文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月11日
Description: This multi-branched shrub is 2-6' tall. Branchlet bark is brown, reddish brown, or pale yellow, relatively smooth, and glabrous. Young shoots are light green and short-pubescent. Alternate leaves occur along the smaller branchlets and shoots. Individual leaves are 1½-4" long and ¼-¾" across; they are oblong-elliptic or oblong-oblanceolate in shape with margins that are smooth, slightly undulate, or slightly crenate-dentate with remote teeth. Often, the leaf margins are revolute (rolled under). Leaf bases are wedge-shaped, while their tips are relatively short and blunt. The upper sides of mature leaves are medium green and glabrous, while their lower sides are pale green to white, mostly glabrous, and glaucous. Sometimes fine hairs occur along the lower side of the central veins. Immature leaves are pale yellowish green or reddish green and they are usually more hairy than mature leaves. The petioles are light green, pale yellow, or nearly white; they are either glabrous or short-pubescent. Sometimes lanceolate stipules occur in pairs at the bases of petioles. These stipules are about 3-8 mm. long and deciduous.
Prairie Willow is dioecious, producing either all male (staminate) or all female (pistillate) catkins on separate shrubs. Male catkins are ¼-¾" long, consisting of numerous male florets. Initially, male catkins are fuzzy and gray, but they later become more red or yellow from the anthers of their stamens. Each male floret consists of 2 stamens and a silky-hairy bract about 1.5-2.0 mm. in length. The female catkins are ½-2" long, consisting of numerous female florets. Initially, female catkins are somewhat fuzzy and gray, but they later become green, and finally light brown. Each female floret consists of a lanceoloid pistil about 4-8 mm. in length and a silky-hairy bract about 1.5-2.0 mm. in length. There are short pedicels underneath the female florets. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring for about 1 week. Afterwards, during late spring or early summer, fertile female florets are transformed into seed capsules that split open at maturity to release their seeds. The tiny seeds are embedded in cottony hairs; they are distributed by the wind. The woody root system is shallow and branching. This shrub reproduces by reseeding itself.
Leaf UndersidesCultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil that is loamy or sandy. Most growth and develop occurs from spring to mid-summer. The tiny seeds remain viable for about 1-2 weeks. A new clonal shrub can be created by cutting a branchlet from an older shrub during the early spring and sticking the cut-end of this branchlet into moist ground.
Range and Habitat: The native Smooth Prairie Willow is relatively uncommon in Illinois, where it is found in widely scattered counties (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic prairies, moist to mesic sand prairies, willow thickets, sandy and non-sandy savannas, bases of sandstone bluffs, and sedge meadows. This shrub adapts to both well-drained upland areas and poorly drained bottomland areas.
Faunal Associations: The florets of the catkins are cross-pollinated by insects. These floral visitors include Cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.), sawflies (Dolerus spp.), Syrphid flies, miscellaneous beetles, and other insects. Andrenid bees that are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of willows (Salix spp.) include Andrena bisalicis, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena fenningeri, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena mariae, and Andrena salictaria. Smooth Prairie Willow and other willows are host plants to a variety of insects that feed on their leaves, bore through their branchlets, or suck plant juices. These species include the leafhoppers Empoasca andresia, Empoasca humilis, and Erythroneura rosa; Aphis salicariae (Willow Aphid), Cavariella aegopodii (Carrot-Willow Aphid), Chaitophorus viminalis (Small Black & Green Willow Aphid), and Tuberolachnus salignus (Giant Willow Aphid); Lopidea salicis (Willow Plant Bug) and other plant bugs; the leaf beetles Chrysomela knabi, Chrysomela lineatopunctata, Chrysomela scripta, Crepidodera decora, Crepidodera nana, Cryptocephalus leucomelas, and Disonycha alternata; Rhynchaenus rufipes (Willow Flea Weevil); the wood-boring larvae of Agrilus politus (Common Willow Agrilus); larvae of the gall flies Dasineura salicifolia and Asphondylia salictaria; larvae of Nematus ventralis (Willow Sawfly), Pontania proxima (Willow Redgall Sawfly), and Pontania s-pomum (Willow Gall Sawfly); and Diapheromera velii (Prairie Walkingstick). Some vertebrate animals use willows as a source of food and protective cover. The buds are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse, while the catkins are eaten by the White-Crowned Sparrow. Such birds as the Yellow Warbler, Warbling Vireo, and Yellow-Breasted Chat use these shrubs for protective cover and nesting habitat. The twigs and foliage are browsed occasionally by the White-Tailed Deer and Cottontail Rabbit.
Photographic Location: A wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Some authorities don't recognize Smooth Prairie Willow as a distinct variety of Prairie Willow, although Mohlenbrock (2002) does. Smooth Prairie Willow is very similar to the typical variety of Prairie Willow, except that its leaves are hairless, or nearly so. Smooth Prairie Willow resembles the native Salix discolor (Pussy Willow), except that its leaves and stipules are more narrow than those of the latter. Another variety of Prairie Willow, Salix humilis microphylla (Sage Willow), is a shrub about 1-3' tall that has smaller leaves and smaller catkins. This latter variety prefers dry open areas; it is relatively uncommon in Illinois.
Prairie Willow is dioecious, producing either all male (staminate) or all female (pistillate) catkins on separate shrubs. Male catkins are ¼-¾" long, consisting of numerous male florets. Initially, male catkins are fuzzy and gray, but they later become more red or yellow from the anthers of their stamens. Each male floret consists of 2 stamens and a silky-hairy bract about 1.5-2.0 mm. in length. The female catkins are ½-2" long, consisting of numerous female florets. Initially, female catkins are somewhat fuzzy and gray, but they later become green, and finally light brown. Each female floret consists of a lanceoloid pistil about 4-8 mm. in length and a silky-hairy bract about 1.5-2.0 mm. in length. There are short pedicels underneath the female florets. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring for about 1 week. Afterwards, during late spring or early summer, fertile female florets are transformed into seed capsules that split open at maturity to release their seeds. The tiny seeds are embedded in cottony hairs; they are distributed by the wind. The woody root system is shallow and branching. This shrub reproduces by reseeding itself.
Leaf UndersidesCultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil that is loamy or sandy. Most growth and develop occurs from spring to mid-summer. The tiny seeds remain viable for about 1-2 weeks. A new clonal shrub can be created by cutting a branchlet from an older shrub during the early spring and sticking the cut-end of this branchlet into moist ground.
Range and Habitat: The native Smooth Prairie Willow is relatively uncommon in Illinois, where it is found in widely scattered counties (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic prairies, moist to mesic sand prairies, willow thickets, sandy and non-sandy savannas, bases of sandstone bluffs, and sedge meadows. This shrub adapts to both well-drained upland areas and poorly drained bottomland areas.
Faunal Associations: The florets of the catkins are cross-pollinated by insects. These floral visitors include Cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.), sawflies (Dolerus spp.), Syrphid flies, miscellaneous beetles, and other insects. Andrenid bees that are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of willows (Salix spp.) include Andrena bisalicis, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena fenningeri, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena mariae, and Andrena salictaria. Smooth Prairie Willow and other willows are host plants to a variety of insects that feed on their leaves, bore through their branchlets, or suck plant juices. These species include the leafhoppers Empoasca andresia, Empoasca humilis, and Erythroneura rosa; Aphis salicariae (Willow Aphid), Cavariella aegopodii (Carrot-Willow Aphid), Chaitophorus viminalis (Small Black & Green Willow Aphid), and Tuberolachnus salignus (Giant Willow Aphid); Lopidea salicis (Willow Plant Bug) and other plant bugs; the leaf beetles Chrysomela knabi, Chrysomela lineatopunctata, Chrysomela scripta, Crepidodera decora, Crepidodera nana, Cryptocephalus leucomelas, and Disonycha alternata; Rhynchaenus rufipes (Willow Flea Weevil); the wood-boring larvae of Agrilus politus (Common Willow Agrilus); larvae of the gall flies Dasineura salicifolia and Asphondylia salictaria; larvae of Nematus ventralis (Willow Sawfly), Pontania proxima (Willow Redgall Sawfly), and Pontania s-pomum (Willow Gall Sawfly); and Diapheromera velii (Prairie Walkingstick). Some vertebrate animals use willows as a source of food and protective cover. The buds are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse, while the catkins are eaten by the White-Crowned Sparrow. Such birds as the Yellow Warbler, Warbling Vireo, and Yellow-Breasted Chat use these shrubs for protective cover and nesting habitat. The twigs and foliage are browsed occasionally by the White-Tailed Deer and Cottontail Rabbit.
Photographic Location: A wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Some authorities don't recognize Smooth Prairie Willow as a distinct variety of Prairie Willow, although Mohlenbrock (2002) does. Smooth Prairie Willow is very similar to the typical variety of Prairie Willow, except that its leaves are hairless, or nearly so. Smooth Prairie Willow resembles the native Salix discolor (Pussy Willow), except that its leaves and stipules are more narrow than those of the latter. Another variety of Prairie Willow, Salix humilis microphylla (Sage Willow), is a shrub about 1-3' tall that has smaller leaves and smaller catkins. This latter variety prefers dry open areas; it is relatively uncommon in Illinois.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月11日
Description: This shrub is 2-8' tall, often branching near the base and toward the tips of older stems. Woody stems are terete and variably colored – usually some shade of yellowish tan, brown, or gray. Young woody stems are often short-pubescent, but they become glabrous with age. New shoots are light green and short-pubescent. Alternate leaves occur along young stems and shoots. The leaf blades are 1¾-4" long and ¼-¾" across; they are narrowly lanceolate, oblanceolate, or oblong-elliptic in shape and smooth to slightly crenate along their margins. The margins are often revolute (curved downward) as well. The upper surface of the leaf blades is medium green or grayish green and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent, while the lower surface (for this variety of Prairie Willow) is short-pubescent and sometimes whitened. The petioles are ¼-½" in length and short-pubescent. At the base of the petioles, lanceolate stipules are sometimes found.
Because Prairie Willow is dioecious, different shrubs will develop either all male (staminate) catkins or all female (pistillate) catkins from the bud scales along twigs of the preceding year. Male catkins are ¼-¾" in length, becoming longer as they mature. They are covered with silvery hairs at first, but later become yellowish or reddish from the anthers of numerous florets. Each male floret consists of a pair of stamens and a hairy bract. Female catkins are ½-3" in length, becoming longer as they mature. Each female catkin has several greenish female florets along its length. A female floret consists of a greenish ovary about 4-8 mm. in length and a hairy bract. The ovary is narrowly lanceoloid in shape with an elongated beak; it is also short-pubescent with a pair of stigmata at its apex. The male and female florets have neither petals nor sepals. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring for about 1 week. Afterwards, the female florets develop into seed capsules that become light brown at maturity, when they split open to release tiny seeds that are embedded in cottony hairs. These seeds are dispersed by the wind. The root system is woody and branching. This shrub reproduces by reseeding itself.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil that is loamy, gravelly, or sandy. New plants can be started by inserting cut-stems into the ground during the spring, where they will form roots. Prairie Willow is more tolerant of dry conditions than many other species in the genus. It is relatively slow-growing for a willow, usually remaining less than 4' tall, although sometimes Prairie Willow becomes larger when conditions are favorable.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Willow occurs occasionally throughout Illinois; it has been observed in most counties. This variety of Prairie Willow is far more common than other varieties within the state. Habitats consist of black soil prairies, sand prairies, sandy shrub prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, sandy and non-sandy savannas, sandy thickets, barren rocky areas along bluffs, and gravelly seeps. This unusual willow can found in either moist lowland or drier upland areas.
Faunal Associations: The catkins of Prairie Willow attract primarily small bees and flies, including Cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), Syrphid flies, Calliphorid flies, Muscid flies, and others. Among the Andrenid bees, the following species are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of willows (Salix spp.): Andrena bisalicis, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena fenningeri, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena mariae, and Andrena salictaria. These insects seek nectar and pollen from the florets of the catkins. Many other insects feed on the foliage, bore through the wood, or suck plant juices from willows. The following leaf beetles have been observed to feed on Prairie Willow: Chrysomela knabi (American Willow Leaf Beetle), Chrysomela lineatopunctata, Chrysomela scripta (Cottonwood Leaf Beetle), Crepidodera decora, Crepidodera nana, Cryptocephalus leucomelas, and Disonycha alternata (Striped Willow Flea Beetle). The Prairie Willow is also the preferred host plant for the leafhopper Empoasca humilis. Other insect feeders include the larvae of wood-boring beetles, weevils, the larvae of gall flies, plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, the larvae of sawflies, and the caterpillars of many moths. Caterpillars of the butterflies Satyrium acadicum (Acadian Hairstreak) and Limenitis archippus (Viceroy) feed on the leaves of willows, as do the caterpillars of the skipper Erynnis icelus (Dreamy Duskywing). Among vertebrate animals, such birds as the Ruffed Grouse and White-Crowned Sparrow feed on the buds and catkins of willows. Other birds, such as the Northern Harrier, Wilson's Warbler, Yellow Warbler, American Goldfinch, Gray Catbird, and Willow Flycatcher, often construct their nests in willow thickets. The twigs and leaves are often browsed by White-Tailed Deer and Elk.
Photographic Location: A sandy shrub prairie at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve in NW Ohio.
Comments: The typical variety of Prairie Willow (Salix humilis humilis) has been described here. Two less common varieties, Smooth Prairie Willow (Salix humilis hyporhysa) and Sage Willow (Salix humilis microphylla), also occur in Illinois. Unlike the typical Prairie Willow, Smooth Prairie Willow has leaves that are hairless (or nearly so) and its young shoots and stems are also hairless or less hairy. The margins of Smooth Prairie Willow's leaf blades are also less likely to be revolute (curved downward), otherwise it is almost identical to the typical variety and occupies similar habitats. The Sage Willow is quite different from the preceding two varieties in that it is a smaller shrub only 1-3' tall with smaller leaves (about ¾-2" long) and smaller catkins. It is also usually found in habitats that are more dry and barren than the preceding varieties. The Sage Willow has been classified as a distinct willow species in the past (Salix tristis), but it is now regarded (rightly or wrongly) as a variety of Prairie Willow. In general, the rather variable Prairie Willow can be distinguished from other willow species (Salix spp.) by its preference for drier habitats and small size, smooth to nearly smooth margins that lack conspicuous and abundant teeth, its pubescent shoots and leaf undersides (with the exception of var. hyporhysa), and lanceolate stipules.
Because Prairie Willow is dioecious, different shrubs will develop either all male (staminate) catkins or all female (pistillate) catkins from the bud scales along twigs of the preceding year. Male catkins are ¼-¾" in length, becoming longer as they mature. They are covered with silvery hairs at first, but later become yellowish or reddish from the anthers of numerous florets. Each male floret consists of a pair of stamens and a hairy bract. Female catkins are ½-3" in length, becoming longer as they mature. Each female catkin has several greenish female florets along its length. A female floret consists of a greenish ovary about 4-8 mm. in length and a hairy bract. The ovary is narrowly lanceoloid in shape with an elongated beak; it is also short-pubescent with a pair of stigmata at its apex. The male and female florets have neither petals nor sepals. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring for about 1 week. Afterwards, the female florets develop into seed capsules that become light brown at maturity, when they split open to release tiny seeds that are embedded in cottony hairs. These seeds are dispersed by the wind. The root system is woody and branching. This shrub reproduces by reseeding itself.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil that is loamy, gravelly, or sandy. New plants can be started by inserting cut-stems into the ground during the spring, where they will form roots. Prairie Willow is more tolerant of dry conditions than many other species in the genus. It is relatively slow-growing for a willow, usually remaining less than 4' tall, although sometimes Prairie Willow becomes larger when conditions are favorable.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Willow occurs occasionally throughout Illinois; it has been observed in most counties. This variety of Prairie Willow is far more common than other varieties within the state. Habitats consist of black soil prairies, sand prairies, sandy shrub prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, sandy and non-sandy savannas, sandy thickets, barren rocky areas along bluffs, and gravelly seeps. This unusual willow can found in either moist lowland or drier upland areas.
Faunal Associations: The catkins of Prairie Willow attract primarily small bees and flies, including Cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), Syrphid flies, Calliphorid flies, Muscid flies, and others. Among the Andrenid bees, the following species are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of willows (Salix spp.): Andrena bisalicis, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena fenningeri, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena mariae, and Andrena salictaria. These insects seek nectar and pollen from the florets of the catkins. Many other insects feed on the foliage, bore through the wood, or suck plant juices from willows. The following leaf beetles have been observed to feed on Prairie Willow: Chrysomela knabi (American Willow Leaf Beetle), Chrysomela lineatopunctata, Chrysomela scripta (Cottonwood Leaf Beetle), Crepidodera decora, Crepidodera nana, Cryptocephalus leucomelas, and Disonycha alternata (Striped Willow Flea Beetle). The Prairie Willow is also the preferred host plant for the leafhopper Empoasca humilis. Other insect feeders include the larvae of wood-boring beetles, weevils, the larvae of gall flies, plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, the larvae of sawflies, and the caterpillars of many moths. Caterpillars of the butterflies Satyrium acadicum (Acadian Hairstreak) and Limenitis archippus (Viceroy) feed on the leaves of willows, as do the caterpillars of the skipper Erynnis icelus (Dreamy Duskywing). Among vertebrate animals, such birds as the Ruffed Grouse and White-Crowned Sparrow feed on the buds and catkins of willows. Other birds, such as the Northern Harrier, Wilson's Warbler, Yellow Warbler, American Goldfinch, Gray Catbird, and Willow Flycatcher, often construct their nests in willow thickets. The twigs and leaves are often browsed by White-Tailed Deer and Elk.
Photographic Location: A sandy shrub prairie at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve in NW Ohio.
Comments: The typical variety of Prairie Willow (Salix humilis humilis) has been described here. Two less common varieties, Smooth Prairie Willow (Salix humilis hyporhysa) and Sage Willow (Salix humilis microphylla), also occur in Illinois. Unlike the typical Prairie Willow, Smooth Prairie Willow has leaves that are hairless (or nearly so) and its young shoots and stems are also hairless or less hairy. The margins of Smooth Prairie Willow's leaf blades are also less likely to be revolute (curved downward), otherwise it is almost identical to the typical variety and occupies similar habitats. The Sage Willow is quite different from the preceding two varieties in that it is a smaller shrub only 1-3' tall with smaller leaves (about ¾-2" long) and smaller catkins. It is also usually found in habitats that are more dry and barren than the preceding varieties. The Sage Willow has been classified as a distinct willow species in the past (Salix tristis), but it is now regarded (rightly or wrongly) as a variety of Prairie Willow. In general, the rather variable Prairie Willow can be distinguished from other willow species (Salix spp.) by its preference for drier habitats and small size, smooth to nearly smooth margins that lack conspicuous and abundant teeth, its pubescent shoots and leaf undersides (with the exception of var. hyporhysa), and lanceolate stipules.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月10日
Description: This biennial wildflower forms a low rosette of leaves during the 1st year, bolting into an erect plant about 1-2½' tall during the 2nd year. The central stem is 4-angled, winged, and glabrous; it is unbranched below and oppositely branched above. Opposite leaves (up to 1½" long and 1" across) occur along the stems; they are medium green, glabrous, smooth along their margins, and lanceolate to oval-cordate in shape. The leaves are sessile or slightly clasp the stems. The upper stems terminate in small cymes of flowers. The pedicels of these flowers are ½–1¼" long and glabrous. When they are fully open, individual flowers are 1-1½" across. Each flower has a corolla with 5 petals, 5 stamens with yellow anthers, a superior ovary with a divided style, and a green calyx with 5 sepals that are linear-lanceolate. The petals are obovate in shape and vary in color from rose-pink to white; they are about twice the length of the sepals. At the center of the flower, the petal bases are yellow to greenish yellow, presenting a small 5-sided star. The margins of this star are outlined in dark rose-pink. When they are receptive to pollen, the 2 linear stigmata of the style become bright yellow. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late summer. The flowers open up during the day and close at night; they are fragrant. During the fall, the flowers are replaced by single-celled seed capsules about 1/3" (8 mm.) long; each capsule contains a multitude of tiny seeds that can be blown about by the wind or float on water. The root system is shallow and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun and moist conditions. The soil can contain loam, sand, silt, or some rocky/gravelly material.
Range & Habitat: Common Rose Pink is occasional in the southern half of Illinois, while in the northern half of the state it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). This plant is native to the state. Habitats include moist prairies and sand prairies, moist sandy thickets, marshes and sandy marshes, interdunal swales, rocky glades, openings in rocky woodlands, sandy pits on mined land, poorly drained fields, and roadsides. This wildflower can be found in both degraded and higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by long-tongued bees and possibly other diurnal insects with long mouthparts (e.g., butterflies and skippers). Charles Robertson (1929) observed a little carpenter bee, Ceratina dupla, and a large leaf-cutting bee, Megachile brevis, visiting the flowers for nectar or pollen. The caterpillars of the moth, Agyrostrotis anilis (Short-Lined Chocolate), feed on Sabatia spp. (Rose Pinks). Common Rose Pink is a bitter-tasting plant, but it is unclear to what extent this may deter its consumption by mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A prairie in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs of the flowering plants were taken by Keith & Patty Horn (Copyright © 2009).
Comments: Like other species in this genus, Common Rose Pink is a showy and attractive plant. It resembles an oversized version of Centaurium pulchellum (Branching Centaury) from Europe, which is also in the Gentian family. Another species, Sabatia campestris (Prairie Rose Pink), also occurs in Illinois; it is usually found in drier habitats. Prairie Rose Pink differs from Common Rose Pink by its tendency to branch alternately, rather than oppositely. It also has 5 vertical ribs along the tubular portion of its calyx, while the calyx of Common Rose Pink lacks such ribs. Other common names that have been applied to Sabatia angularis include Rose Gentian, Marsh Pink, and Bitterbloom.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun and moist conditions. The soil can contain loam, sand, silt, or some rocky/gravelly material.
Range & Habitat: Common Rose Pink is occasional in the southern half of Illinois, while in the northern half of the state it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). This plant is native to the state. Habitats include moist prairies and sand prairies, moist sandy thickets, marshes and sandy marshes, interdunal swales, rocky glades, openings in rocky woodlands, sandy pits on mined land, poorly drained fields, and roadsides. This wildflower can be found in both degraded and higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by long-tongued bees and possibly other diurnal insects with long mouthparts (e.g., butterflies and skippers). Charles Robertson (1929) observed a little carpenter bee, Ceratina dupla, and a large leaf-cutting bee, Megachile brevis, visiting the flowers for nectar or pollen. The caterpillars of the moth, Agyrostrotis anilis (Short-Lined Chocolate), feed on Sabatia spp. (Rose Pinks). Common Rose Pink is a bitter-tasting plant, but it is unclear to what extent this may deter its consumption by mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A prairie in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs of the flowering plants were taken by Keith & Patty Horn (Copyright © 2009).
Comments: Like other species in this genus, Common Rose Pink is a showy and attractive plant. It resembles an oversized version of Centaurium pulchellum (Branching Centaury) from Europe, which is also in the Gentian family. Another species, Sabatia campestris (Prairie Rose Pink), also occurs in Illinois; it is usually found in drier habitats. Prairie Rose Pink differs from Common Rose Pink by its tendency to branch alternately, rather than oppositely. It also has 5 vertical ribs along the tubular portion of its calyx, while the calyx of Common Rose Pink lacks such ribs. Other common names that have been applied to Sabatia angularis include Rose Gentian, Marsh Pink, and Bitterbloom.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月10日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is about 1' tall, branching occasionally. The stems are light green and covered with white hairs. The opposite leaves are up to 2½" long and 1" wide, and broadly lanceolate, deltoid, or ovate in form. They are light green to green, with smooth margins, and are covered with white hairs on both the upper and lower sides. The leaves also have hairy petioles. The light lavender or light purple flowers are funnel-shaped, with 5 flared lobes, and range in length from 1½-2½". There are usually fine purple lines towards the center of the corolla that function as nectar guides to visiting insects. There is no noticeable floral scent. A flower typically opens during the morning and falls off the plant by evening. The overall appearance of Hairy Wild Petunia resembles cultivated petunias, but they are members of different plant families. The blooming period occurs from early summer to late summer, and lasts about 2 months. The root system is fibrous. The dark seeds are fairly large and fall to the ground not far from the mother plant.
Cultivation: It's quite adaptable, tolerating full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and practically any kind of soil. Under moist conditions with rich soil, however, this plant is unable to compete with taller, more aggressive plants. Disease doesn't seem to bother it.
Range & Habitat: This native plant occurs occasionally throughout Illinois, but it is most likely to be absent in the NW counties (see Distribution Map). Hairy Wild Petunia occurs in mesic to dry black soil prairies, gravelly hill prairies, dry open woodlands, limestone glades, bluffs, sandy cemeteries, sand flats, and areas along roadsides and railroads. This plant is typically found in areas with poor soil and sparse vegetative cover, where it occurs sporadically in short grass, rather than forming dense colonies.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees are the most important pollinators of the flowers, including Anthophorid bees and Leaf-Cutting bees. The latter sometimes cut the petals, which are used in the construction of brood nests. Short-tongued bees and Syrphid flies also visit the flowers, but they collect stray pollen and are not effective pollinators. The light color and funnel-like shape of the diurnal flowers suggest that they may be visited by day-flying Sphinx moths and Hummingbird moths, but apparently this has not been observed. It has been reported that the caterpillars of the butterfly Junonia coenia (Buckeye) may feed on the foliage of Ruellia spp. occasionally.
Photographic Location: Photographs were taken at the Red Bison Railroad Prairie in Savoy, Illinois.
Comments: Because of its large and abundant flowers, the Hairy Wild Petunia is grown occasionally in flower gardens, particularly along borders, or in rock gardens. It's an attractive little plant. There is some variation in the shape and hairiness of the leaves, depending on the local ecotype. There are other Ruellia spp. with similar flowers that occur in woodland areas – they tend to be taller plants with less hairy leaves.
Cultivation: It's quite adaptable, tolerating full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and practically any kind of soil. Under moist conditions with rich soil, however, this plant is unable to compete with taller, more aggressive plants. Disease doesn't seem to bother it.
Range & Habitat: This native plant occurs occasionally throughout Illinois, but it is most likely to be absent in the NW counties (see Distribution Map). Hairy Wild Petunia occurs in mesic to dry black soil prairies, gravelly hill prairies, dry open woodlands, limestone glades, bluffs, sandy cemeteries, sand flats, and areas along roadsides and railroads. This plant is typically found in areas with poor soil and sparse vegetative cover, where it occurs sporadically in short grass, rather than forming dense colonies.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees are the most important pollinators of the flowers, including Anthophorid bees and Leaf-Cutting bees. The latter sometimes cut the petals, which are used in the construction of brood nests. Short-tongued bees and Syrphid flies also visit the flowers, but they collect stray pollen and are not effective pollinators. The light color and funnel-like shape of the diurnal flowers suggest that they may be visited by day-flying Sphinx moths and Hummingbird moths, but apparently this has not been observed. It has been reported that the caterpillars of the butterfly Junonia coenia (Buckeye) may feed on the foliage of Ruellia spp. occasionally.
Photographic Location: Photographs were taken at the Red Bison Railroad Prairie in Savoy, Illinois.
Comments: Because of its large and abundant flowers, the Hairy Wild Petunia is grown occasionally in flower gardens, particularly along borders, or in rock gardens. It's an attractive little plant. There is some variation in the shape and hairiness of the leaves, depending on the local ecotype. There are other Ruellia spp. with similar flowers that occur in woodland areas – they tend to be taller plants with less hairy leaves.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月10日
particularly along the upper half of the plant. The alternate leaves are up to 4" long and 2" across. They are lanceolate to ovate, slightly to coarsely dentate, and rough-textured from minute stiff hairs. Some of the lower leaves are divided into three lobes. Individual upper stems terminate in 1-2 flowerheads. Each flowerhead is about 1½-2" across, consisting of 6-12 ray florets that surround a brown to black flattened cone of numerous disk florets. The petaloid rays of the flowerheads are bright yellow and oblong in shape. The tiny disk florets are narrowly cylindrical. Around the base of each flowerhead, there are inner and outer floral bracts (phyllaries) that are green and ciliate. The flowerheads have little or no scent. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to late summer for about 1-2 months. On robust plants, 6 or more flowerheads are often in bloom at the same time, creating a showy effect. The small achenes are 4-angled and have no tufts of hair. The root system is shallow and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and fertile loamy soil, although soil with some gravel or clay is tolerated. This plant has moderate drought-tolerance; it may drop some of its lower leaves or wilt should this occur. After the blooming season is over, Brown-Eyed Susan can appear rather untidy.
Range & Habitat: The native Brown-Eyed Susan is a common plant in Illinois, except for some counties in the southern and NW sections of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include black soil prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, thickets, savannas, meadows and openings in wooded areas, riverbanks, edges of fens, roadsides, vacant lots, and abandoned fields. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred, although this plant also occurs in high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: Brown-Eyed Susan is often self-pollinated, but it nonetheless attracts numerous nectar-seeking and pollen-seeking insects to its flowers. These visitors include bumblebees, little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), digger bees (Melissodes spp.), cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp., Coelioxys spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp., Heterosarus spp.), and Halictid bees (including green metallic bees). One of these bees, Andrena rudbeckiae, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege) of Rudbeckia and Ratibida coneflowers. Other floral visitors include Sphecid wasps, Vespid wasps, Syrphid flies, bee flies, thick-headed flies, Tachinid flies, small to medium-sized butterflies, and the common Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (Goldenrod Soldier Beetle). Other insects feed destructively on Brown-Eyed Susan and other Rudbeckia spp. These insects include the leaf beetles Brachypnoea clypealis and Sumitrosis inaequalis, the aphids Uroleucon ambrosiae and Uroleucon rudbeckiae, and caterpillars of the Tortricid moths Epiblema carolinana (feeding on roots), Epiblema tandana (feeding on roots), and Epiblema triparitana (feeding on flowerheads & stems). The foliage is sometimes browsed by deer, rabbits, groundhogs, and other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a wildflower garden at Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Brown-Eyed Susan can be distinguished from similar species by the smaller size of its flowerheads and the smaller number of ray florets per flowerhead. It is usually more tall and bushy than Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan), but it is shorter with fewer lobed leaves than Rudbeckia laciniata (Cutleaf Coneflower). Brown-Eyed Susan is often observed in the eastern range of the tallgrass prairie, but it tends to retreat to wetland or woodland areas further to the west where rainfall amounts are lower and summer temperatures are more extreme.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and fertile loamy soil, although soil with some gravel or clay is tolerated. This plant has moderate drought-tolerance; it may drop some of its lower leaves or wilt should this occur. After the blooming season is over, Brown-Eyed Susan can appear rather untidy.
Range & Habitat: The native Brown-Eyed Susan is a common plant in Illinois, except for some counties in the southern and NW sections of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include black soil prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, thickets, savannas, meadows and openings in wooded areas, riverbanks, edges of fens, roadsides, vacant lots, and abandoned fields. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred, although this plant also occurs in high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: Brown-Eyed Susan is often self-pollinated, but it nonetheless attracts numerous nectar-seeking and pollen-seeking insects to its flowers. These visitors include bumblebees, little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), digger bees (Melissodes spp.), cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp., Coelioxys spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp., Heterosarus spp.), and Halictid bees (including green metallic bees). One of these bees, Andrena rudbeckiae, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege) of Rudbeckia and Ratibida coneflowers. Other floral visitors include Sphecid wasps, Vespid wasps, Syrphid flies, bee flies, thick-headed flies, Tachinid flies, small to medium-sized butterflies, and the common Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (Goldenrod Soldier Beetle). Other insects feed destructively on Brown-Eyed Susan and other Rudbeckia spp. These insects include the leaf beetles Brachypnoea clypealis and Sumitrosis inaequalis, the aphids Uroleucon ambrosiae and Uroleucon rudbeckiae, and caterpillars of the Tortricid moths Epiblema carolinana (feeding on roots), Epiblema tandana (feeding on roots), and Epiblema triparitana (feeding on flowerheads & stems). The foliage is sometimes browsed by deer, rabbits, groundhogs, and other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a wildflower garden at Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Brown-Eyed Susan can be distinguished from similar species by the smaller size of its flowerheads and the smaller number of ray florets per flowerhead. It is usually more tall and bushy than Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan), but it is shorter with fewer lobed leaves than Rudbeckia laciniata (Cutleaf Coneflower). Brown-Eyed Susan is often observed in the eastern range of the tallgrass prairie, but it tends to retreat to wetland or woodland areas further to the west where rainfall amounts are lower and summer temperatures are more extreme.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月10日
Description: This perennial wildflower forms a small clump of basal leaves about 6-12" across, later developing leafy flowering stalks about 2' tall. The blades of the basal leaves are 2-5" long and about 3/8" (9 mm.) across, tapering gradually into slender petioles about 1-3" long (3-8" total length). The blades of the alternate leaves are 2-4" long and about 3/8" (9 mm.) across; they are sessile or clasp the flowering stalks slightly. Both basal and alternate leaves are medium green and hairy on both their lower and upper sides; they are linear-oblong or linear-oblanceolate and usually smooth along their margins. Sometimes a few widely spaced and shallow teeth are visible along the leaf margins.
The flowering stalks are light green or pale brownish green, terete, and unbranched; they are covered with abundant spreading hairs. Alternate leaves with ascending blades are restricted to the lower one-half of each stalk, while the upper half of the stalk is naked. Each stalk terminates in a single flowerhead about 2–2½" across. Numerous disk florets are concentrated in the center of the flowerhead; they are dark brown or black. The ray florets are located along the margins of the flowerhead, forming 8-13 petal-like yellow rays. The disk florets are fertile, while the ray florets are sterile. The base of each flowerhead is defined by an overlapping series of floral bracts (phyllaries) that are green, hairy, and lanceolate-oblong in shape. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts 1-2 months. At maturity, the disk florets are replaced by oblongoid achenes
g. At its apex, each achene has a crown of tiny scales. The root system is fibrous. This wildflower reproduces by reseeding itself.
Stem & Leaves
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry-mesic conditions, and a thin rocky soil that is calcareous (typically containing limestone or dolomite). Because this is one of the less aggressive coneflowers, taller and more aggressive plants should be kept away from it.
Range & Habitat: The native Missouri Coneflower has been found in only a few counties in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map); it is considered rare and state-listed as 'endangered.' This wildflower is found primarily in hilly areas of Arkansas and Missouri; in neighboring states, it is rare. Habitats consist of hill prairies, limestone and dolomite glades, and barren scrubby savannas in upland areas. This wildflower is found in high quality natural areas. While it is less popular than some other Rudbeckia spp. (Black-Eyed Coneflowers), it is also cultivated in gardens.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract a wide variety of insects, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies, and skippers. Two species of bee are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of this and other Rudbeckia spp. (Black-Eyed Coneflowers): Andrena rudbeckiae and Heterosarus rudbeckiae. Miscellaneous insects feed on the foliage and other parts of these species: this includes the caterpillars of the butterflies Chlosyne nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) and Chlosyne gorgone (Gorgone Checkerspot), the caterpillars of several moths, the leaf beetles Microrhopala excavata and Paria thoracica, and some aphids (see the Insect Table for a listing of these species).
Photographic Location: The wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This perennial coneflower looks like a Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) with skinny leaves (usually less than ½" across). It is one of the coneflowers with widely spreading rays that don't droop downward. Like some other species in this genus, the petaloid rays along the margins of the flowerheads appear to be solid yellow to the human eye, but to bees and other flower-visiting insects they appear to be bicolored instead. This is because the outer one-half of each ray reflects ultraviolet light, while the inner one-half doesn't. Unlike the human eye, the eyes of bees and many other insects can detect ultraviolet light. Therefore, the flowerheads are actually more showy than one would assume.
The flowering stalks are light green or pale brownish green, terete, and unbranched; they are covered with abundant spreading hairs. Alternate leaves with ascending blades are restricted to the lower one-half of each stalk, while the upper half of the stalk is naked. Each stalk terminates in a single flowerhead about 2–2½" across. Numerous disk florets are concentrated in the center of the flowerhead; they are dark brown or black. The ray florets are located along the margins of the flowerhead, forming 8-13 petal-like yellow rays. The disk florets are fertile, while the ray florets are sterile. The base of each flowerhead is defined by an overlapping series of floral bracts (phyllaries) that are green, hairy, and lanceolate-oblong in shape. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts 1-2 months. At maturity, the disk florets are replaced by oblongoid achenes
g. At its apex, each achene has a crown of tiny scales. The root system is fibrous. This wildflower reproduces by reseeding itself.
Stem & Leaves
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry-mesic conditions, and a thin rocky soil that is calcareous (typically containing limestone or dolomite). Because this is one of the less aggressive coneflowers, taller and more aggressive plants should be kept away from it.
Range & Habitat: The native Missouri Coneflower has been found in only a few counties in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map); it is considered rare and state-listed as 'endangered.' This wildflower is found primarily in hilly areas of Arkansas and Missouri; in neighboring states, it is rare. Habitats consist of hill prairies, limestone and dolomite glades, and barren scrubby savannas in upland areas. This wildflower is found in high quality natural areas. While it is less popular than some other Rudbeckia spp. (Black-Eyed Coneflowers), it is also cultivated in gardens.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract a wide variety of insects, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies, and skippers. Two species of bee are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of this and other Rudbeckia spp. (Black-Eyed Coneflowers): Andrena rudbeckiae and Heterosarus rudbeckiae. Miscellaneous insects feed on the foliage and other parts of these species: this includes the caterpillars of the butterflies Chlosyne nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) and Chlosyne gorgone (Gorgone Checkerspot), the caterpillars of several moths, the leaf beetles Microrhopala excavata and Paria thoracica, and some aphids (see the Insect Table for a listing of these species).
Photographic Location: The wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This perennial coneflower looks like a Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) with skinny leaves (usually less than ½" across). It is one of the coneflowers with widely spreading rays that don't droop downward. Like some other species in this genus, the petaloid rays along the margins of the flowerheads appear to be solid yellow to the human eye, but to bees and other flower-visiting insects they appear to be bicolored instead. This is because the outer one-half of each ray reflects ultraviolet light, while the inner one-half doesn't. Unlike the human eye, the eyes of bees and many other insects can detect ultraviolet light. Therefore, the flowerheads are actually more showy than one would assume.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月09日
Prairie Rose
Rosa arkansana suffulta
Rose family (Rosaceae)
Description: This small shrub is ½-2' tall, branching occasionally. The terete stems are woody and brown below, becoming non-woody and light green above; they are densely covered with fine straight prickles. Alternate compound leaves develop along the non-woody stems; they are 4-5" long, 2½-3" across, and odd-pinnate with 7-11 leaflets. Each compound leaf has a pair of stipules at its base about ¾-1" long; the stipules are light green and smooth along their margins, tapering to a pair of pointed tips. The petioles of the compound leaves are light green to red between their stipules. Individual leaflets are 1-1½" long and about one-half as much across; they are broadly oblong to oblong-obovate in shape and their margins are coarsely serrated. The tips of the leaflets are blunt, while their bottoms are wedge-shaped (cuneate) to rounded. The upper surface of the leaflets is medium to dark green and glabrous, while the lower surface is light green and covered with fine short pubescence. The leaflets are either sessile or they have short petioles less than 1/8" in length. The rachises (central stalks) of the compound leaves are light green to reddish green and they are covered with short fine pubescence. The rachises are also grooved above and rounded below; fine straight prickles along their undersides may, or may not, be present.
Close-up of Flower
Flowers are produced from upper stems either individually or in groups of 2-4 on short corymbs (usually the latter). The flowering stalks are light green and glabrous. Each flower is 1½-2" across, consisting of 5 pink petals (rarely white), 5 green sepals, a ring of numerous stamens, a flattened cluster of short styles, and an inferior ovary that is glabrous. The petals are obovate-orbicular in shape; sometimes they are somewhat bicolored with rays of pink on a lighter background. The sepals are narrowly lanceolate and about one-half the length of the petals. The stamens and styles are more or less yellow. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 3 weeks. Individual flowers last only a few days and they are fragrant. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by rose hips that are up to ½" across, globoid in shape, glabrous, and bright red at maturity during the late summer or fall. The fleshy interior of each rose hip is rather dry and contains several seeds. At the tip of each rose hip, there persists 5 dried sepals; these sepals are widely spreading. The chunky seeds are about 4 mm. in length. The root system is woody, branching, and rather deep. Sometimes small clonal colonies of plants are produced from underground runners.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and a somewhat barren soil that contains clay, rocky material, or sand. The hard seeds are difficult to germinate and can lie dormant in the ground for many years. However, once individual plants become established, they are easy to manage. Drought-resistance is excellent.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Rose occurs occasionally in northern Illinois and scattered counties elsewhere within the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies near the western range limit of this species in North America. Habitats include upland prairies, hill prairies, limestone glades, roadside embankments, areas along railroads, pastures, abandoned fields, and fence rows. This small shrub tends to increase in response to light or moderate grazing from cattle and other mammalian herbivores. This shrub is also well-adapted to occasional wildfires, as it is able to regenerate from its deep root system.
Faunal Associations: The flowers offer only pollen as a reward to visiting insects. These floral visitors include bumblebees and other long-tongued bees, Halictid bees, Andrenine bees, various beetles, and Syrphid flies. The Syrphid flies are too small to effectively cross-pollinate the flowers. An oligolectic bee, Synhalonia rosae, is a specialist pollinator of Rosa spp. (roses). Many kinds of insects also feed on the foliage, stems, and other parts of roses. These insect feeders include grasshoppers, thrips, plant bugs, aphids, leafhoppers, larvae of gall flies, larvae of gall wasps, weevils, flea beetles, larvae of wood-boring beetles, larvae of sawflies, and caterpillars of moths. Some examples of these insects include Heterothrips analis (Wild Rose Thrips), Dasineura rhodophaga (Rose Midge), Rhagoletis basiolum (Rose Hip Maggot), Typhlocyba rosae (Rose Leafhopper), Acyrthosiphon dirhoda (Rose-Grass Aphid), Merhynchites bicolor (Rose Curculio), Altica rosae (Rose Flea Beetle), Macrodactylus subspinosa (Rose Chafer), Allantus cinctus (Curled Rose Sawfly), and Parasa indetermina (Stinging Rose Caterpillar). Among vertebrate animals, the Greater Prairie Chicken and Bobwhite Quail feed on the rose hips, while the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer feed on the foliage (and sometimes the rose hips). When the rose hips are eaten by these animals, the seeds of Prairie Rose are carried to new locations where they can germinate. This is because the hard coats of the seeds enable them to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of such animals.
Photographic Location: The wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Prairie Rose is one of several rose species (Rosa spp.) in Illinois. This dwarf shrub has surprisingly large and showy flowers that can occur in various shades of pink, depending on the local ecotype. Prairie Rose is similar in appearance and size to the native Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina), but it differs from the latter species in the following ways: 1) its flowering stalks and ovaries are hairless, rather than glandular-hairy, 2) the sepals of its rose hips are usually more persistent, 3) its stems are more densely covered with straight fine prickles, 4) its flowers are more often produced in groups of 2-4, rather than individually, 5) its compound leaves tend to have more leaflets (usually 9). There are two varieties of the Prairie Rose, of which only Rosa arkansana suffulta is native to Illinois. The typical variety, Rosa arkansana arkansana, differs by having leaflet undersides that are hairless. This latter variety occurs rarely within the state as an adventive plant from the west. Unlike most authorities, Mohlenbrock (2002) prefers to classify Rosa arkansana suffulta as a distinct species, Rosa suffulta. Another common of this shrub is the Sunshine Rose.
Rosa arkansana suffulta
Rose family (Rosaceae)
Description: This small shrub is ½-2' tall, branching occasionally. The terete stems are woody and brown below, becoming non-woody and light green above; they are densely covered with fine straight prickles. Alternate compound leaves develop along the non-woody stems; they are 4-5" long, 2½-3" across, and odd-pinnate with 7-11 leaflets. Each compound leaf has a pair of stipules at its base about ¾-1" long; the stipules are light green and smooth along their margins, tapering to a pair of pointed tips. The petioles of the compound leaves are light green to red between their stipules. Individual leaflets are 1-1½" long and about one-half as much across; they are broadly oblong to oblong-obovate in shape and their margins are coarsely serrated. The tips of the leaflets are blunt, while their bottoms are wedge-shaped (cuneate) to rounded. The upper surface of the leaflets is medium to dark green and glabrous, while the lower surface is light green and covered with fine short pubescence. The leaflets are either sessile or they have short petioles less than 1/8" in length. The rachises (central stalks) of the compound leaves are light green to reddish green and they are covered with short fine pubescence. The rachises are also grooved above and rounded below; fine straight prickles along their undersides may, or may not, be present.
Close-up of Flower
Flowers are produced from upper stems either individually or in groups of 2-4 on short corymbs (usually the latter). The flowering stalks are light green and glabrous. Each flower is 1½-2" across, consisting of 5 pink petals (rarely white), 5 green sepals, a ring of numerous stamens, a flattened cluster of short styles, and an inferior ovary that is glabrous. The petals are obovate-orbicular in shape; sometimes they are somewhat bicolored with rays of pink on a lighter background. The sepals are narrowly lanceolate and about one-half the length of the petals. The stamens and styles are more or less yellow. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 3 weeks. Individual flowers last only a few days and they are fragrant. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by rose hips that are up to ½" across, globoid in shape, glabrous, and bright red at maturity during the late summer or fall. The fleshy interior of each rose hip is rather dry and contains several seeds. At the tip of each rose hip, there persists 5 dried sepals; these sepals are widely spreading. The chunky seeds are about 4 mm. in length. The root system is woody, branching, and rather deep. Sometimes small clonal colonies of plants are produced from underground runners.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and a somewhat barren soil that contains clay, rocky material, or sand. The hard seeds are difficult to germinate and can lie dormant in the ground for many years. However, once individual plants become established, they are easy to manage. Drought-resistance is excellent.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Rose occurs occasionally in northern Illinois and scattered counties elsewhere within the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies near the western range limit of this species in North America. Habitats include upland prairies, hill prairies, limestone glades, roadside embankments, areas along railroads, pastures, abandoned fields, and fence rows. This small shrub tends to increase in response to light or moderate grazing from cattle and other mammalian herbivores. This shrub is also well-adapted to occasional wildfires, as it is able to regenerate from its deep root system.
Faunal Associations: The flowers offer only pollen as a reward to visiting insects. These floral visitors include bumblebees and other long-tongued bees, Halictid bees, Andrenine bees, various beetles, and Syrphid flies. The Syrphid flies are too small to effectively cross-pollinate the flowers. An oligolectic bee, Synhalonia rosae, is a specialist pollinator of Rosa spp. (roses). Many kinds of insects also feed on the foliage, stems, and other parts of roses. These insect feeders include grasshoppers, thrips, plant bugs, aphids, leafhoppers, larvae of gall flies, larvae of gall wasps, weevils, flea beetles, larvae of wood-boring beetles, larvae of sawflies, and caterpillars of moths. Some examples of these insects include Heterothrips analis (Wild Rose Thrips), Dasineura rhodophaga (Rose Midge), Rhagoletis basiolum (Rose Hip Maggot), Typhlocyba rosae (Rose Leafhopper), Acyrthosiphon dirhoda (Rose-Grass Aphid), Merhynchites bicolor (Rose Curculio), Altica rosae (Rose Flea Beetle), Macrodactylus subspinosa (Rose Chafer), Allantus cinctus (Curled Rose Sawfly), and Parasa indetermina (Stinging Rose Caterpillar). Among vertebrate animals, the Greater Prairie Chicken and Bobwhite Quail feed on the rose hips, while the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer feed on the foliage (and sometimes the rose hips). When the rose hips are eaten by these animals, the seeds of Prairie Rose are carried to new locations where they can germinate. This is because the hard coats of the seeds enable them to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of such animals.
Photographic Location: The wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Prairie Rose is one of several rose species (Rosa spp.) in Illinois. This dwarf shrub has surprisingly large and showy flowers that can occur in various shades of pink, depending on the local ecotype. Prairie Rose is similar in appearance and size to the native Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina), but it differs from the latter species in the following ways: 1) its flowering stalks and ovaries are hairless, rather than glandular-hairy, 2) the sepals of its rose hips are usually more persistent, 3) its stems are more densely covered with straight fine prickles, 4) its flowers are more often produced in groups of 2-4, rather than individually, 5) its compound leaves tend to have more leaflets (usually 9). There are two varieties of the Prairie Rose, of which only Rosa arkansana suffulta is native to Illinois. The typical variety, Rosa arkansana arkansana, differs by having leaflet undersides that are hairless. This latter variety occurs rarely within the state as an adventive plant from the west. Unlike most authorities, Mohlenbrock (2002) prefers to classify Rosa arkansana suffulta as a distinct species, Rosa suffulta. Another common of this shrub is the Sunshine Rose.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月09日
Description: This perennial wildflower is 1-3' tall, branching occasionally. The stems are medium green and minutely rough-pubescent to glabrous. The spreading alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 2" across; they are pinnatifid or double-pinnatifid with 5-11 lobes, medium green, and minutely rough-pubescent to glabrous. The slender lobes are linear-oblong and sometimes have 1-2 dentate teeth or smaller cleft lobes; they are 1/3" (8 mm.) across or less. Irregularities in the structure of the leaves are rather common. The petioles are up to 2" long.
Occasionally, the upper stems terminate in individual flowerheads on long naked stalks (peduncles). These stalks are 2-12" long and finely grooved. The flowerheads are about 1½–3" long and a little less across. Each flowerhead consists of a cylindrical head of numerous disk florets, which is surrounded by 4-11 drooping rays (ray florets). A mature head of disk florets is ¾–1¾" long; it is initially gray or greenish gray, later becoming dark brown. The rays are about ½–1¼" long, oblong in shape, and slightly notched at their tips; they are either yellow, maroon (reddish brown), or yellow with basal patches of maroon. The typical form of Mexican Hat has yellow rays, while plants with maroon rays are referred to as f.Distribution Map pulcherrima. The bottom of each flowerhead is defined by 2 series of small narrow bracts; these are largely hidden by the drooping rays. The blooming period occurs during the summer and lasts about 1-2 months. Fertile disk florets are replaced by small oblongoid achenes; each achene usually has one or more tiny scales at its apex. This plant spreads to new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and a relatively barren soil containing clay, gravel, or sand. On moist fertile ground, this wildflower has trouble competing with taller and more aggressive plants.
Range & Habitat: Mexican Hat is adventive from the the Great Plains and western states; the eastern boundary of its range extends into western Iowa and Missouri. In Illinois, naturalized populations of Mexican Hat are uncommon; they are found primarily in the northern and western sections of the state. Habitats include upland prairies, roadsides, areas along railroads, and barren waste areas. This wildflower is often cultivated in gardens, from which it sometimes escapes. In Illinois, Mexican Hat is found primarily in disturbed areas, where it may or may not persist.
Faunal Associations: Various insects are attracted to the nectar and pollen of the flowerheads. Floral visitors of Mexican Hat are probably similar to those insects that are known to visit the flowerheads of Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower). Likely visitors include various short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, beetles, and the occasional butterfly or skipper. The caterpillars of some moths are known to feed on Ratibida spp. (primarily the rays and florets). These species include Homoeosoma electellum (Sunflower Moth), Chlorochlamys chloroleuca (Blackberry Looper Moth), Eupithecia miserulata (Common Pug), Synchlora aerata (Wavy-Lined Emerald), and Epiblema iowana (Tortricid Moth sp.). The caterpillars of the latter moth feed on the roots.
Photographic Location: A flower garden in downtown Champaign, Illinois. The photographed plant is Ratibida columnifera pulcherrima.
Comments: This is a colorful prairie wildflower. Mexican Hat can be distinguished from Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower) by its long cylindrical heads, which usually exceed the length of the rays at maturity. The ovoid-globoid heads of Yellow Coneflower, in contrast, are much shorter than the length of their rays. Other common names of Ratibida columnifera are Long-Headed Coneflower and Prairie Coneflower. The common name that is used here, 'Mexican Hat,' refers to the fancied resemblance of the flowerhead to a sombrero.
Occasionally, the upper stems terminate in individual flowerheads on long naked stalks (peduncles). These stalks are 2-12" long and finely grooved. The flowerheads are about 1½–3" long and a little less across. Each flowerhead consists of a cylindrical head of numerous disk florets, which is surrounded by 4-11 drooping rays (ray florets). A mature head of disk florets is ¾–1¾" long; it is initially gray or greenish gray, later becoming dark brown. The rays are about ½–1¼" long, oblong in shape, and slightly notched at their tips; they are either yellow, maroon (reddish brown), or yellow with basal patches of maroon. The typical form of Mexican Hat has yellow rays, while plants with maroon rays are referred to as f.Distribution Map pulcherrima. The bottom of each flowerhead is defined by 2 series of small narrow bracts; these are largely hidden by the drooping rays. The blooming period occurs during the summer and lasts about 1-2 months. Fertile disk florets are replaced by small oblongoid achenes; each achene usually has one or more tiny scales at its apex. This plant spreads to new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and a relatively barren soil containing clay, gravel, or sand. On moist fertile ground, this wildflower has trouble competing with taller and more aggressive plants.
Range & Habitat: Mexican Hat is adventive from the the Great Plains and western states; the eastern boundary of its range extends into western Iowa and Missouri. In Illinois, naturalized populations of Mexican Hat are uncommon; they are found primarily in the northern and western sections of the state. Habitats include upland prairies, roadsides, areas along railroads, and barren waste areas. This wildflower is often cultivated in gardens, from which it sometimes escapes. In Illinois, Mexican Hat is found primarily in disturbed areas, where it may or may not persist.
Faunal Associations: Various insects are attracted to the nectar and pollen of the flowerheads. Floral visitors of Mexican Hat are probably similar to those insects that are known to visit the flowerheads of Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower). Likely visitors include various short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, beetles, and the occasional butterfly or skipper. The caterpillars of some moths are known to feed on Ratibida spp. (primarily the rays and florets). These species include Homoeosoma electellum (Sunflower Moth), Chlorochlamys chloroleuca (Blackberry Looper Moth), Eupithecia miserulata (Common Pug), Synchlora aerata (Wavy-Lined Emerald), and Epiblema iowana (Tortricid Moth sp.). The caterpillars of the latter moth feed on the roots.
Photographic Location: A flower garden in downtown Champaign, Illinois. The photographed plant is Ratibida columnifera pulcherrima.
Comments: This is a colorful prairie wildflower. Mexican Hat can be distinguished from Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower) by its long cylindrical heads, which usually exceed the length of the rays at maturity. The ovoid-globoid heads of Yellow Coneflower, in contrast, are much shorter than the length of their rays. Other common names of Ratibida columnifera are Long-Headed Coneflower and Prairie Coneflower. The common name that is used here, 'Mexican Hat,' refers to the fancied resemblance of the flowerhead to a sombrero.
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