文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月06日
Description: This perennial plant is about 1-2' tall, forming a single central stem with occasional short side stems. The alternate light green leaves are up to 6" long and 1½" across, and become smaller in size as they ascend the stem. They are lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, and sparsely distributed overall. The lowest leaves clasp the stem, while the middle and upper leaves are sessile or have short petioles. They have smooth edges and texture, with faint parallel veins.
Blooming Plant in Prairie
The central stem terminates in a raceme of flowers, often with a half-dozen or more blooming at the same time. One or two smaller sides stem may each produce racemes of flowers as well. Each flower is about 1½" long and 1" across, consisting of 3 greenish white sepals and 3 white petals. The upper sepal and two upper petals form a hood over the pollen- and nectar-bearing organs of the flower. The lateral sepals are similar in shape, but spread outward. The large white lower petal, or lip, is divided into 3 parts and heavily fringed. There is a long nectar spur that arches downward from the back of the flower. During the day, the flowers have a slight fragrance, which probably becomes stronger at night. The blooming period occurs during early to mid-summer, and lasts about a month. There is a dense cluster of roots that are fleshy and tuberous. They form a symbiotic relationship with endomycorrhizal bacteria, and rarely form offshoots. The tiny seeds are easily carried aloft by the wind, and can travel a considerable distance.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, and moist conditions. The soil should be high in organic matter, preferably with a little sand, and the pH should be mildly acid to neutral. However, this orchid is more robust than most and will tolerate conditions that deviate somewhat from the above. Germinating the tiny seeds normally requires the presence of an appropriate fungus, which they invade. Artificial techniques have been developed to speed up the propagation of orchids. Large transplanted plants from a specialist nursery are the easiest to handle and have the best survival rate, but they are expensive, if available at all.
Range & Habitat: The Prairie White-Fringed Orchid occurs in scattered counties of central and northern Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Only small, local populations of this rare plant exist in high quality habitats. It is listed as 'endangered' by the state of Illinois, and is considered 'threatened' by the U.S. government. Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, sand prairies, thickets, pot hole marshes, and fens. At one time, this orchid was far more common, and hundreds of plants could be observed blooming in prairie habitat, particularly near the Chicago region. Habitat destruction and over-collection brought this joyful abundance to an end.
Faunal Associations: Various species of Hawkmoths pollinate the flowers. While seeking the copious nectar, a moth may acquire some pollen on its head, which is then carried to the next plant in bloom. One observed visitor of this orchid is Xylophanes tersa (Tersa Sphinx). Mammalian herbivores will readily consume this plant if they encounter it, including rabbits, deer, and livestock. It may be necessary to protect this plant with a wire cage where such animals are present.
Photographic Location: A prairie in east-central Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the most beautiful wildflowers in a prairie. Rejoice should you discover one or two plants in bloom. There is a slightly larger orchid, Platanthera praeclara, with a similar appearance, that occurs in prairies west of the Mississippi River.
Blooming Plant in Prairie
The central stem terminates in a raceme of flowers, often with a half-dozen or more blooming at the same time. One or two smaller sides stem may each produce racemes of flowers as well. Each flower is about 1½" long and 1" across, consisting of 3 greenish white sepals and 3 white petals. The upper sepal and two upper petals form a hood over the pollen- and nectar-bearing organs of the flower. The lateral sepals are similar in shape, but spread outward. The large white lower petal, or lip, is divided into 3 parts and heavily fringed. There is a long nectar spur that arches downward from the back of the flower. During the day, the flowers have a slight fragrance, which probably becomes stronger at night. The blooming period occurs during early to mid-summer, and lasts about a month. There is a dense cluster of roots that are fleshy and tuberous. They form a symbiotic relationship with endomycorrhizal bacteria, and rarely form offshoots. The tiny seeds are easily carried aloft by the wind, and can travel a considerable distance.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, and moist conditions. The soil should be high in organic matter, preferably with a little sand, and the pH should be mildly acid to neutral. However, this orchid is more robust than most and will tolerate conditions that deviate somewhat from the above. Germinating the tiny seeds normally requires the presence of an appropriate fungus, which they invade. Artificial techniques have been developed to speed up the propagation of orchids. Large transplanted plants from a specialist nursery are the easiest to handle and have the best survival rate, but they are expensive, if available at all.
Range & Habitat: The Prairie White-Fringed Orchid occurs in scattered counties of central and northern Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Only small, local populations of this rare plant exist in high quality habitats. It is listed as 'endangered' by the state of Illinois, and is considered 'threatened' by the U.S. government. Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, sand prairies, thickets, pot hole marshes, and fens. At one time, this orchid was far more common, and hundreds of plants could be observed blooming in prairie habitat, particularly near the Chicago region. Habitat destruction and over-collection brought this joyful abundance to an end.
Faunal Associations: Various species of Hawkmoths pollinate the flowers. While seeking the copious nectar, a moth may acquire some pollen on its head, which is then carried to the next plant in bloom. One observed visitor of this orchid is Xylophanes tersa (Tersa Sphinx). Mammalian herbivores will readily consume this plant if they encounter it, including rabbits, deer, and livestock. It may be necessary to protect this plant with a wire cage where such animals are present.
Photographic Location: A prairie in east-central Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the most beautiful wildflowers in a prairie. Rejoice should you discover one or two plants in bloom. There is a slightly larger orchid, Platanthera praeclara, with a similar appearance, that occurs in prairies west of the Mississippi River.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月06日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is up to 4' tall and unbranched, except near the inflorescence. The central stem is strongly four-angled and hairless. The opposite leaves are up to 5" long and 1½" across. They are sessile, hairless, lanceolate or oblanceolate, and have sharply-pointed widely-spaced teeth along the margins. The inflorescence consists of tall spikes of flowers at the ends of the upper stems. A spike is up to 10" long and consists of 4 rows of densely packed horizontal flowers or their buds. The tubular flowers are white, lavender, or purplish pink, and they often have dots, fine stripes, or swirls of a slightly darker color. Each flower is about 1" long, has 2 lips, while 4 purple anthers are visible near the upper lip. This upper lip is a broad hood, while the lower lip is divided into 3 lobes – the larger central one functioning as a landing pad for insects, which is accompanied by 2 smaller side lobes. The flowers have no scent.
The blooming period occurs during late summer to early fall, and lasts about 1½ months. Each flower produces 4 sharply angled, dull brown seeds. The root system consists of a central taproot and rhizomes. The latter promote the spread of this plant vegetatively.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to average conditions. Growth is best in rich loamy soil, but it can contain some gravel or clay. During droughts, the lower leaves may turn yellow and fall off the stem. Otherwise, the foliage has fewer problems than most mints. This plant is easy to grow if the site is not too dry. At moist sites, it sometimes spreads aggressively.
Range & Habitat: The native Obedient Plant occurs occasionally in scattered counties throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is less common in the western and southern portions of the state. Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, thickets, openings in woodland areas and along woodland borders, moist meadows along rivers and borders of lakes, seeps, limestone glades, and open moist areas near railroads.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the most important pollinators of the flowers. Occasionally, other long-tongued bees and the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird may visit the flowers. These visitors seek nectar from the flowers. Like other members of the Mint family, the Obedient Plant is probably not a favored source of food for mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a prairie of Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, and at the Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This plant is often grown in flower gardens, and some populations may represent escaped plants from cultivation. Usually, the horticultural forms are more rosy pink or purple in appearance than native wild populations, which are usually white with light pink or purple tints. Because the individual flowers stay in place when moved, one common name is 'Obedient Plant,' as used here. Another name is 'False Dragonhead' on account of the fancied resemblance to a European plant by that name. While this is a pretty plant, its ecological value to birds, mammals, and insects is fairly low.
The blooming period occurs during late summer to early fall, and lasts about 1½ months. Each flower produces 4 sharply angled, dull brown seeds. The root system consists of a central taproot and rhizomes. The latter promote the spread of this plant vegetatively.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to average conditions. Growth is best in rich loamy soil, but it can contain some gravel or clay. During droughts, the lower leaves may turn yellow and fall off the stem. Otherwise, the foliage has fewer problems than most mints. This plant is easy to grow if the site is not too dry. At moist sites, it sometimes spreads aggressively.
Range & Habitat: The native Obedient Plant occurs occasionally in scattered counties throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is less common in the western and southern portions of the state. Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, thickets, openings in woodland areas and along woodland borders, moist meadows along rivers and borders of lakes, seeps, limestone glades, and open moist areas near railroads.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the most important pollinators of the flowers. Occasionally, other long-tongued bees and the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird may visit the flowers. These visitors seek nectar from the flowers. Like other members of the Mint family, the Obedient Plant is probably not a favored source of food for mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a prairie of Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, and at the Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This plant is often grown in flower gardens, and some populations may represent escaped plants from cultivation. Usually, the horticultural forms are more rosy pink or purple in appearance than native wild populations, which are usually white with light pink or purple tints. Because the individual flowers stay in place when moved, one common name is 'Obedient Plant,' as used here. Another name is 'False Dragonhead' on account of the fancied resemblance to a European plant by that name. While this is a pretty plant, its ecological value to birds, mammals, and insects is fairly low.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月06日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is ¾–2½' tall, branching occasionally to abundantly. The stems are light green to purplish green, angular, and sparsely to moderately pubescent with down-curved to spreading simple hairs. Alternate leaves occur along these stems. The leaf blades are 1-3" long and 1/3–1" across; they are narrowly lanceolate to ovate in shape, while their margins are entire (toothless), bluntly and sparsely dentate, or somewhat sinuous. In dry and sunny situations, the leaf blades may curve upward toward the margins. The tips of leaf blades are acute to bluntly acute, while the bottoms of leaf blades are cuneate (wedge-shaped). The upper surface of leaf blades is olive-green to yellowish green and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent, while the lower surface of leaf blades is slightly more pale and sparsely to moderately short-pubescent. The margins of the leaf blades are sometimes tinted purple. The petioles are 1/3–1" long, olive-green to purplish green, and pubescent; they are grooved above and convex below. Solitary nodding flowers are produced from the axils of the middle to upper leaves.
Each flower is ¾–1" when it is fully open, consisting of a light green calyx that is short-tubular with 5 triangular teeth, a short funnelform corolla that is pale yellow and shallowly 5-lobed, 5 inserted stamens with purple filaments and yellow anthers, and a pistil. The calyx is finely pubescent. The interior of the corolla has 5 conspicuous purplish blotches toward its base that are sometimes veiny. The slender pedicels are ½–1" long, light green to purplish green, and finely pubescent. The blooming period can occur from early summer to early autumn, lasting about 1½–3 months. Only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. The flowers are replaced by nodding husked fruits; these husks are expanded calyces. The husks are 1–1½" long, ovoid to ovoid-conical in shape, slightly angular, and finely pubescent. Initially, they are light green, but at maturity the husks become light tan. Inside each husk, there is a single smooth globoid berry that becomes about 1/3" (8 mm.) across at maturity and orange-red. The interior of a mature berry is pulpy and slightly sweet; it contains several seeds. The small seeds are light tan and reniform (kidney-shaped). The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. Sometimes clonal offsets develop from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, sand, gravel, or rocky material. Overall, this ground cherry (Physalis sp.) is slightly less weedy than most species in this genus.
Range & Habitat: Virginia Ground Cherry is a native plant that occurs occasionally in most areas of Illinois, although it is more common in northern and west-central Illinois (see Distribution Map). This plant can be found in a variety of habitats, including upland rocky woodlands, upland sandy woodlands, upland savannas, open disturbed woodlands, rocky glades, hill prairies, disturbed areas of prairies, stabilized sand dunes, upper beach areas along Lake Michigan, gravelly or sandy areas along railroads, margins of cropland, abandoned fields, and barren waste areas. Virginia Ground Cherry prefers areas with a history of disturbance, although it does colonize higher quality natural areas where there is sparse vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by small bees, including plasterer bees (Colletes spp.) and Halictid bees (Robertson, 1929). Two plasterer bees, Colletes latitarsis and Colletes willistoni, and a dagger bee, Perdita halictoides, are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of ground cherries (Physalis spp.). These bees suck nectar and collect pollen. Other insects feed destructively on the foliage, roots, flower buds, and fruits of Virginia Ground Cherry and other ground cherries. These insect feeders include the Potato Flea Beetle (Epitrix cucumeris), Tobacco Flea Beetle (Epitrix hirtipennis), another flea beetle (Epitrix humeralis), Three-lined Potato Beetle (Lema daturaphila), Three-lined Lema Beetle (Lema trivittata), larvae of two Sphinx moths, the Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta) and Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata), larvae of two Gelechiid moths (Aristotelia physaliella, Symmetrischema lavernella), larvae of two Noctuid moths, the Subflexa Straw (Heliothis subflexa) and Tobacco Budworm (Heliothis virescens), larvae of the Eggplant Leafroller Moth (Lineodes integra), Solanum Mealybug (Phenacoccus solani), Solenopsis Mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis), and Potato Aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae). For more information, see Clark et al. (2004), Natural History Museum (2010), Wagner (2005), Needham et al. (1928), Pepper (1965), and ScaleNet (2014). Because the foliage of ground cherries is toxic and bitter, it is not eaten by mammalian herbivores. The berries of these plants, however, are sometimes consumed by such vertebrate animals as the Bobwhite Quail, Wild Turkey, Opossum, Striped Skunk, Spotted Skunk, Eastern Box Turtle, and Ornate Box Turtle (Martin et al., 1951/1961; Ernst et al., 1994). In consuming these berries, these animals help to spread the seeds to new locations.
Photographic Location: An upper beach area of Illinois Beach State Park in NE Illinois.
Comments: The various species in this genus can be difficult to distinguish. Virginia Ground Cherry (Physalis virginiana) is less pubescent than Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla), but more pubescent than Smooth Ground Cherry (Physalis subglabrata, Physalis longifolia). Another species, Dwarf Ground Cherry (Physalis pumila), differs from Virginia Ground Cherry by having branched or divided hairs along its stems, rather than simple hairs (use a 10x hand lens to see). In addition, Dwarf Ground Cherry has faded purplish blotches within the corolla of its flowers, rather than conspicuous purplish blotches. The nodding husks covering the berries of Virginia Ground Cherry are deeply sunken above, while those of many other ground cherries (Physalis spp.) are slightly sunken or rounded above. Similarly, the mature berries of Virginia Ground Berry are orange-red, while the mature berries of many other ground cherries are yellow.
Each flower is ¾–1" when it is fully open, consisting of a light green calyx that is short-tubular with 5 triangular teeth, a short funnelform corolla that is pale yellow and shallowly 5-lobed, 5 inserted stamens with purple filaments and yellow anthers, and a pistil. The calyx is finely pubescent. The interior of the corolla has 5 conspicuous purplish blotches toward its base that are sometimes veiny. The slender pedicels are ½–1" long, light green to purplish green, and finely pubescent. The blooming period can occur from early summer to early autumn, lasting about 1½–3 months. Only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. The flowers are replaced by nodding husked fruits; these husks are expanded calyces. The husks are 1–1½" long, ovoid to ovoid-conical in shape, slightly angular, and finely pubescent. Initially, they are light green, but at maturity the husks become light tan. Inside each husk, there is a single smooth globoid berry that becomes about 1/3" (8 mm.) across at maturity and orange-red. The interior of a mature berry is pulpy and slightly sweet; it contains several seeds. The small seeds are light tan and reniform (kidney-shaped). The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. Sometimes clonal offsets develop from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, sand, gravel, or rocky material. Overall, this ground cherry (Physalis sp.) is slightly less weedy than most species in this genus.
Range & Habitat: Virginia Ground Cherry is a native plant that occurs occasionally in most areas of Illinois, although it is more common in northern and west-central Illinois (see Distribution Map). This plant can be found in a variety of habitats, including upland rocky woodlands, upland sandy woodlands, upland savannas, open disturbed woodlands, rocky glades, hill prairies, disturbed areas of prairies, stabilized sand dunes, upper beach areas along Lake Michigan, gravelly or sandy areas along railroads, margins of cropland, abandoned fields, and barren waste areas. Virginia Ground Cherry prefers areas with a history of disturbance, although it does colonize higher quality natural areas where there is sparse vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by small bees, including plasterer bees (Colletes spp.) and Halictid bees (Robertson, 1929). Two plasterer bees, Colletes latitarsis and Colletes willistoni, and a dagger bee, Perdita halictoides, are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of ground cherries (Physalis spp.). These bees suck nectar and collect pollen. Other insects feed destructively on the foliage, roots, flower buds, and fruits of Virginia Ground Cherry and other ground cherries. These insect feeders include the Potato Flea Beetle (Epitrix cucumeris), Tobacco Flea Beetle (Epitrix hirtipennis), another flea beetle (Epitrix humeralis), Three-lined Potato Beetle (Lema daturaphila), Three-lined Lema Beetle (Lema trivittata), larvae of two Sphinx moths, the Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta) and Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata), larvae of two Gelechiid moths (Aristotelia physaliella, Symmetrischema lavernella), larvae of two Noctuid moths, the Subflexa Straw (Heliothis subflexa) and Tobacco Budworm (Heliothis virescens), larvae of the Eggplant Leafroller Moth (Lineodes integra), Solanum Mealybug (Phenacoccus solani), Solenopsis Mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis), and Potato Aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae). For more information, see Clark et al. (2004), Natural History Museum (2010), Wagner (2005), Needham et al. (1928), Pepper (1965), and ScaleNet (2014). Because the foliage of ground cherries is toxic and bitter, it is not eaten by mammalian herbivores. The berries of these plants, however, are sometimes consumed by such vertebrate animals as the Bobwhite Quail, Wild Turkey, Opossum, Striped Skunk, Spotted Skunk, Eastern Box Turtle, and Ornate Box Turtle (Martin et al., 1951/1961; Ernst et al., 1994). In consuming these berries, these animals help to spread the seeds to new locations.
Photographic Location: An upper beach area of Illinois Beach State Park in NE Illinois.
Comments: The various species in this genus can be difficult to distinguish. Virginia Ground Cherry (Physalis virginiana) is less pubescent than Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla), but more pubescent than Smooth Ground Cherry (Physalis subglabrata, Physalis longifolia). Another species, Dwarf Ground Cherry (Physalis pumila), differs from Virginia Ground Cherry by having branched or divided hairs along its stems, rather than simple hairs (use a 10x hand lens to see). In addition, Dwarf Ground Cherry has faded purplish blotches within the corolla of its flowers, rather than conspicuous purplish blotches. The nodding husks covering the berries of Virginia Ground Cherry are deeply sunken above, while those of many other ground cherries (Physalis spp.) are slightly sunken or rounded above. Similarly, the mature berries of Virginia Ground Berry are orange-red, while the mature berries of many other ground cherries are yellow.
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成长记
Avacha
2018年02月05日
The plant is definitely feeling good! It started to grow, and now the “green” people of the office are paying additional attention to the shelf where it’s standing 😊
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a naung
2018年02月05日
Hello , I just brought a plant but I don't even its name can someone please tell about it ? Thanks In Advance 😊
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月05日
Description: This perennial herbaceous plant is up to 3½' tall, but it is usually only 1¼–2½' tall. Smooth Ground Cherry branches frequently, creating a bushy appearance. Some of the lower branches may sprawl along the ground, otherwise they are ascending. The stems are light green or light purplish green, more or less angular, and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent. Leaves occur throughout the length of these stems; they are alternate to nearly opposite. The leaves are up to 5" long and 3" across, although they are usually closer to one-half of this size; they are yellowish green to dark green and broadly lanceolate to oval-ovate in shape. The leaf margins are entire (toothless) and often slightly undulate; sometimes they have 1-2 shallow rounded lobes. The leaf bases are rounded and often oblique (one-half of a leaf base extending lower than the other). The upper leaf surface is glabrous or nearly so. The lower leaf surface is also glabrous or nearly so, except along the undersides of the major veins, where it is short-pubescent. Leaf venation is pinnate with slightly incurved lateral veins. The petioles are ¼–¾" long, light green, and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent. Solitary drooping flowers develop from the axils of the middle to upper leaves, especially where the stems dichotomously branch. The slender pedicels of these flowers are ¾–1" long, light green to light purplish green, and sparsely short-pubescent.
Each flower is about ¾" long and similarly across when it is fully open, consisting of a pale yellow corolla with 5 very shallow lobes, a green calyx with 5 deltate-cordate teeth, 5 stamens with yellow or purplish yellow anthers, and a pistil. The interior of the corolla has 5 purplish brown patches that surround the reproductive organs. The calyx has 5 vertical ridges that are sparsely short-pubescent, otherwise it is glabrous. Each lobe of the corolla is slightly pointed in the middle. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 1½ months. Buds, flowers, and fruits can be found simultaneously on mature plants. The flowers are replaced by husked fruits that are about 1" long, 1" across or a little less, and obcordoid-globoid in shape. The husks of these fruits are initially light green, but they later become tan-colored and papery; each husk has 10 fine vertical ridges that are light green to purple. The husks are rounded and slightly indented where they join the pedicels, while their tips are pointed. Each husk contains a single berry. At maturity, the berries are about ½" across, yellow, smooth, and globoid in shape; they have fleshy interiors that contain many seeds. The small flattened seeds are 1.5–2 mm. long and a little less across; they are pale yellow and short-reniform in shape. The root system is rhizomatous, from which clonal offsets develop.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and soil consisting of fertile loam. The lower leaves may turn yellow, or the entire plant may droop, in conditions that are too dry. This weedy species is easy to grow and sometimes it becomes aggressive.
Range & Habitat: The native Smooth Ground Cherry is common in most counties of Illinois, but it is uncommon or absent in parts of southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include disturbed areas of black soil prairies, weedy meadows, disturbed open woodlands, thickets, areas along railroads, roadsides, abandoned fields and pastures, gardens and yards, and waste ground. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred.
Faunal Associations: Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), plasterer bees (Colletes spp.) and other short-tongued bees visit the flowers for nectar and pollen (Robertson, 1929). Some of these bees are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of ground cherries (Physalis spp.); they include two plasterer bees, Colletes latitarsis and Colletes willistoni, and a dagger bee, Perdita halictoides. Other insects feed destructively on these plants. These insect feeders consist primarily of various leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), including Lemma daturaphila (Three-lined Potato Beetle), Lema trivittata (Three-striped Potato Beetle), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Colorado Potato Beetle), Leptinotarsa juncta (False Potato Beetle), Plagiometriona clavata (Clavate Tortoise Beetle), Epitrix cucumeris (Potato Flea Beetle), Epitrix fuscula (Eggplant Flea Beetle), Epitrix hirtipennis (Tobacco Flea Beetle), and other Epitrix spp. (flea beetles) that are attracted to the Solanaceae (Clark et al., 2004). Generally, the adults of these beetles feed on foliage, while the larvae feed on either roots or foliage. The larvae of some moths also feed on ground cherries. The larvae of a Noctuid moth, Heliothis subflexus (Subflexus Straw), feed on the fruits of these plants, while the larvae of Heliothis virescens (Tobacco Budworm) feed on the buds, flowers, and fruits. The larvae of two Sphinx moths, Manduca quinquemaculata (Tomato Hornworm) and Manduca sexta (Tobacco Hornworm), feed primarily on the foliage of these plants, while the larvae of a Gelechiid moth, Aristotelia physaliella, are leaf-miners (Covell, 1984/2005; Wagner, 2005; Needham et al., 1928). Some vertebrate animals eat the fruits of ground cherries, helping to spread the seeds of these plants to new locations. These fruit-eating animals include the Bobwhite Quail, Wild Turkey, Opossum, Striped Skunk, Spotted Skunk, Pine Mouse, White-footed Mouse, Eastern Box Turtle, and Ornate Box Turtle (Martin et al., 1951/1961; Ernst et al., 1994). Like other species in the Nightshade family (Solanaceae), ground cherries have foliage that is bitter-tasting and toxic. As a result, mammalian herbivores avoid its consumption.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's apartment complex in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The various ground cherries (Physalis spp.) can be difficult to distinguish and their taxonomy is somewhat unstable. Smooth Ground Cherry (Physalis subglabrata) is sometimes classified as a distinct species (Mohlenbrock, 2002), and sometimes it is classified as a variety of Physalis virginiana or Physalis longifolia (usually the latter). Compared to other ground cherries, Smooth Ground Cherry has wider leaves that are not significantly lobed and it tends to be a larger plant. It also has less hairy leaves and stems than many ground cherries. After their husks have been removed, the berries of wild ground cherries resemble cherry tomatoes that are yellow or red. One species, the Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica), is sometimes cultivated as an ingredient in Mexican cuisine. In Illinois, this annual species is sometimes cultivated in gardens, from which it rarely escapes and naturalizes into uncultivated areas. Compared to Smooth Ground Cherry, Tomatillo has slightly larger and showier flowers; the anthers of Tomatillo's flowers are purplish white, rather than yellow or purplish yellow. In addition, the leaves of Tomatillo usually have sharply pointed lobes, while those of Smooth Ground Cherry either lack lobes or their lobes are rounded and shallow.
Each flower is about ¾" long and similarly across when it is fully open, consisting of a pale yellow corolla with 5 very shallow lobes, a green calyx with 5 deltate-cordate teeth, 5 stamens with yellow or purplish yellow anthers, and a pistil. The interior of the corolla has 5 purplish brown patches that surround the reproductive organs. The calyx has 5 vertical ridges that are sparsely short-pubescent, otherwise it is glabrous. Each lobe of the corolla is slightly pointed in the middle. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 1½ months. Buds, flowers, and fruits can be found simultaneously on mature plants. The flowers are replaced by husked fruits that are about 1" long, 1" across or a little less, and obcordoid-globoid in shape. The husks of these fruits are initially light green, but they later become tan-colored and papery; each husk has 10 fine vertical ridges that are light green to purple. The husks are rounded and slightly indented where they join the pedicels, while their tips are pointed. Each husk contains a single berry. At maturity, the berries are about ½" across, yellow, smooth, and globoid in shape; they have fleshy interiors that contain many seeds. The small flattened seeds are 1.5–2 mm. long and a little less across; they are pale yellow and short-reniform in shape. The root system is rhizomatous, from which clonal offsets develop.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and soil consisting of fertile loam. The lower leaves may turn yellow, or the entire plant may droop, in conditions that are too dry. This weedy species is easy to grow and sometimes it becomes aggressive.
Range & Habitat: The native Smooth Ground Cherry is common in most counties of Illinois, but it is uncommon or absent in parts of southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include disturbed areas of black soil prairies, weedy meadows, disturbed open woodlands, thickets, areas along railroads, roadsides, abandoned fields and pastures, gardens and yards, and waste ground. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred.
Faunal Associations: Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), plasterer bees (Colletes spp.) and other short-tongued bees visit the flowers for nectar and pollen (Robertson, 1929). Some of these bees are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of ground cherries (Physalis spp.); they include two plasterer bees, Colletes latitarsis and Colletes willistoni, and a dagger bee, Perdita halictoides. Other insects feed destructively on these plants. These insect feeders consist primarily of various leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), including Lemma daturaphila (Three-lined Potato Beetle), Lema trivittata (Three-striped Potato Beetle), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Colorado Potato Beetle), Leptinotarsa juncta (False Potato Beetle), Plagiometriona clavata (Clavate Tortoise Beetle), Epitrix cucumeris (Potato Flea Beetle), Epitrix fuscula (Eggplant Flea Beetle), Epitrix hirtipennis (Tobacco Flea Beetle), and other Epitrix spp. (flea beetles) that are attracted to the Solanaceae (Clark et al., 2004). Generally, the adults of these beetles feed on foliage, while the larvae feed on either roots or foliage. The larvae of some moths also feed on ground cherries. The larvae of a Noctuid moth, Heliothis subflexus (Subflexus Straw), feed on the fruits of these plants, while the larvae of Heliothis virescens (Tobacco Budworm) feed on the buds, flowers, and fruits. The larvae of two Sphinx moths, Manduca quinquemaculata (Tomato Hornworm) and Manduca sexta (Tobacco Hornworm), feed primarily on the foliage of these plants, while the larvae of a Gelechiid moth, Aristotelia physaliella, are leaf-miners (Covell, 1984/2005; Wagner, 2005; Needham et al., 1928). Some vertebrate animals eat the fruits of ground cherries, helping to spread the seeds of these plants to new locations. These fruit-eating animals include the Bobwhite Quail, Wild Turkey, Opossum, Striped Skunk, Spotted Skunk, Pine Mouse, White-footed Mouse, Eastern Box Turtle, and Ornate Box Turtle (Martin et al., 1951/1961; Ernst et al., 1994). Like other species in the Nightshade family (Solanaceae), ground cherries have foliage that is bitter-tasting and toxic. As a result, mammalian herbivores avoid its consumption.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's apartment complex in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The various ground cherries (Physalis spp.) can be difficult to distinguish and their taxonomy is somewhat unstable. Smooth Ground Cherry (Physalis subglabrata) is sometimes classified as a distinct species (Mohlenbrock, 2002), and sometimes it is classified as a variety of Physalis virginiana or Physalis longifolia (usually the latter). Compared to other ground cherries, Smooth Ground Cherry has wider leaves that are not significantly lobed and it tends to be a larger plant. It also has less hairy leaves and stems than many ground cherries. After their husks have been removed, the berries of wild ground cherries resemble cherry tomatoes that are yellow or red. One species, the Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica), is sometimes cultivated as an ingredient in Mexican cuisine. In Illinois, this annual species is sometimes cultivated in gardens, from which it rarely escapes and naturalizes into uncultivated areas. Compared to Smooth Ground Cherry, Tomatillo has slightly larger and showier flowers; the anthers of Tomatillo's flowers are purplish white, rather than yellow or purplish yellow. In addition, the leaves of Tomatillo usually have sharply pointed lobes, while those of Smooth Ground Cherry either lack lobes or their lobes are rounded and shallow.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月05日
Description: This perennial plant is 1½–2½' tall, branching frequently. The stems are usually round and covered with white hairs. The alternate leaves are whitish or yellowish green, and up to 4" long and 3" across. They are cordate or broadly lanceolate, with a well-rounded base. The leaf margins are horizontally wavy and irregular, and often undulate vertically as well. Both the leaves and their petioles are covered with fine white hairs, and have a rather soft texture. These hairs are sometimes glandular. A single drooping flower appears at the juncture of two divergent stems. It is up to ¾" across, and consists of a spreading tubular corolla that is pale yellow and divided into 5 very shallow lobes. There are 5 brownish purple splotches near the base of the corolla and 5 prominent dull yellow anthers. The pedicels of the flowers exceed 1/5" when fully developed, while the calyx has triangular teeth; they are both covered with fine white hairs. Later, the flowers are replaced by heart-shaped husks that are up to ¾" long, each containing a single fruit. The husk of the fruit is initially green, but later turns brown, and is indented at the base. The spherical fruit is about ½" across and becomes yellow when mature. It contains numerous light brown seeds that are elliptical and granular. On a typical mature plant during the summer, there are several buds, flowers, and husked fruit in all stages of development. The blooming period occurs during the summer and lasts about 2 months. The root system consists of deep fleshy rhizomes, which spread the plant vegetatively.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and slightly moist to dry conditions. The soil can contain substantial portions of loam, sand, or gravel. This plant often thrives in sterile soil, or disturbed areas with rich soil, because this reduces competition from taller, more aggressive plants. It is fairly drought tolerant.
Range & Habitat: Clammy Ground Cherry occurs throughout most of Illinois, except some of the south-central and north-central counties (see Distribution Map). This plant is native to Illinois. It can be found occasionally in mesic to dry black soil prairies, especially in disturbed areas. This plant also occurs in openings of rocky or sandy upland forests, sand prairies, abandoned fields and pastures, areas along roadsides and railroads, and various waste areas.
Faunal Associations: Short-tongued bees collect pollen or suck nectar at the flowers. This includes the Plasterer bees Colletes latitarsis and Colletes willistoni, and some Halictine and Panurgine bees. The caterpillars of the moth Heliothis subflexus (Subflexus Straw) eat the fruit of this plant, while other insects feed on or suck juices from the foliage, including Paratrioza cockerellii (Potato Psyllid), Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Potato Aphid), and Lema trilineata (Leaf Beetle sp.). Mammalian herbivores usually don't eat this plant because the poisonous leaves and unripe fruit contain significant amounts of solanum. There has been cases of cattle being poisoned by this species and other ground cherries. Various upland gamebirds and small mammals eat the mature fruit and help to distribute the seeds, including the Bobwhite Quail, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, Eastern Striped Skunk, and White-Footed Mouse
Photographic Location: The above photographs were taken at the edge of a prairie remnant near a cultivated field in Champaign County, Illinois. This prairie remnant occurred along a railroad.
Comments: This plant has a very different appearance from Physalis subglabrata (Smooth Ground Cherry). The most striking features of Clammy Ground Cherry are the abundance of fine white hairs on the foliage and the irregular shape of the rather large leaves. Different varieties of this species have been described. It is probably one of the two most common ground cherries in Illinois, preferring areas that are sunny and on the dry side. The mature yellow fruit is edible to humans.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and slightly moist to dry conditions. The soil can contain substantial portions of loam, sand, or gravel. This plant often thrives in sterile soil, or disturbed areas with rich soil, because this reduces competition from taller, more aggressive plants. It is fairly drought tolerant.
Range & Habitat: Clammy Ground Cherry occurs throughout most of Illinois, except some of the south-central and north-central counties (see Distribution Map). This plant is native to Illinois. It can be found occasionally in mesic to dry black soil prairies, especially in disturbed areas. This plant also occurs in openings of rocky or sandy upland forests, sand prairies, abandoned fields and pastures, areas along roadsides and railroads, and various waste areas.
Faunal Associations: Short-tongued bees collect pollen or suck nectar at the flowers. This includes the Plasterer bees Colletes latitarsis and Colletes willistoni, and some Halictine and Panurgine bees. The caterpillars of the moth Heliothis subflexus (Subflexus Straw) eat the fruit of this plant, while other insects feed on or suck juices from the foliage, including Paratrioza cockerellii (Potato Psyllid), Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Potato Aphid), and Lema trilineata (Leaf Beetle sp.). Mammalian herbivores usually don't eat this plant because the poisonous leaves and unripe fruit contain significant amounts of solanum. There has been cases of cattle being poisoned by this species and other ground cherries. Various upland gamebirds and small mammals eat the mature fruit and help to distribute the seeds, including the Bobwhite Quail, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, Eastern Striped Skunk, and White-Footed Mouse
Photographic Location: The above photographs were taken at the edge of a prairie remnant near a cultivated field in Champaign County, Illinois. This prairie remnant occurred along a railroad.
Comments: This plant has a very different appearance from Physalis subglabrata (Smooth Ground Cherry). The most striking features of Clammy Ground Cherry are the abundance of fine white hairs on the foliage and the irregular shape of the rather large leaves. Different varieties of this species have been described. It is probably one of the two most common ground cherries in Illinois, preferring areas that are sunny and on the dry side. The mature yellow fruit is edible to humans.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月05日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is up to 2' tall and unbranched. The stem is covered with fine white hairs. The opposite leaves are up to 3½" long and ½" across, and sparsely distributed along the stem. They are linear to narrowly lanceolate, sessile, and have smooth, but slightly ciliate margins. Their surface often has a fine pubescence. The lower leaves tend to turn yellow and drop off the stem when the plant becomes stressed out. There is a cluster of flowers at the apex of the plant on short hairy stalks. Each flower is about ½" across, and has 5 lobes that flare abruptly outward from a long narrow tubular corolla. These lobes are rather angular and become considerably more narrow toward the base of the corolla. The calyx has long slender sepals that are green and hairy. The flowers may be white, pink, or lavender, and have a mild pleasant fragrance. The base of the corolla often has lines of deeper color than the lobes. Prairie Phlox typically blooms during late spring or early summer for about 1–1½ months. This plant has a taproot, and occasionally tillers at the base, sending up multiple stems. The small seeds are distributed by the wind to some extent.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to mesic conditions. The soil can consist of rich loam, clay loam, sandy loam, or have some rocky material. Foliar disease doesn't bother this phlox to any significant extent. It is difficult to start plants from seeds, but somewhat easier from transplants. Sometimes, Prairie Phlox can be temperamental and short-lived if a site doesn't suit its requirements.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Phlox occurs occasionally in most of Illinois, but is uncommon or absent in west central and southeastern Illinois (see Distribution Map). At high quality sites, it may be locally common. Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, rocky open forests, Bur Oak savannas, sandy Black Oak savannas, limestone glades, thickets, abandoned fields, and prairie remnants along railroads. Prairie Phlox appears to benefit from the removal of excess debris by wildfires occurring during early spring or the fall.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts primarily long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Other visitors include moths and bee flies. Among the bee visitors are bumblebees, Anthophorine bees, Miner bees, and Nomadine Cuckoo bees. Butterfly and skipper visitors include the American Painted Lady, Sulfurs, Swallowtails, and Cloudywings. The caterpillars of the moth Heliothis phloxiphagus (Spotted Straw) eat the flowers, while the caterpillars of the moth Olive Arches eat the leaves. Other insects feeding on this phlox and others include Lopidea davis (Phlox Scarlet Plant Bug) and Poecilocapsus lineatus (Four-Lined Plant Bug). Mammalian herbivores readily consume Prairie Phlox, including rabbits, deer, groundhogs, and livestock. It may be difficult to establish this plant where there is an overpopulation of these animals.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The flower structure of the Phlox genus is a classical example of a butterfly flower. Such flowers feature flared petals that function as a landing pad for these insects, and a long narrow tube that is accessible to the long proboscis of butterflies, as well as skippers and moths. Such flowers typically occur in loose, rounded clusters, and are often fragrant. The flowers of Prairie Phlox have all of these characteristics. A very rare variety of Prairie Phlox that occurs within the Sangamon river basin in Sangamon and Champaign counties is Phlox pilosa var. sangamonensis (Sangamon Phlox). It is distinguished primarily by its hairless stems, flowering stalks, and leaves, and is listed as an endangered species in the state of Illinois.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to mesic conditions. The soil can consist of rich loam, clay loam, sandy loam, or have some rocky material. Foliar disease doesn't bother this phlox to any significant extent. It is difficult to start plants from seeds, but somewhat easier from transplants. Sometimes, Prairie Phlox can be temperamental and short-lived if a site doesn't suit its requirements.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Phlox occurs occasionally in most of Illinois, but is uncommon or absent in west central and southeastern Illinois (see Distribution Map). At high quality sites, it may be locally common. Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, rocky open forests, Bur Oak savannas, sandy Black Oak savannas, limestone glades, thickets, abandoned fields, and prairie remnants along railroads. Prairie Phlox appears to benefit from the removal of excess debris by wildfires occurring during early spring or the fall.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts primarily long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Other visitors include moths and bee flies. Among the bee visitors are bumblebees, Anthophorine bees, Miner bees, and Nomadine Cuckoo bees. Butterfly and skipper visitors include the American Painted Lady, Sulfurs, Swallowtails, and Cloudywings. The caterpillars of the moth Heliothis phloxiphagus (Spotted Straw) eat the flowers, while the caterpillars of the moth Olive Arches eat the leaves. Other insects feeding on this phlox and others include Lopidea davis (Phlox Scarlet Plant Bug) and Poecilocapsus lineatus (Four-Lined Plant Bug). Mammalian herbivores readily consume Prairie Phlox, including rabbits, deer, groundhogs, and livestock. It may be difficult to establish this plant where there is an overpopulation of these animals.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The flower structure of the Phlox genus is a classical example of a butterfly flower. Such flowers feature flared petals that function as a landing pad for these insects, and a long narrow tube that is accessible to the long proboscis of butterflies, as well as skippers and moths. Such flowers typically occur in loose, rounded clusters, and are often fragrant. The flowers of Prairie Phlox have all of these characteristics. A very rare variety of Prairie Phlox that occurs within the Sangamon river basin in Sangamon and Champaign counties is Phlox pilosa var. sangamonensis (Sangamon Phlox). It is distinguished primarily by its hairless stems, flowering stalks, and leaves, and is listed as an endangered species in the state of Illinois.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月05日
Description: This perennial plant is 1-3' tall and usually unbranched. The central stem is terete, smooth, and usually glabrous; it also has numerous purple spots or streaks. The opposite leaves are medium to dark green, often with a shiny upper surface, and they are sessile against the stem or nearly so. They are about 2½-4" long and ½-¾" across. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate in shape and smooth along their margins; they are widest near their bases, while their tips are long and slender. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves are glabrous. The central stem terminates in a panicle of flowers that is about 3-8" in length and longer than it is wide. The panicle of the typical subspecies (ssp. maculata) is cylindrical in shape (see Panicle Photo), while the panicle of spp. pyramidalis is pyramidal in shape (broader at the base than toward the apex). Individual flowers are about ¾" across, consisting of a pink, purple, or white corolla with 5 petal-like lobes, a green to purplish green calyx with 5 linear lobes (about ¼" in length), and the reproductive organs. The base of the corolla is narrowly tubular, while its petal-like lobes are obovate in shape. The calyx is shorter than the corolla and usually glabrous. The slender pedicels of the flowers are short (less than ½" in length). The blooming period occurs during the summer, lasting about 1-2 months. After the flowers wither away, they are replaced by ovoid seed capsules about 1/3" (8 mm.) in length. These capsules are 3-celled, and each cell of a capsule contains one or more seeds. The small seeds are distributed by the wind to a limited extent. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: Preferred habitat consists of full sun to light shade, moist conditions, and soil containing silt, loam, or sandy loam. There should be sufficient organic material to retain moisture. After flowering, this plant tends to die down. If conditions are not right, it can be short-lived.
Range & Habitat: The native Speckled Phlox occurs in scattered counties in the northern half of Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is an uncommon plant in the wild. Some populations may be plants that have escaped cultivation, as it is a popular garden plant. Habitats include bottomland woodlands, woodland openings, moist meadows along rivers, banks of rivers, fens, roadsides in wooded areas, and abandoned fields. Speckled Phlox typically occurs near woodlands or sources of water, rather than open prairie.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by nectar-seeking butterflies, skippers, and moths. Small Syrphid flies may eat the pollen of the flowers, but they are non-pollinating. Caterpillars of the moth Heliothis turbatus (Spotted Straw) feed destructively on the flowers and buds, while caterpillars of the moth Lacinipolia olivacea (Olive Arches) feed on the foliage. Some plant bugs suck the juices of Speckled Phlox and other Phlox spp., including Lopidea davisi (Phlox Scarlet Plant Bug) and Poecilocapsus lineatus (Four-Lined Plant Bug). The larvae of a long-horned beetle, Oberea flavipes, bore through the stems. Mammalian herbivores readily consume Speckled Phlox, including rabbits, groundhogs, and deer. It can be difficult to maintain populations of this uncommon plant when these animals are abundant.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a flower garden along a sidewalk in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is another lovely Phlox species (Phlox sp.) that is uncommonly encountered in the wild. Wild plants with white flowers, in particular, are quite rare. Speckled Phlox can be distinguished from other Phlox spp. in Illinois by its purple-spotted stems and elongated panicles of flowers. Unlike Speckled Phlox, other Phlox spp. within the state have panicles of flowers that are wider than they are tall. The photographed plant is a cultivar with white flowers, but it has features that are typical of wild plants. Its cylindrical panicle of flowers is a key characteristic of the typical subspecies, Phlox maculata maculata. Other common names of this plant include Spotted Phlox, Meadow Phlox, and Wild Sweet William.
Cultivation: Preferred habitat consists of full sun to light shade, moist conditions, and soil containing silt, loam, or sandy loam. There should be sufficient organic material to retain moisture. After flowering, this plant tends to die down. If conditions are not right, it can be short-lived.
Range & Habitat: The native Speckled Phlox occurs in scattered counties in the northern half of Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is an uncommon plant in the wild. Some populations may be plants that have escaped cultivation, as it is a popular garden plant. Habitats include bottomland woodlands, woodland openings, moist meadows along rivers, banks of rivers, fens, roadsides in wooded areas, and abandoned fields. Speckled Phlox typically occurs near woodlands or sources of water, rather than open prairie.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by nectar-seeking butterflies, skippers, and moths. Small Syrphid flies may eat the pollen of the flowers, but they are non-pollinating. Caterpillars of the moth Heliothis turbatus (Spotted Straw) feed destructively on the flowers and buds, while caterpillars of the moth Lacinipolia olivacea (Olive Arches) feed on the foliage. Some plant bugs suck the juices of Speckled Phlox and other Phlox spp., including Lopidea davisi (Phlox Scarlet Plant Bug) and Poecilocapsus lineatus (Four-Lined Plant Bug). The larvae of a long-horned beetle, Oberea flavipes, bore through the stems. Mammalian herbivores readily consume Speckled Phlox, including rabbits, groundhogs, and deer. It can be difficult to maintain populations of this uncommon plant when these animals are abundant.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a flower garden along a sidewalk in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is another lovely Phlox species (Phlox sp.) that is uncommonly encountered in the wild. Wild plants with white flowers, in particular, are quite rare. Speckled Phlox can be distinguished from other Phlox spp. in Illinois by its purple-spotted stems and elongated panicles of flowers. Unlike Speckled Phlox, other Phlox spp. within the state have panicles of flowers that are wider than they are tall. The photographed plant is a cultivar with white flowers, but it has features that are typical of wild plants. Its cylindrical panicle of flowers is a key characteristic of the typical subspecies, Phlox maculata maculata. Other common names of this plant include Spotted Phlox, Meadow Phlox, and Wild Sweet William.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月04日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is about 1' tall. Multiple stems often develop from the crown of the taproot, and each stem occasionally branches. The stems are somewhat woody at the base and have a tendency to sprawl; they are usually covered with both glandular and non-glandular hairs. Pairs of opposite leaves occur at intervals along each stem. These leaves are up to 2" long and ¼" across; they are linear to linear-lanceolate, smooth along the margins, and glabrous to hairy. The base of each leaf is sessile or slightly clasps the stem.
The upper stems terminate in small cymes of about 3 flowers; less often, individual flowers may develop from the axils of the upper leaves. The slender pedicels of the flowers are up to 1" long and covered with hairs, like the stems; they are often reddish green. Each flower is about ¾" across, consisting of a tubular calyx with linear teeth and a a tubular corolla with 5 spreading lobes. The calyx is green or reddish green and covered with hairs. The corolla is white or pale blue-violet; the opening at its throat is quite small. The petal-like lobes are narrow and cleft at their tips to about one-half of their length. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1½ months. Each flower is replaced by an oblongoid seed capsule that is 3-celled and contains several small seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself and may form colonies at favorable sites.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and sandy or rocky soil where there is reduced competition from other plants. This plant adapts well to sunny slopes.
Range & Habitat: The native Sand Phlox is occasional to locally common in sandy areas of central and northern Illinois, otherwise it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic to dry sand prairies, hill prairies, sandy savannas, sandy shoulders of roads, thinly wooded bluffs, cliffs, and limestone glades. Occasional wildfires are beneficial in reducing competition from woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: Butterflies, skippers, and moths suck nectar from the flowers. The caterpillars of the moth Heliothis phloxiphagus (Spotted Straw) feed on the flowers, while the caterpillars of the moth Lacinipolia olivacea (Olive Arches) feed on the foliage. Another insect, Lopidea davis (Phlox Scarlet Plant Bug) sucks on the sap. Most mammalian herbivores readily eat the foliage of Phlox spp.
Photographic Location: A sandy area along a road in Kankakee County, Illinois, where this species is locally common.
Comments: Sand Phlox has lovely flowers. The strongly cleft lobes of the flowers distinguish it from other Phlox spp. Across its range, Sand Phlox is somewhat variable in the appearance of its flowers and the hairiness of its foliage. Another subspecies of Sand Phlox, Phlox bifida stellaria, has flowers that are cleft to about one-fourth the length of their lobes. The foliage of this subspecies has only non-glandular hairs, while the typical subspecies has both glandular and non-glandular hairs. The subspecies Phlox bifida stellaria is restricted to only 1 or 2 counties in southern Illinois, where it occurs in upland rocky areas. Regardless of the subspecies, another common name for Phlox bifida is Cleft Phlox.
The upper stems terminate in small cymes of about 3 flowers; less often, individual flowers may develop from the axils of the upper leaves. The slender pedicels of the flowers are up to 1" long and covered with hairs, like the stems; they are often reddish green. Each flower is about ¾" across, consisting of a tubular calyx with linear teeth and a a tubular corolla with 5 spreading lobes. The calyx is green or reddish green and covered with hairs. The corolla is white or pale blue-violet; the opening at its throat is quite small. The petal-like lobes are narrow and cleft at their tips to about one-half of their length. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1½ months. Each flower is replaced by an oblongoid seed capsule that is 3-celled and contains several small seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself and may form colonies at favorable sites.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and sandy or rocky soil where there is reduced competition from other plants. This plant adapts well to sunny slopes.
Range & Habitat: The native Sand Phlox is occasional to locally common in sandy areas of central and northern Illinois, otherwise it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic to dry sand prairies, hill prairies, sandy savannas, sandy shoulders of roads, thinly wooded bluffs, cliffs, and limestone glades. Occasional wildfires are beneficial in reducing competition from woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: Butterflies, skippers, and moths suck nectar from the flowers. The caterpillars of the moth Heliothis phloxiphagus (Spotted Straw) feed on the flowers, while the caterpillars of the moth Lacinipolia olivacea (Olive Arches) feed on the foliage. Another insect, Lopidea davis (Phlox Scarlet Plant Bug) sucks on the sap. Most mammalian herbivores readily eat the foliage of Phlox spp.
Photographic Location: A sandy area along a road in Kankakee County, Illinois, where this species is locally common.
Comments: Sand Phlox has lovely flowers. The strongly cleft lobes of the flowers distinguish it from other Phlox spp. Across its range, Sand Phlox is somewhat variable in the appearance of its flowers and the hairiness of its foliage. Another subspecies of Sand Phlox, Phlox bifida stellaria, has flowers that are cleft to about one-fourth the length of their lobes. The foliage of this subspecies has only non-glandular hairs, while the typical subspecies has both glandular and non-glandular hairs. The subspecies Phlox bifida stellaria is restricted to only 1 or 2 counties in southern Illinois, where it occurs in upland rocky areas. Regardless of the subspecies, another common name for Phlox bifida is Cleft Phlox.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月04日
Description: This annual plant is 1-4' tall, branching occasionally. It is more or less erect, often bending toward the light in partially shaded locations. The stems are light green to red, terete, relatively stout, and glabrous; they have a tendency to zigzag between the alternate leaves. The leaves are up to 7" long and 2½" across; they are medium to dark green, glabrous on both the upper and lower sides (for this variety), narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate in shape, and smooth to minutely ciliate along their margins. On rare occasions, the leaves are marked with chevrons that are faintly darkened, otherwise they are unmarked. The petioles are up to 1" long, usually light green, glabrous, and plano-convex (flattened above and convex below). At the bases of petioles, there are ring-like ochrea (membranous sheaths) that surround the stems. These ochrea are ¼–¾" long, light green to light brown (depending on their age), longitudinally veined, and translucent; their upper rims are truncate to asymmetric and devoid of bristles. The upper stems terminate in 1-2 spike-like racemes of flowers that are about ¾-2½" long and cylindrical in appearance; these racemes are usually straight and they are erect to ascending.
Small flowers and flower buds are densely crowded along the entire length of each raceme, surrounding its rachis (central stalk) in all directions. Along this rachis, are ochreolae (small membranous sheaths) that are spaced at short intervals from each other; several flowers are associated with each ochreola. Each flower is 3-4.5 mm. long (1/8" or slightly longer), consisting of 5 tepals, several stamens, and a pistil. The tepals are white, light pink, or rosy pink; they are joined together along the lower one-half of their length, while their tips are ovate and erect. The anthers are white or pink. The peduncles of the racemes are ¾–3½" long, light green to reddish green, terete, glandular-pubescent, and either unbranched or dichotomously forked. Peduncles that are forked produce 2 racemes of flowers. The blooming period occurs during the summer or early autumn, lasting about 1 month for a colony of plants. There is no noticeable floral scent. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by achenes (one achene per flower). These achenes are 2-3.5 mm. long and almost as much across; they are dark brown to black, flattened-orbicular in shape, smooth, and shiny. The root system consists of a taproot with smaller and more shallow lateral roots. Colonies of plants are often formed at favorable locations.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist conditions, and rich loamy soil. Standing water is tolerated if it is temporary. This robust plant is rather weedy and easy to grow – it has more tolerance to drought than many other smartweeds. The leaves are rarely blemished by disease, although they are sometimes attacked by insects.
Range & Habitat: The native Pennsylvania Smartweed occurs in every county of Illinois, where it is common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet prairies, prairie swales, swamps, low areas near ponds or rivers, edges of marshes, degraded seasonal wetlands, abandoned fields, low areas along railroads, roadside ditches, vacant lots, fence rows, and waste areas. This annual plant thrives on the reduced competition resulting from disturbance.
Faunal Associations: The flowers of Pennsylvania Smartweed attract many kinds of insects, including honeybees, bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Epeolus spp., Triepeolus spp.), digger bees (Melissodes spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees, Andrenid bees, Sphecid wasps, Vespid wasps, spider wasps (Anoplius spp.), Syrphid flies, Tachinid flies, flesh flies (Ravinia spp.), and miscellaneous butterflies and moths (Robertson, 1929). Most of these insects feed on the nectar and they help to cross-pollinate the flowers. Other insects feed on the leaves, roots, plant juices, and other parts of Pennsylvania Smartweed and other smartweeds (Persicaria spp.). These species include the Red-headed Flea Beetle (Systena frontalis) and other leaf beetles, larvae and adults of various weevils, the Polygonum Aphid (Capitophorus hippophaes) and other aphids, larvae of the Dock Sawfly (Ametastegia glabrata) and other sawflies (Ametastegia spp.), larvae of the Bent-line Carpet (Orthonama centrostrigaria) and other moths, and larvae of the Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus) and other butterflies. See the Insect Table for a listing of these and other species.
Among vertebrate animals, the seeds of Pennsylvania Smartweed and other smartweeds are an important source of food to many bird species, including waterfowl, upland game birds, and granivorous songbirds (see the Bird Table). The seeds are also eaten by small rodents, including the White-footed Mouse and wild House Mouse (Whitaker, 1966). According to Ernst et al. (1994), several turtles feed on smartweeds (probably the foliage to a minor extent); this includes such turtles as the Snapping Turtle (Chelydrina serpentina), Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina), and Slider (Trachemys scripta). Mammalian herbivores usually avoid the foliage of Pennsylvania Smartweed and most other smartweeds because their leaves are somewhat bitter and peppery.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a vacant lot near Urbana, Illinois, and a seasonal wetland at Judge Webber Park of the same city.
Comments: This native plant, along with other members of the genus, is often undervalued because it is considered too common, and the flowers are not thought to be sufficient large and pretty. In fact, Pennsylvania Smartweed is rather attractive when the flowers are bright pink, and its ecological value to birds, moths, butterflies, and other insects, regardless of the color of the flowers, is quite high. Different varieties of this smartweed have been described by some authors (e.g., Mohlenbrock, 2002); Persicaria pensylvanica laevigata is the most common variety in Illinois, which is distinguished from the others by the glabrous lower surface of its leaves. Distinguishing Pennsylvania Smartweed from other smartweed species (Persicaria spp.) can be difficult, in part because of its variability across different populations of plants. This variability includes such features as the color of flowers (white, light pink, rosy pink), the hairiness of the foliage, and the width of the leaves. Pennsylvania Smartweed has the following features that are sometimes helpful in making a correct identification as to species: 1) the ochrea on its stems lack bristles along their upper rims, 2) the peduncles of its inflorescences are usually glandular pubescent, 3) its spike-like racemes are usually straight and more or less erect, rather than curved and nodding, 4) it usually forms taller plants than most smartweed species and its leaves are more long and wide, and 5) its flattened seeds are usually larger in size. Other common names for this smartweed are 'Pinkweed' and 'Big-seeded Smartweed.' Another scientific name of this plant is Polygonum pensylvanicum laevigatum.
Small flowers and flower buds are densely crowded along the entire length of each raceme, surrounding its rachis (central stalk) in all directions. Along this rachis, are ochreolae (small membranous sheaths) that are spaced at short intervals from each other; several flowers are associated with each ochreola. Each flower is 3-4.5 mm. long (1/8" or slightly longer), consisting of 5 tepals, several stamens, and a pistil. The tepals are white, light pink, or rosy pink; they are joined together along the lower one-half of their length, while their tips are ovate and erect. The anthers are white or pink. The peduncles of the racemes are ¾–3½" long, light green to reddish green, terete, glandular-pubescent, and either unbranched or dichotomously forked. Peduncles that are forked produce 2 racemes of flowers. The blooming period occurs during the summer or early autumn, lasting about 1 month for a colony of plants. There is no noticeable floral scent. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by achenes (one achene per flower). These achenes are 2-3.5 mm. long and almost as much across; they are dark brown to black, flattened-orbicular in shape, smooth, and shiny. The root system consists of a taproot with smaller and more shallow lateral roots. Colonies of plants are often formed at favorable locations.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist conditions, and rich loamy soil. Standing water is tolerated if it is temporary. This robust plant is rather weedy and easy to grow – it has more tolerance to drought than many other smartweeds. The leaves are rarely blemished by disease, although they are sometimes attacked by insects.
Range & Habitat: The native Pennsylvania Smartweed occurs in every county of Illinois, where it is common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet prairies, prairie swales, swamps, low areas near ponds or rivers, edges of marshes, degraded seasonal wetlands, abandoned fields, low areas along railroads, roadside ditches, vacant lots, fence rows, and waste areas. This annual plant thrives on the reduced competition resulting from disturbance.
Faunal Associations: The flowers of Pennsylvania Smartweed attract many kinds of insects, including honeybees, bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Epeolus spp., Triepeolus spp.), digger bees (Melissodes spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees, Andrenid bees, Sphecid wasps, Vespid wasps, spider wasps (Anoplius spp.), Syrphid flies, Tachinid flies, flesh flies (Ravinia spp.), and miscellaneous butterflies and moths (Robertson, 1929). Most of these insects feed on the nectar and they help to cross-pollinate the flowers. Other insects feed on the leaves, roots, plant juices, and other parts of Pennsylvania Smartweed and other smartweeds (Persicaria spp.). These species include the Red-headed Flea Beetle (Systena frontalis) and other leaf beetles, larvae and adults of various weevils, the Polygonum Aphid (Capitophorus hippophaes) and other aphids, larvae of the Dock Sawfly (Ametastegia glabrata) and other sawflies (Ametastegia spp.), larvae of the Bent-line Carpet (Orthonama centrostrigaria) and other moths, and larvae of the Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus) and other butterflies. See the Insect Table for a listing of these and other species.
Among vertebrate animals, the seeds of Pennsylvania Smartweed and other smartweeds are an important source of food to many bird species, including waterfowl, upland game birds, and granivorous songbirds (see the Bird Table). The seeds are also eaten by small rodents, including the White-footed Mouse and wild House Mouse (Whitaker, 1966). According to Ernst et al. (1994), several turtles feed on smartweeds (probably the foliage to a minor extent); this includes such turtles as the Snapping Turtle (Chelydrina serpentina), Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina), and Slider (Trachemys scripta). Mammalian herbivores usually avoid the foliage of Pennsylvania Smartweed and most other smartweeds because their leaves are somewhat bitter and peppery.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a vacant lot near Urbana, Illinois, and a seasonal wetland at Judge Webber Park of the same city.
Comments: This native plant, along with other members of the genus, is often undervalued because it is considered too common, and the flowers are not thought to be sufficient large and pretty. In fact, Pennsylvania Smartweed is rather attractive when the flowers are bright pink, and its ecological value to birds, moths, butterflies, and other insects, regardless of the color of the flowers, is quite high. Different varieties of this smartweed have been described by some authors (e.g., Mohlenbrock, 2002); Persicaria pensylvanica laevigata is the most common variety in Illinois, which is distinguished from the others by the glabrous lower surface of its leaves. Distinguishing Pennsylvania Smartweed from other smartweed species (Persicaria spp.) can be difficult, in part because of its variability across different populations of plants. This variability includes such features as the color of flowers (white, light pink, rosy pink), the hairiness of the foliage, and the width of the leaves. Pennsylvania Smartweed has the following features that are sometimes helpful in making a correct identification as to species: 1) the ochrea on its stems lack bristles along their upper rims, 2) the peduncles of its inflorescences are usually glandular pubescent, 3) its spike-like racemes are usually straight and more or less erect, rather than curved and nodding, 4) it usually forms taller plants than most smartweed species and its leaves are more long and wide, and 5) its flattened seeds are usually larger in size. Other common names for this smartweed are 'Pinkweed' and 'Big-seeded Smartweed.' Another scientific name of this plant is Polygonum pensylvanicum laevigatum.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月04日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 2-3½' tall, branching sparingly. The slender stems are round and hairless. The alternate compound leaves occur sparingly along the stems; they are doubly pinnate, and about 8" long and half as wide. The slender leaflets are up to 1/8" (3 mm.) across. They often have 1-3 lobes, but their margins are smooth. The upper stems terminate in compound umbels with small white flowers. A typical umbel is about 6" across and has about 12 umbellets; these umbellets are loosely arranged, rather than compressed together. An umbellet is about 1" across and has 7-21 flowers.
Each flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across, with 5 white petals that are notched in the middle, and 5 green sepals that are small and triangular. There are also up to 5 white stamens with 5 white anthers that are potentially observable; frequently, there appears to be fewer than 5 of these reproductive structures because they are fragile and short-lived. The blooming period occurs during early summer and lasts about 2 weeks. There is no noticeable floral scent. The root system is tuberous, which enables this plant to develop quickly during the spring and early summer. After blooming, it quickly fades away and becomes dormant for the rest of the year.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to full sun, and moist to slightly dry conditions. Wild Dill often grows in soil that is rich and loamy; it also tolerates some clay or rocky material. This plant should be cultivated more often in wildflower gardens.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Dill occurs occasionally in NE and central Illinois, but it is rare or absent elsewhere (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic black soil prairies, openings or edges near woodlands, areas along woodland paths, thickets, limestone glades, and bluffs. It often grows in grassy areas, but is easy to overlook, except during the short blooming period. This plant is more typical of high quality habitats than disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts many small bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. Among the flies, are such visitors as biting midges, Syrphid flies, thick-headed flies, Tachinid flies, flesh flies, bottle flies, Muscid flies, Chloropid flies, and others. Among the wasps, are such unusual visitors as cuckoo wasps and various parasitoid wasps, including the Chalcid, Perilampid, Eucoilid, Figitid, and Ichneumonid wasps. Little is known about this plant's relationship to mammalian herbivores; because the foliage is not known to be toxic, it is probably consumed by them occasionally.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, and at Prospect Cemetery Prairie in Ford County, Illinois.
Comments: This is an ethereal plant that is lovely while in bloom; unfortunately, this doesn't last very long. From a distance, Wild Dill may appear to be an early blooming Daucus carota (Wild Carrot), but closer inspection of the foliage and flowers will reveal significant differences between these two plants. What sets Wild Dill apart from many other white-flowered members of the Carrot family is the season of bloom (early summer) and the slender, delicate leaves (not wider than 1/8" across). Also, it should not be confused with Anethum graveolens (Cultivated Dill); this familiar annual herb from the Old World has yellow flowers. Another common name for Perideridia americana is 'Thicket Parsley.'
Each flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across, with 5 white petals that are notched in the middle, and 5 green sepals that are small and triangular. There are also up to 5 white stamens with 5 white anthers that are potentially observable; frequently, there appears to be fewer than 5 of these reproductive structures because they are fragile and short-lived. The blooming period occurs during early summer and lasts about 2 weeks. There is no noticeable floral scent. The root system is tuberous, which enables this plant to develop quickly during the spring and early summer. After blooming, it quickly fades away and becomes dormant for the rest of the year.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to full sun, and moist to slightly dry conditions. Wild Dill often grows in soil that is rich and loamy; it also tolerates some clay or rocky material. This plant should be cultivated more often in wildflower gardens.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Dill occurs occasionally in NE and central Illinois, but it is rare or absent elsewhere (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic black soil prairies, openings or edges near woodlands, areas along woodland paths, thickets, limestone glades, and bluffs. It often grows in grassy areas, but is easy to overlook, except during the short blooming period. This plant is more typical of high quality habitats than disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts many small bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. Among the flies, are such visitors as biting midges, Syrphid flies, thick-headed flies, Tachinid flies, flesh flies, bottle flies, Muscid flies, Chloropid flies, and others. Among the wasps, are such unusual visitors as cuckoo wasps and various parasitoid wasps, including the Chalcid, Perilampid, Eucoilid, Figitid, and Ichneumonid wasps. Little is known about this plant's relationship to mammalian herbivores; because the foliage is not known to be toxic, it is probably consumed by them occasionally.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, and at Prospect Cemetery Prairie in Ford County, Illinois.
Comments: This is an ethereal plant that is lovely while in bloom; unfortunately, this doesn't last very long. From a distance, Wild Dill may appear to be an early blooming Daucus carota (Wild Carrot), but closer inspection of the foliage and flowers will reveal significant differences between these two plants. What sets Wild Dill apart from many other white-flowered members of the Carrot family is the season of bloom (early summer) and the slender, delicate leaves (not wider than 1/8" across). Also, it should not be confused with Anethum graveolens (Cultivated Dill); this familiar annual herb from the Old World has yellow flowers. Another common name for Perideridia americana is 'Thicket Parsley.'
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月04日
Description: This perennial plant is 2-3' tall, forming one or more unbranched flowering stalks. The central stem is light green, glabrous, and terete. Pairs of opposite leaves develop along the lower half of this stem; they are up to 5" long and 2" across, deltate-ovate to oblong-lanceolate in shape, and smooth to slightly toothed along their margins. Between the leaves on the lower stem and the inflorescence, the central stem is usually naked; sometimes pairs of small narrow leaves (1" long or less) can be found along the upper stem that resemble bracts. The upper surface of the leaves is medium to dark green and glabrous, while the lower surface is pale green and glabrous.
Two Plants in Bloom
The inflorescence consists of a cylindrical panicle of flowers about ½-1½' in length. Within this inflorescence, the flowers are clustered together at intervals in pseudo-whorls (about 6-12 flowers per pseudo-whorl). Individual flowers are about ¾-1" long and across, consisting of a funnel-shaped white corolla that flares outward into 5 rounded lobes, a small green calyx with 5 ovate teeth, 5 stamens (one of them sterile), and a pistil with a single style. Tiny glandular hairs occur along the outside and inside of the corolla. The peduncles and pedicels of the flowers are either glabrous or glandular-hairy. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer and lasts about 3 weeks. The flowers are replaced by ovoid seed capsules about 1/3" long; the latter eventually split open to release numerous small seeds. The root system consists of a crown with fibrous roots. Low basal leaves are usually present during winter dormancy.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and loamy or rocky soil. Well-drained conditions are required to prevent root rot.
Range & Habitat: Trumpet Penstemon is uncommon in southern Illinois, and rare or absent in the rest of the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies near the northeast range-limit of this species. Habitats include meadows and openings in upland woodlands, oak savannas, thinly wooded bluffs, prairies, limestone glades, and prairie remnants along railroads.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract long-tongued bees primarily: bumblebees, Anthophorine bees (Anthophora spp.), a Mason bee (Osmia distincta), and a wasp (Pseudomasaris occidentalis). The last two insects are oligoleges of Penstemon spp. (Penstemons). Other floral visitors include Green Metallic bees (collect pollen only) Swallowtail butterflies (suck nectar only), and the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (suck nectar only). Moth caterpillars that feed on Penstemons include Elaphria chalcedonia (Chalcedony Midget), Oncocnemis saudersiana (Saunder's Oncocnemis), and Pyrrhia exprimens (Purple-Lined Sallow). Mammalian herbivores apparently make little use of the foliage as a food source.
Photographic Location: A prairie in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs were taken by Keith & Patty Horn (Copyright © 2010).
Comments: Trumpet Penstemon is an elegant wildflower with an unusually long and slender inflorescence. In addition to these characteristics of its inflorescence, it differs from other Penstemon spp. (Penstemons) by the shape of its flowers (narrow and funnel-shaped at the base, rather than swollen), the large size and similarity of its corolla lobes, the lack of conspicuous leaves between the inflorescence and the leaves of the lower stem, the presence of tiny glandular hairs within its corolla, and the lack of hairs on its leaves and central stalk. Sometimes the scientific name of this species is spelled Penstemon tubiflorus (see Britton & Brown, 1913/1970).
Two Plants in Bloom
The inflorescence consists of a cylindrical panicle of flowers about ½-1½' in length. Within this inflorescence, the flowers are clustered together at intervals in pseudo-whorls (about 6-12 flowers per pseudo-whorl). Individual flowers are about ¾-1" long and across, consisting of a funnel-shaped white corolla that flares outward into 5 rounded lobes, a small green calyx with 5 ovate teeth, 5 stamens (one of them sterile), and a pistil with a single style. Tiny glandular hairs occur along the outside and inside of the corolla. The peduncles and pedicels of the flowers are either glabrous or glandular-hairy. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer and lasts about 3 weeks. The flowers are replaced by ovoid seed capsules about 1/3" long; the latter eventually split open to release numerous small seeds. The root system consists of a crown with fibrous roots. Low basal leaves are usually present during winter dormancy.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and loamy or rocky soil. Well-drained conditions are required to prevent root rot.
Range & Habitat: Trumpet Penstemon is uncommon in southern Illinois, and rare or absent in the rest of the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies near the northeast range-limit of this species. Habitats include meadows and openings in upland woodlands, oak savannas, thinly wooded bluffs, prairies, limestone glades, and prairie remnants along railroads.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract long-tongued bees primarily: bumblebees, Anthophorine bees (Anthophora spp.), a Mason bee (Osmia distincta), and a wasp (Pseudomasaris occidentalis). The last two insects are oligoleges of Penstemon spp. (Penstemons). Other floral visitors include Green Metallic bees (collect pollen only) Swallowtail butterflies (suck nectar only), and the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (suck nectar only). Moth caterpillars that feed on Penstemons include Elaphria chalcedonia (Chalcedony Midget), Oncocnemis saudersiana (Saunder's Oncocnemis), and Pyrrhia exprimens (Purple-Lined Sallow). Mammalian herbivores apparently make little use of the foliage as a food source.
Photographic Location: A prairie in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs were taken by Keith & Patty Horn (Copyright © 2010).
Comments: Trumpet Penstemon is an elegant wildflower with an unusually long and slender inflorescence. In addition to these characteristics of its inflorescence, it differs from other Penstemon spp. (Penstemons) by the shape of its flowers (narrow and funnel-shaped at the base, rather than swollen), the large size and similarity of its corolla lobes, the lack of conspicuous leaves between the inflorescence and the leaves of the lower stem, the presence of tiny glandular hairs within its corolla, and the lack of hairs on its leaves and central stalk. Sometimes the scientific name of this species is spelled Penstemon tubiflorus (see Britton & Brown, 1913/1970).
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月03日
Description: This is a short-lived perennial plant that forms a basal rosette during its first year, after which it produces one or more flowering stalks about 1-3½' tall from a thick rootstock. The basal leaves (2-5" long and 1-3" across) are pale grayish green or bluish green, ovate to obovate in shape, smooth along their margins, and glabrous, tapering either gradually or abruptly into petioles. They have a rather succulent texture. The stems of flowering plants are whitish green to pale red, terete (circular in cross-section), glabrous, and somewhat glaucous. The leaves along these stems are arranged oppositely; they are 2-4" in length and 1-2½" across. These latter leaves are pale grayish green to bluish green, ovate to ovate-cordate in shape, smooth along their margins, and glabrous; their tips are blunt. The leaves of each lower stem are sessile, while the smaller upper leaves often clasp the stem. Like the basal leaves, the opposite leaves have a rather succulent texture. From the axils of opposite leafy bracts (up to 1¼" long and ¾" across), there develops pairs of 1-3 flowers on short slender pedicels, forming a narrow raceme about ½-1½' long. Each flower has a pinkish lavender corolla up to 2" long, a pale grayish green or bluish green calyx with 5 teeth, a pistil with a single white style, and 5 stamens. The corolla is tubular-trumpet shaped and slightly flattened; it has an upper lip with two rounded lobes and a lower lip with 3 rounded lobes. Within the throat of the corolla, there are fine purple veins that function as nectar guides. Along the upper outer surface of the corolla, there is a slender longitudinal ridge. The glabrous calyx is less than ½" in length; its teeth are lanceolate. The tip of the white style, where the stigma occurs, is slightly swollen. The leafy bracts of the flowers are similar in appearance to the opposite leaves, except they are smaller in size. Similar to the upper leaves, their bases clasp the stem. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 3 weeks. Each flower remains in bloom for only a short time. There is no floral scent. The flowers are replaced by ovoid seed capsules that are a little longer than the toothed calyx. Each capsule contains numerous small seeds. The seeds are distributed to a limited extent by the wind when the stems of flowering plants sway back and forth. The root system consists of a stout taproot with coarse secondary roots. This taproot extends deep into the soil.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and poor soil containing rocky material or sand. This plant is easy to grow in locations that are sunny and well-drained, but it is rather short-lived. However, its seeds are fairly easy to germinate. Foliar disease is rarely troublesome; the biggest threat is root rot from poorly drained soil. Sometimes spider mites can be found on the foliage, but they appear to cause little damage. This plant has excellent drought resistance.
Range & Habitat: The native Large-Flowered Penstemon occurs in only a few northern or NW counties in Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is rare and state-listed as 'endangered.' This plant is more common in states that are located to the west of the Mississippi River. Habitats include dry sand prairies, dolomite prairies, and gravelly hill prairies. Because of the showy flowers, Large-Flowered Penstemon is more often found in flower gardens, from where it rarely escapes. Fire is supposed to be harmful to the ecological success of this plant because its growing buds remain above ground. In its natural habitat, significant wildfires rarely occur because of the sparse vegetative cover.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by bumblebees and other long-tongued bees, including Osmia distincta and Synhalonia dubitata. These latter two bees appear to prefer the flowers of Penstemon spp. over other species. One long-tongued bee, Xylocopa virginica (Large Carpenter Bee), perforates the base of the corolla from the outside to rob nectar from Large-Flowered Penstemon. An unusual wasp, Pseudomaris occidentalis, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege) of Penstemon spp. Like many bees, this wasp uses nectar and pollen to feed its larvae. While the more western range of this wasp overlaps with the range of Large-Flowered Penstemon, it has not been observed in Illinois. Other floral visitors include pollen-seeking Halictid bees, masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), and Syrphid flies. Insects that feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of Penstemon spp. are uncommon, but they include the caterpillars of a moth, Elaphria chalcedonia (Chalcedony Midget), and Spharagemon collare (Mottled Sand Grasshopper). At the present time, information about the relationships between Large-Flowered Penstemon and vertebrate animals is unavailable.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois. The plants are an Illinois ecotype of this species from nursery-grown material.
Comments: Both the foliage and flowers of Large-Flowered Penstemon are beautiful and distinctive. Unfortunately, the blooming period of the flowers is rather short, but you can't have everything. Because of its distinctive bluish foliage and large flowers (up to 2" in length), this species is easy to distinguish from other Penstemon spp. that are native to Illinois. However, a non-native species from the west, Penstemon cobaea (Showy Penstemon), is somewhat similar in appearance and its flowers are equally large in size. Unlike Large-Flowered Penstemon, this latter species has pubescent stems, while its upper leaves and bracts have bases that are sessile, rather than clasping. Showy Penstemon has naturalized in Kane County, Illinois.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and poor soil containing rocky material or sand. This plant is easy to grow in locations that are sunny and well-drained, but it is rather short-lived. However, its seeds are fairly easy to germinate. Foliar disease is rarely troublesome; the biggest threat is root rot from poorly drained soil. Sometimes spider mites can be found on the foliage, but they appear to cause little damage. This plant has excellent drought resistance.
Range & Habitat: The native Large-Flowered Penstemon occurs in only a few northern or NW counties in Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is rare and state-listed as 'endangered.' This plant is more common in states that are located to the west of the Mississippi River. Habitats include dry sand prairies, dolomite prairies, and gravelly hill prairies. Because of the showy flowers, Large-Flowered Penstemon is more often found in flower gardens, from where it rarely escapes. Fire is supposed to be harmful to the ecological success of this plant because its growing buds remain above ground. In its natural habitat, significant wildfires rarely occur because of the sparse vegetative cover.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by bumblebees and other long-tongued bees, including Osmia distincta and Synhalonia dubitata. These latter two bees appear to prefer the flowers of Penstemon spp. over other species. One long-tongued bee, Xylocopa virginica (Large Carpenter Bee), perforates the base of the corolla from the outside to rob nectar from Large-Flowered Penstemon. An unusual wasp, Pseudomaris occidentalis, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege) of Penstemon spp. Like many bees, this wasp uses nectar and pollen to feed its larvae. While the more western range of this wasp overlaps with the range of Large-Flowered Penstemon, it has not been observed in Illinois. Other floral visitors include pollen-seeking Halictid bees, masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), and Syrphid flies. Insects that feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of Penstemon spp. are uncommon, but they include the caterpillars of a moth, Elaphria chalcedonia (Chalcedony Midget), and Spharagemon collare (Mottled Sand Grasshopper). At the present time, information about the relationships between Large-Flowered Penstemon and vertebrate animals is unavailable.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois. The plants are an Illinois ecotype of this species from nursery-grown material.
Comments: Both the foliage and flowers of Large-Flowered Penstemon are beautiful and distinctive. Unfortunately, the blooming period of the flowers is rather short, but you can't have everything. Because of its distinctive bluish foliage and large flowers (up to 2" in length), this species is easy to distinguish from other Penstemon spp. that are native to Illinois. However, a non-native species from the west, Penstemon cobaea (Showy Penstemon), is somewhat similar in appearance and its flowers are equally large in size. Unlike Large-Flowered Penstemon, this latter species has pubescent stems, while its upper leaves and bracts have bases that are sessile, rather than clasping. Showy Penstemon has naturalized in Kane County, Illinois.
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