Button Weed

Also known as "Poor Joe," this little plant in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) can be quite common in dry sandy sites that are open and disturbed. I first noticed it in the mid- 1980's while exploring with Ken Klick and Sandy O'Brien. None of us recognized it, so Ken and Sandy ran it through Swink and Wilhelm's keys to the families and genera. 

They worked together and did this out loud, showing a remarkable understanding of the language of botany and its myriad descriptive terms. They arrived at Diodia teres var. setifera without ever looking at a picture! It was an excellent lesson in the value of botanical keys, the most accurate way to identify an unknown plant. Thanks Ken and Sandy for providing me with the impetus to learn the language of botany all those years ago! Photographed near Knox, Indiana.

The 3 Wings of Tall Coreopsis

A common native in prairie remnants, Coreopsis tripteris often towers above the surrounding vegetation. 

The leaves appear to be compound with three (or more) leaflets, and most authors treat them this way, but they might be just very deeply lobed.

The specific epithet "tripteris" means "three wings" or "three feathers," perhaps an allusion to the venation of the three leaflets, especially noticeable on the underside. The Latin "pteris" is often used in reference to ferns, again meaning "wing" or "feather."

The word "Coreopsis" will always remind me of the lovable Walter Mitty (see "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber).

Post number 500!

Presenting GYBO post number 500! In celebration, here are my top 10 favorite photos. Probably all of them were posted sometime earlier. Thanks to all who visit and comment, and thanks to all who have posted here. Special thanks to Ben and Scott for setting up this group blog.

Interrupted Fern, Porter County, Indiana

Bloodroot, LaPorte County, Indiana

Blue-Eyed Mary, LaPorte County, Indiana

Cleft Phlox, Lake County, Indiana

Bluehearts, Lake County, Indiana

Prairie Brome, Lake County, Indiana

Nieuwland's Blazing Star, Lake County, Indiana

Yellow Lady's Slipper, Lake County, Indiana

Sullivant's Milkweed, Lake County, Indiana

Wild Columbine, Marshall County, Indiana

Winged Monkey Flower

I found Mimulus alatus quite by accident while searching for another plant in LaPorte County, Indiana. It features leaves with petioles, peduncles less than 1.5 cm long, winged stems, and leaves with teeth that are curved on the back. It was growing in rich, mesic forest in shade.

Pale Touch-Me-Not

Impatiens pallida is common in shady forests in Indiana, especially in places with rich soil. Photographed in LaPorte County, Indiana on August 5, 2012.

Jumpin' Seeds!

"Jumpseed" was long known as Tovara virginiana. It is now called Polygonum virginianum or Antenoron virginianum. It is common in forests in Indiana, and when the fruits are dry, if you grasp the stem between thumb and forefinger and slide slowly upward, the seeds will "jump" away from the plant quite some distance. It is also known as Virginia Knotweed or Woodland Knotweed, but don't be fooled by the name - it is native here.

Oh, Harry... You So Handsome!

I made a quick stop today at a preserve in LaPorte County, Indiana and was astounded by the size of the population of Rhexia virginica (Virginia Meadow Beauty, aka Prairie Pitchers, or Handsome Harry) in an artificially excavated sand flat.  I've visited this site fairly regularly over the past several years, and this is the first time I've seen Rhexia virginica spread out through most of the sand flat; usually it is just around the perimeter, and sometimes there are just a few plants.  In years with normal precipitation, the sand flat is a pond, at least through the spring.  Maybe the dry conditions this year have benefited Rhexia virginica at this site.

I'm not sure how this species acquired the name "Harry," but the "Handsome" part sure isn't any mystery.  The unique stamens of Rhexia virginica, with the anther attached to the filament at a knee-like joint, release pollen when the wings of a nearby bee buzz at a particular frequency (a phenomenon known as buzz-pollination).  The leaves of Rhexia virginica are very similar to the leaves of other members of the family Melastomataceae (or Melastomaceae), as they are opposite, decussate, and have three veins running their length.  The leaves also have distinctive pubescence, with hairs that stand perfectly upright on their top surface.  The family Melastomataceae is primarily a tropical family, and even in the tropics where plant richness dwarfs that of the Midwest you can quickly recognize a plant from this family just by looking at the characteristic leaves.

Rhexia virginica grows in wet to moist sand in much of the eastern half of North America, with a stronger distribution along the coastal plain.

Liparis loeselii, in a Most Unexpected Place

This May, Lindsay and I came across a single flowering plant of Liparis loeselii in a shrubby old-field on our property in northern Indiana. 

Liparis loeselii is an inconspicuous orchid found in states and provinces throughout the northeastern half of North America.  However, it is listed as a species of conservation concern in seven states, and most occurences of the species are from areas around the Great Lakes and New England states.  Although most of the documented habitats from which Liparis loeselii is known are calcareous wetlands (such as fens, pannes, sedge meadows, marshes, marly lake margins, forested seeps, and wet peaty or sandy meadows), it is sometimes found in the more acidic conditions of bogs, and it also occurs in previously open and disturbed areas that are naturally becoming reforested.  Such is the case on our property.

For my account of finding this species on our property, see my recent post at Through Handlens and Binoculars.

Indiana Sand Country in May

In continuing to catch up from my excursions this spring, I recently posted about surveys I conducted in late May and about several sand prairie and savanna species that grow in northwest Indiana on Through Handlens and Binoculars.  One of those, of course, is the wildly charismatic Lupinus perennis var. occidentalis.

Lupinus perennis var. occidentalis

For those of you strictly plant people, you'll have to scroll through the nonsense about a little endangered butterfly to get to the good stuff.

Remember April?

I've been absent from the blogging scene for a couple of months due to other commitments.  Happily, I'm back and have posted one of hopefully several posts on highlights from the last several months, this one on highlights from four botanizing outings in late April, on Through Handlens and Binoculars.

Lithospermum incisum in central Indiana, April 22, 2012

Hopefully more posts to come!

Aralia racemosa

I found some Spikenard blooming in a ravine near Turkey Run State Park yesterday. I was not familiar with this plant, and it was fun to find it clinging to the rock wall.

Ecological Dynamics

I was recently sent the following link to a song about the life of the ecologist...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8f8_am8G7Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Asiatic Dayflower

Commelina communis was named for three Dutch botanists. All named Commelin, two were accomplished in their field (hence the showy blue petals), but the career of the third was cut short by an early death, (signified by the small, white petal). This is a common plant of shady, damp dooryards and other places around homes, especially in cities.

Kentucky Coffee Tree

Gymnocladus dioica is one of the few trees in Indiana with bipinnately compound or "bipinnate" leaves. Is it the only one? I don't know. Also known as "Coffee Nut," it is uncommon in the northwest third of the state, sometimes being found in the alluvium along streams in woods. It also occurs in more upland mesic forest and even on dry fencerows.

The large bean pods stay attached to the tree through winter and drop in spring. An earlier post resulted in some very interesting thoughts from the inimitable Justin Thomas, legendary Ozark botanist.

Blue Beech

The unusual inflorescence of Carpinus caroliniana offers a serious challenge to one of our most recognized birds. The Cardinal sometimes can be seen doing all kinds of contortions to get at the seeds while hanging upside-down from a nearby branch. The dense wood and unusual, sinuous form of the trunk have elicited other common names including Musclewood, Ironwood, and Hornbeam.

Photographed in seed on June 26, 2012 in Marshall County, Indiana.

Stipes on Display?

I looked around this carny but didn't see any stipes on display. Nor did I see any rachises, pinnae, or sori. In fact, I didn't see any fern fronds at all. Go figure.

New England Aster!

I was stunned to see this common fall flower in a state of FGB (full, glorious bloom) today, June 8th (!) on a roadside in Marshall County, Indiana. I noticed a lot of closed flowers, and I have to wonder if any of them were open during the month of May!! I don't have records but I believe Aster novae-angliae normally begins flowering in August or September.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia humifusa has to be one of the most unusual plants in Indiana, and it is surprisingly widespread in the state. The actual leaves are very small and pointed, falling off early and leaving little bunches of needles. The "pads" are the stems, and the "pears" are the floral ovaries. I admire any plant that can thrive and flourish in deep, dry sand, especially in a prolonged drought. Photographed in Porter and Lake Counties in Indiana.

Butter-and-eggs, Linaria vulgaris

This showy little snapdragon is one of several attractive non-natives that seem to prefer growing along railroads. Others include Railroad Vine (Convolvulus arvensis), Little Barley (Hordeum pusillum), Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare), and Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum), just to name a few of the many. Photographed along the C & O Railroad near New Buffalo, Michigan.

Cannabis?

This little seedling was growing along the edge of a parking lot at a playground for small children in a northern Indiana city. Not what I would have expected to see there.