文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月31日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is up to 2' tall and sometimes bushy. The stems are covered with conspicuous white hairs. The sessile alternate leaves are up to 3" long and 1" wide, lanceolate or ovate, with smooth to slightly dentate margins. They are pubescent on both the upper and lower surfaces. The inflorescence at the top of the plant consists of a short cluster of flowers or hairy buds. These flowers are bright yellow and individually about 2" across. Each one has four large petals, large showy stamens, and fine white or transparent lines that radiate outward from the center of the flower. These lines function as nectar guides, and are more visible to insects than humans in the ultraviolet spectrum. The blooming period occurs during late spring or early summer and lasts about a month. The flowers bloom during the day and have a pleasant fragrance. The seeds are without tufts of hairs, while the root system is highly rhizomatous. In disturbed areas, colonies of plants are readily formed. The new growth during early spring and older foliage during the fall often acquire reddish tints.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, moist conditions, and a loamy soil with high organic content. This plant develops quickly during the spring and flowers readily. Later in the year, it becomes dormant and less attractive in appearance, but can tolerate some drought. This plant is easy to grow if it is not too dry, and can spread aggressively.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Sundrops occurs occasionally in the majority of counties in Illinois; it is uncommon or absent in central and NW Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, edges of pothole marshes, abandoned pastures, and prairie remnants along railroads.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated primarily by long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Halictid bees and Syrphid flies often visit the flowers, but they are attracted by the abundant pollen and cannot be considered very effective at pollination. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as Little Carpenter bees and large Leaf-Cutting bees, which suck nectar or collect pollen. The foliage is eaten occasionally by rabbits, and probably other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This lovely plant should be grown more often. During the 19th century, this was a more popular garden plant, but it has since passed from favor and is not widely available. Prairie Sundrops resembles Oenothera fruticosa, but differs from the latter by its hairy leaves. The latter species has a range that lies east and south of Illinois, and is widely available through horticultural sources.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, moist conditions, and a loamy soil with high organic content. This plant develops quickly during the spring and flowers readily. Later in the year, it becomes dormant and less attractive in appearance, but can tolerate some drought. This plant is easy to grow if it is not too dry, and can spread aggressively.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Sundrops occurs occasionally in the majority of counties in Illinois; it is uncommon or absent in central and NW Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, edges of pothole marshes, abandoned pastures, and prairie remnants along railroads.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated primarily by long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Halictid bees and Syrphid flies often visit the flowers, but they are attracted by the abundant pollen and cannot be considered very effective at pollination. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as Little Carpenter bees and large Leaf-Cutting bees, which suck nectar or collect pollen. The foliage is eaten occasionally by rabbits, and probably other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This lovely plant should be grown more often. During the 19th century, this was a more popular garden plant, but it has since passed from favor and is not widely available. Prairie Sundrops resembles Oenothera fruticosa, but differs from the latter by its hairy leaves. The latter species has a range that lies east and south of Illinois, and is widely available through horticultural sources.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月31日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is up to 1½' tall, and unbranched or sparingly so. The short stems are more or less erect. The alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 1" across; they are rather densely crowded along the stems. Their margins are smooth, or slightly dentate with widely spaced teeth; they often curve upward. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, with white veins; the upper surface of young leaves is often shiny. Lower leaves have petioles up to 1" long, while upper leaves are often sessile.
The large flowers develop singly from the upper axils of the leaves. Each flower has a winged capsule containing the ovaries that is 1½–2" long; it is located adjacent to the leaf axil. A calyx tube from 2-6" connects the capsule to the rest of the flower. At the apex of the calyx tube, the flower has 4 yellow petals; it spans about 5" across. These petals are subtended by a division of the calyx into lanceolate tips that curve downward; these are purple-spotted. At the throat of the flower, are 8 stamens with linear anthers, and a long style with a stigma that is cleft into a cross-like shape. These reproductive parts are yellow. The flower buds are about 1-4" long, depending on their maturity, and quite conspicuous. They are purple-spotted and orbicular, tapering at both ends. The flowers open during the evening and close the following morning, each one lasting a single day. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-summer, and lasts about 2 months. There is a mild floral fragrance. The seeds are irregularly shaped and crested. The root system consists of a deep taproot. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and lean soil that is either rocky or sandy. Most growth occurs during the first half of the year, afterwhich it forms seeds and becomes dormant (although it doesn't necessarily die down). This plant will grow in more fertile soil if it is well-drained, but has difficulty competing with taller plants.
Range & Habitat: In Illinois, the native Missouri Evening Primrose has been observed in natural habitat in only St. Clair county, where it may be extirpated (see Distribution Map). Habitats include hill prairies and limestone glades. Outside of the state, this plant is also observed in dry prairies and barrens with sparse vegetation; these habitats often have gravelly or sandy soil. Missouri Evening Primrose is often grown in flower gardens.
Faunal Associations: Sphinx moths pollinate the flowers while seeking nectar. Various bees may visit the flowers to collect pollen during the early morning or evening, but they are too small to be effective pollinators. Little information is available about this plant's relationships to birds or mammals.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Missouri Evening Primrose has striking flowers that are quite large for the size of the plant. It can be confused with no other plant that occurs (or used to occur) in the natural habitats of Illinois.
The large flowers develop singly from the upper axils of the leaves. Each flower has a winged capsule containing the ovaries that is 1½–2" long; it is located adjacent to the leaf axil. A calyx tube from 2-6" connects the capsule to the rest of the flower. At the apex of the calyx tube, the flower has 4 yellow petals; it spans about 5" across. These petals are subtended by a division of the calyx into lanceolate tips that curve downward; these are purple-spotted. At the throat of the flower, are 8 stamens with linear anthers, and a long style with a stigma that is cleft into a cross-like shape. These reproductive parts are yellow. The flower buds are about 1-4" long, depending on their maturity, and quite conspicuous. They are purple-spotted and orbicular, tapering at both ends. The flowers open during the evening and close the following morning, each one lasting a single day. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-summer, and lasts about 2 months. There is a mild floral fragrance. The seeds are irregularly shaped and crested. The root system consists of a deep taproot. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and lean soil that is either rocky or sandy. Most growth occurs during the first half of the year, afterwhich it forms seeds and becomes dormant (although it doesn't necessarily die down). This plant will grow in more fertile soil if it is well-drained, but has difficulty competing with taller plants.
Range & Habitat: In Illinois, the native Missouri Evening Primrose has been observed in natural habitat in only St. Clair county, where it may be extirpated (see Distribution Map). Habitats include hill prairies and limestone glades. Outside of the state, this plant is also observed in dry prairies and barrens with sparse vegetation; these habitats often have gravelly or sandy soil. Missouri Evening Primrose is often grown in flower gardens.
Faunal Associations: Sphinx moths pollinate the flowers while seeking nectar. Various bees may visit the flowers to collect pollen during the early morning or evening, but they are too small to be effective pollinators. Little information is available about this plant's relationships to birds or mammals.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Missouri Evening Primrose has striking flowers that are quite large for the size of the plant. It can be confused with no other plant that occurs (or used to occur) in the natural habitats of Illinois.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月31日
Description: This plant is an annual about ½–2' long that often sprawls across the ground, or it is weakly ascending (particularly near the tips of its branches). Small plants are usually unbranched, while larger plants produce lateral stems occasionally. Each stem is terete, light green, and more or less hairy. Along each stem, there are alternate leaves up to 4" longFlower & Upper Leaves and 1" across. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate and pinnatifid; they are hairy, although less so along their upper surfaces. The middle to upper leaves are sessile, while the lower leaves have short petioles. From the axils of the middle to upper leaves, there develops individual flowers that are sessile. Each flower spans about 1" across when it is fully open, consisting of 4 yellow petals, a narrowly cylindrical calyx (about 2" long) with 4 narrowly triangular lobe-segments at its apex, a narrowly cylindrical ovary/fruit (about 1–1½" long), 8 stamens, and a central united style with cross-shaped stigmata. The flowers bloom at night and become closed during the morning. Even though it appears that each flower has a stalk-like pedicel about 3" long, this is actually the narrowly cylindrical calyx and ovary/fruit of the flower. The lobe-segments of the calyx hang downward. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 1½–2 months. Only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. After pollination of a flower, the entire calyx becomes pale salmon pink and falls off the fruit. The cylindrical fruit (or developing seed capsule) is straight to slightly curved and ascends upward; it is terete, slightly 4-ribbed, and more or less pubescent along its length. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself; the surfaces of the small seeds are pitted.
Cultivation: The preference is full sunlight, mesic to dry conditions, and sandy soil where the ground vegetation is low and sparse. Most growth and development occurs during the cool weather of spring.
Range & Habitat: Ragged Evening Primrose is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Habitats include sand prairies, hill prairies, sandy fields and meadows, areas along railroads, roadsides, and waste areas. Usually this wildflower is found in disturbed sandy habitats, although it is occasionally found in barren gravelly areas. It is somewhat weedy.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated by Sphinx moths and, to a lesser extent, by bumblebees, honeybees, and other long-tongued bees. Small bees and Syrphid flies may also visit the flowers, where they collect or feed on the pollen, but these latter insects are less effective at cross-pollination. Insects that feed on Ragged Evening Primrose and other Oenothera spp. include several aphids, flea beetles, weevils, moths, and other insects (see the Insect Table for a listing of these species). The Mourning Dove has been observed eating the seeds, while the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer often browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: A sandy meadow at the Heron Boardwalk in Vermilion County, Illinois. Because the photograph was taken during the early morning, the flower and foliage were still covered with dew; the flower is already beginning to close.
Comments: Because the flowers usually bloom at night, Ragged Evening Primrose is a fairly low and inconspicuous plant. These flowers are very similar in appearance to those of Oenothera biennis (Common Evening Primrose) and other species in this genus. It is primarily the pinnatifid shape of the leaves that sets Ragged Evening Primrose apart; they have conspicuous lateral lobes. The leaf-margins of other Oenothera spp. in Illinois are usually less wavy. Another common name of Oenothera laciniata is Cutleaf Evening Primrose.
Cultivation: The preference is full sunlight, mesic to dry conditions, and sandy soil where the ground vegetation is low and sparse. Most growth and development occurs during the cool weather of spring.
Range & Habitat: Ragged Evening Primrose is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Habitats include sand prairies, hill prairies, sandy fields and meadows, areas along railroads, roadsides, and waste areas. Usually this wildflower is found in disturbed sandy habitats, although it is occasionally found in barren gravelly areas. It is somewhat weedy.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated by Sphinx moths and, to a lesser extent, by bumblebees, honeybees, and other long-tongued bees. Small bees and Syrphid flies may also visit the flowers, where they collect or feed on the pollen, but these latter insects are less effective at cross-pollination. Insects that feed on Ragged Evening Primrose and other Oenothera spp. include several aphids, flea beetles, weevils, moths, and other insects (see the Insect Table for a listing of these species). The Mourning Dove has been observed eating the seeds, while the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer often browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: A sandy meadow at the Heron Boardwalk in Vermilion County, Illinois. Because the photograph was taken during the early morning, the flower and foliage were still covered with dew; the flower is already beginning to close.
Comments: Because the flowers usually bloom at night, Ragged Evening Primrose is a fairly low and inconspicuous plant. These flowers are very similar in appearance to those of Oenothera biennis (Common Evening Primrose) and other species in this genus. It is primarily the pinnatifid shape of the leaves that sets Ragged Evening Primrose apart; they have conspicuous lateral lobes. The leaf-margins of other Oenothera spp. in Illinois are usually less wavy. Another common name of Oenothera laciniata is Cutleaf Evening Primrose.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月30日
Description: This biennial plant can be 7' tall, although it is often shorter. There is usually a central stem with alternate leaves, but sometimes there will be multiple stems in open areas, creating a bushy appearance. The stems are light green or red, and are covered with white hairs. The light or olive green leaves are up to 8" long and 2" wide, but usually smaller. They are lanceolate and resemble willow leaves. The margins of the leaves are smooth or slightly dentate, and are nearly hairless. Smaller secondary leaves often appear at the axils of major leaves on the central stem. A panicle of pale yellow flowers occurs at the apex of the plant (or at the ends of major stems, if the plant is bushy). Each flower is about 1" across when fully open, with 4 petals and prominent stamens, and a long green calyx. The flowers remain open from evening to early morning, but will remain open longer on cloudy days. They have a mild lemony scent, and bloom from mid-summer to fall on mature plants. Long narrow seedpods develop, which split open from the top to release many tiny, irregular brown seeds. They are small enough to be dispersed by the wind, and can remain viable in the soil after 70 years. The root system consists of a fleshy taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, average moisture, and a soil that is somewhat sandy, but other growing conditions are acceptable. This plant forms a stubby rosette during the first year, but becomes tall during the second year, at which time it flowers, sets seed, and dies. Common Evening Primrose is easy to grow, but often becomes rather unsightly as the season progresses. Disease can cause small brown spots to form on the leaves, while drought causes the lower leaves to turn yellow and fall off the plant.
Range & Habitat: Common Evening Primrose occurs in every county of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. This common plant is particularly conspicuous during late summer or fall. Disturbed areas are favored in both natural and developed habitats, including mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, thickets, glades, lakeshore dunes, abandoned fields, roadsides and railroads, slopes of drainage ditches, vacant lots, etc. Sometimes this plant is cultivated in wildflower gardens, from which it may escape.
Faunal Associations: Moths pollinate the flowers, particularly Sphinx moths. Other occasional visitors include the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, honeybees, bumblebees, and Anthedonia compta (Primrose Miner Bee), the latter being an oligolege. These insects seek nectar, although some of the bees collect pollen. The caterpillars of several moths feed on the foliage. This includes Endryas unio (Pearly Wood Nymph), Desmia funeralis (Grape Leaffolder Moth), Hyles lineata (White-Lined Sphinx), and Mompha eloisella (Momphid Moth; bores through stems). Various beetles feed on the foliage, including Popillia japonica (Japanese Beetle), Grahops pubescens (Leaf Beetle sp.), Altica fusconenea (Flea Beetle sp.), and several Curculio beetles. The seeds are eaten by goldfinches.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a flower garden in Urbana, Illinois, and at Meadowbrook Park in the same city.
Comments: During the first year of growth, the roots can be cooked and eaten. This is by far the most common evening primrose (Oenothera) in Illinois. Although it favors disturbed weedy areas, this species is sometimes found in prairies and other natural areas. Common Evening Primrose can be distinguished from other Oenothera spp. on the basis of its tallness (often exceeding 3' in length), the shape of its seed capsules (rounded edges, rather than sharply angular), the shape of its leaves, and the size of its flowers. There is significant variation in the hairiness of individual plants. For more information about these distinctions, see Mohlenbrock (2002).
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, average moisture, and a soil that is somewhat sandy, but other growing conditions are acceptable. This plant forms a stubby rosette during the first year, but becomes tall during the second year, at which time it flowers, sets seed, and dies. Common Evening Primrose is easy to grow, but often becomes rather unsightly as the season progresses. Disease can cause small brown spots to form on the leaves, while drought causes the lower leaves to turn yellow and fall off the plant.
Range & Habitat: Common Evening Primrose occurs in every county of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. This common plant is particularly conspicuous during late summer or fall. Disturbed areas are favored in both natural and developed habitats, including mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, thickets, glades, lakeshore dunes, abandoned fields, roadsides and railroads, slopes of drainage ditches, vacant lots, etc. Sometimes this plant is cultivated in wildflower gardens, from which it may escape.
Faunal Associations: Moths pollinate the flowers, particularly Sphinx moths. Other occasional visitors include the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, honeybees, bumblebees, and Anthedonia compta (Primrose Miner Bee), the latter being an oligolege. These insects seek nectar, although some of the bees collect pollen. The caterpillars of several moths feed on the foliage. This includes Endryas unio (Pearly Wood Nymph), Desmia funeralis (Grape Leaffolder Moth), Hyles lineata (White-Lined Sphinx), and Mompha eloisella (Momphid Moth; bores through stems). Various beetles feed on the foliage, including Popillia japonica (Japanese Beetle), Grahops pubescens (Leaf Beetle sp.), Altica fusconenea (Flea Beetle sp.), and several Curculio beetles. The seeds are eaten by goldfinches.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a flower garden in Urbana, Illinois, and at Meadowbrook Park in the same city.
Comments: During the first year of growth, the roots can be cooked and eaten. This is by far the most common evening primrose (Oenothera) in Illinois. Although it favors disturbed weedy areas, this species is sometimes found in prairies and other natural areas. Common Evening Primrose can be distinguished from other Oenothera spp. on the basis of its tallness (often exceeding 3' in length), the shape of its seed capsules (rounded edges, rather than sharply angular), the shape of its leaves, and the size of its flowers. There is significant variation in the hairiness of individual plants. For more information about these distinctions, see Mohlenbrock (2002).
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Miss Chen
2018年01月30日
Description: This plant is a biennial or winter annual up to 1½' tall. Often, there are multiple leafy stems at the base of the plant, but the flowering stalks are little branched. Both the stems and flowering stalks are green to reddish green and glabrous. The leaves are up to 1½" long and 1/8" across. They are linear to oblong-linear, glabrous, smooth along the margins, and sessile. The leaves on the taller flowering stalks are alternate, while the leaves on the lower vegetative stems are usually opposite.
Each flowering stalk terminates in a spike-like raceme of flowers up to 8" long. Each flower is up to ½" long, consisting of a calyx with 5 teeth and a two-lipped corolla with a slender nectar spur. The calyx is green to purplish green and may be slightly pubescent. The corolla is light blue to medium blue-violet; its upper lip is divided into 2 rounded lobes, while the lower lip is divided into 3 lobes that are rounded and spreading. The throat of the corolla is white with 2 rounded ridges. The nectar spur can be straight or recurved. There is a short slender pedicel at the base of each flower; at the base of the pedicel, there is a single bract that is short and linear. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to mid-summer and can last 2-3 months for a colony of plants. Only a few flowers bloom simultaneously on each raceme. Each flower is replaced by a seed capsule that splits open to release the flattened smooth seeds. These seeds can be blown about by the wind. The root system consists of a stout taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and dry sandy soil where there is little competition from other plants. Rocky soil, mesic conditions, and a little shade are also tolerated.
Range & Habitat: The native Blue Toadflax occurs occasionally in sandy areas in the northern half of Illinois, otherwise it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include dry sand prairies, sand dunes, sandy savannas, thinly wooded bluffs, rocky glades, sandy shoulders of roads, and sandy fields. Disturbed areas are preferred; occasional wildfires are beneficial in maintaining populations of this plant.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated by bumblebees and other long-tongued bees. Butterflies and skippers may visit the flowers for nectar, but they are less likely to be effective at cross-pollination. The caterpillars of the butterfly Junonia coenia (Buckeye) feed on the foliage of Blue Toadflax and many other members of the Figwort family. A stink bug, Cosmopepla carnifex Fab., has been found on the foliage of this species in sand prairies.
Photographic Location: Along a path in a burnt-over sandy savanna in Kankakee County, Illinois.
Comments: Blue Toadflax has reasonably attractive foliage and flowers. Its appearance is very similar to Nuttallanthus texensis (Southern Blue Toadflax), but the latter has larger flowers (up to 1" long) and bumpy seeds. Blue Toadflax is also related to the introduced Linaria vulgaris (Yellow Toadflax), but the latter has larger yellow flowers (up to 1" long or more). There are other Toadflaxes from Eurasia that occur primarily in sterile waste areas, but they usually have smaller flowers (¼" or less). Blue Toadflax superficially resembles Lobelia kalmii (Kalm's Lobelia), but the flowers of the latter lack nectar spurs and it usually blooms later in the year. Another scientific name for Blue Toadflax is Linaria canadensis.
Each flowering stalk terminates in a spike-like raceme of flowers up to 8" long. Each flower is up to ½" long, consisting of a calyx with 5 teeth and a two-lipped corolla with a slender nectar spur. The calyx is green to purplish green and may be slightly pubescent. The corolla is light blue to medium blue-violet; its upper lip is divided into 2 rounded lobes, while the lower lip is divided into 3 lobes that are rounded and spreading. The throat of the corolla is white with 2 rounded ridges. The nectar spur can be straight or recurved. There is a short slender pedicel at the base of each flower; at the base of the pedicel, there is a single bract that is short and linear. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to mid-summer and can last 2-3 months for a colony of plants. Only a few flowers bloom simultaneously on each raceme. Each flower is replaced by a seed capsule that splits open to release the flattened smooth seeds. These seeds can be blown about by the wind. The root system consists of a stout taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and dry sandy soil where there is little competition from other plants. Rocky soil, mesic conditions, and a little shade are also tolerated.
Range & Habitat: The native Blue Toadflax occurs occasionally in sandy areas in the northern half of Illinois, otherwise it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include dry sand prairies, sand dunes, sandy savannas, thinly wooded bluffs, rocky glades, sandy shoulders of roads, and sandy fields. Disturbed areas are preferred; occasional wildfires are beneficial in maintaining populations of this plant.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated by bumblebees and other long-tongued bees. Butterflies and skippers may visit the flowers for nectar, but they are less likely to be effective at cross-pollination. The caterpillars of the butterfly Junonia coenia (Buckeye) feed on the foliage of Blue Toadflax and many other members of the Figwort family. A stink bug, Cosmopepla carnifex Fab., has been found on the foliage of this species in sand prairies.
Photographic Location: Along a path in a burnt-over sandy savanna in Kankakee County, Illinois.
Comments: Blue Toadflax has reasonably attractive foliage and flowers. Its appearance is very similar to Nuttallanthus texensis (Southern Blue Toadflax), but the latter has larger flowers (up to 1" long) and bumpy seeds. Blue Toadflax is also related to the introduced Linaria vulgaris (Yellow Toadflax), but the latter has larger yellow flowers (up to 1" long or more). There are other Toadflaxes from Eurasia that occur primarily in sterile waste areas, but they usually have smaller flowers (¼" or less). Blue Toadflax superficially resembles Lobelia kalmii (Kalm's Lobelia), but the flowers of the latter lack nectar spurs and it usually blooms later in the year. Another scientific name for Blue Toadflax is Linaria canadensis.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月30日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant consists of a loose rosette of 2-5 ascending basal leaves, from which a flowering stalk develops. The basal leaves are 4-12" long and 2-5 mm. across; they are medium green, hairless, linear in shape, and somewhat truncate at their tips. Leaf venation is parallel. The flowering stalk is 6-16" tall and more or less erect; it is medium green, hairless, terete (circular in cross-section), and hollow. This stalk terminates in a simple umbel of flowers about ¾–1¼" across, consisting of 4-8 flowers and their pedicels. The umbel has a short obconic shape, and it is more or less flat-headed. Individual flowers are about ½" long and similarly across. Each flower has 6 tepals that are primarily white, 6 stamens, and a superior ovary with a single style. The interior base of the tepals is usually yellow, while the exterior of each tepal has a longitudinal vein that is often reddish or greenish. The tepals are elliptic or lanceolate-oblong in shape. The anthers of the stamens are bright yellow, while their filaments are white, pale yellow, or pale green. The pedicels are medium green, hairless, slender, and straight to slightly incurved; they are about ½–¾" long during the blooming period, but become up to 1½" long afterwards. At the base of the umbel of flowers, there is a pair of membranous bracts that are about ½" in length and lanceolate in shape; they eventually wither away. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to late spring, while a second blooming period sometimes occurs during the autumn. There is no noticeable floral scent. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules. These capsules are 6-8 mm. long, globoid-obovoid and slightly 3-lobed in shape, and hairless. Immature capsules are green, while mature capsules become light tan, dividing into 3 parts to release their seeds. There are about 4-6 black seeds for each lobe of a divided capsule. The root system consists of a bulb about ½" across with fibrous roots below. The exterior of the bulb is brown and membranous, while the interior is white and fleshy. Both the foliage and bulb of this plant lack a noticeable garlic or onion aroma. Occasionally, basal offsets occur, creating clumps of clonal plants.
Cultivation: The preference is an open area with full or partial sunlight, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and a slightly acidic to alkaline soil containing rocky material or sand.
Range & Habitat: The native False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve) occurs occasionally in southern Illinois and rarely in central Illinois, while in the northern section of the state it is absent (see Distribution Map). This plant is found primarily in the southeastern United States and Southern Plains region of the country. Illinois lies along its northern range-limit. Habitats include upland prairies, hill prairies, sandy or silty riverbottom prairies, rocky glades (including limestone, dolomite, and chert glades), open upland woodlands, upland savannas, and thinly wooded bluffs. In Illinois, False Garlic is found in higher quality natural areas, where it probably benefits from occasional wildfires and other kinds of disturbance if it reduces competition from woody plants.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), green metallic bees (Augochlorella spp.) and other Halictid bees, Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), bee flies, and small to medium-sized butterflies. One of the Andrenid bees, Andrena nothoscordi, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege or monolege) of False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve). This bee and other small bees also collect pollen from the flowers. Syrphid flies may visit the flowers occasionally to feed on the pollen, but they are less effective at cross-pollination. White-tailed Deer have been observed to feed on the foliage of False Garlic in areas of south Texas with loam or clay-loam soil (Chamrad & Box, 1968), although some authors consider this plant to be poisonous (Pammel, 1911). There is also sophisticated archaeological evidence that prehistoric people, thousands of years ago, cooked the bulbs of this plant in rock ovens in east Texas (Short et al., 2015).
Photographic Location: A prairie at a nature preserve in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs were taken by Keith & Patty Horn (Copyright © 2016).
Comments: False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve) resembles several other species in the Lily family (Liliaceae), especially native Allium spp. (Wild Garlic, etc.). This plant can be distinguished from this latter group of species by the lack of a noticeable garlic or onion aroma from its foliage and bulbs when they are rubbed or crushed. In addition, False Garlic never produces aerial bulblets in its inflorescence. Unlike many similar species in the Lily family, False Garlic has flowers with a yellow base and its basal leaves often have tips that are more truncate than rounded or pointed. Recently, the Lily family has been divided into several families of plants as a result of DNA analysis. Another common name of Nothoscordum bivalve is Crow Poison. The latter name suggests that this plant is poisonous, but the available evidence on this matter is contradictory.
Cultivation: The preference is an open area with full or partial sunlight, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and a slightly acidic to alkaline soil containing rocky material or sand.
Range & Habitat: The native False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve) occurs occasionally in southern Illinois and rarely in central Illinois, while in the northern section of the state it is absent (see Distribution Map). This plant is found primarily in the southeastern United States and Southern Plains region of the country. Illinois lies along its northern range-limit. Habitats include upland prairies, hill prairies, sandy or silty riverbottom prairies, rocky glades (including limestone, dolomite, and chert glades), open upland woodlands, upland savannas, and thinly wooded bluffs. In Illinois, False Garlic is found in higher quality natural areas, where it probably benefits from occasional wildfires and other kinds of disturbance if it reduces competition from woody plants.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), green metallic bees (Augochlorella spp.) and other Halictid bees, Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), bee flies, and small to medium-sized butterflies. One of the Andrenid bees, Andrena nothoscordi, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege or monolege) of False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve). This bee and other small bees also collect pollen from the flowers. Syrphid flies may visit the flowers occasionally to feed on the pollen, but they are less effective at cross-pollination. White-tailed Deer have been observed to feed on the foliage of False Garlic in areas of south Texas with loam or clay-loam soil (Chamrad & Box, 1968), although some authors consider this plant to be poisonous (Pammel, 1911). There is also sophisticated archaeological evidence that prehistoric people, thousands of years ago, cooked the bulbs of this plant in rock ovens in east Texas (Short et al., 2015).
Photographic Location: A prairie at a nature preserve in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs were taken by Keith & Patty Horn (Copyright © 2016).
Comments: False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve) resembles several other species in the Lily family (Liliaceae), especially native Allium spp. (Wild Garlic, etc.). This plant can be distinguished from this latter group of species by the lack of a noticeable garlic or onion aroma from its foliage and bulbs when they are rubbed or crushed. In addition, False Garlic never produces aerial bulblets in its inflorescence. Unlike many similar species in the Lily family, False Garlic has flowers with a yellow base and its basal leaves often have tips that are more truncate than rounded or pointed. Recently, the Lily family has been divided into several families of plants as a result of DNA analysis. Another common name of Nothoscordum bivalve is Crow Poison. The latter name suggests that this plant is poisonous, but the available evidence on this matter is contradictory.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月30日
Description: This perennial plant consists of a loose rosette of basal leaves up to 10" across. Each basal leaf is about 4-6" long and ¼" across, although occasionally a larger size is achieved. The basal leaves are semi-erect, linear in shape, and light to medium green; their margins are finely crisped and often downy white. There is a prominent central vein along the length of each basal leaf. From the center of each rosette, there develops one or more leafless stalks about 6-8" tall. These stalks are light green and terete; sometimes they have shallow vertical grooves. Both the basal leaves and flowering stalks are glabrous to slightly pubescent; they contain a white milky latex. Each stalk terminates in a single flowerhead that is about 1-2" across when it is fully open.
Each flowerhead consists of numerous spreading ray florets and no disk florets. The overlapping petaloid rays of each flowerhead are yellow to golden yellow and linear-oblong in shape; their tips are truncated and 5-toothed. The floral bracts (phyllaries) surrounding the base of each flowerhead are arranged in a single overlapping series, where they are appressed together. These bracts are light green, lanceolate in shape, glabrous, and membranous along their margins. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring and lasts about a month. A single plant may produce several flowerheads in succession. The achenes are bullet-shaped with tufts of white hair at their apices. They are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a stout taproot that is quite large for the size of the plant. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and dry conditions. The soil should be gritty in texture and well-drained, otherwise crown rot may infect the taproot and the plant will die. Taller and more aggressive plant species should be prevented from overcrowding this plant, which normally grows on rocky hilltops and slopes where there is scant ground vegetation.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Dandelion is a rare plant that occurs in the northern half of Illinois, especially in the NW quarter of the state (see Distribution Map). It is state-listed as an endangered species. Some local populations that have been observed in the past are probably extirpated as a result of habitat destruction. Illinois lies at the eastern limit of its distribution; the Prairie Dandelion is more common in states further to the west. Habitats include dry upland areas of prairies, hill prairies, and rocky slopes. This conservative species does not normally occur in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about the floral-faunal relationships of this rare plant. Various kinds of bees (especially bumblebees) are undoubtedly the most important pollinators of the flowers, where they seek nectar and pollen. Moure & Hurd (1987) list a Halictid bee, Halictus rubicundus, as a floral visitor. A polyphagous aphid, Abstrusomyzus phloxae, feeds on the closely related Mountain Dandelions (Agoseris spp.) and probably Prairie Dandelion as well. Rabbits may eat the foliage, although I have not observed this. Early pioneers ate the roots as a source of emergency food, even though they were undoubtedly bitter-tasting.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of many species in the Chicory tribe of the Aster family that have dandelion-like flowerheads and foliage with a milky latex. The most familiar member of this group is the introduced Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion), which is a common lawn weed. The Prairie Dandelion can be distinguished from similar species by considering the following characteristics: 1) this is a perennial plant, rather than a biennial or annual, 2) stems with cauline leaves are never produced, 3) there is only one flowerhead per leafless stalk, 4) the flowerheads are at least 1" across, 5) the basal leaves are linear in shape, and 6) the margins of the leaves are usually finely crisped and/or downy white. Other members of the Chicory tribe in Illinois usually lack one or more of these features. The closely related Agoseris spp. (Mountain Dandelions) of the western states have many of these features, but their achenes are conspicuously constricted below their apices. The achenes of the Prairie Dandelion are unconstricted or only slightly constricted below their apices. Other scientific names are occasionally used to refer to the Prairie Dandelion, including Agoseris cuspidata and Microseris cuspidata.
Each flowerhead consists of numerous spreading ray florets and no disk florets. The overlapping petaloid rays of each flowerhead are yellow to golden yellow and linear-oblong in shape; their tips are truncated and 5-toothed. The floral bracts (phyllaries) surrounding the base of each flowerhead are arranged in a single overlapping series, where they are appressed together. These bracts are light green, lanceolate in shape, glabrous, and membranous along their margins. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring and lasts about a month. A single plant may produce several flowerheads in succession. The achenes are bullet-shaped with tufts of white hair at their apices. They are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a stout taproot that is quite large for the size of the plant. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and dry conditions. The soil should be gritty in texture and well-drained, otherwise crown rot may infect the taproot and the plant will die. Taller and more aggressive plant species should be prevented from overcrowding this plant, which normally grows on rocky hilltops and slopes where there is scant ground vegetation.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Dandelion is a rare plant that occurs in the northern half of Illinois, especially in the NW quarter of the state (see Distribution Map). It is state-listed as an endangered species. Some local populations that have been observed in the past are probably extirpated as a result of habitat destruction. Illinois lies at the eastern limit of its distribution; the Prairie Dandelion is more common in states further to the west. Habitats include dry upland areas of prairies, hill prairies, and rocky slopes. This conservative species does not normally occur in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about the floral-faunal relationships of this rare plant. Various kinds of bees (especially bumblebees) are undoubtedly the most important pollinators of the flowers, where they seek nectar and pollen. Moure & Hurd (1987) list a Halictid bee, Halictus rubicundus, as a floral visitor. A polyphagous aphid, Abstrusomyzus phloxae, feeds on the closely related Mountain Dandelions (Agoseris spp.) and probably Prairie Dandelion as well. Rabbits may eat the foliage, although I have not observed this. Early pioneers ate the roots as a source of emergency food, even though they were undoubtedly bitter-tasting.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of many species in the Chicory tribe of the Aster family that have dandelion-like flowerheads and foliage with a milky latex. The most familiar member of this group is the introduced Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion), which is a common lawn weed. The Prairie Dandelion can be distinguished from similar species by considering the following characteristics: 1) this is a perennial plant, rather than a biennial or annual, 2) stems with cauline leaves are never produced, 3) there is only one flowerhead per leafless stalk, 4) the flowerheads are at least 1" across, 5) the basal leaves are linear in shape, and 6) the margins of the leaves are usually finely crisped and/or downy white. Other members of the Chicory tribe in Illinois usually lack one or more of these features. The closely related Agoseris spp. (Mountain Dandelions) of the western states have many of these features, but their achenes are conspicuously constricted below their apices. The achenes of the Prairie Dandelion are unconstricted or only slightly constricted below their apices. Other scientific names are occasionally used to refer to the Prairie Dandelion, including Agoseris cuspidata and Microseris cuspidata.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月29日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 2½–4' tall, branching frequently in the upper half. The light green stems are four-angled and hairless. The opposite leaves are broadly lanceolate to ovate, and vary in color from light green to dark green, sometimes with yellow or red tints. These color variations are in part a response to environmental conditions. The hairless leaves are up to 4" long and 2" across, and have serrated margins. They exude an oregano scent. At the top of major stems are rounded heads of flowers about 1-3" across. The flowers begin blooming in the center of the head, gradually moving toward its periphery, forming a wreath of flowers. Each flower is lavender or pink, and about 1" long, with an irregular shape. The corolla divides into a tubular upper lip with projecting stamens, and three slender lower lips that function as landing pads for visiting insects. The blooming period occurs during mid-summer and lasts about 1 month. The root system consists of deep, strongly branched roots, and shallow rhizomes that are responsible for the vegetative spread of the plant. These rhizomes typically send up multiple leafy stems in a tight cluster, giving Wild Bergamot a bushy appearance.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to slightly dry conditions. Growth is more luxuriant in a moist rich loam, although this can cause the plant to flop around as the growing season progresses. Under drought conditions, the lower leaves will turn yellow and drop off the stems; this reaction is normal. The lower leaves often develop powdery mildew, particularly when the weather is rainy. While this plant is easy to grow, it often becomes rather dilapidated in appearance as the growing season progresses because of these problems. This plant often spreads aggressively.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Bergamot occurs throughout Illinois, except for a few southern counties within the state (see Distribution Map). It is occasional to locally common. Habitats include moist to slightly dry black soil prairies, hill prairies, sandy Black Oak woodlands, savannas and woodland borders, thickets, borders of limestone glades, abandoned pastures, and landfills. The rhizomes can survive earth-moving and bulldozing operations, and send up plants in unexpected places. Some local populations may be plants that have escaped cultivation.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts long-tongued bees, bee flies, butterflies, skippers, and hummingbird moths. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, Miner bees, Epeoline Cuckoo bees, and large Leaf-Cutting bees. A small black bee (Dufourea monardae) specializes in the pollination of Monarda flowers. Sometimes Halictid bees collect pollen, while some wasps steal nectar by perforating the nectar tube. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird also visits the flowers. The caterpillars of the moths Sphinx eremitus (Hermit Sphinx) and Agriopodes teratophora (Gray Marvel) feed on the foliage. A seed bug (Ortholomus scolopax) is sometimes found in the flowerheads. Mammalian herbivores usually avoid this plant as a food source, probably because of the oregano-mint flavor of the leaves and their capacity to cause indigestion; they may contain chemicals that disrupt populations of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.
Photographic Location: Photographs were taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: For a member of the mint family, the flowers are large and beautiful. Wild Bergamot can be distinguished from other Monarda spp. by the color of its flowers – the corollas of its flowers are solid pink or lavender. Other species have flowers with red, purple, or white corollas, or they have dark purple dots on the lower lips of their corollas.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to slightly dry conditions. Growth is more luxuriant in a moist rich loam, although this can cause the plant to flop around as the growing season progresses. Under drought conditions, the lower leaves will turn yellow and drop off the stems; this reaction is normal. The lower leaves often develop powdery mildew, particularly when the weather is rainy. While this plant is easy to grow, it often becomes rather dilapidated in appearance as the growing season progresses because of these problems. This plant often spreads aggressively.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Bergamot occurs throughout Illinois, except for a few southern counties within the state (see Distribution Map). It is occasional to locally common. Habitats include moist to slightly dry black soil prairies, hill prairies, sandy Black Oak woodlands, savannas and woodland borders, thickets, borders of limestone glades, abandoned pastures, and landfills. The rhizomes can survive earth-moving and bulldozing operations, and send up plants in unexpected places. Some local populations may be plants that have escaped cultivation.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts long-tongued bees, bee flies, butterflies, skippers, and hummingbird moths. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, Miner bees, Epeoline Cuckoo bees, and large Leaf-Cutting bees. A small black bee (Dufourea monardae) specializes in the pollination of Monarda flowers. Sometimes Halictid bees collect pollen, while some wasps steal nectar by perforating the nectar tube. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird also visits the flowers. The caterpillars of the moths Sphinx eremitus (Hermit Sphinx) and Agriopodes teratophora (Gray Marvel) feed on the foliage. A seed bug (Ortholomus scolopax) is sometimes found in the flowerheads. Mammalian herbivores usually avoid this plant as a food source, probably because of the oregano-mint flavor of the leaves and their capacity to cause indigestion; they may contain chemicals that disrupt populations of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.
Photographic Location: Photographs were taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: For a member of the mint family, the flowers are large and beautiful. Wild Bergamot can be distinguished from other Monarda spp. by the color of its flowers – the corollas of its flowers are solid pink or lavender. Other species have flowers with red, purple, or white corollas, or they have dark purple dots on the lower lips of their corollas.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月29日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is about 2-4' tall, branching occasionally. The stems are glabrous and light green; they are often angular below, becoming more round above. The dark green opposite leaves are up to 4" long and 3" across. They are cordate (somewhat triangular-shaped) and hairless, with smooth margins and short petioles. Some of the upper leaves near the flowers are much smaller and lanceolate. The upper stems terminate in clusters of magenta flowers on long stalks. Usually, there are a few hairs on these stalks and the pedicels of the flower clusters. A cluster of 3-5 flowers develop within a surrounding green bract with 5 lobes; this bract has the appearance of a calyx. These flowers are trumpet-shaped and span about ½" across, or slightly less. There are no petals; instead, a tubular calyx with 5 notched lobes functions as a corolla. At the center of each flower are 3-5 exerted stamens with yellow anthers. The blooming period is usually during the early summer and lasts about a month. There is little or no floral fragrance. The flowers typically open during the late afternoon, remain open at night, and close during the morning. The greyish brown seed is up to 3/8" (10 mm.) long and pubescent; it has 5 ribs. The root system consists of a thick dark taproot that is fleshy or woody. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and mesic to dry conditions; partial sun is also tolerated. This plant commonly grows in poor soil that has a high content of clay, sand, or gravelly material. It will also grow in fertile loam, but suffers from the competition of neighboring plants. Foliar disease is not usually troublesome. It is easy to start plants from seeds.
Range & Habitat: Wild Four-O'Clock occurs in nearly every county of Illinois; it is a common plant (see Distribution Map). This plant is adventive from areas that lie west of of the state. Habitats include dry prairies, pastures, abandoned fields, grassy roadsides, rocky banks along ditches, areas along railroads (including the ballast), and miscellaneous waste areas. This plant is particularly common along railroads. It has a strong preference for disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited primarily by long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, and moths. These insects seek nectar primarily, although the short-tongued bees collect pollen. It is possible that the Ruby-Throated hummingbird may visit the flowers as well. The species Catorhintha mendica (Wild Four-O'Clock Bug) is a specialist feeder on this plant and other Mirabilis spp. Another specialist is Heliodines nyctaginella (Four-O'Clock Moth); the caterpillars of this species feed on the foliage of this and other plants in the genus. Wild Four-O'Clock tends to increase in areas disturbed by livestock; it is unclear if these animals eat this plant. Deer reportedly avoid it. The seeds and roots are known to be poisonous, although pigs may dig up the roots and eat them.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken along a railroad track in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is the most widespread Four-O'Clock species in Illinois that is from North America. The commonly cultivated garden plant by the same name is from South America; it is non-hardy. There are a few wild Mirabilis spp. in the Chicago area that are adventive from the west. They usually have more narrow leaves, hairier stems, and flowers with paler colors. In some of the Great Plains states, the Wild Four-O'Clock can have pale yellow flowers, but this color form doesn't appear to occur in Illinois.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and mesic to dry conditions; partial sun is also tolerated. This plant commonly grows in poor soil that has a high content of clay, sand, or gravelly material. It will also grow in fertile loam, but suffers from the competition of neighboring plants. Foliar disease is not usually troublesome. It is easy to start plants from seeds.
Range & Habitat: Wild Four-O'Clock occurs in nearly every county of Illinois; it is a common plant (see Distribution Map). This plant is adventive from areas that lie west of of the state. Habitats include dry prairies, pastures, abandoned fields, grassy roadsides, rocky banks along ditches, areas along railroads (including the ballast), and miscellaneous waste areas. This plant is particularly common along railroads. It has a strong preference for disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited primarily by long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, and moths. These insects seek nectar primarily, although the short-tongued bees collect pollen. It is possible that the Ruby-Throated hummingbird may visit the flowers as well. The species Catorhintha mendica (Wild Four-O'Clock Bug) is a specialist feeder on this plant and other Mirabilis spp. Another specialist is Heliodines nyctaginella (Four-O'Clock Moth); the caterpillars of this species feed on the foliage of this and other plants in the genus. Wild Four-O'Clock tends to increase in areas disturbed by livestock; it is unclear if these animals eat this plant. Deer reportedly avoid it. The seeds and roots are known to be poisonous, although pigs may dig up the roots and eat them.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken along a railroad track in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is the most widespread Four-O'Clock species in Illinois that is from North America. The commonly cultivated garden plant by the same name is from South America; it is non-hardy. There are a few wild Mirabilis spp. in the Chicago area that are adventive from the west. They usually have more narrow leaves, hairier stems, and flowers with paler colors. In some of the Great Plains states, the Wild Four-O'Clock can have pale yellow flowers, but this color form doesn't appear to occur in Illinois.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月29日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant develops dense clusters of stems up to 8" long (excluding any inflorescences); they often branch at their bases. The stems are erect to ascending; they are light green or yellowish red, and glabrous. Pairs of opposite primary leaves occur along these stems; they are more densely distributed below than above. In addition to the primary leaves, there are sessile fascicles of secondary leaves that develop from the axils of the lower primary leaves. Relative to the orientation of their stems, these leaves are ascending.
Individual leaves are ½–¾" long and up to 2 mm. across; they are linear to narrowly linear-lanceolate in shape, while their margins are entire. The leaf bases are narrowly connate, enclosing the adjacent stems, while the leaf tips taper gradually into needle-like points. The leaves are yellowish green to medium green, glabrous, and stiff; their upper surfaces are flat, while their lower surfaces are increasingly convex toward their bases. Many stems terminate in large airy cymes of 5-50 flowers; these cymes are dichotomously or trichotomously branched. The branches of each cyme are slender, and glabrous; solitary flowers are borne on slender glabrous pedicels up to 2" long.
Each flower spans about 1/3" (8 mm.) across when it is fully open, consisting of 5 white spreading petals, 5 green sepals, 10 stamens with white filaments and white anthers, and a light green ovary with 3 white styles. The petals are oblong to oblanceolate in shape with either rounded or slightly notched tips; they are longer than the sepals. The sepals are 4-5 mm. long, lanceolate in shape with acute tips, and 3-5 veined. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 1-2 months. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by ovoid seed capsules about 3-4 mm. tall. These capsules open up at their apices, where they are 3-toothed, releasing numerous tiny seeds. The seeds are about 1 mm. long, compressed-reniform in shape, dark brown to black, and minutely tubercled. The root system consists of a taproot or thickened crown with fibrous roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and calcareous soil containing and abundance of sand, gravel, or rocky material. Partial shade is also tolerated. This plant is a potential candidate for rock gardens, although it is difficult to transplant. Competition from taller and more aggressive plants is not tolerated.
Range & Habitat: The native Stiff Sandwort is found primarily in northern Illinois, where it is uncommon (see Distribution Map). As a result of development and habitat destruction, populations of this plant have declined. Habitats include sandy open woodlands, dry sandy savannas, dry sand prairies, dry gravel prairies, hill prairies, limestone glades, ledges along cliffs, exposed slopes of bluffs, sandy ridges along Lake Michigan, and low sand dunes along Lake Michigan. This plant is found in high quality natural areas where there is sparse ground vegetation.
Faunal Associations: Little information is available about floral-faunal relationships for this plant. The flowers probably attract small bees and flies.
Photographic Location: A sandy savanna and low sand dune along Lake Michigan at the Illinois Beach State Park in NE Illinois.
Comments: Because of the mats of stiff prickly foliage, this is a very distinctive plant. Stiff Sandwort (Minuartia michauxii) is similar in appearance to a closely related plant, Slender Sandwort (Minuartia patula). The latter plant usually has opposite leaves that are spaced more evenly along its stems and fascicled secondary leaves are either absent or poorly developed. In addition, the leaves of this latter plant are more succulent and terete than those of Stiff Sandwort. Slender Sandwort is typically found in wooded areas, rather than the open and exposed locations that Stiff Sandwort prefers. Other similar species in the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae) have either wider or shorter leaves, their opened seed capsules have more than 3 teeth at their apices, or their flowers are smaller in size and less showy. Two scientific synonyms of Stiff Sandwort are Minuartia stricta and Arenaria stricta. Other common names of this plant include Rock Sandwort and Michaux's Stitchwort.
Individual leaves are ½–¾" long and up to 2 mm. across; they are linear to narrowly linear-lanceolate in shape, while their margins are entire. The leaf bases are narrowly connate, enclosing the adjacent stems, while the leaf tips taper gradually into needle-like points. The leaves are yellowish green to medium green, glabrous, and stiff; their upper surfaces are flat, while their lower surfaces are increasingly convex toward their bases. Many stems terminate in large airy cymes of 5-50 flowers; these cymes are dichotomously or trichotomously branched. The branches of each cyme are slender, and glabrous; solitary flowers are borne on slender glabrous pedicels up to 2" long.
Each flower spans about 1/3" (8 mm.) across when it is fully open, consisting of 5 white spreading petals, 5 green sepals, 10 stamens with white filaments and white anthers, and a light green ovary with 3 white styles. The petals are oblong to oblanceolate in shape with either rounded or slightly notched tips; they are longer than the sepals. The sepals are 4-5 mm. long, lanceolate in shape with acute tips, and 3-5 veined. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 1-2 months. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by ovoid seed capsules about 3-4 mm. tall. These capsules open up at their apices, where they are 3-toothed, releasing numerous tiny seeds. The seeds are about 1 mm. long, compressed-reniform in shape, dark brown to black, and minutely tubercled. The root system consists of a taproot or thickened crown with fibrous roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and calcareous soil containing and abundance of sand, gravel, or rocky material. Partial shade is also tolerated. This plant is a potential candidate for rock gardens, although it is difficult to transplant. Competition from taller and more aggressive plants is not tolerated.
Range & Habitat: The native Stiff Sandwort is found primarily in northern Illinois, where it is uncommon (see Distribution Map). As a result of development and habitat destruction, populations of this plant have declined. Habitats include sandy open woodlands, dry sandy savannas, dry sand prairies, dry gravel prairies, hill prairies, limestone glades, ledges along cliffs, exposed slopes of bluffs, sandy ridges along Lake Michigan, and low sand dunes along Lake Michigan. This plant is found in high quality natural areas where there is sparse ground vegetation.
Faunal Associations: Little information is available about floral-faunal relationships for this plant. The flowers probably attract small bees and flies.
Photographic Location: A sandy savanna and low sand dune along Lake Michigan at the Illinois Beach State Park in NE Illinois.
Comments: Because of the mats of stiff prickly foliage, this is a very distinctive plant. Stiff Sandwort (Minuartia michauxii) is similar in appearance to a closely related plant, Slender Sandwort (Minuartia patula). The latter plant usually has opposite leaves that are spaced more evenly along its stems and fascicled secondary leaves are either absent or poorly developed. In addition, the leaves of this latter plant are more succulent and terete than those of Stiff Sandwort. Slender Sandwort is typically found in wooded areas, rather than the open and exposed locations that Stiff Sandwort prefers. Other similar species in the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae) have either wider or shorter leaves, their opened seed capsules have more than 3 teeth at their apices, or their flowers are smaller in size and less showy. Two scientific synonyms of Stiff Sandwort are Minuartia stricta and Arenaria stricta. Other common names of this plant include Rock Sandwort and Michaux's Stitchwort.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月29日
Description: Different varieties of this perennial plant exist in both hemispheres. Field Mint is ½–1½' tall, and either erect or having a tendency to sprawl. Generally, the four-angled central stem is hairy or glabrous and little branched. The opposite leaves are 1-2½" long and ½–1" wide, with petioles that are either short or long. The leaves are broadly lanceolate, oblanceolate, or ovate, with conspicuous veins and serrated margins.
Their bottoms may be rounded or wedge-shaped, and their may be pubescent or nearly glabrous. The flowers occur in non-terminal whorls above the axils of the upper leaves. They are tubular, with an upper lip that is divided into 2 lobes and a lower lip. Often, the lower lip is subdivided into 3 lobes, although sometimes the flowers are irregular. Each flower is about 1/8" long, and may be white, pink, or lavender. They usually bloom from early to mid-summer for about a month, but sometimes bloom later. There is no noticeable floral scent, although the foliage exudes a strong mint fragrance that is often detectable before the plant(s) is observed. The green calyx has small triangular lobes and is variably hairy, depending on the variety. The root system readily produces rhizomes, forming sizeable colonies.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, and moist conditions with rich organic soil. This plant likes low-lying open grassy areas. It is little bothered by disease, and can be very aggressive.
Range & Habitat: Field Mint occurs primarily in central and northern Illinois, where it is occasional; this species also occurs in scattered counties of southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). The most common variety is Mentha arvensis villosa, which is believed to be native. The typical Eurasian variety also occurs in the same general area, but it is less common. Habitats include edges of marshes, fens, borders of lakes, moist prairies and grassy areas, and miscellaneous waste areas, including landfills. The rhizomes of this plant can survive earth-moving operations and produce new foliage if they remain near the surface of the ground. Field Mint is most often encountered in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Primarily flies and wasps visit the flowers for nectar. Other occasional visitors include small bees, small butterflies, and skippers. The strong mint fragrance of the foliage usually deters most mammalian herbivores, although cattle and livestock may consume this plant along with the grass. It is possible that the anti-bacterial properties of the floral oil disrupts populations of beneficial bacteria within the digestive tract of herbivores with multi-chambered stomachs, causing indigestion. The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds.
Photographic Location: A prairie swale at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Field Mint can be distinguished from the cultivated mints primarily by its distinct whorls of flowers. According to Mohlenbrock (2002), the native variety of Field Mint, Mentha arvensis villosa, has petioles that are longer than the clusters of flowers and its leaf blades are more wedge-shaped at the base than the typical Eurasian variety, Mentha arvensis arvensis. The hairiness of individual plants is also variable. Field Mint occasionally hybridizes with Mentha spicata (Spearmint) and other mints, producing such hybrids as Mentha × gentilis, Mentha × cardiaca, and others. Many of these hybrids have naturalized in Illinois, preferring similar habitats to Field Mint. Like the cultivated mints, Field Mint can be used to make a pleasant herbal tea. In humans, the floral oil of mints is more likely to disrupt populations of harmful bacteria, reducing flatulence and other digestive problems.
Their bottoms may be rounded or wedge-shaped, and their may be pubescent or nearly glabrous. The flowers occur in non-terminal whorls above the axils of the upper leaves. They are tubular, with an upper lip that is divided into 2 lobes and a lower lip. Often, the lower lip is subdivided into 3 lobes, although sometimes the flowers are irregular. Each flower is about 1/8" long, and may be white, pink, or lavender. They usually bloom from early to mid-summer for about a month, but sometimes bloom later. There is no noticeable floral scent, although the foliage exudes a strong mint fragrance that is often detectable before the plant(s) is observed. The green calyx has small triangular lobes and is variably hairy, depending on the variety. The root system readily produces rhizomes, forming sizeable colonies.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, and moist conditions with rich organic soil. This plant likes low-lying open grassy areas. It is little bothered by disease, and can be very aggressive.
Range & Habitat: Field Mint occurs primarily in central and northern Illinois, where it is occasional; this species also occurs in scattered counties of southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). The most common variety is Mentha arvensis villosa, which is believed to be native. The typical Eurasian variety also occurs in the same general area, but it is less common. Habitats include edges of marshes, fens, borders of lakes, moist prairies and grassy areas, and miscellaneous waste areas, including landfills. The rhizomes of this plant can survive earth-moving operations and produce new foliage if they remain near the surface of the ground. Field Mint is most often encountered in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Primarily flies and wasps visit the flowers for nectar. Other occasional visitors include small bees, small butterflies, and skippers. The strong mint fragrance of the foliage usually deters most mammalian herbivores, although cattle and livestock may consume this plant along with the grass. It is possible that the anti-bacterial properties of the floral oil disrupts populations of beneficial bacteria within the digestive tract of herbivores with multi-chambered stomachs, causing indigestion. The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds.
Photographic Location: A prairie swale at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Field Mint can be distinguished from the cultivated mints primarily by its distinct whorls of flowers. According to Mohlenbrock (2002), the native variety of Field Mint, Mentha arvensis villosa, has petioles that are longer than the clusters of flowers and its leaf blades are more wedge-shaped at the base than the typical Eurasian variety, Mentha arvensis arvensis. The hairiness of individual plants is also variable. Field Mint occasionally hybridizes with Mentha spicata (Spearmint) and other mints, producing such hybrids as Mentha × gentilis, Mentha × cardiaca, and others. Many of these hybrids have naturalized in Illinois, preferring similar habitats to Field Mint. Like the cultivated mints, Field Mint can be used to make a pleasant herbal tea. In humans, the floral oil of mints is more likely to disrupt populations of harmful bacteria, reducing flatulence and other digestive problems.
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