Re: Thismia hunt 2011

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!!

Thismia Hunt 2011 Is Just Around The Corner

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.

Time For Saprophytes

Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sp.)

Heavy rains in summer, especially after mid-July, often trigger a variety of fungi in natural areas. They also trigger several species of saprophytic vascular plants, and we should all begin watching for these. When the woods smell "mushroomy" in northern Indiana, it's time to start watching for:
-Monotropa uniflora (Indian Pipe)
-Monotropa hypopithys (Pinesap)
-Corallorhiza maculata (Spotted Coralroot Orchid)
-Corallorhiza odontorhiza (Late Coralroot Orchid - usually after mid-August)
These mysterious plants have an affinity for oak woods, but certainly do occur elsewere. In other regions, other species could be added to the list.

Pinesap (Monotropa hypopithys)

In addition, we should keep in mind that Thismia americana is a saprophyte, but it occurs in open, wet prairie. Now is the time to look for it, as well. I'm sure it's out there - we just have to find it!

Banded Trinity, Fairy Lantern (Thismia americana)