文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月06日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant develops a flowering stalk that is 3–10" tall (rarely more). The unbranched stalk is dull yellow, brown, or dark reddish purple; it is also terete, glabrous, and bulbous at the base. Closely surrounding the lower one-third of this flowering stalk, there are 2-3 leaf sheaths, but no leaf blades. These inconspicuous sheaths are the same color as the stem and glabrous. The stalk terminates in a raceme of about 5-25 flowers (rarely more); this raceme is 1–4.5" long (rarely more). The flowers are sparsely to moderately distributed along the central axis of the raceme; their faces are ascending to widely spreading while in bloom. The flowers are either chasmogamous (more showy and requiring insects for cross-pollination) or they are cleistogamous (less showy and self-fertile). Plants with chasmogamous flowers are referred to as Corallorhiza odontorhiza pringlei, while plants with cleistogamous flowers are referred to as Corallorhiza odontorhiza odontorhiza.
The chasmogamous flowers are about 6-8 mm. high and similarly across; the cleistogamous flowers are more narrow and tubular-angular in shape. Individual flowers of both types have 3 petaloid sepals (2 lateral sepals and an upper sepal), 3 petals (2 upper-lateral petals and a lower petal that is referred to as the lower lip), a small whitish reproductive column, and an ovary. All three sepals and the two upper-lateral petals are more or less oblong-elliptic in shape, whether the flowers are chasmogamous or cleistogamous; they are yellowish brown to reddish purple, becoming whitened at the base. The lower petal (or lip) of a chasmogamous flower is oval-orbicular in shape and finely crenate-undulate along its lateral and outer margins; it is predominately white with reddish purple spots. The lower petal of a cleistogamous flower is similar, except it is more narrow. For a chasmogamous flower, the upper sepal and upper-lateral petals form a protective hood over the reproductive column of the flower; the lateral sepals may form the lateral sides of the hood, or they may arch downward and spread outward slightly. The lower lip of a chasmogamous flower curves downward, functioning as a landing pad for visiting insects. A cleistogamous flower is tubular-angular in shape as a result of the sepals and petals joining together; the mouth of this flower is either slightly open or closed. The slender pedicels of the flowers are 2–3.5 mm. long, while the floral bracts directly underneath the pedicels are 2.5–4 mm. long, linear to linear-lanceolate inDistribution Map shape, and deciduous. The blooming period can occur from late summer to mid-autumn, lasting about 3 weeks. Afterwards, fertile flowers are replaced by drooping seed capsules that are 5–8.5 mm. long, broadly ellipsoid-oblongoid in shape, 6-furrowed along their sides, and glabrous. Immature capsules are light green or dull yellow (and sometimes reddish purple along their furrows), but they become brown at maturity. These capsules split open after a hard frost to release their tiny seeds to the wind. The root system consists of a mass of coralloid (coral-like) rhizomes that form contorted chunky strands about 3-5 mm. across; young rhizomes are white, while older rhizomes are brown. Older rhizomes often form buds, from which new clonal flowering stalks can develop.
Cultivation: The preference is moist to dry-mesic loam with decaying organic matter. Because this plant does not produce significant chlorophyll, it is relatively indifferent to sun exposure, although excessive dryness in the soil from too much sunlight is harmful to it. This plant requires the presence of ectomycorrhizal fungi (more specifically, Tomentilla spp.) in the soil, otherwise it can't develop properly. This orchid forms a parasitic relationship with such fungi, as the latter transports nutrients from both itself and from the trees with which they form a symbiotic relationship. The ectomycorrhizal fungi, Tomentilla spp., can form such relationships with various hardwood trees (oaks, hickories, and American Beech) and probably some conifer trees (pines). After a seed of this orchid germinates, it can flower in as little as 4 years under favorable conditions. Because of its dependence on specific ectomycorrhizal fungi, an adult plant is unlikely to survive transplantation to a different site.
Range & Habitat: Autumn Coralroot (Corallorhiza odontorhiza) occurs in scattered counties throughout Illinois; it is uncommon within the state overall. This orchid is widely distributed in the northeastern region of the United States, central-eastern region of the United States, and southern Ontario in Canada. Habitats include rich deciduous woodlands, wooded slopes, and pine plantations. This orchid is found in higher quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: Plants with chasmogamous flowers are probably visited by bees, while plants with cleistogamous flowers don't require insect pollination. Some Coralroot orchids (Corallorhiza spp.) attract orchid weevils (Stethobaris ovata, Stethobaris commixta). As adults, these weevils feed destructively on sheaths, buds, and flowers, while their larvae feed from within the seedpods. It is not clear, however, if they feed on Fall Coralroot, as its flowering stalk doesn't develop until late in the year. Some mammals may feed on this orchid occasionally. For example, small rodents may dig holes to feed on the roots, while deer may browse on the flowering stalks. However, because the flowering stalks of this orchid are rather small and they don't stand out from the background, such browsing is probably uncommon.
Photographic Location: A deciduous woodland in Douglas County, Illinois. The photographed plant is Corallorhiza odontorhiza odontorhiza. Some of the cleistogamous flowers toward the apex of the racemes may be in bloom, while below the flowers are no longer in bloom. The latter have become immature seed capsules.
Comments: Because the flowers of this orchid in Illinois are usually cleistogamous, it is not very showy. Among the Coralroot orchids (Corallorhiza spp.), Autumn Coralroot (Corallorhiza odontorhiza) is the last species to bloom and it is also the smallest in size. When they occur, the chasmogamous flowers of this orchid can be distinguished from the flowers of other Coralroot orchids using the following criteria: 1) its flowers are smaller in overall size, 2) the lower lip of its flower is finely crenate-undulate, rather than smooth, along the margin, and 3) the lower lip of its flower lacks basal lobes (auricles). Another common name of this orchid is Fall Coralroot.
The chasmogamous flowers are about 6-8 mm. high and similarly across; the cleistogamous flowers are more narrow and tubular-angular in shape. Individual flowers of both types have 3 petaloid sepals (2 lateral sepals and an upper sepal), 3 petals (2 upper-lateral petals and a lower petal that is referred to as the lower lip), a small whitish reproductive column, and an ovary. All three sepals and the two upper-lateral petals are more or less oblong-elliptic in shape, whether the flowers are chasmogamous or cleistogamous; they are yellowish brown to reddish purple, becoming whitened at the base. The lower petal (or lip) of a chasmogamous flower is oval-orbicular in shape and finely crenate-undulate along its lateral and outer margins; it is predominately white with reddish purple spots. The lower petal of a cleistogamous flower is similar, except it is more narrow. For a chasmogamous flower, the upper sepal and upper-lateral petals form a protective hood over the reproductive column of the flower; the lateral sepals may form the lateral sides of the hood, or they may arch downward and spread outward slightly. The lower lip of a chasmogamous flower curves downward, functioning as a landing pad for visiting insects. A cleistogamous flower is tubular-angular in shape as a result of the sepals and petals joining together; the mouth of this flower is either slightly open or closed. The slender pedicels of the flowers are 2–3.5 mm. long, while the floral bracts directly underneath the pedicels are 2.5–4 mm. long, linear to linear-lanceolate inDistribution Map shape, and deciduous. The blooming period can occur from late summer to mid-autumn, lasting about 3 weeks. Afterwards, fertile flowers are replaced by drooping seed capsules that are 5–8.5 mm. long, broadly ellipsoid-oblongoid in shape, 6-furrowed along their sides, and glabrous. Immature capsules are light green or dull yellow (and sometimes reddish purple along their furrows), but they become brown at maturity. These capsules split open after a hard frost to release their tiny seeds to the wind. The root system consists of a mass of coralloid (coral-like) rhizomes that form contorted chunky strands about 3-5 mm. across; young rhizomes are white, while older rhizomes are brown. Older rhizomes often form buds, from which new clonal flowering stalks can develop.
Cultivation: The preference is moist to dry-mesic loam with decaying organic matter. Because this plant does not produce significant chlorophyll, it is relatively indifferent to sun exposure, although excessive dryness in the soil from too much sunlight is harmful to it. This plant requires the presence of ectomycorrhizal fungi (more specifically, Tomentilla spp.) in the soil, otherwise it can't develop properly. This orchid forms a parasitic relationship with such fungi, as the latter transports nutrients from both itself and from the trees with which they form a symbiotic relationship. The ectomycorrhizal fungi, Tomentilla spp., can form such relationships with various hardwood trees (oaks, hickories, and American Beech) and probably some conifer trees (pines). After a seed of this orchid germinates, it can flower in as little as 4 years under favorable conditions. Because of its dependence on specific ectomycorrhizal fungi, an adult plant is unlikely to survive transplantation to a different site.
Range & Habitat: Autumn Coralroot (Corallorhiza odontorhiza) occurs in scattered counties throughout Illinois; it is uncommon within the state overall. This orchid is widely distributed in the northeastern region of the United States, central-eastern region of the United States, and southern Ontario in Canada. Habitats include rich deciduous woodlands, wooded slopes, and pine plantations. This orchid is found in higher quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: Plants with chasmogamous flowers are probably visited by bees, while plants with cleistogamous flowers don't require insect pollination. Some Coralroot orchids (Corallorhiza spp.) attract orchid weevils (Stethobaris ovata, Stethobaris commixta). As adults, these weevils feed destructively on sheaths, buds, and flowers, while their larvae feed from within the seedpods. It is not clear, however, if they feed on Fall Coralroot, as its flowering stalk doesn't develop until late in the year. Some mammals may feed on this orchid occasionally. For example, small rodents may dig holes to feed on the roots, while deer may browse on the flowering stalks. However, because the flowering stalks of this orchid are rather small and they don't stand out from the background, such browsing is probably uncommon.
Photographic Location: A deciduous woodland in Douglas County, Illinois. The photographed plant is Corallorhiza odontorhiza odontorhiza. Some of the cleistogamous flowers toward the apex of the racemes may be in bloom, while below the flowers are no longer in bloom. The latter have become immature seed capsules.
Comments: Because the flowers of this orchid in Illinois are usually cleistogamous, it is not very showy. Among the Coralroot orchids (Corallorhiza spp.), Autumn Coralroot (Corallorhiza odontorhiza) is the last species to bloom and it is also the smallest in size. When they occur, the chasmogamous flowers of this orchid can be distinguished from the flowers of other Coralroot orchids using the following criteria: 1) its flowers are smaller in overall size, 2) the lower lip of its flower is finely crenate-undulate, rather than smooth, along the margin, and 3) the lower lip of its flower lacks basal lobes (auricles). Another common name of this orchid is Fall Coralroot.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月06日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 3-8" tall and unbranched. It consists of a rather thick spike of flowers, while the leaves are reduced to scales. During the late spring this spike is cream-colored and hairless. Underneath each flower, there is an ovate scale up to ½" long that quickly turns brown. The flowers bloom during the late spring or early summer for about 3 weeks. They are densely crowded all around the spike, and begin to bloom from the bottom to the top. Each flower is about ½" long, consisting of a tubular corolla and a tubular calyx. Both the corolla and calyx are cream-colored, although the teeth of the calyx soon turn brown and wither away. The rest of the calyx wraps around the base of the corolla. The corollas of young flowers are initially semi-erect, but they spread outward from the spike with age. Each corolla has a convex upper lip that functions as a hood, while the poorly defined lower lip is smaller in size. Within the corolla, there are 4 stamens near the interior of the upper lip, and a single stout style that develops along the lower lip. Both the style and filaments of the stamens are white, while the anthers are grey. When the flowers are blooming, some of the stamens and styles may be exerted from their corolla tubes. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a seed capsule containing many small seeds; this seed capsule is longer than it is wide.
As the summer progresses, the flowering spike begins to wither and becomes brown. It can persist through the winter, by which time it has become shriveled and black. The root system is parasitic on the roots of Quercus spp. (Oak Trees); the suckers of the parasitic roots cause the formation of large rounded knobs on the roots of the host tree. Because Cancer Root doesn't produce chlorophyll, it is dependent on the host tree for its nourishment. Small clusters of flowering spikes often develop from the same root system. This plant spreads to new locations by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: This parasitic plant is indifferent to light levels. It requires the presence of an Oak tree or its saplings at a well-drained site where the soil is not too compacted.
Range & Habitat: The native Cancer Root is an uncommon plant that has been observed in central and NE Illinois in several counties (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, bluffs, wooded slopes and ravines, and savannas. In all of these habitats, Quercus spp. (Oaks) are invariably present. The flowering spikes of Cancer Root often develop in areas where the leaf litter is scant. The greatest threat to local populations is the invasion of Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) in Oak woodlands as a result of fire suppression.
Faunal Associations: The pollinators of the flowers have not been described for this species to my knowledge. A related species, Orobanche uniflora (One-Flowered Broomrape), is pollinated by bumblebees. Black Bears forage on the flowering spikes of Cancer Root after they come out of hibernation. There is also some evidence that deer browse on the flowering spikes occasionally. Because it is possible that the seeds can survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract, such animals may help to disperse the seeds to new locations.
Photographic Location: A bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This parasitic plant looks like a mutant pine cone or something from a horror movie. Its closest relatives are Orobanche spp. (Broomrapes), which are also parasitic and uncommon. The species Orobanche ludoviciana (Prairie Broomrape) has a similar appearance with thick white spikes of flowers, but the corollas of its flowers are usually tinted lavender or pale purple and they are longer (about ¾" in length). Another common name of Conopholis americana is Squawroot.
As the summer progresses, the flowering spike begins to wither and becomes brown. It can persist through the winter, by which time it has become shriveled and black. The root system is parasitic on the roots of Quercus spp. (Oak Trees); the suckers of the parasitic roots cause the formation of large rounded knobs on the roots of the host tree. Because Cancer Root doesn't produce chlorophyll, it is dependent on the host tree for its nourishment. Small clusters of flowering spikes often develop from the same root system. This plant spreads to new locations by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: This parasitic plant is indifferent to light levels. It requires the presence of an Oak tree or its saplings at a well-drained site where the soil is not too compacted.
Range & Habitat: The native Cancer Root is an uncommon plant that has been observed in central and NE Illinois in several counties (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, bluffs, wooded slopes and ravines, and savannas. In all of these habitats, Quercus spp. (Oaks) are invariably present. The flowering spikes of Cancer Root often develop in areas where the leaf litter is scant. The greatest threat to local populations is the invasion of Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) in Oak woodlands as a result of fire suppression.
Faunal Associations: The pollinators of the flowers have not been described for this species to my knowledge. A related species, Orobanche uniflora (One-Flowered Broomrape), is pollinated by bumblebees. Black Bears forage on the flowering spikes of Cancer Root after they come out of hibernation. There is also some evidence that deer browse on the flowering spikes occasionally. Because it is possible that the seeds can survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract, such animals may help to disperse the seeds to new locations.
Photographic Location: A bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This parasitic plant looks like a mutant pine cone or something from a horror movie. Its closest relatives are Orobanche spp. (Broomrapes), which are also parasitic and uncommon. The species Orobanche ludoviciana (Prairie Broomrape) has a similar appearance with thick white spikes of flowers, but the corollas of its flowers are usually tinted lavender or pale purple and they are longer (about ¾" in length). Another common name of Conopholis americana is Squawroot.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月06日
Description: This perennial herbaceous plant is 2–4' tall. The central stem is light green, bluntly 4-angled with shallow channels along its sides, and usually unbranched. This stem is hairless to moderately short-pubescent. Pairs of opposite leaves occur along the entire length of the stem. These leaves are 2–6" long, 1½–4" across, usually ovate in shape, and coarsely serrate-crenate along their margins. The leaf tips are usually acute, while the leaf bases are wedge-shaped (cuneate) to rounded. The upper leaf surface is medium to dark green and hairless to sparsely short-pubescent, while the lower leaf surface is light grayish green, hairless to sparsely pubescent, and glandular-punctate (appearing like glistening dots in bright light). The narrow petioles are ½–2" long, light green, and hairless to moderately short-pubescent; sometimes the uppermost leaves are sessile or nearly so. The central stem terminates in either a spike-like raceme or pyramidal panicle of flowers (depending on the robustness of individual plants). Individual panicles are up to 8" long and 6" across, consisting of a central stalk and several lateral branches that become progressively shorter upward. These lateral branches are spreading to ascending. Both the central stalk and lateral branches of the inflorescence are light green and bluntly 4-angled with shallow channels along their sides; they are hairless to moderately short-pubescent. The inflorescence also has small green bracts that are less than 1/8" (3 mm.) long; they are narrow in shape and early-deciduous.
Individual flowers are about 1/3–1/2" (8–13 mm.) long, consisting of a short-tubular to bell-shaped green calyx with 5 teeth, a two-lipped tubular corolla that is predominately cream-colored or yellow, 2 long-exserted fertile stamens, and an ovary with a slender style that is also long-exserted. The calyx is minutely pubescent and glandular-punctate; it has 2 linear-lanceolate lower teeth and 3 linear-deltate upper teeth; the lower teeth are longer than the upper teeth. The calyx also has 10 narrow longitudinal ridges that are dark green. The corolla has a narrow tubular base, but it becomes wider and more trumpet-shaped towards its mouth with 5 spreading lobes (2 upper lobes, 2 lateral lobes, and 1 lower lobe that is larger in size). The upper and lateral lobes are either oval or oval-deltate in shape, while the lower lobe is violin-shaped, mostly white, and heavily fringed along its outer lip. Sometimes there are reddish stripes or bars along the upper and middle lobes of the corolla, while either patches or stripes of faded red may occur toward the base of the lower lobe. The throat of the corolla is a little wider than tall, where there is a patch of fine white hairs. The filaments of the stamens are white, light yellow, or light greenish yellow, while the fertile anthers are either white or light yellow. The slender style is dark red and usually bent toward one of the stamens. The pedicels of the flowers are about 1/8" (3 mm.) in length or slightly longer; they are light green and short-pubescent.
The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 3-4 weeks. Both the flowers and foliage have a lemon or citronella scent. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by small nutlets (0-2 nutlets per flower); they develop within enlarged calyces. Individual nutlets are about 1.5 mm. across, globoid but somewhat flattened in shape, and dark brown. The root system consists of hard woody rhizomes with coarse fibrous roots. This plant often forms clonal colonies from its rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is medium to light shade, mesic conditions, and mildly acidic soil containing humus and loam. This plant is an excellent choice for a shade garden under deciduous trees.
Range & Habitat: Richweed (Collinsonia canadensis) is uncommon in east-central Illinois and southern Illinois, where this plant is native, while in the rest of the state it is absent (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies along its western-range limit; Richweed is more common further to the east. Habitats include rich woodlands, rocky upland woodlands, wooded areas in rocky river valleys, and less often elevated areas in swamps. This plant tends to occur in oak-hickory woodlands and beech-maple woodlands, especially in areas where sandstone bedrock is not far from the ground surface.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, where both nectar and pollen are available as floral rewards (Skinner, 1976). Several species of insects are known to feed on Richweed (Collinsonia canadensis); many of these species are monophagous or oligophagous. These insect feeders include larvae of the gall flies, Dasineura collinsoniae and Lasioptera collinsonifolia, such aphids as Hyalomyzus collinsoniae and Hyalomyzus eriobotryae, Amblycorypha rotundifolia (Round-winged Katydid), and the larvae of such Noctuid moths as Psectrotarsia herbardi (Horse-balm Sun Moth), Papaipema astuta (Yellow Stoneroot Borer Moth), Papaipema duplicatus (Dark Stoneroot Borer Moth), and Papaipema nebris (Stalk Borer Moth); see Felt (1917), Blackman & Eastop (2013), Gangwere (1961), and Natural History Museum (2010). Slugs also feed on the flowers of Richweed (personal observation, 2017). Among vertebrate animals, the seeds of this plant are eaten by the Bobwhite Quail and possibly other birds (Miller & Miller, 1999). White-tailed Deer and other mammalian herbivores usually avoid this plant as a food source.
Photographic Location: A rocky woodland at the Pine Hills State Nature Preserve in west-central Indiana.
Comments: This wildflower produces flowers in late summer when there is little else in bloom in shady woodlands. While bumblebees have been reported to be the primary pollinators of the flowers (Skinner, 1976), the long-exserted stamens and styles of the flowers, the white fringe of the lower lip of the corolla, and the fragrance of the flowers suggest that moths also visit the flowers for nectar. When the flowers of Richweed (Collinsonia canadensis) are in bloom, this plant is fairly easy to identify because of their distinctive appearance. Otherwise, it may be difficult to distinguish this species from other plant species that grow in woodlands, such as Scrophularia (Figwort) and Agastache (Giant Hyssop). A non-native species that is becoming invasive in wooded areas, the green-leaved form of Perilla frutescens (Beefsteak Plant), could also be confused with Richweed on the basis of its foliage. However, the flowers of the Beefsteak Plant do not have a deeply fringed lower lip nor do they have strongly exserted stamens and styles. The lemon-citronella fragrance of the foliage of Richweed, however, can be used to distinguish it from these other plants. While there are several similar-appearing Collinsonia spp. in southeastern USA, none of them occur in Illinois. Other common names of Collinsonia canadensis include Stone Root and Northern Horse Balm.
Individual flowers are about 1/3–1/2" (8–13 mm.) long, consisting of a short-tubular to bell-shaped green calyx with 5 teeth, a two-lipped tubular corolla that is predominately cream-colored or yellow, 2 long-exserted fertile stamens, and an ovary with a slender style that is also long-exserted. The calyx is minutely pubescent and glandular-punctate; it has 2 linear-lanceolate lower teeth and 3 linear-deltate upper teeth; the lower teeth are longer than the upper teeth. The calyx also has 10 narrow longitudinal ridges that are dark green. The corolla has a narrow tubular base, but it becomes wider and more trumpet-shaped towards its mouth with 5 spreading lobes (2 upper lobes, 2 lateral lobes, and 1 lower lobe that is larger in size). The upper and lateral lobes are either oval or oval-deltate in shape, while the lower lobe is violin-shaped, mostly white, and heavily fringed along its outer lip. Sometimes there are reddish stripes or bars along the upper and middle lobes of the corolla, while either patches or stripes of faded red may occur toward the base of the lower lobe. The throat of the corolla is a little wider than tall, where there is a patch of fine white hairs. The filaments of the stamens are white, light yellow, or light greenish yellow, while the fertile anthers are either white or light yellow. The slender style is dark red and usually bent toward one of the stamens. The pedicels of the flowers are about 1/8" (3 mm.) in length or slightly longer; they are light green and short-pubescent.
The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 3-4 weeks. Both the flowers and foliage have a lemon or citronella scent. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by small nutlets (0-2 nutlets per flower); they develop within enlarged calyces. Individual nutlets are about 1.5 mm. across, globoid but somewhat flattened in shape, and dark brown. The root system consists of hard woody rhizomes with coarse fibrous roots. This plant often forms clonal colonies from its rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is medium to light shade, mesic conditions, and mildly acidic soil containing humus and loam. This plant is an excellent choice for a shade garden under deciduous trees.
Range & Habitat: Richweed (Collinsonia canadensis) is uncommon in east-central Illinois and southern Illinois, where this plant is native, while in the rest of the state it is absent (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies along its western-range limit; Richweed is more common further to the east. Habitats include rich woodlands, rocky upland woodlands, wooded areas in rocky river valleys, and less often elevated areas in swamps. This plant tends to occur in oak-hickory woodlands and beech-maple woodlands, especially in areas where sandstone bedrock is not far from the ground surface.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, where both nectar and pollen are available as floral rewards (Skinner, 1976). Several species of insects are known to feed on Richweed (Collinsonia canadensis); many of these species are monophagous or oligophagous. These insect feeders include larvae of the gall flies, Dasineura collinsoniae and Lasioptera collinsonifolia, such aphids as Hyalomyzus collinsoniae and Hyalomyzus eriobotryae, Amblycorypha rotundifolia (Round-winged Katydid), and the larvae of such Noctuid moths as Psectrotarsia herbardi (Horse-balm Sun Moth), Papaipema astuta (Yellow Stoneroot Borer Moth), Papaipema duplicatus (Dark Stoneroot Borer Moth), and Papaipema nebris (Stalk Borer Moth); see Felt (1917), Blackman & Eastop (2013), Gangwere (1961), and Natural History Museum (2010). Slugs also feed on the flowers of Richweed (personal observation, 2017). Among vertebrate animals, the seeds of this plant are eaten by the Bobwhite Quail and possibly other birds (Miller & Miller, 1999). White-tailed Deer and other mammalian herbivores usually avoid this plant as a food source.
Photographic Location: A rocky woodland at the Pine Hills State Nature Preserve in west-central Indiana.
Comments: This wildflower produces flowers in late summer when there is little else in bloom in shady woodlands. While bumblebees have been reported to be the primary pollinators of the flowers (Skinner, 1976), the long-exserted stamens and styles of the flowers, the white fringe of the lower lip of the corolla, and the fragrance of the flowers suggest that moths also visit the flowers for nectar. When the flowers of Richweed (Collinsonia canadensis) are in bloom, this plant is fairly easy to identify because of their distinctive appearance. Otherwise, it may be difficult to distinguish this species from other plant species that grow in woodlands, such as Scrophularia (Figwort) and Agastache (Giant Hyssop). A non-native species that is becoming invasive in wooded areas, the green-leaved form of Perilla frutescens (Beefsteak Plant), could also be confused with Richweed on the basis of its foliage. However, the flowers of the Beefsteak Plant do not have a deeply fringed lower lip nor do they have strongly exserted stamens and styles. The lemon-citronella fragrance of the foliage of Richweed, however, can be used to distinguish it from these other plants. While there are several similar-appearing Collinsonia spp. in southeastern USA, none of them occur in Illinois. Other common names of Collinsonia canadensis include Stone Root and Northern Horse Balm.
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成长记
Gweez
2018年05月05日
I took these two beauties from mom's garden. Need help with ID, I think they are Graptopetalum paraguayense. Next photos are where they came from, the difference of color is due to sunlight but they're the same plant.
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Catarina ZS：It looks like a Graptopetalum Victor Kane. I bought one these week and I didn't know the difference from a paraguayensis :-)
Gweez：@Lucky Coyote Well yes, It could be, in fact It looks a lot like Vera higgins more than any Graptopetalum. I guess they're some variety of graptosedum because of the thickness of the leaves. Thanks for help!
Lucky Coyote：because of the second picture, coul it be a Vera Higgins?
文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月05日
Description: This perennial plant is about ¾-2' tall and unbranched or little branched. Scattered white hairs occur occasionally along the central stem, although it becomes glabrous with age. The opposite leaves are up to 5" long and 3" across (excluding the petioles); they are ovate-cordate, dentate along their margins, and largely hairless. The upper leaf surface is medium to dark green and hairless. The slender petioles of the leaves are up to 1½" long and medium green. The central stem terminates in a raceme of flowers up to 6" long. The stalk of this raceme has scattered white hairs. The small flowers are sparsely, but evenly, distributed along this stalk on slender pedicels up to ½" long. These pedicels spread outward.
Each flower consists of 2 white petals, 2 green sepals, 2 stamens, and a slender style. Each petal is deeply divided into 2 lobes. At the base of each flower, there is a 2-celled ovary that is green and covered with stiff hooked hairs; it is obovoid in shape. Each cell of this ovary contains a single seed. The blooming period for a colony of plants occurs during the summer and lasts about a month. Each flower is short-lived and replaced by a small bur-like fruit (see the description of the ovary above). The root system can produce rhizomes or stolons that extend through the soil or leaf mould to create clonal offsets from the mother plant.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade, more or less mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil with abundant organic matter.
Range & Habitat: The native Enchanter's Nightshade is an occasional to locally common plant that occurs in most counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map). This plant may be less abundant than in the past because of browsing by deer. Habitats include mesic deciduous woodlands, including oak woodlands and maple/basswood woodlands, and areas that are adjacent to woodland paths. Sometimes this species occurs in wooded upland areas and along ravine slopes.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract small bees, including Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp.) and little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.); they are also visited by Syrphid flies and bee flies (Bombyliidae). The caterpillars of a moth, Mompha terminella (Enchanter's Cosmet), are blotch leaf-miners. Birds and mammals help to distribute the seeds, as the small bur-like fruits can cling to feathers and fur; these fruits can cling to the clothing of humans as well. Deer occasionally browse on the foliage of Enchanter's Nightshade.
Photographic Location: A mesic deciduous woodlands at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the woodland wildflowers that blooms during the summer in shaded areas. The flowers of such species are usually small, white, and not very showy. Enchanter's Nightshade is a rather odd member of the Evening Primrose family, as its flowers have only 2 petals, 2 sepals, and 2 stamens. This is a distinctive characteristic of the Circaea genus in this family. The only other member of this genus that occurs in Illinois, Circaea alpina (Small Enchanter's Nightshade), is an uncommon species that is restricted to the cool moist woodlands of northern Illinois. It has leaves that are more cordate and indented at the base, and its flowers are clustered toward the apex of the flowering stalk (rather than being evenly distributed along this stalk). While Enchanter's Nightshade is ¾-2' tall and it has 2-celled ovaries, Small Enchanter's Nightshade is less than 1' tall and it has 1-celled ovaries.
Each flower consists of 2 white petals, 2 green sepals, 2 stamens, and a slender style. Each petal is deeply divided into 2 lobes. At the base of each flower, there is a 2-celled ovary that is green and covered with stiff hooked hairs; it is obovoid in shape. Each cell of this ovary contains a single seed. The blooming period for a colony of plants occurs during the summer and lasts about a month. Each flower is short-lived and replaced by a small bur-like fruit (see the description of the ovary above). The root system can produce rhizomes or stolons that extend through the soil or leaf mould to create clonal offsets from the mother plant.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade, more or less mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil with abundant organic matter.
Range & Habitat: The native Enchanter's Nightshade is an occasional to locally common plant that occurs in most counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map). This plant may be less abundant than in the past because of browsing by deer. Habitats include mesic deciduous woodlands, including oak woodlands and maple/basswood woodlands, and areas that are adjacent to woodland paths. Sometimes this species occurs in wooded upland areas and along ravine slopes.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract small bees, including Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp.) and little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.); they are also visited by Syrphid flies and bee flies (Bombyliidae). The caterpillars of a moth, Mompha terminella (Enchanter's Cosmet), are blotch leaf-miners. Birds and mammals help to distribute the seeds, as the small bur-like fruits can cling to feathers and fur; these fruits can cling to the clothing of humans as well. Deer occasionally browse on the foliage of Enchanter's Nightshade.
Photographic Location: A mesic deciduous woodlands at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the woodland wildflowers that blooms during the summer in shaded areas. The flowers of such species are usually small, white, and not very showy. Enchanter's Nightshade is a rather odd member of the Evening Primrose family, as its flowers have only 2 petals, 2 sepals, and 2 stamens. This is a distinctive characteristic of the Circaea genus in this family. The only other member of this genus that occurs in Illinois, Circaea alpina (Small Enchanter's Nightshade), is an uncommon species that is restricted to the cool moist woodlands of northern Illinois. It has leaves that are more cordate and indented at the base, and its flowers are clustered toward the apex of the flowering stalk (rather than being evenly distributed along this stalk). While Enchanter's Nightshade is ¾-2' tall and it has 2-celled ovaries, Small Enchanter's Nightshade is less than 1' tall and it has 1-celled ovaries.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月05日
Description: This wildflower has evergreen leaves and semi-woody stems. The entire plant, including the inflorescence, is about 6-10" tall. Plants without an inflorescence are only 3-5" tall. The central stem of each plant is red to brown, unbranched, glabrous, and more or less terete. One or two pairs of smaller opposite leaves occur near the base of the stem, while a single whorl of three larger leaves occur at the base of the inflorescence. The leaves are 1-3" long, ¼–1" across, rather leathery in texture, and glabrous; they are lanceolate to ovate in shape, while their margins have widely spaced dentate teeth. The upper leave surface is dark green, except in areas along the veins, where it is white; this provides the upper leaf surface with a pinnately striped appearance. The lower leaf surface is light green. The petioles of these leaves are short and slender. On fertile plants, the stem terminates in an inflorescence consisting of a nodding umbel, or nodding umbel-like cyme, of 2-5 flowers on a long unbranched peduncle (flowering stalk). Sometimes the inflorescence produces only a single nodding flower. The erect peduncle is pinkish red to light brown, relatively stout, terete, and short-pubescent; the pedicels of individual flowers are similar, except they are shorter (about 1" long) and strongly recurved, holding the flowers face-down. Each flower is about ½–¾" across, consisting of 5 white petals, 5 light green sepals, 10 stamens, and a green pistil. The petals are oval in shape and concave toward the face of the flower. The sepals are oval-ovate in shape and less than one-half of the length of the petals. The stamens have showy light pink anthers and very short filaments; the anthers are bifurcated, releasing pollen from round pores at their tips. The pistil consists of a superior ovary, a short style, and large stigma (all green). The ovary is subgloboid in shape and slightly 5-lobed. The style has a short obconic shape with a broad flat tip and even broader base. The stigma is dome-shaped and wider than the style.
The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 2 weeks. The flowers are fragrant. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are about 8 mm. (1/3") across and dark brown at maturity; they have the same shape as the ovary. The sepals persist underneath these seed capsules. When these capsules split open from above, they release many fine seeds. The root system consists of brown fibrous roots and underground white stolons; the latter are long and slender. Clonal plants are often produced from the stolons.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, dry-mesic conditions, and an acidic soil containing some rocky material or sand. Growth and development are relatively slow. The seeds are difficult to germinate, although new plants can be created by dividing the root systems of older plants. In order to flourish, however, the presence of an appropriate mycorrhizal fungus in the soil may be required.
Range & Habitat: Striped Wintergreen is a rare native plant in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in only two counties (Cook County and Pope County) within the state; see the Distribution Map. At the present time, it may be extirpated from Cook County because of development. Illinois lies along the NE range-limit of this plant; it is more common in mountainous areas further to the east and southeast. In Illinois, habitats consist of rocky upland woodlands and sandy upland woodlands; the latter habitat occurs along Lake Michigan. In these habitats, oaks (Quercus spp.) are usually the dominant canopy trees. Outside of Illinois, this plant is often found in mixed woodlands and coniferous woodlands. Striped Wintergreen is restricted to high quality natural areas in Illinois.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by bumblebees; honeybees also visit the flowers (Standley et al., 1988). These insects obtain nectar from the flowers. The foliage of Striped Wintergreen is regarded as toxic to sheep (Schaffer, 1904), and White-tailed Deer usually avoid it when there are better sources of food (Rawinski, 2016).
Photographic Location: A wooded area in the southern Appalachian mountains. The photographs were taken by Paul Showers (Copyright © 2016).
Comments: Both the foliage and flowers are quite ornamental. In Illinois, the closest relative of Striped Wintergreen is Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata). This latter plant can be distinguished by its leaves: 1) they are oblanceolate in shape, 2) the margins of its leaves are more finely and abundantly toothed, and 3) its leaves lack the white markings that are found on the leaves of Striped Wintergreen. The inflorescence of Pipsissewa also tends to have more flowers (4-8) than the inflorescence of Striped Wintergreen. The common name, 'Wintergreen,' refers to the evergreen leaves, as the leaves of Striped Wintergreen do not possess a mint-like fragrance. Thus, Striped Wintergreen should not be confused with another low-growing semi-woody plant, Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens). In addition to the fragrance of its leaves, this latter plant differs by its white bell-shaped flowers, red berries, and toothless leaf margins. Other common names of Chimaphila maculata are Spotted Wintergreen, Spotted Prince's Cone, Striped Prince's Cone, Spotted Pipsissewa, and Striped Pipsissewa.
The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 2 weeks. The flowers are fragrant. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are about 8 mm. (1/3") across and dark brown at maturity; they have the same shape as the ovary. The sepals persist underneath these seed capsules. When these capsules split open from above, they release many fine seeds. The root system consists of brown fibrous roots and underground white stolons; the latter are long and slender. Clonal plants are often produced from the stolons.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, dry-mesic conditions, and an acidic soil containing some rocky material or sand. Growth and development are relatively slow. The seeds are difficult to germinate, although new plants can be created by dividing the root systems of older plants. In order to flourish, however, the presence of an appropriate mycorrhizal fungus in the soil may be required.
Range & Habitat: Striped Wintergreen is a rare native plant in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in only two counties (Cook County and Pope County) within the state; see the Distribution Map. At the present time, it may be extirpated from Cook County because of development. Illinois lies along the NE range-limit of this plant; it is more common in mountainous areas further to the east and southeast. In Illinois, habitats consist of rocky upland woodlands and sandy upland woodlands; the latter habitat occurs along Lake Michigan. In these habitats, oaks (Quercus spp.) are usually the dominant canopy trees. Outside of Illinois, this plant is often found in mixed woodlands and coniferous woodlands. Striped Wintergreen is restricted to high quality natural areas in Illinois.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by bumblebees; honeybees also visit the flowers (Standley et al., 1988). These insects obtain nectar from the flowers. The foliage of Striped Wintergreen is regarded as toxic to sheep (Schaffer, 1904), and White-tailed Deer usually avoid it when there are better sources of food (Rawinski, 2016).
Photographic Location: A wooded area in the southern Appalachian mountains. The photographs were taken by Paul Showers (Copyright © 2016).
Comments: Both the foliage and flowers are quite ornamental. In Illinois, the closest relative of Striped Wintergreen is Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata). This latter plant can be distinguished by its leaves: 1) they are oblanceolate in shape, 2) the margins of its leaves are more finely and abundantly toothed, and 3) its leaves lack the white markings that are found on the leaves of Striped Wintergreen. The inflorescence of Pipsissewa also tends to have more flowers (4-8) than the inflorescence of Striped Wintergreen. The common name, 'Wintergreen,' refers to the evergreen leaves, as the leaves of Striped Wintergreen do not possess a mint-like fragrance. Thus, Striped Wintergreen should not be confused with another low-growing semi-woody plant, Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens). In addition to the fragrance of its leaves, this latter plant differs by its white bell-shaped flowers, red berries, and toothless leaf margins. Other common names of Chimaphila maculata are Spotted Wintergreen, Spotted Prince's Cone, Striped Prince's Cone, Spotted Pipsissewa, and Striped Pipsissewa.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月05日
Description: This annual plant is about ½–4' tall. Medium to large plants (greater than 1½' tall) branch occasionally, while small plants (less than 1½' tall) are often unbranched. The central and lateral stems are hairless. Alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 4" across; they are ovate or deltoid-ovate with 2-4 large teeth along their margins. These teeth are pointed and widely spaced. The uppermost leaves are moreFlowering Plants narrow and may have only 0-1 teeth along their margins. The widely spreading leaves are medium to dark green and hairless; they are not white-mealy on their undersides. The leaf tips are pointed, while their bases are truncate or slightly indented. The slender petioles are up to 1" long. The central stem and upper lateral stems terminate in panicles of sessile clustered flowers. In addition to these, there are usually secondary panicles that develop from the axils of the upper leaves. The branches of these panicles can be hairless or conspicuously hairy. Individual flowers are green or greenish white and only 1/8" (3 mm.) across, consisting of 5 sepals, 5 stamens, and a flattened ovary with a pair of tiny styles at its apex. There are no petals. The sepals are ovate and slightly keeled. The blooming period can occur from late spring into the fall. On an individual plant in bloom, the flowers are at different stages of development. Pollination is by wind. The persistent sepals only partially cover the developing seeds; there is only one seed per flower. Each seed is covered with a thin membrane that is easily removed. Individual seeds are flattened, circular in circumference, and shiny black; they are 1.5–2.0 mm. across. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads into new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade and mesic to dry conditions. While this plant is usually found on rocky ground, it will adapt to ordinary garden soil. Depending on the fertility of the soil and moisture conditions, the size of individual plants can vary considerably.
Range & Habitat: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is uncommon to occasional in most areas of Illinois, except in the east-central section of the state, where it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). This is a native plant. Habitats include rocky upland woodlands, shaded or semi-shaded ledges of cliffs, bottoms of thinly wooded bluffs, recently logged or burned woodlands, woodland openings, shaded to semi-shaded areas of rocky glades, thickets, and fence rows. Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is often found in high quality habitats, but it also occurs in disturbed areas. This is one of the less weedy Chenopodium spp.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this unusual woodland plant, although several moths, skippers, and leaf beetles are known to feed on Chenopodium spp. primarily in weedy open areas. The Bobwhite and several sparrows eat the seeds of these species, while White-Tailed Deer occasionally browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Ledge of a sandstone cliff at the Portland Arch in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex) has very distinctive leaves, which makes it is easy to recognize. These leaves are usually larger in size than those of many other Chenopodium spp., and they usually have 1-4 pairs of widely spaced large teeth. Other Chenopodium spp. have leaves with smaller teeth or their leaves lack teeth altogether. Unlike Maple-Leaved Goosefoot, these latter species often have white-mealy leaf undersides, white-mealy upper stems, and/or white-mealy sepals. They are usually found in sunny disturbed areas rather than woodlands. The American species, Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex), closely resembles a European species with the same common name, Chenopodium hybridum (Maple-Leaved Goosefoot), but it has a different number of chromosomes. The American species is sometimes referred to as Chenopodium gigantospermum, which refers to its relatively large seeds for species in this genus.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade and mesic to dry conditions. While this plant is usually found on rocky ground, it will adapt to ordinary garden soil. Depending on the fertility of the soil and moisture conditions, the size of individual plants can vary considerably.
Range & Habitat: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is uncommon to occasional in most areas of Illinois, except in the east-central section of the state, where it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). This is a native plant. Habitats include rocky upland woodlands, shaded or semi-shaded ledges of cliffs, bottoms of thinly wooded bluffs, recently logged or burned woodlands, woodland openings, shaded to semi-shaded areas of rocky glades, thickets, and fence rows. Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is often found in high quality habitats, but it also occurs in disturbed areas. This is one of the less weedy Chenopodium spp.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this unusual woodland plant, although several moths, skippers, and leaf beetles are known to feed on Chenopodium spp. primarily in weedy open areas. The Bobwhite and several sparrows eat the seeds of these species, while White-Tailed Deer occasionally browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Ledge of a sandstone cliff at the Portland Arch in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex) has very distinctive leaves, which makes it is easy to recognize. These leaves are usually larger in size than those of many other Chenopodium spp., and they usually have 1-4 pairs of widely spaced large teeth. Other Chenopodium spp. have leaves with smaller teeth or their leaves lack teeth altogether. Unlike Maple-Leaved Goosefoot, these latter species often have white-mealy leaf undersides, white-mealy upper stems, and/or white-mealy sepals. They are usually found in sunny disturbed areas rather than woodlands. The American species, Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex), closely resembles a European species with the same common name, Chenopodium hybridum (Maple-Leaved Goosefoot), but it has a different number of chromosomes. The American species is sometimes referred to as Chenopodium gigantospermum, which refers to its relatively large seeds for species in this genus.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月05日
Description: This perennial wildflower is 1-3' tall and unbranched. The erect central stem is light green to pale purple, terete, glabrous, and often glaucous. A non-flowering plant has a single compound leaf at the apex of this stem, while a flowering plant has two compound leaves. The lower compound leaf of a flowering plant is located toward the middle of the central stem, where it is divided into a whorl of 3 compound leaflets. Each compound leaflet is ternately divided into 9 simple subleaflets that are arranged in groups of 3 (2 lateral groups and a terminal group). Less often, a compound leaflet may be divided into 15 simple subleaflets that consist of 2 additional lateral groups. The basal stalks (petiolules) of the compound leaflets are long and ascending; they are light green and glabrous. The subleaflets are 1-3" long and ¾-2" across (or occasionally wider); they are broadly ovate-oblong to obovate-oblong in shape and smooth along their margins, terminating in 2-5 cleft lobes with blunt tips. The upper surface of the subleaflets is glabrous and either gray-green, yellowish green, or medium green, while the lower surface is pale green and glabrous. The slender basal stalklets of the subleaflets are light green and glabrous. The upper compound leaf of a flowering plant is located under the inflorescence. This compound leaf resembles the lower compound leaf, except its 3 compound leaflets are smaller in size because they have only 3 subleaflets each.
On a flowering plant, the central stem terminates in a floral panicle about 1-3" long that is rounded or elongated; each panicle usually has 5-30 flowers (rarely more). Individual flowers are about 1/3" (8 mm.) across, consisting of 6 petaloid sepals, insignificant petals, 6 stamens, and an ovoid ovary with a beak-like style. Depending on the local ecotype, the oblanceolate sepals are greenish yellow, greenish brown, or greenish purple. Underneath each flower, there are 3-4 green bractlets that resemble sepals. The branching stalks of the panicle are light green, glabrous, and ascending. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring before the leaves have fully developed. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by berry-like seeds that are about 1/3" across, globoid in shape, glabrous, and glaucous. These seeds are initially green, but they later become bright blue at maturity during the summer. The seed coat is fleshy and contains carbohydrates. The root system is rhizomatous and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight during the spring, followed by light shade during the summer, at a location that has average moisture levels and fertile loamy soil. The soil should also contain abundant organic matter from decaying leaves and other plant materials, as typically occurs underneath trees. The large seeds are difficult to germinate. However, once it becomes established at a favorable site, Blue Cohosh is long-lived.
Range & Habitat: The native Blue Cohosh occurs occasionally in central Illinois, northern Illinois, and the Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois. In other areas of southern Illinois, this wildflower is uncommon or absent. Habitats include rich mesic woodlands, bluffs, and wooded slopes of large ravines. This relatively conservative wildflower can be found in woodlands dominated by either oaks or maples where the native ground flora is still intact.
Faunal Associations: Both pollen and nectar are available as floral rewards to insect visitors. These visitors include miscellaneous flies (Syrphid, Tachinid, Muscid, etc.), parasitoid wasps (Braconid, Ichneumonid, etc.), small Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp., etc.), and bumblebees (Robertson, 1929; Hannan & Prucher, 1996). Apparently, very few insects feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of Blue Cohosh. Caterpillars of the moth Clepsis melaleucana (Black-Patched Clepsis) and the plant bug Metriorrhynchomiris dislocatus have been observed to feed on this plant (Covell, 1984/2005; Knight, 1941). Both of these insects are polyphagous. Among vertebrate animals, both the White-Footed Mouse and Woodland Deer Mouse feed on the berry-like seeds of Blue Cohosh (Hamilton, 1941). However, because of the bright blue coloration of the fleshy seed coats and their carbohydrates, woodland birds are probably the primary dispersal agents of the seeds, which are known to be toxic to humans. Because the bitter-tasting foliage of this wildflower contains toxic glycosides and alkaloids, it is rarely eaten by White-Tailed Deer and other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A wooded bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: Generally the subleaflets (or simple leaflets) of Blue Cohosh are remarkably similar in appearance to those of Meadow Rue species (Thalictrum spp.), except they are often grayish green or yellowish green and tend to have more terminal lobes (2-5) than the latter. However, the flowers and berry-like seeds of Blue Cohosh are quite different from those of Meadow Rue species, and they belong to separate plant families. In addition to the typical variety of Blue Cohosh that is described here, there is also a more eastern variety of this wildflower that is referred to as Giant Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides giganteum). Thus far, Giant Blue Cohosh has not been found in Illinois. It differs from the typical Blue Cohosh in having slightly larger flowers (about ½" across) that are deep mauve or purple; these flowers bloom about two weeks earlier before its foliage has unfolded. The subleaflets of Giant Blue Cohosh are slightly larger in size as well. It is often classified as a distinct species, Caulophyllum giganteum.
On a flowering plant, the central stem terminates in a floral panicle about 1-3" long that is rounded or elongated; each panicle usually has 5-30 flowers (rarely more). Individual flowers are about 1/3" (8 mm.) across, consisting of 6 petaloid sepals, insignificant petals, 6 stamens, and an ovoid ovary with a beak-like style. Depending on the local ecotype, the oblanceolate sepals are greenish yellow, greenish brown, or greenish purple. Underneath each flower, there are 3-4 green bractlets that resemble sepals. The branching stalks of the panicle are light green, glabrous, and ascending. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring before the leaves have fully developed. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by berry-like seeds that are about 1/3" across, globoid in shape, glabrous, and glaucous. These seeds are initially green, but they later become bright blue at maturity during the summer. The seed coat is fleshy and contains carbohydrates. The root system is rhizomatous and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight during the spring, followed by light shade during the summer, at a location that has average moisture levels and fertile loamy soil. The soil should also contain abundant organic matter from decaying leaves and other plant materials, as typically occurs underneath trees. The large seeds are difficult to germinate. However, once it becomes established at a favorable site, Blue Cohosh is long-lived.
Range & Habitat: The native Blue Cohosh occurs occasionally in central Illinois, northern Illinois, and the Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois. In other areas of southern Illinois, this wildflower is uncommon or absent. Habitats include rich mesic woodlands, bluffs, and wooded slopes of large ravines. This relatively conservative wildflower can be found in woodlands dominated by either oaks or maples where the native ground flora is still intact.
Faunal Associations: Both pollen and nectar are available as floral rewards to insect visitors. These visitors include miscellaneous flies (Syrphid, Tachinid, Muscid, etc.), parasitoid wasps (Braconid, Ichneumonid, etc.), small Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp., etc.), and bumblebees (Robertson, 1929; Hannan & Prucher, 1996). Apparently, very few insects feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of Blue Cohosh. Caterpillars of the moth Clepsis melaleucana (Black-Patched Clepsis) and the plant bug Metriorrhynchomiris dislocatus have been observed to feed on this plant (Covell, 1984/2005; Knight, 1941). Both of these insects are polyphagous. Among vertebrate animals, both the White-Footed Mouse and Woodland Deer Mouse feed on the berry-like seeds of Blue Cohosh (Hamilton, 1941). However, because of the bright blue coloration of the fleshy seed coats and their carbohydrates, woodland birds are probably the primary dispersal agents of the seeds, which are known to be toxic to humans. Because the bitter-tasting foliage of this wildflower contains toxic glycosides and alkaloids, it is rarely eaten by White-Tailed Deer and other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A wooded bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: Generally the subleaflets (or simple leaflets) of Blue Cohosh are remarkably similar in appearance to those of Meadow Rue species (Thalictrum spp.), except they are often grayish green or yellowish green and tend to have more terminal lobes (2-5) than the latter. However, the flowers and berry-like seeds of Blue Cohosh are quite different from those of Meadow Rue species, and they belong to separate plant families. In addition to the typical variety of Blue Cohosh that is described here, there is also a more eastern variety of this wildflower that is referred to as Giant Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides giganteum). Thus far, Giant Blue Cohosh has not been found in Illinois. It differs from the typical Blue Cohosh in having slightly larger flowers (about ½" across) that are deep mauve or purple; these flowers bloom about two weeks earlier before its foliage has unfolded. The subleaflets of Giant Blue Cohosh are slightly larger in size as well. It is often classified as a distinct species, Caulophyllum giganteum.
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求助
Richard Peers
2018年05月04日
What plant is this?
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Richard Peers：@Tropical Lucy thanks makes sense as have mint and chives in same area. Bit of a herb garden, planted some parsley today
lemon407642：I don’t know sorry
Tropical Lucy：Laurus nobilis. common name Bay (leaves) used for cooking
文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月04日
Description: This plant is a winter annual or biennial up to 2½' tall that branches occasionally. A few basal leaves are produced during the fall, while alternate cauline leaves develop along the stems during the following spring. The stems are green, glabrous, and terete. The leaves are up to 4" long and ¾" across; they are pinnately compound with 3-15 leaflets. The leaflets are linear, oblanceolate, obovate, or orbicular in shape, becoming more narrow on the upper leaves; their margins are usually undulate, shallowly lobed, or dentate with a few blunt teeth. On each leaf, the terminal leaflet is as wide or wider than the remaining leaflets. Both the lower and upper sides of the leaves are green and glabrous. The upper stems terminate in racemes of small white flowers.
Each flower is about 3 mm. (1/8") long, consisting of 4 white petals, 4 light green sepals, a stout pistil, and several stamens. The mature pedicels (5-9 mm. in length) ultimately become longer than the flowers. Both the pedicels and the central stalk (rachis) of the raceme are green and glabrous. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1-2 months. Each flower is replaced by a narrowly cylindrical seedpod (or silique) that is up to 1¼" long. The siliques are relatively straight and they spread outward slightly from the central stalk of each raceme. The tips of young siliques often surround the flowers and partially obscure them. Each silique contains a row of tiny seeds; these seeds are about 1 mm. in length, oblongoid-ovoid in shape, and brown. The root system consists of a tuft of shallow fibrous roots. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, wet to moist conditions, and soil containing loam or sandy loam with decaying organic matter. This plant develops quickly during the spring when the weather is cool and moist.
Range & Habitat: The native Pennsylvania Bitter Cress occurs occasionally in most areas of Illinois; it tends to be less common or absent in the NW corner of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to mesic deciduous woodlands (especially floodplain and bottomland woodlands), swamps, shady seeps and springs, the bottom of cliffs, low ground near streams, and areas along woodland paths. Pennsylvania Bitter Cress is occasionally found in slow-moving water of seasonal ditches and shallow streams, where it resembles an emergent-aquatic plant. This plant is found in both higher quality habitats and disturbed areas where there is partial to light shade and the ground is more or less moist. It is sometimes found in sandy areas where decaying organic material is abundant.
Faunal Associations: Occasionally, small bees or flower flies (Syrphidae) visit the flowers, otherwise they attract few visitors. Caterpillars of the moth Evergestis pallidata (Purple-Backed Cabbage Worm) are known to feed on the foliage of Cardamine spp. (Bitter Cresses), while caterpillars of the butterfly Anthocharis midea (Falcate Orangetip) feed on the flowers, buds, and developing seedpods of these plants. Two aphids, Myzus cerasi (Black Cherry Aphid) and Rhopalosiphonius staphyleae (Mangold Aphid), use these plants as summer hosts. Information about floral-faunal relations for vertebrate animals is currently unavailable.
Photographic Location: Near or in a stream of a sandy woodland at the Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana.
Comments: This spring wildflower of woodlands is not very showy and it is often overlooked. This plant has a similar appearance to other Bitter Cresses (Cardamine spp.) with small white flowers, including Cardamine hirsuta (Hairy Bitter Cress) and Cardamine parviflora arenicola (Small-Flowered Bitter Cress). Hairy Bitter Cress, an introduced species, is hairy toward the base and it has abundant basal leaves while the flowers are blooming. Pennsylvania Bitter Cress has very few, if any, basal leaves while the flowers are blooming, and its foliage is completely hairless (at least in Illinois). Small-Flowered Bitter Cress is usually a little smaller in size than Pennsylvania Bitter Cress and it has more narrow leaflets (up to ¼" across). The terminal leaflets of this species are about the same size as the non-terminal leaflets. Small-Flowered Bitter Cress is usually found in habitats that are drier and sunnier than Pennsylvania Bitter Cress, although it is occasionally found in moist woodlands and wetlands as well.
Each flower is about 3 mm. (1/8") long, consisting of 4 white petals, 4 light green sepals, a stout pistil, and several stamens. The mature pedicels (5-9 mm. in length) ultimately become longer than the flowers. Both the pedicels and the central stalk (rachis) of the raceme are green and glabrous. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1-2 months. Each flower is replaced by a narrowly cylindrical seedpod (or silique) that is up to 1¼" long. The siliques are relatively straight and they spread outward slightly from the central stalk of each raceme. The tips of young siliques often surround the flowers and partially obscure them. Each silique contains a row of tiny seeds; these seeds are about 1 mm. in length, oblongoid-ovoid in shape, and brown. The root system consists of a tuft of shallow fibrous roots. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, wet to moist conditions, and soil containing loam or sandy loam with decaying organic matter. This plant develops quickly during the spring when the weather is cool and moist.
Range & Habitat: The native Pennsylvania Bitter Cress occurs occasionally in most areas of Illinois; it tends to be less common or absent in the NW corner of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to mesic deciduous woodlands (especially floodplain and bottomland woodlands), swamps, shady seeps and springs, the bottom of cliffs, low ground near streams, and areas along woodland paths. Pennsylvania Bitter Cress is occasionally found in slow-moving water of seasonal ditches and shallow streams, where it resembles an emergent-aquatic plant. This plant is found in both higher quality habitats and disturbed areas where there is partial to light shade and the ground is more or less moist. It is sometimes found in sandy areas where decaying organic material is abundant.
Faunal Associations: Occasionally, small bees or flower flies (Syrphidae) visit the flowers, otherwise they attract few visitors. Caterpillars of the moth Evergestis pallidata (Purple-Backed Cabbage Worm) are known to feed on the foliage of Cardamine spp. (Bitter Cresses), while caterpillars of the butterfly Anthocharis midea (Falcate Orangetip) feed on the flowers, buds, and developing seedpods of these plants. Two aphids, Myzus cerasi (Black Cherry Aphid) and Rhopalosiphonius staphyleae (Mangold Aphid), use these plants as summer hosts. Information about floral-faunal relations for vertebrate animals is currently unavailable.
Photographic Location: Near or in a stream of a sandy woodland at the Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana.
Comments: This spring wildflower of woodlands is not very showy and it is often overlooked. This plant has a similar appearance to other Bitter Cresses (Cardamine spp.) with small white flowers, including Cardamine hirsuta (Hairy Bitter Cress) and Cardamine parviflora arenicola (Small-Flowered Bitter Cress). Hairy Bitter Cress, an introduced species, is hairy toward the base and it has abundant basal leaves while the flowers are blooming. Pennsylvania Bitter Cress has very few, if any, basal leaves while the flowers are blooming, and its foliage is completely hairless (at least in Illinois). Small-Flowered Bitter Cress is usually a little smaller in size than Pennsylvania Bitter Cress and it has more narrow leaflets (up to ¼" across). The terminal leaflets of this species are about the same size as the non-terminal leaflets. Small-Flowered Bitter Cress is usually found in habitats that are drier and sunnier than Pennsylvania Bitter Cress, although it is occasionally found in moist woodlands and wetlands as well.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月04日
Description: This perennial wildflower is 4-12" tall and unbranched, except for possibly 1-2 flowering side stems near the apex. The erect central stem is light green to purplish green, terete, and hairy. At the base of each plant, 1-2 basal leaves are commonly present; they are about 1" long and across,Close-up of Flowers cordate-orbicular, and bluntly dentate or undulate along their margins. Each basal leaf has a long slender petiole. The alternate leaves are up to 2" long and 1" across; they are oval-ovate to oblong, bluntly dentate or undulate along the margins, and ciliate. At the base, the alternate leaves are sessile or slightly clasp the central stem. The alternate leaves become slightly shorter and more narrow as they ascend the stem. The central stem terminates in a raceme of flowers. The flowers and buds are concentrated toward the apex of the raceme, while cylindrical seedpods (siliques) develop along the remainder of the raceme. Each flower is about ½–¾" across, consisting of 4 petals, 4 sepals, several stamens, and a single stout style of the pistil. The petals are pale purple or purple-tinted white and obovate in shape. The sepals are purple, hairy, and membranous-white along their margins. The petals are much longer than the sepals. The blooming occurs during mid-spring and lasts about 2 weeks. The flowers are fragrant. Each flower is replaced by an ascending silique up to 1" long. The 2-valved siliques are green to purple; each silique contains a single row of seeds and it has a stout pedicel up to 1" long at its base. Eventually, the silique splits in half lengthwise to release the seeds. The root system is fibrous and tuberous.
Cultivation: This wildflower develops early during the spring when it receives dappled sunlight from its location underneath deciduous trees. It likes an evenly moist site with fertile loamy soil and abundant leaf mold. By the beginning of summer, it has already died down and released its seeds.
Range & Habitat: The native Purple Cress is occasional in NE and east central Illinois, but it is rare or absent elsewhere in the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist deciduous woodlands, low wooded valleys, and areas along shaded seeps and springs, particularly where limestone comes close to the surface of the ground. This conservative species is normally found where the original ground flora is still intact. It is one of the spring wildflowers in woodlands that is threatened by the spread of Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard).
Faunal Associations: Records about floral-faunal relationships for this species are limited. Insect visitors of the flowers are probably similar to those of a closely related species, Cardamine bulbosa (Spring Cress), which blooms only a little latter and occupies similar habitats. These insects include various kinds of bees (honeybees, mason bees, Andrenid bees, Halictid bees), bee flies (including Bombylius major, the Giant Bee Fly), other miscellaneous flies, and butterflies that appear during the spring. Most of these insects suck nectar from flowers, although some of the bees and flies also seek pollen. An oligolectic flea beetle that prefers woodland habitats, Phyllotreta bipustulata, feeds on the foliage of Purple Cress; it also feeds on the foliage of Dentaria spp. (Toothworts). Mammalian herbivores rarely feed on this wildflower because its foliage is short-lived and unpleasant-tasting (bitter and spicy).
Photographic Location: Along a shaded seep in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This is another lovely spring wildflower of the woodlands. Purple Cress is similar to Cardamine bulbosa (Spring Cress), except that the latter has flowers with white petals and green sepals. Spring Cress also has a glabrous central stem, while Purple Cress has a hairy stem. In contrast to Dentaria spp. (Toothworts) and many other Cardamine spp. (Bitter Cress species), both of these wildflowers lack compound leaves that are pinnately or palmately divided. Another species of the Mustard family, Iodanthus pinnatifidus (Purple Rocket), produces pale purple flowers on long racemes in damp wooded areas. However, Purple Rocket is a larger plant that blooms later in the year (late spring to mid-summer). Other common names of Cardamine douglassii are Purple Spring Cress and Northern Bitter Cress.
Cultivation: This wildflower develops early during the spring when it receives dappled sunlight from its location underneath deciduous trees. It likes an evenly moist site with fertile loamy soil and abundant leaf mold. By the beginning of summer, it has already died down and released its seeds.
Range & Habitat: The native Purple Cress is occasional in NE and east central Illinois, but it is rare or absent elsewhere in the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist deciduous woodlands, low wooded valleys, and areas along shaded seeps and springs, particularly where limestone comes close to the surface of the ground. This conservative species is normally found where the original ground flora is still intact. It is one of the spring wildflowers in woodlands that is threatened by the spread of Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard).
Faunal Associations: Records about floral-faunal relationships for this species are limited. Insect visitors of the flowers are probably similar to those of a closely related species, Cardamine bulbosa (Spring Cress), which blooms only a little latter and occupies similar habitats. These insects include various kinds of bees (honeybees, mason bees, Andrenid bees, Halictid bees), bee flies (including Bombylius major, the Giant Bee Fly), other miscellaneous flies, and butterflies that appear during the spring. Most of these insects suck nectar from flowers, although some of the bees and flies also seek pollen. An oligolectic flea beetle that prefers woodland habitats, Phyllotreta bipustulata, feeds on the foliage of Purple Cress; it also feeds on the foliage of Dentaria spp. (Toothworts). Mammalian herbivores rarely feed on this wildflower because its foliage is short-lived and unpleasant-tasting (bitter and spicy).
Photographic Location: Along a shaded seep in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This is another lovely spring wildflower of the woodlands. Purple Cress is similar to Cardamine bulbosa (Spring Cress), except that the latter has flowers with white petals and green sepals. Spring Cress also has a glabrous central stem, while Purple Cress has a hairy stem. In contrast to Dentaria spp. (Toothworts) and many other Cardamine spp. (Bitter Cress species), both of these wildflowers lack compound leaves that are pinnately or palmately divided. Another species of the Mustard family, Iodanthus pinnatifidus (Purple Rocket), produces pale purple flowers on long racemes in damp wooded areas. However, Purple Rocket is a larger plant that blooms later in the year (late spring to mid-summer). Other common names of Cardamine douglassii are Purple Spring Cress and Northern Bitter Cress.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月04日
Description: This plant is an annual or biennial from 2-6' tall. Usually, it is unbranched, although sometimes a few side stems will develop from the lower central stem. The central stem is light green, terete, slightly grooved, and hairy. The alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 2" across, tapering to slender petioles. They are medium to dark green, elliptic to ovate in shape, and their margins are serrated. The texture of the leaves is somewhat rough; they are hairy along the major veins of their undersides. The central stem terminates in a spike of flowers about ½–2' long. From the axils of the upper leaves, secondary spikes of flowers may develop, but these are much shorter (about 1–6" in length). The rachis (central stalk) of each spike is similar to the central stem. The flowers are about 1" across; their corollas vary in color from light to dark violet-blue, depending on the local ecotype.
Each corolla has 5 spreading lobes that are divided nearly to the base; they are ovate to obovate in shape. Each corolla has a satiny appearance under bright light, and it tends to have margins that twist and curl. The corolla is often white toward the center, rather than blue-violet. At the center of the corolla is the apex of a 5-angled ovary from which a light violet style is strongly exerted. This style bends downward from the flower, but curls upward near its tip; the small stigma is white and divided into 3 lobes. Each flower also has 5 stamens. The light green calyx is tubular-campanulate in shape with 5 narrow green ridges and 5 long narrow teeth around its upper rim; these teeth curl backward when the flower opens. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall, lasting about 1½ months. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are 5-angled and rather flat-topped. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil. During a drought, this plant often drops its lower leaves. Depending on moisture conditions and the fertility of the soil, the size of this plant can be highly variable.
Range & Habitat: American Bellflower is a common plant that occurs in most counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Habitats include moist to slightly dry deciduous woodlands, disturbed open woodlands, woodland borders, and thickets. This plant is often found along woodland paths, and it appears to prefer slightly disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, including bumblebees and leaf-cutting bees (Megachilidae). Among the latter, is the oligolectic bee Megachile campanulae campanulae. Other visitors of the flowers include Halictid bees, butterflies, and skippers. These insects seek nectar, and some of the bees collect pollen from the anthers. Syrphid flies may feed on the pollen, but they are not effective pollinators. Deer occasionally eat the flowers and foliage.
Photographic Location: The edge of a wooded area at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Sometimes this plant is called "Tall Bellflower." The older scientific name is Campanula americana, but it has been reassigned to its own genus because of the unique structure of the flowers. The flowers of this tall-growing plant are showy, but individually short-lived. However, new flowers are produced in succession higher up on the spike. The other members of the Bellflower family that occur in Illinois, whether native or introduced, have bell-shaped (campanulate) flowers, while the flowers of the American Bellflower have a more open design with widely spreading lobes. As a result, this species is easy to identify.
Each corolla has 5 spreading lobes that are divided nearly to the base; they are ovate to obovate in shape. Each corolla has a satiny appearance under bright light, and it tends to have margins that twist and curl. The corolla is often white toward the center, rather than blue-violet. At the center of the corolla is the apex of a 5-angled ovary from which a light violet style is strongly exerted. This style bends downward from the flower, but curls upward near its tip; the small stigma is white and divided into 3 lobes. Each flower also has 5 stamens. The light green calyx is tubular-campanulate in shape with 5 narrow green ridges and 5 long narrow teeth around its upper rim; these teeth curl backward when the flower opens. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall, lasting about 1½ months. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are 5-angled and rather flat-topped. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil. During a drought, this plant often drops its lower leaves. Depending on moisture conditions and the fertility of the soil, the size of this plant can be highly variable.
Range & Habitat: American Bellflower is a common plant that occurs in most counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Habitats include moist to slightly dry deciduous woodlands, disturbed open woodlands, woodland borders, and thickets. This plant is often found along woodland paths, and it appears to prefer slightly disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, including bumblebees and leaf-cutting bees (Megachilidae). Among the latter, is the oligolectic bee Megachile campanulae campanulae. Other visitors of the flowers include Halictid bees, butterflies, and skippers. These insects seek nectar, and some of the bees collect pollen from the anthers. Syrphid flies may feed on the pollen, but they are not effective pollinators. Deer occasionally eat the flowers and foliage.
Photographic Location: The edge of a wooded area at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Sometimes this plant is called "Tall Bellflower." The older scientific name is Campanula americana, but it has been reassigned to its own genus because of the unique structure of the flowers. The flowers of this tall-growing plant are showy, but individually short-lived. However, new flowers are produced in succession higher up on the spike. The other members of the Bellflower family that occur in Illinois, whether native or introduced, have bell-shaped (campanulate) flowers, while the flowers of the American Bellflower have a more open design with widely spreading lobes. As a result, this species is easy to identify.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月04日
Description: This annual plant consists of sprawling stems with pairs of opposite leaves. The stems are up to 5 cm. (2") long; they are whitish green and occasionally branch. The opposite leaves are 3-4 mm. long and about half as much across; they are medium green, ovate-oblong or obovate-oblong, and smooth along their margins. Each leaf tapers to a short petiole. There are separate male and female flowers on each plant (monoecious) at the axils of the leaves. These flowers are very small (less than 1/8" across) and greenish. Each male flower produces a single stamen, while each female flowers produces a single pistil with a pair of styles. These flowers have neither petals nor sepals. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer and lasts 1-2 months. The fruit of each female flower is 4-celled; it has a double-ovoid shape (similar to the fruit of a Galium sp.) and a short peduncle. Each cell of the fruit contains a single nutlet. This plant reproduces primarily by reseeding itself; it can reproduce vegetatively by forming rootlets at the axils of the leaves.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to dappled sunlight, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and barren soil that is devoid of competing ground vegetation. This plant is often found on compacted soil containing clay, glacial till, or rocky material.
Range & Habitat: The native Terrestrial Starwort occurs occasionally in the southern half of Illinois; it is largely absent in the northern half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include barren areas of hilly upland woodlands (particularly those that are dominated by oaks), edges of bluffs, footpaths in wooded areas, shaded gravelly seeps, and rocky riverbanks.
Faunal Associations: Information about floral-faunal relationships for this species is unavailable.
Photographic Location: Along a bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This is probably the smallest terrestrial flowering plant in Illinois (Lemma minor, or Lesser Pondweed, is even smaller, but it floats on water). To see the flowers and fruits near the axils of the leaves, a 10x hand lens is required. Terrestrial Starwort resembles a low-growing moss, but it is more leafy in appearance. Other species in this genus are submerged or emergent aquatic plants; these Callitriche spp. are referred to as Water Starworts, and they are small in size as well. The submerged leaves of these latter species are linear in shape, but their emergent leaves resemble those of Terrestrial Starwort. While the fruits of Terrestrial Starwort have short peduncles, the fruits of Water Starworts are sessile, or nearly so.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to dappled sunlight, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and barren soil that is devoid of competing ground vegetation. This plant is often found on compacted soil containing clay, glacial till, or rocky material.
Range & Habitat: The native Terrestrial Starwort occurs occasionally in the southern half of Illinois; it is largely absent in the northern half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include barren areas of hilly upland woodlands (particularly those that are dominated by oaks), edges of bluffs, footpaths in wooded areas, shaded gravelly seeps, and rocky riverbanks.
Faunal Associations: Information about floral-faunal relationships for this species is unavailable.
Photographic Location: Along a bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This is probably the smallest terrestrial flowering plant in Illinois (Lemma minor, or Lesser Pondweed, is even smaller, but it floats on water). To see the flowers and fruits near the axils of the leaves, a 10x hand lens is required. Terrestrial Starwort resembles a low-growing moss, but it is more leafy in appearance. Other species in this genus are submerged or emergent aquatic plants; these Callitriche spp. are referred to as Water Starworts, and they are small in size as well. The submerged leaves of these latter species are linear in shape, but their emergent leaves resemble those of Terrestrial Starwort. While the fruits of Terrestrial Starwort have short peduncles, the fruits of Water Starworts are sessile, or nearly so.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月03日
Description: This perennial plant is about 2-3' tall, branching occasionally. This member of the Nettle family lacks stinging hairs. The stems are light green, 4-angled or round, and glabrous or slightly pubescent. The leaves are usually opposite along the stems, but sometimes they are alternate. They are ovate or ovate-lanceolate, up to 4" long and 2½" across, and have long slender petioles. The upper surface of each leaf is dark green (in the shade) and glabrous or slightly pubescent; a central vein and 2 parallel secondary veins are readily observable. The margins are coarsely serrated. Spikes of green or greenish white flowers appear from the axils of the upper leaves. They are straight and angle upward from the axis of the central stem. The flowering spikes are about ½–3" long; sometimes they are terminal, but more often they will develop additional leaves beyond the flowers. False Nettle is usually dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate plants. Male flowers are distributed along the spikes in bunches, while female flowers are produced along the spikes more or less continuously. These flowers are very small and lack petals. Each male flower has a 4-parted calyx and 4 stamens, while the calyx of the female flower is tubular with 2-4 teeth. The blooming period is mid-summer to early fall, and lasts about 1-2 months. There is no floral scent; pollination is by wind. The fruit consists of a small achene. This description applies to the typical woodland variety of False Nettle, Boehmeria cylindrica cylindrica. The other variety of False Nettle, Boehmeria cylindrica drummondiana, grows in the sun and has a somewhat different appearance.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade, moist conditions, and rich loamy soil. In sunnier locations, this plant prefers wetter ground and the foliage may become yellowish green.
Range & Habitat: The native False Nettle is a common plant that occurs in most counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to mesic deciduous woodlands, especially in floodplain and bottomland areas, as well as various wetlands, including swamps, low areas along rivers, borders of small streams, seeps, and sandy marshes. False Nettle can be found in both degraded and higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers don't attact many insects because they are wind-pollinated. Caterpillars of the butterflies Polygonia comma (Comma), Polygonia interrogationis (Question Mark), and Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral) feed on the foliage of False Nettle; caterpillars of the moth Bomolocha manalis (Flowing-Line Bomolocha) also feed on this plant (Wagner, 2005; Bouseman & Sternburg, 2001). Larvae of a fly, Neolasioptera boehmeriae, form spindle-shaped galls on the stems. Because the foliage lacks stinging hairs and it is non-toxic, mammalian herbivores probably browse on this plant occasionally.
Photographic Location: Along a woodland path at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Sometimes people instinctively shy away from this plant thinking that it has stinging hairs – in fact, this is not the case, hence the common name. In Illinois, the two members of the Nettle family with stinging hairs are Laportea canadensis (Wood Nettle) and Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle). The latter species has been introduced from Europe. The other common member of the Nettle family without stinging hairs, Pilea pumila (Clearweed), is a hairless annual plant with translucent stems and shiny leaves. Clearweed has terminal flowering spikes that are usually shorter than the petioles of the leaves, while the flowering spikes of False Nettle are usually longer than the petioles, and leaves are often produced beyond the flowers.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade, moist conditions, and rich loamy soil. In sunnier locations, this plant prefers wetter ground and the foliage may become yellowish green.
Range & Habitat: The native False Nettle is a common plant that occurs in most counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to mesic deciduous woodlands, especially in floodplain and bottomland areas, as well as various wetlands, including swamps, low areas along rivers, borders of small streams, seeps, and sandy marshes. False Nettle can be found in both degraded and higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers don't attact many insects because they are wind-pollinated. Caterpillars of the butterflies Polygonia comma (Comma), Polygonia interrogationis (Question Mark), and Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral) feed on the foliage of False Nettle; caterpillars of the moth Bomolocha manalis (Flowing-Line Bomolocha) also feed on this plant (Wagner, 2005; Bouseman & Sternburg, 2001). Larvae of a fly, Neolasioptera boehmeriae, form spindle-shaped galls on the stems. Because the foliage lacks stinging hairs and it is non-toxic, mammalian herbivores probably browse on this plant occasionally.
Photographic Location: Along a woodland path at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Sometimes people instinctively shy away from this plant thinking that it has stinging hairs – in fact, this is not the case, hence the common name. In Illinois, the two members of the Nettle family with stinging hairs are Laportea canadensis (Wood Nettle) and Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle). The latter species has been introduced from Europe. The other common member of the Nettle family without stinging hairs, Pilea pumila (Clearweed), is a hairless annual plant with translucent stems and shiny leaves. Clearweed has terminal flowering spikes that are usually shorter than the petioles of the leaves, while the flowering spikes of False Nettle are usually longer than the petioles, and leaves are often produced beyond the flowers.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月03日
Description: During the first year, this biennial plant consists of a rosette of basal leaves spanning about 6" across. These basal leaves are up to 3½" long and ¾" across; they are obovate or oblanceolate, shallowly lobed or dentate along the margins, and nearly hairless. During the second year, a flowering stalk develops up to 3' tall that is unbranched or sparingly branched; it often leans over to one side. This stalk is pale green, hairless, and glaucous. The cauline (alternate) leaves are up to 8" long and 1" across, becoming smaller as they ascend the central stalk. They are usually lanceolate, hairless, and glaucous; some of the upper leaves are linear. The margins of these leaves are smooth or sparingly dentate. The base of each cauline leaf clasps the central stalk with a pair of basal lobes. Normally, the cauline leaves are some shade of green, but they can become reddish or yellowish green in bright sunlight.
The central stalk (and any secondary stalks) terminates in an elongated raceme of flowers up to 1½' long. The small flowers bloom near the apex of this raceme, while the siliques (slender cylindrical seedpods) droop from their pedicels below. Each flower is about 4 mm. (1/6") across, consisting of 4 white petals, 4 light green sepals, a pistil with an undivided style, and several stamens. The petals are barely longer than the sepals. The pedicel of each flower is about 8 mm. (1/3") long, hairless, and ascending. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1-2 months. Each flower is replaced by a slender silique up to 3½" long that is hairless; it contains a single row of small seeds with winged margins. The siliques spread widely or droop from their pedicels. When the siliques split open to release their seeds, the latter can be carried aloft to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is medium shade to partial sunlight, moist to slightly dry conditions, and a soil that is loamy or rocky. The size of a plant and the appearance of its foliage can be strongly influenced by its growing conditions.
Range & Habitat: Smooth Rock Cress occurs occasionally in most areas of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. In some areas, it may be locally common. Habitats include mesic woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, rocky slopes of bluffs, shaded cliffs, and ravines near streams. This plant is generally found in hilly woodlands where deciduous trees are dominant.
Faunal Associations: Small bees and flies occasionally visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. Bee visitors include Ceratina spp. (little carpenter bees), Nomada spp. (cuckoo bees), Osmia spp. (mason bees), Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees, including Andrena arabis (Rock Cress Andrenid Bee). Some insects feed on the foliage and other parts of Boechera spp. and related genera (Rock Cress species); they include larvae of the leaf-mining fly Liriomya pusilla, the flea beetles Phyllotreta conjuncta and Phyllotreta punctulata, and caterpillars of the butterflies Anthocharis midea (Falcate Orangetip) and Pieris oleracea (Mustard White). The foliage of these plants doesn't appear to be bothered by either deer or rabbits to any significant degree (personal observation).
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a wooded ravine near a stream in Vermilion County, Illinois, and at a mesic deciduous woodland in Douglas County, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the native species of Rock Cress (Boechera spp. and related genera) that can be found in wooded areas. This plant is not particularly showy and it is often overlooked. Smooth Rock Cress (Boechera laevigata) can be distinguished from other species of Rock Cress as follows: 1) It is completely hairless during the blooming period, 2) it has siliques that are widely spreading or drooping, and 3) its cauline leaves clasp their stems with a pair of basal lobes. These three characteristics are usually sufficient to distinguish this species from other species of Rock Cress. Some other characteristics that are occasionally helpful: 1) Its siliques are circular in cross-section, rather than flattened, and 2) each of its siliques contains a single row of seeds. For example, another woodland species, Boechera canadensis (Sicklepod), has an appearance that is similar to Smooth Rock Cress; they both have drooping siliques. However, the cauline leaves of Sicklepod are sessile, its lower foliage is often hairy, and it has flattened siliques. A scientific synonym of Smooth Rock Cress is Arabis laevigata.
The central stalk (and any secondary stalks) terminates in an elongated raceme of flowers up to 1½' long. The small flowers bloom near the apex of this raceme, while the siliques (slender cylindrical seedpods) droop from their pedicels below. Each flower is about 4 mm. (1/6") across, consisting of 4 white petals, 4 light green sepals, a pistil with an undivided style, and several stamens. The petals are barely longer than the sepals. The pedicel of each flower is about 8 mm. (1/3") long, hairless, and ascending. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1-2 months. Each flower is replaced by a slender silique up to 3½" long that is hairless; it contains a single row of small seeds with winged margins. The siliques spread widely or droop from their pedicels. When the siliques split open to release their seeds, the latter can be carried aloft to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is medium shade to partial sunlight, moist to slightly dry conditions, and a soil that is loamy or rocky. The size of a plant and the appearance of its foliage can be strongly influenced by its growing conditions.
Range & Habitat: Smooth Rock Cress occurs occasionally in most areas of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. In some areas, it may be locally common. Habitats include mesic woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, rocky slopes of bluffs, shaded cliffs, and ravines near streams. This plant is generally found in hilly woodlands where deciduous trees are dominant.
Faunal Associations: Small bees and flies occasionally visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. Bee visitors include Ceratina spp. (little carpenter bees), Nomada spp. (cuckoo bees), Osmia spp. (mason bees), Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees, including Andrena arabis (Rock Cress Andrenid Bee). Some insects feed on the foliage and other parts of Boechera spp. and related genera (Rock Cress species); they include larvae of the leaf-mining fly Liriomya pusilla, the flea beetles Phyllotreta conjuncta and Phyllotreta punctulata, and caterpillars of the butterflies Anthocharis midea (Falcate Orangetip) and Pieris oleracea (Mustard White). The foliage of these plants doesn't appear to be bothered by either deer or rabbits to any significant degree (personal observation).
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a wooded ravine near a stream in Vermilion County, Illinois, and at a mesic deciduous woodland in Douglas County, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the native species of Rock Cress (Boechera spp. and related genera) that can be found in wooded areas. This plant is not particularly showy and it is often overlooked. Smooth Rock Cress (Boechera laevigata) can be distinguished from other species of Rock Cress as follows: 1) It is completely hairless during the blooming period, 2) it has siliques that are widely spreading or drooping, and 3) its cauline leaves clasp their stems with a pair of basal lobes. These three characteristics are usually sufficient to distinguish this species from other species of Rock Cress. Some other characteristics that are occasionally helpful: 1) Its siliques are circular in cross-section, rather than flattened, and 2) each of its siliques contains a single row of seeds. For example, another woodland species, Boechera canadensis (Sicklepod), has an appearance that is similar to Smooth Rock Cress; they both have drooping siliques. However, the cauline leaves of Sicklepod are sessile, its lower foliage is often hairy, and it has flattened siliques. A scientific synonym of Smooth Rock Cress is Arabis laevigata.
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