is locally abundant. Even so, it is often difficult to predict exactly where you will find Trillium nivale; you can often find it growing abundantly in one spot, yet not find a single plant in the exact same habitat a few hundred feet away. I hope you are all lucky enough to find Snow Trillium in the short time that it blooms, from March to early April.

A Fruit Salad of Mosses (apples and pears, that is)

2011-03-08T22:23:00.000-08:00

In early spring botanists get itchy feet and head out to find the first blooms of the season. Unfortunately, they are initially met with standard fare such as Erigenia bulbosa, Lamium amplexicaule or Houstonia minima. If you find yourself in this situation and since you are peering intently at the ground anyway, you may as well keep a humble eye out for a bryophyte or two; no doubt you will see many.

Here are two of the more easily identified mosses you could encounter. Though not a purely unique character, both species have rather spherical capsules. The first is Physcomitrium pyriforme.

In my experience, this moss is usually found in rather disturbed or recently burned areas with full sun and is readily identified by the tongue-like leaves with apiculate tips and the pear-shaped (broadly obovate) capsules; a character from which the species epithet is derived (Pyrus being the genus of pears). The second species is Bartramia pomiforme.

This is a species of higher floristic quality. It is an acidophile and is pretty much restricted to wet sandstone ledges, bluffs and terraces in shaded forests; the kind of places you expect to see an abundance of mosses. With its narrow pointed leaves, yellow-green coloration and soft texture there are few mosses with which to confuse it. The nearly perfect spheres that are the capsules pretty much seal the deal. Though I don't like to perpetuate the use of common names, this one is apt. It is called Apple Moss which jives well with the specific epithet (a pome being the fruit type of the apple). At maturity the capsules turn reddish-brown and then look so much like apples that Eve herself would not be able to resist them.

And if you have no taste for mosses, fruity or otherwise, it won't be long before the woods are once again heavy with tracheophyte greenery and the floral distractions there unto.

An Early Sign of Spring, Corylus americana

2011-03-03T08:02:00.000-08:00

I was reading Shrubs of Indiana by Weeks and Parker when I realized that I had never taken the time to find and appreciate the female flowers of American Hazelnut. I found a nice thicket while hiking at Spring Mill State Park, in Lawrence County, Indiana. I like the female flowers, maybe because I had to look for them. Plants are monecious, so you can find both flowers on the same plant.

The male flowers are easy to see from a distance, as they are several inches long, numerous, and hang out in the open.

A Few Indiana Ferns, part 2

2011-02-17T21:17:00.001-08:00

"Nature made ferns for pure leaves, to show what she could do in that line." Henry David Thoreau

Silvery Spleenwort, Athyrium thelypteroides

Glade Fern or Narrow-Leaved Spleenwort, Athyrium pycnocarpon

Lady Fern, Athyrium filix-femina

Table Key to Carex Sections

2011-02-15T12:19:00.001-08:00

Just a quick note to let the followers of GYBO know that I recently put together a table-style key to the sections of Carex and have posted it on my personal blog "The Vasculum". Feel free to travel there and get a copy for yourself.

Justin

Here's a pretty picture of Carex microdonta from Benton Co. Missouri to entice you.

A Few Indiana Ferns, part 1

2011-02-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

"Ferns are lovely. Ferns are beautiful." Emma Bickham Pitcher

Interrupted Fern, Osmunda claytoniana

Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamomea

Royal Fern, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis

Invasive Plant Species Identification

2011-02-01T18:20:00.000-08:00

Some of you may find this of interest...

The University of Wisconsin Extension Weed Science website has videos and information on how to identify various invasive plant species. To see this website and view the videos, visit http://fyi.uwex.edu/weedsci/category/videos/.

First Flower of 2011

2011-01-21T17:08:00.000-08:00

Seems a little early for a "first flower of the year" post, doesn't it?

Not when that first flower is the winter- to spring-blooming Hamamelis vernalis, Ozark Witchhazel!

For mor information on Hamamelis vernalis, see my recent post at Through Handlens and Binoculars.

American Plants Causing Problems

2011-01-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

http://www.montrealgazette.com/travel/Parks+Canada+coin+absolutely+ridiculous+critics/4072078/story.html

A Few Slide Show Rejects

2011-01-09T17:59:00.000-08:00

Our annual botany slide show will be held next weekend; it really snuck up on me this year. This year, my slide show will highlight the trip that Justin, Brad, Doug, and I took to the Ozarks and Ouachitas in April 2010. As I did last year, I wanted to post a few of the reject photos that didn't make my slide show.

This is Silene virginica, a plant in the family Caryophyllaceae that is found throughout the eastern half of the United States. We found this plant in a dry, rocky woodland at Spurgeon Hollow preserve in Missouri.

Collinsia violacea is known from seven states in the southcentral portion of the country. We saw this member of the Scrophulariaceae at Middle Fork Barrens in Arkansas.

This interesting little mint (Lamiaceae) is Scutellaria parvula var. australis, known from much of the southeastern United States. We first saw this species at Dry Lost Creek Preserve, and later at Camp Road Shale Barrens, both in Arkansas.

Florida Palmettos

2011-01-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

To someone from the Great Lakes region, botanizing in Florida in March can be a bit difficult. It seems like nearly all of the trees have entire-margined, thick-textured, glossy green ovate leaves. Similarly, many of the palms (Arecaceae) look very similar; specifially, the palmettos (Serenoa, Sabal), with palmate to costapalmate leaf blades, look nearly identical at first glance. Below, I will summarize the differences between the species in this latter group that occur in Florida.

Serenoa repens (Saw Palmetto) tends to have leaf blades that are yellowish-green (see photograph above), whereas the leaves of Sabal palmetto (Cabbage Palmetto) are more blue-green (see photograph below). In addition, Serenoa repens has a shrubby growth form; Sabal palmetto usually becomes a tree, though it sometimes has no aboveground trunk.

Looking at the leaves up-close, it is even easier to distinguish between Serenoa repens and Sabal palmetto.

In Serenoa repens (above), the petiole has serrate margins (that will cut through your skin, trust me), thus the common name Saw Palmetto. The petioles of Sabal palmetto are entire. Also, take a look at the apex of the leaf rachis. In Serenoa repens, the apex is blunt, whereas in Sabal palmetto, the rachis is spear shaped.

Serenoa repens grows in pine woodlands, scrub, and mesic hammocks; Sabal palmetto, Florida's state tree, can be found in pine woodlands, hammocks, and on river banks. The two are sometimes found growing together, as seen below.

That takes care of the two most common Florida palmettos. The other two, both in the genus Sabal, also have petioles without serrate margins.

Sabal minor (Dwarf Palmetto) can look similar to Sabal palmetto, but as its common name suggests it is a much shorter plant. Found in moist soils and wetlands, the trunk of Sabal minor typically remains underground. In addition, the fruits of Sabal minor are a bit smaller than those of Sabal palmetto.

Sabal etonia (Scrub Palmetto), a Florida endemic, is found in dry, sandy soils in scrub habitat. Its leaves are smaller and have narrower segments than either Sabal palmetto or Sabal minor. Like Sabal minor, the trunk is subterranean, so Sabal etonia doesn't grow more than 3-6' tall.

That should do it. Should you find yourself in the midst of Florida palmettos, hopefully this summary will help you to determine which species you are seeing.

Piloblephis rigida

2010-12-26T18:19:00.000-08:00

Winter has definitely set in here in northern Indiana, so I am not taking many photos of plants these days. This is the time of year that I have a chance to go back through and post photos that I had intended to post earlier in the year but never did. Why not begin with a photo from March 2010... this is Piloblephis rigida, Wild Pennyroyal.

At the time that I took these photos, I was under the impression that Piloblephis rigida was endemic to Florida, but it appears that it is also known from a couple of locations in Georgia, where it is ranked S1. Piloblephis rigida grows in dry communites such as scrub, sandhills, and pine flatwoods. As with many mints, Wild Pennyroyal has various medicinal uses, including treatment of colds, fevers, and sores; it has also been used to induce vomiting.

You may be thinking, "that sure looks like a Satureja or Clinopodium." In fact, this low shrub is treated by some botanists as Satureja rigida or Clinopodium rigidum.

Burled Beech

2010-12-21T15:52:00.000-08:00

At Warren Woods in Berrien County, Michigan, I ran into this unusual beech tree while exploring off-trail. Its exaggerated lower portion is covered with all manner of burls or catheads, and even the little sprouts of trees emerging from the roots are stunted and knobby. Does anyone know what would cause this? It is hollow, and I was hoping to find a thriving colony of trolls living inside, or better yet, elves baking cookies. Or, since Notre Dame isn't far away, maybe a leprechaun dressed in green and whistling the ND fight song, waiting to give away a pot of gold. No such luck!

Plant-Bug Quiz.... Solved!

2010-12-15T21:07:00.000-08:00

I recently posted this question:

Can you name the plant, and the bug that makes these markings? Should be easy!

Prem and Scott both suggested, correctly, that the bug that does this is a leaf miner. I apologize that I can't call out the exact type. Scott suggested that the plant is Aster cordifolius, (Heart-Leaved Aster), and that is correct. Good work Prem and Scott!

Spiranthes lucida

2010-12-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

The South Bend-Elkhart Audubon Society annual holiday potluck is this Sunday, and the program at this event is members' slide shows. I've been going through my photos to put together a quick slide show on Indiana orchids, and I wanted to post a photo of one of my favorite orchids, Spiranthes lucida. This photograph was taken in June 2008 at Springfield Fen in LaPorte County, Indiana.

Spiranthes is from the Greek words "speira" and "anthos," which mean spiral and flower, respectively. A look at the inflorescence makes clear how the genus got its name. Lucida means "shining," a reference to the very shiny leaves of this species. The bright yellow spot on the lip in combination with the early (relative to other Spiranthes) flowering time make this species an easy ID, if you can find it. Spiranthes lucida is known from much of the northern 2/3 of eastern North America, but it is a species of concern in ten states. You can find Shining Lady's Tresses in wet, calcareous areas with little competition, often in areas with some disturbance (such as lake margins and streambanks).

Aralia spinosa

2010-12-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

I was working in Southwestern Indiana (Dubois County) in a woodland, when I came upon a stand of understory trees that looked from a distance like young Ailanthus altissima. They were spindly, with fat twigs, about fifteen feet max. When I got closer, I realized that they were Devils Walking Stick. It would have been fun to see the place in the summer, since I am not too familiar with this species.

Lady's Slipper Orchids in Northern Indiana

2010-12-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Uncommon and difficult to find, these remnants of earlier times exist mostly due to the preservation efforts of caring people at The Nature Conservancy, the Indiana DNR Division of Nature Preserves, several private land trusts, and of course the people who support them.

Cypripedium candidum, Whippoorwill's Shoe, Small White Lady's Slipper

Cypripedium calceolus var. parviflorum, Small Yellow Lady's Slipper

Hybrid Lady's Slipper. This is a hybrid of the two previous species, Small White and Small Yellow Lady's Slipper. Depending on your treatment of the large and small yellows (as varieties or distinct species), this hybrid is either Cypripedium X andrewsii or Cypripedium X favillianum (see Swink and Wilhelm, 1994). This orchid is known to backcross with parents, resulting in a "hybrid swarm."

Cypripedium reginae, Showy Lady's Slipper

Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens, Large Yellow Lady's Slipper

Cypripedium acaule, Pink Moccasin Flower

"Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve life than destroy it." Henry David Thoreau, The Maine Woods

Trillium cuneatum?

2010-11-24T17:51:00.000-08:00

Can anyone share thoughts on the identification of this Trillium? I'm labeling photos from 2010 and not sure what it is. Trillium cuneatum seems likely, though it would be a significant range extension where it was found in southern Michigan. It seems possible that it was introduced at the site, a rich forest remnant where it was growing by the hundreds with several other Trillium species. Thanks for any help!

Unusual Sundog

2010-11-23T20:54:00.000-08:00

One nice thing about itinerant botanical exploration is the sights we take in along the way, and the telling of stories afterward. Four years ago I was in central LaPorte County, Indiana, looking northward as heavy lake-effect snow moved in from Lake Michigan. Sunshine bouncing through the myriad snowflakes produced wide bands of color in a striking variation of the classic "sundog."

"If the race had never lived through a winter, what would they think was coming?"

Henry David Thoreau journal, November 8,1850

Another Fruity Quiz; Medicago sativa!!

2010-11-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

Cdr nailed it! Who else knew that Alfalfa had spiraled fruits? I see it often as a lingerer or an escapee, but I had never noticed the fruits until I collected it this past summer. Hats off to you Cdr!

Hot on the heels of the last quiz comes another strange legume that threw me for a loop (a loopty-loop you might say). It is a species that occurs throughout the Midwest.

Fruity Quiz: Apios americana!

2010-11-12T19:49:00.001-08:00

Scott nailed it!!

First I thought this quiz would be too easy. Then I feared it was too difficult. I took the photo because I, just like Scott, had never seen Apios americana fruits. Evidently they are quite rare or at least overlooked.

The photo below has a few persistent leaflets if you want some confirmation on the ID. Thanks to everyone for participating.

Garden Oddities

2010-11-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

Earlier this fall I discovered these helical carrots spooning obscenely in the garden...

...and shortly after, here was quack grass (I think) with a red potato firmly attached at the base. The grass rhizome had grown right through the potato!

Believe it or not!

Plant Quiz - Keith's Got It!

2010-11-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

I recently posted the following plant quiz...

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Well, October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month have come to an end. Thank you to all who participated by posting photos of pink plants.

Along with the "unpinking" of Get Your Botany On! comes this plant quiz...

Good Luck!
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Keith was able to pick up on my subtle hints and correctly determine that the photo above shows a berry of Actaea rubra forma neglecta. In the typical forms, Actaea rubra (Red Baneberry) has red berries...

... and Actaea pachypoda (White Baneberry or Doll's Eyes) has white berries...

However, there is a fairly common form (the more common form in some places, including where I saw it in Douglas County, Wisconsin) of Red Baneberry with white fruits (called Actaea rubra forma neglecta, shown below). Amazingly enough, there is also a rare form of White Baneberry with pink or red fruits (called Actaea pachypoda forma rubrocarpa, which I have never seen). The ranges of these two species of Actaea overlap in the northern half of eastern North America, as Actaea rubra is found throughout much of western North America and in the northern half of the eastern half of the continent, and Actaea pachypoda is found from Quebec to Florida and as far west as Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

So how would one tell the difference between these two species if the fruit color is not reliable? Actaea rubra has pedicels (flower/fruit stalks) that are green or brown when in fruit, whereas Actaea pachypoda has pedicels that are pink to red when the plant is in fruit. In addition, the pedicels of Actaea rubra are slender (up to 0.7 mm in diameter, and thinner than the inflorescence stalk), whereas those of Actaea pachypoda are thick (0.7 to 3.0 mm in diameter, and about as thick as the inflorescence stalk). A third character to look for is the scar that remains on the berry when the stigma falls off and the plants are in fruit. In Actaea rubra, this scar is small, whereas in Actaea pachypoda, this scar (the "iris" of the "doll's eye") is larger.

Both of these medicinal species were used heavily by Native Americans. Actaea rubra was used to treat coughs, colds, and other illnesses; Actaea pachypoda was used to treat sore throats. The way I am feeling right now, I sure wish I had a little bit of both of these on hand.

Congratulations, Keith, for figuring out this plant quiz!

"You have there... Deptford Pink"

2010-10-31T20:38:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite weeds, Dianthus armeria adds color to old clay fields, dry prairie remnants, and sandy savannas. Posted here in honor of all who have suffered with breast cancer.

On this very weekend ten years ago, the legendary Chicago region botanist Floyd Swink was honored at a memorial service at the Indiana Dunes State Park. Ken Dritz shared this limerick, pasted below, which he had "written" in his mind on the drive from Chicago. I am always reminded of it (and Floyd) when I see Deptford Pink.

A Light-Hearted Tribute, in Limerick Form,

to the Wit and Wisdom of Floyd Swink
Inspired by His Penchant for Puns

Kenneth W. Dritz
29 October 2000

Chickadee? Meadowlark? Bobolink?
If we needed to know, we asked Swink.

Ev’ry bird this man knew;

Ev’ry flow’ring plant, too.
“You have there,” he might say, “Deptford Pink.”

As for fun, there was never a void.
For a pun lived this clever man, Floyd.
In the spirit of Marx
He would hold up a Lark/s-
pur and ask, “What is this—plant or boid?”

“If you mix plants and birds,” proclaimed he,
“You won’t know if you have Partridge Pea
Or just old Crowfoot Grass.”
Now he’s left us, alas.
Wit and wisdom are his legacy.

My Final Flush of Pink

2010-10-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month winds to a close, here are a few more pink plants to honor those who have suffered from this horrible disease.

Dianthus armeria (Deptford Pink)

Silene acaulis var. subacaulescens (Moss Campion)

Eupatoriadelphus maculatus var. maculatus (Spotted Joe Pye Weed)

Polygonum pensylvanicum (Pinkweed)

Spiraea tomentosa (Steeplebush)

Euonymus bungeana, Pink Lady Winterberry or Chinese Spindle Tree

2010-10-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

This arching shrub is an escape from cultivation that grows west of South Bend, Indiana, along the edge of a woods near the Grand Trunk Railroad. It also grows in roadside thickets at several locations: northeast of Lydick, Indiana along Pine Road, in LaPorte County on CR 350 N, and south of Syracuse, Indiana along State Road 13. It does not seem obnoxiously invasive at any of these sites, but the fruits are so prolific that it probably could become a pest. The specific epithet is also spelled "bungeanus." The leaves turn pink in autumn, but apparently not this year.

Purple Fringed Orchid, Habenaria psycodes

2010-10-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

Rare and local, this remarkable plant can still be found in quality swamp forests and open, wet meadows. It is now called Platanthera psycodes. If you have never looked into the intriguing mechanisms orchids use for pollination, you are in for a treat. Two excellent books for midwestern orchids are, "Orchids of the Western Great Lakes Region" by Frederick Case, and "Orchids of Indiana," by Michael Homoya, with stunning photos by Lee Casebere.

Showy Orchis, Orchis spectabilis

2010-10-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

This orchid is getting very difficult to find. Photographed in southern Michigan in 2008. Now called Galearis spectabilis.

Goat's Rue, Tephrosia virginiana

2010-10-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

In northern Indiana, Goat's Rue is occasional in sand prairie and oak savanna.

Toothwort, Dentaria laciniata

2010-10-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

Ubiquitous in eastern mesic forests, Toothwort is one of the most common spring ephemerals. The 4-petaled flowers are usually white, but occasionally pink, as shown. The degree of toothing on the leaves is highly variable. This plant is now being called Cardamine concatenata, with "concatenata" meaning "joined together/ forming a chain," probably from the rhizomes with numerous constrictions.

Iliamna remota

2010-10-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

Kevin has submitted another pink beauty in honor of all of those who have suffered from breast cancer. This is Iliamna remota (Kankakee Mallow), currently treated as Iliamna rivularis var. rivularis.

Thanks for submitting your photo, Kevin!

Vaccinium oxycoccos for Mayme

2010-10-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

My mom lost her Aunt Mayme to breast cancer many years ago. This photograph of Vaccinium oxycoccos (Small Cranberry) is posted in honor of Mayme.

An Orchid For The Ladies: Cypripedium reginae

2010-10-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Rare and local in Indiana, Showy Lady's Slipper is a strikingly large and attractive orchid. Presented in honor of all ladies who have dealt with breast cancer.