The first unknown I encountered while doing deer browse sampling in a woods in Will Co, IL. Most of the individuals were shorter, averaging less than a foot in height. There were a few larger individual that were larger but nothing was flowering. My first thought was that it was some species of Lonicera, but then Scott mentioned that it could also be a Symphoricarpos. I am just looking for any ideas on what it might be.
The second unknown was growing on the edge of prairie next to a walking trail. There was just the single plant present. It was growing amongst Andropogon gerardii and Silphium laciniatum. Any help would be nice.
The second one looks like Gaura but I wouldn't know which species.
ReplyDeleteYour first unknown is Lonicera prolifera. I had it in my sampling at least three times. It is a sweet and evidently uncommon element of the Chicago Region.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Keith in that the second one is Gaura. I would happily call it Gaura biennis.
In the Chicago Region, apparently Gaura biennis v. pitcheri is more common than typical Gaura biennis. I'm not familiar enough with this genus to know how to tell the difference without seeing stem hairs. Is there another way to tell the two varieties apart?
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