文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月07日
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp.) produce flamboyant blooms over outsize bulbs. The tropical plants grow outdoors only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, but they also make a splash as houseplants where they brighten winter holidays. How many times they'll bloom indoors or how long they'll last in the garden depends on how you treat them after they're finished blooming.
The Perennial Bulb
Like other bulbs, the amaryllis nurtures next year's plant and bloom as this year's flowers fade. It is also perennial, which means that it lives for three years or longer. How many years your amaryllis lives depends on its ability to gather nutrients, a process fueled by photosynthesis in its leaves.
Unlike many bulbs, amaryllis leaves follow flowers and persist for several months after the plant has bloomed in the spring. Whether outdoors or in a container, do not cut the amaryllis plant's long, straplike leaves until they whither. In this way, you've given the perennial bulb another year of life.
Indoor Bulbs
Gift amaryllis bulbs typically arrive eight to 10 weeks before the winter holidays with instructions to begin watering them immediately. Depending on the age of the bulb, it will produce one or more scapes typically topped by three trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, white or bicolor combinations. Indoors, with bright light and moderate temperatures, each scape of flowers lasts up to a month. Plants kept in a cool room, around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, bloom longest.
In the Garden
Plant amaryllis bulbs in the garden in September or October in USDA zones 8 through 10. Use purchased bulbs or gift bulbs that have faded. Plant the bulbs in organic, well-draining soil with the wide side down so that the narrow neck sits above the soil.
Beginning when scapes begin growing in February or March, fertilize with a low-nitrogen garden fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 6-12-12. Work 1 to 1.5 pounds into the soil for every 100-foot of row or for 100 square feet of bed. Fertilize when the bulbs break dormancy, when scapes reach 6 to 8 inches tall and again after the flowers fade in April. Remove faded flower scapes to stop energy-robbing seed formation.
Bulbs and Dormancy
Whether indoors or out, the secret to long-lived amaryllis lies in their ability to build new embryos while their leaves fade throughout the summer. Dormancy allows them to rest before entering the "home stretch" of bloom. After this period of rapid growth, bulbs need a period of 2 to 3 months of dormancy. Stop watering plants and put potted bulbs in a cool, dry basement or plant them with garden bulbs in fall.
Begin watering plants again as they emerge from dormancy in February or March and keep the soil evenly moist as bulbs bloom. Within two to three years, bulbs may produce offsets -- bulblets that, when removed during dormancy and planted in pots or garden, may produce flowers within three to four years, prolonging the bloom of your amaryllis collection.
The Perennial Bulb
Like other bulbs, the amaryllis nurtures next year's plant and bloom as this year's flowers fade. It is also perennial, which means that it lives for three years or longer. How many years your amaryllis lives depends on its ability to gather nutrients, a process fueled by photosynthesis in its leaves.
Unlike many bulbs, amaryllis leaves follow flowers and persist for several months after the plant has bloomed in the spring. Whether outdoors or in a container, do not cut the amaryllis plant's long, straplike leaves until they whither. In this way, you've given the perennial bulb another year of life.
Indoor Bulbs
Gift amaryllis bulbs typically arrive eight to 10 weeks before the winter holidays with instructions to begin watering them immediately. Depending on the age of the bulb, it will produce one or more scapes typically topped by three trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, white or bicolor combinations. Indoors, with bright light and moderate temperatures, each scape of flowers lasts up to a month. Plants kept in a cool room, around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, bloom longest.
In the Garden
Plant amaryllis bulbs in the garden in September or October in USDA zones 8 through 10. Use purchased bulbs or gift bulbs that have faded. Plant the bulbs in organic, well-draining soil with the wide side down so that the narrow neck sits above the soil.
Beginning when scapes begin growing in February or March, fertilize with a low-nitrogen garden fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 6-12-12. Work 1 to 1.5 pounds into the soil for every 100-foot of row or for 100 square feet of bed. Fertilize when the bulbs break dormancy, when scapes reach 6 to 8 inches tall and again after the flowers fade in April. Remove faded flower scapes to stop energy-robbing seed formation.
Bulbs and Dormancy
Whether indoors or out, the secret to long-lived amaryllis lies in their ability to build new embryos while their leaves fade throughout the summer. Dormancy allows them to rest before entering the "home stretch" of bloom. After this period of rapid growth, bulbs need a period of 2 to 3 months of dormancy. Stop watering plants and put potted bulbs in a cool, dry basement or plant them with garden bulbs in fall.
Begin watering plants again as they emerge from dormancy in February or March and keep the soil evenly moist as bulbs bloom. Within two to three years, bulbs may produce offsets -- bulblets that, when removed during dormancy and planted in pots or garden, may produce flowers within three to four years, prolonging the bloom of your amaryllis collection.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月06日
Description: This wildflower is a summer annual about ½-2½' tall. A robust plant is unbranched below and abundantly branched above; the stems are light green and hairless (or nearly so). Abundant alternate leaves are located along these stems; they are widely spreading to ascending. Individual leaves are ½-3" and less than 1/8" across; they are simple (non-compound), linear-filiform, sessile, and smooth along their margins. Frequently, these narrow leaves often occur in short axillary clusters (making them appear whorled or palmately lobed); they are light to medium green or grayish blue, glandular-dotted, and hairless (or nearly so).
Flowerheads about ¾" across occur individually on erect peduncles about 1-5" long. Each flowerhead has 5-10 ray florets surrounding numerous tiny disk florets (75 or more); both types of florets are yellow. The petal-like rays become wider toward their tips, where they are 3-toothed; their florets are pistillate and fertile. The disk florets have tubular corollas with 5 tiny teeth along their upper rims; they are perfect and fertile. At the base of each flowerhead, there are several linear-lanceolate bracts (phyllaries) that are light green; they extend downward while the flowerhead is blooming. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall and lasts 1½-3 months. Both the disk and ray florets are replaced by small achenes (about 1-1.25 mm. in length) that are reddish brown, oblanceoloid, angular,Distribution Map and hairy. Each achene has a crown of several awned scales at its apex. The root system consists of a short branching taproot. This wildflower spreads into new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry-mesic to dry conditions, and barren ground containing gravel or sand. The lower leaves often wither away before the flowerheads bloom.
Range & Habitat: The native Bitterweed is occasional in southern Illinois, while in the rest of the state it is rare or absent. Habitats consist of upland prairies, rocky glades, gravelly areas along railroads, roadsides, pastures, and open sandy ground. Bitterweed is somewhat weedy, preferring disturbed areas. It is more common in the southeastern states.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract a wide variety of insect visitors, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles. The caterpillars of two moths, Papaipema impecuniosa (Aster Borer Moth) and Papaipema rigida (Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth), bore through the stems and roots of Helenium spp., while larvae of Smicronyx discoideus (Sneezeweed Weevil) feed on the florets and seeds. Two plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug) and Polymerus basalis (Red-spotted Aster Mirid), feed on Bitterweed. In prairies and other open areas, the Greater Prairie Chicken eats the seeds and/or dried seedheads. Because the foliage is bitter and toxic, it is usually avoided by mammalian herbivores. When dairy cows graze on the foliage of Bitterweed in overgrazed pastures, it provides their milk with a bitter taste. If the foliage is eaten in sufficient quantities, it can kill horses and other domesticated farm animals.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at the Arboretum of theUniversity of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of many wildflowers in the Aster family that produces showy yellow flowerheads during the summer and fall. Like other species in its genus, the flowerheads of Bitterweed have very distinctive petal-like rays with broad 3-toothed tips. Bitterweed is also distinguished by its very narrow leaves (less than 1/8" or 3 mm. across) that are nearly filiform; they often occur in short clusters along the stems. Other Helenium spp. in Illinois have wider leaves and they prefer habitats that are more damp.
Flowerheads about ¾" across occur individually on erect peduncles about 1-5" long. Each flowerhead has 5-10 ray florets surrounding numerous tiny disk florets (75 or more); both types of florets are yellow. The petal-like rays become wider toward their tips, where they are 3-toothed; their florets are pistillate and fertile. The disk florets have tubular corollas with 5 tiny teeth along their upper rims; they are perfect and fertile. At the base of each flowerhead, there are several linear-lanceolate bracts (phyllaries) that are light green; they extend downward while the flowerhead is blooming. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall and lasts 1½-3 months. Both the disk and ray florets are replaced by small achenes (about 1-1.25 mm. in length) that are reddish brown, oblanceoloid, angular,Distribution Map and hairy. Each achene has a crown of several awned scales at its apex. The root system consists of a short branching taproot. This wildflower spreads into new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry-mesic to dry conditions, and barren ground containing gravel or sand. The lower leaves often wither away before the flowerheads bloom.
Range & Habitat: The native Bitterweed is occasional in southern Illinois, while in the rest of the state it is rare or absent. Habitats consist of upland prairies, rocky glades, gravelly areas along railroads, roadsides, pastures, and open sandy ground. Bitterweed is somewhat weedy, preferring disturbed areas. It is more common in the southeastern states.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract a wide variety of insect visitors, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles. The caterpillars of two moths, Papaipema impecuniosa (Aster Borer Moth) and Papaipema rigida (Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth), bore through the stems and roots of Helenium spp., while larvae of Smicronyx discoideus (Sneezeweed Weevil) feed on the florets and seeds. Two plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug) and Polymerus basalis (Red-spotted Aster Mirid), feed on Bitterweed. In prairies and other open areas, the Greater Prairie Chicken eats the seeds and/or dried seedheads. Because the foliage is bitter and toxic, it is usually avoided by mammalian herbivores. When dairy cows graze on the foliage of Bitterweed in overgrazed pastures, it provides their milk with a bitter taste. If the foliage is eaten in sufficient quantities, it can kill horses and other domesticated farm animals.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at the Arboretum of theUniversity of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of many wildflowers in the Aster family that produces showy yellow flowerheads during the summer and fall. Like other species in its genus, the flowerheads of Bitterweed have very distinctive petal-like rays with broad 3-toothed tips. Bitterweed is also distinguished by its very narrow leaves (less than 1/8" or 3 mm. across) that are nearly filiform; they often occur in short clusters along the stems. Other Helenium spp. in Illinois have wider leaves and they prefer habitats that are more damp.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月06日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is ½–2' tall, often tillering at the base with multiple erect to sprawling stems. The stems are green to purplish green, terete, and hairy, branching occasionally. At intervals along the entire length of each stem, there are pairs of opposite leaves. The leaves are 1½–3" long and ¾–3" across, becoming more narrow and slightly shorter as they ascend the stems. The leaves are pinnatifid and ovate to lanceolate in outline; the lower leaves are often deeply divided (cleft) into 3 primary lobes (1 terminal lobe and 2 lateral lobes), while the upper leaves are shallowly to moderately divided (cleft) into 3 or more primary lobes. The primary lobes of these leaves, in turn, are shallowly divided (cleft) into smaller secondary lobes and coarse dentate teeth. The tips of these lobes are bluntly acute. The leaf margins are slightly ciliate. The upper leaf surface is medium green and sparsely short-pubescent, while the lower leaf surface is more hairy, especially along the lower sides of the veins. Leaf venation is pinnate; the upper leaf surface is slightly wrinkled along these veins. Upper stems terminate in individual spikes of flowers that are 1-6" long. Initially these floral spikes are quite short, but they become elongated with age. A dome-shaped cluster of 10-25 flowers up to 2½" across is produced at the apex of each spike, while the ascending calyces of withered flowers persist below.
Each flower is about ¾" long and ½" across, consisting of narrowly tubular corolla with 4-5 spreading lobes, a short-tubular calyx with 4-5 long narrow teeth, 4 stamens, and a pistil. The corollas are pink, rosy pink, lavender, or rarely white; their lobes are obovate to oblanceolate in shape and sometimes notched at their tips. The calyces are a little less than ½" long (including the teeth), medium green to reddish purple, and hairy; their teeth are linear-lanceolate in shape and ciliate. The erect to ascending peduncles of the floral spikes are 1-4" long, medium green to purplish green, terete, relatively stout, and hairy. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 2 months. Some plants may bloom later and longer, but this is an exception to the rule. The flowers may, or may not, have a pleasant floral fragrance. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by nutlets (4 per flower). Mature nutlets are about 3 mm. long, narrowly angular-cylindrical in shape, and black. The root system consists of a woody caudex with fibrous roots. In addition, when they lie on moist ground, the lower nodes of the stems sometimes develop secondary plants with rootlets. As a result, clonal colonies of plants are produced.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun and mesic to dry conditions. The soil can contain rocky material, gravel, sand, loam, or clay-loam, although less fertile soil is preferred in the wild as a result of reduced competition from other ground vegetation. Northern ecotypes of this plant are hardy to Zone 5, while southern ecotypes are more prone to winter die-off.
Range & Habitat: Rose Vervain occurs in scattered counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native to many areas of southern and central Illinois, but probably adventive elsewhere. Illinois lies along the northern range limit of this plant, where it is uncommon (outside of cultivation). Some local populations in the wild are undoubtedly plants that have escaped cultivation. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, hill prairies, pioneer cemeteries, thinly wooded slopes, openings in rocky upland woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, limestone and sandstone glades, pastures, abandoned fields, and roadside embankments. Native populations of Rose Vervain in Illinois are usually found in high quality habitats, while adventive populations are more likely to be found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The structure of the flowers indicates that they are designed to attract such pollinators as nectar-seeking long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Two aphids feed destructively on Rose Vervain. One aphid, Aphis aubletia, feeds on the above-ground parts of this plant, while the other aphid, Aphis middletonii (Erigeron Root Aphid), feeds on the roots (Patch, 1919; Blackman & Eastop, 2013). Mammalian herbivores are unlikely to consume this plant because of the bitterness of the leaves.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is a beautiful plant with flowers that are similar to those of phlox species (Phlox spp.). However, the ragged appearance of the leaves makes it easy to distinguish from these latter species. Because of the attractive and long-blooming flowers, several cultivars of Rose Vervain (Glandularia canadensis) have been introduced that offer a greater range of floral colors than what is normally encountered in the wild. Some of these cultivars are not winter-hardy in Illinois, however. Compared to the Verbena spp. in Illinois that are either native or naturalized, Rose Vervain has showier flowers that form dome-shaped clusters. There are other Glandularia spp. with some resemblance to Rose Vervain, however they don't occur in Illinois. Most of these species are found in the Great Plains and western regions of the United States, or they occur in Central and South America. An example is Dakota Mock Vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida). The flowers of this latter species are very similar to those of Rose Vervain, but it has more narrowly lobed leaves that are bipinnatifid. An older scientific name of Rose Vervain is Verbena canadensis.
Each flower is about ¾" long and ½" across, consisting of narrowly tubular corolla with 4-5 spreading lobes, a short-tubular calyx with 4-5 long narrow teeth, 4 stamens, and a pistil. The corollas are pink, rosy pink, lavender, or rarely white; their lobes are obovate to oblanceolate in shape and sometimes notched at their tips. The calyces are a little less than ½" long (including the teeth), medium green to reddish purple, and hairy; their teeth are linear-lanceolate in shape and ciliate. The erect to ascending peduncles of the floral spikes are 1-4" long, medium green to purplish green, terete, relatively stout, and hairy. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 2 months. Some plants may bloom later and longer, but this is an exception to the rule. The flowers may, or may not, have a pleasant floral fragrance. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by nutlets (4 per flower). Mature nutlets are about 3 mm. long, narrowly angular-cylindrical in shape, and black. The root system consists of a woody caudex with fibrous roots. In addition, when they lie on moist ground, the lower nodes of the stems sometimes develop secondary plants with rootlets. As a result, clonal colonies of plants are produced.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun and mesic to dry conditions. The soil can contain rocky material, gravel, sand, loam, or clay-loam, although less fertile soil is preferred in the wild as a result of reduced competition from other ground vegetation. Northern ecotypes of this plant are hardy to Zone 5, while southern ecotypes are more prone to winter die-off.
Range & Habitat: Rose Vervain occurs in scattered counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native to many areas of southern and central Illinois, but probably adventive elsewhere. Illinois lies along the northern range limit of this plant, where it is uncommon (outside of cultivation). Some local populations in the wild are undoubtedly plants that have escaped cultivation. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, hill prairies, pioneer cemeteries, thinly wooded slopes, openings in rocky upland woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, limestone and sandstone glades, pastures, abandoned fields, and roadside embankments. Native populations of Rose Vervain in Illinois are usually found in high quality habitats, while adventive populations are more likely to be found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The structure of the flowers indicates that they are designed to attract such pollinators as nectar-seeking long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Two aphids feed destructively on Rose Vervain. One aphid, Aphis aubletia, feeds on the above-ground parts of this plant, while the other aphid, Aphis middletonii (Erigeron Root Aphid), feeds on the roots (Patch, 1919; Blackman & Eastop, 2013). Mammalian herbivores are unlikely to consume this plant because of the bitterness of the leaves.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is a beautiful plant with flowers that are similar to those of phlox species (Phlox spp.). However, the ragged appearance of the leaves makes it easy to distinguish from these latter species. Because of the attractive and long-blooming flowers, several cultivars of Rose Vervain (Glandularia canadensis) have been introduced that offer a greater range of floral colors than what is normally encountered in the wild. Some of these cultivars are not winter-hardy in Illinois, however. Compared to the Verbena spp. in Illinois that are either native or naturalized, Rose Vervain has showier flowers that form dome-shaped clusters. There are other Glandularia spp. with some resemblance to Rose Vervain, however they don't occur in Illinois. Most of these species are found in the Great Plains and western regions of the United States, or they occur in Central and South America. An example is Dakota Mock Vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida). The flowers of this latter species are very similar to those of Rose Vervain, but it has more narrowly lobed leaves that are bipinnatifid. An older scientific name of Rose Vervain is Verbena canadensis.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月05日
Description: This perennial plant is ½–2' tall, and is unbranched. The light green or reddish central stem is slender and smooth. The opposite leaves are narrowly ovate to elliptic and sessile. They have smooth margins, a prominent central vein, and are hairless. The leaves are up to 3½" long and 1½" across; their upper surfaces are medium to dark green and shiny.
In the upper part of the plant, 1-6 flowers develop from axils of the opposite leaves, with a greater number of flowers at the apex. These tubular flowers are pale blue to blue-violet, often with vertical streaks of purple, green, or white. They are about 1½" long and closed at the top (or nearly so). Each flower has five lobes, with each adjacent pair of lobes connected together by a lighter colored membrane. This membrane is the same length or slightly lower than the adjacent lobes, with an irregular pattern at the top; it is not readily perceptible unless the lobes of the flower are spread apart. Underneath the flowers, the lanceolate lobes of the calyx are erect, spreading only slightly outward; they are not recurved. The blooming period is late summer to fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable fragrance to the flowers. The seed capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water. The root system consists of a long stout taproot.
Close-up of LeafCultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to mesic soil. This gentian often grows in sandy soil, but will tolerate other kinds of soil, including fertile loam. Foliar disease is not a significant problem, although the leaves sometimes turn yellow in response to strong sunlight and dry weather. It is faster and easier to introduce gentians as transplants, rather them to start them by seed, which is difficult and slow.
Range & Habitat: The native Soapwort Gentian is an uncommon plant that occurs in NE Illinois and a few counties in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). It can occur in other localities as a result of restoration activities, or as an escape from cultivation. Habitats include moist to mesic sandy Black Oak forests, sandy savannas, sand prairies, and sandy thickets. Less often, this gentian can be found in non-sandy habitats that are similar to those already mentioned. This conservative plant is rarely found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators; they are strong enough to force their way into the flowers, where they suck nectar. Sometimes tiny beetles sneak into the flowers to feed on the pollen, while some larger beetles, such as Epicauta pensylvanica (Black Blister Beetle), may knaw on the flowers themselves. The seeds are too small to be of any interest to birds, while the bitter foliage is too bitter deters most herbivores; however, deer sometimes chomp off the tops of the plants.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Hooper Branch Savanna Nature Preserve in Iroquois County, Illinois. This plant was growing in a moist sand prairie.
Comments: Soapwort Gentian usually has pale to medium blue flowers, while Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) often has deep blue flowers. Color alone, however, is not a reliable guide to species identification. The calyx lobes in flowers of Soapwort Gentian are fairly straight and upright, while the calyx lobes of Bottle Gentian often curl outward. In the flowers of Soapwort Gentian, the connecting membranes are a little lower than, or equal to, the lobes of the corolla, while they are higher than the lobes in the flowers of Bottle Gentian. There is also a tendency for Soapwort Gentian to have more slender leaves and stems than Bottle Gentian, but this distinction is not always reliable. Soapwort Gentian differs from Gentiana alba (Cream Gentian) with its bluer, less open flowers and sessile leaves, whereas the leaves of the latter strongly clasp the stem.
In the upper part of the plant, 1-6 flowers develop from axils of the opposite leaves, with a greater number of flowers at the apex. These tubular flowers are pale blue to blue-violet, often with vertical streaks of purple, green, or white. They are about 1½" long and closed at the top (or nearly so). Each flower has five lobes, with each adjacent pair of lobes connected together by a lighter colored membrane. This membrane is the same length or slightly lower than the adjacent lobes, with an irregular pattern at the top; it is not readily perceptible unless the lobes of the flower are spread apart. Underneath the flowers, the lanceolate lobes of the calyx are erect, spreading only slightly outward; they are not recurved. The blooming period is late summer to fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable fragrance to the flowers. The seed capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water. The root system consists of a long stout taproot.
Close-up of LeafCultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to mesic soil. This gentian often grows in sandy soil, but will tolerate other kinds of soil, including fertile loam. Foliar disease is not a significant problem, although the leaves sometimes turn yellow in response to strong sunlight and dry weather. It is faster and easier to introduce gentians as transplants, rather them to start them by seed, which is difficult and slow.
Range & Habitat: The native Soapwort Gentian is an uncommon plant that occurs in NE Illinois and a few counties in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). It can occur in other localities as a result of restoration activities, or as an escape from cultivation. Habitats include moist to mesic sandy Black Oak forests, sandy savannas, sand prairies, and sandy thickets. Less often, this gentian can be found in non-sandy habitats that are similar to those already mentioned. This conservative plant is rarely found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators; they are strong enough to force their way into the flowers, where they suck nectar. Sometimes tiny beetles sneak into the flowers to feed on the pollen, while some larger beetles, such as Epicauta pensylvanica (Black Blister Beetle), may knaw on the flowers themselves. The seeds are too small to be of any interest to birds, while the bitter foliage is too bitter deters most herbivores; however, deer sometimes chomp off the tops of the plants.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Hooper Branch Savanna Nature Preserve in Iroquois County, Illinois. This plant was growing in a moist sand prairie.
Comments: Soapwort Gentian usually has pale to medium blue flowers, while Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) often has deep blue flowers. Color alone, however, is not a reliable guide to species identification. The calyx lobes in flowers of Soapwort Gentian are fairly straight and upright, while the calyx lobes of Bottle Gentian often curl outward. In the flowers of Soapwort Gentian, the connecting membranes are a little lower than, or equal to, the lobes of the corolla, while they are higher than the lobes in the flowers of Bottle Gentian. There is also a tendency for Soapwort Gentian to have more slender leaves and stems than Bottle Gentian, but this distinction is not always reliable. Soapwort Gentian differs from Gentiana alba (Cream Gentian) with its bluer, less open flowers and sessile leaves, whereas the leaves of the latter strongly clasp the stem.
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Miss Chen
2018年01月05日
Description: This perennial plant is unbranched and about ¾–1½' tall. The central stem is slightly reddish and has lines of minute white hairs that are difficult to see. The leaves are up to 3" long and 1¼" across. They are oppositely arranged along the central stem, except at the apex of the plant, where they occur in a whorl of 3-7 smaller leaves. They are lanceolate, sessile, and have smooth margins. On each leaf, there may be minute pubescence along the central vein at the base, otherwise the texture tends to be shiny. Two smaller side veins run parallel to the central vein. One or more clusters of 1-8 flowers occur at or near the apex of the plant. The inflorescence is sessile at the topmost whorl of leaves, otherwise the flowers occur on short stalks from the axils of the upper opposite leaves. The violet-blue flowers are about 2" long and 1" across when fully open. The corolla is tubular and vase-shaped, but divides into 5 small triangular lobes that reflex outward. Within the corolla, there is a prominent stigma with a divided white tip, which is surrounded by 5 stamens with white anthers. The outer sides of the corolla contain some patches of greenish violet, while it becomes whitish green near the base on the inside.
The blooming period occurs during the fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral fragrance. The seed capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water. The root system consists of a long stout taproot with a few lateral roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and average to dry soil. The soil texture can consist of rich loam, clay-loam, or contain some gravel. Prairie Gentian is often difficult to start from seed, but fairly easy to establish from transplants. Foliar disease rarely bothers the leaves. This plant is quite drought resistant.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Gentian is uncommon in NE Illinois, while it is rare or absent elsewhere within the state (see Distribution Map). This is an indicator plant of original prairie and other high quality habitats. Such habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, gravelly hill prairies, barrens with stunted trees or shrubs, limestone glades, and prairie remnants along railroads. Occasionally, Prairie Gentian forms small loose colonies. It adapts well to a regimen of occasional spring wildfires, as this removes some of the grassy debris that can smother this plant.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are attracted to the nectar of the flowers and cross-pollinate them. Some beetles may knaw on the flowers or eat the seeds, such as Epicauta pensylvanica (Black Blister Beetle). The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds. Most mammalian herbivores usually don't bother this plant because the leaves are bitter, although White-Tailed Deer may chomp off the upper half of its leafy stems. Overall, the value of this plant to wildlife is low.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the most beautiful plants on the prairie during the fall, with exceptionally vivid blue-violet flowers. Prairie Gentian can be distinguished from other gentians that occur within the state by its more open corolla and its small, reflexed lobes. It is also has fine white hairs on the stems and at the base of the leaves, but they are often hard to see. Another scientific name for this plant is Gentiana puberula; another common name is 'Downy Gentian.'
The blooming period occurs during the fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral fragrance. The seed capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water. The root system consists of a long stout taproot with a few lateral roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and average to dry soil. The soil texture can consist of rich loam, clay-loam, or contain some gravel. Prairie Gentian is often difficult to start from seed, but fairly easy to establish from transplants. Foliar disease rarely bothers the leaves. This plant is quite drought resistant.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Gentian is uncommon in NE Illinois, while it is rare or absent elsewhere within the state (see Distribution Map). This is an indicator plant of original prairie and other high quality habitats. Such habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, gravelly hill prairies, barrens with stunted trees or shrubs, limestone glades, and prairie remnants along railroads. Occasionally, Prairie Gentian forms small loose colonies. It adapts well to a regimen of occasional spring wildfires, as this removes some of the grassy debris that can smother this plant.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are attracted to the nectar of the flowers and cross-pollinate them. Some beetles may knaw on the flowers or eat the seeds, such as Epicauta pensylvanica (Black Blister Beetle). The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds. Most mammalian herbivores usually don't bother this plant because the leaves are bitter, although White-Tailed Deer may chomp off the upper half of its leafy stems. Overall, the value of this plant to wildlife is low.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the most beautiful plants on the prairie during the fall, with exceptionally vivid blue-violet flowers. Prairie Gentian can be distinguished from other gentians that occur within the state by its more open corolla and its small, reflexed lobes. It is also has fine white hairs on the stems and at the base of the leaves, but they are often hard to see. Another scientific name for this plant is Gentiana puberula; another common name is 'Downy Gentian.'
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月05日
Description: This perennial plant is 1-2' tall. Multiple stems can emerge from the taproot, otherwise this plant is unbranched. The central stem is round, hairless, and either light green or purple. The opposite leaves are up to 4½" long and 2" across, and sessile against the stem. They are broadly lanceolate or ovate, with smooth margins and parallel venation. The upper surface of each leaf is dark green and often shiny, while both the upper and lower surfaces are devoid of hairs. The uppermost tier of leaves is often whorled. The apex of the stem terminates in a cluster of flowers immediately above the whorled leaves, while smaller clusters of flowers may develop from the axils of the upper pairs of leaves. These flowers are bottle-shaped, looking like oversized flowerbuds even when mature, and they are 1–1½" long. The corollas are violet, and will assume different shades of this color depending on the maturity of each flower. There are longitudinal ridges along the outer edge of the corolla, providing it with a wrinkly appearance. The corolla remains closed at the top even when the flower is ready to receive pollinating insects. Inside, the reproductive structures of the flower are fused together to form a central column. The corolla usually has 5 lobes, but these are barely noticeable because of an interconnecting fringe that is even taller than the lobes. The green calyx is much smaller than the corolla, and divided into 5 lanceolate segments. These segments may curl outward away from the flower rather than remaining upright.
The blooming period can occur from late summer to early fall, and usually lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. The small seeds can be transported by water or wind some distance from a mother plant. The root system consists of a stout taproot. Vegetative reproduction does not normally occur.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist rich soil. It is easier to start with potted plants rather than seed, as germination can be erratic and seedling mortality can be high. Mature plants are rarely bothered by foliar disease or leaf-chewing insects. The worst threat is droughty conditions, but appropriate placement of plants will mitigate this problem.
Range & Habitat: The native Bottle Gentian is occasional in the northern half of Illinois and uncommon in the rest of the state (see Distribution Map). However, populations of the plant are probably declining as a result of the destruction of wetlands. Habitats include moist black soil prairies, openings in floodplain forests, thickets, fens, and swampy areas near bodies of water. This plant often occurs in calcareous soil.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, as they are one of the few insects that can force their way past the closed corolla. This floral characteristic excludes smaller insects that are less efficient at pollination from robbing nectar and pollen from the bumblebees. Because the foliage and roots are bitter-tasting, mammalian herbivores usually don't use this plant as a food source. However, deer may chomp off the tender tops of the plants before they have a chance to flower. This can cause the central stem to form smaller side branches. The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds. The ecological value of Bottle Gentian is low, notwithstanding the appeal of the flowers to humans.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a mesic prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Bottle Gentian is a wierd-looking plant with a striking appearance. The adorable flowers are often deep violet, although other shades also occur, even in the same cluster of flowers. The only other gentian that this species can be confused with (among those that occur in Illinois) is Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian). Usually, Soapwort Gentian is pale violet or greyish blue, while the interconnecting fringe of the corolla is shorter than, or equal to, the length of the lobes. This interconnecting fringe is always taller than the lobes in the corolla of the Bottle Gentian. Sometimes the segments of the calyx curve outward in the Bottle Gentian, while they remain reasonably upright in the Soapwort Gentian, but this is not always a reliable distinction.
The blooming period can occur from late summer to early fall, and usually lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. The small seeds can be transported by water or wind some distance from a mother plant. The root system consists of a stout taproot. Vegetative reproduction does not normally occur.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist rich soil. It is easier to start with potted plants rather than seed, as germination can be erratic and seedling mortality can be high. Mature plants are rarely bothered by foliar disease or leaf-chewing insects. The worst threat is droughty conditions, but appropriate placement of plants will mitigate this problem.
Range & Habitat: The native Bottle Gentian is occasional in the northern half of Illinois and uncommon in the rest of the state (see Distribution Map). However, populations of the plant are probably declining as a result of the destruction of wetlands. Habitats include moist black soil prairies, openings in floodplain forests, thickets, fens, and swampy areas near bodies of water. This plant often occurs in calcareous soil.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, as they are one of the few insects that can force their way past the closed corolla. This floral characteristic excludes smaller insects that are less efficient at pollination from robbing nectar and pollen from the bumblebees. Because the foliage and roots are bitter-tasting, mammalian herbivores usually don't use this plant as a food source. However, deer may chomp off the tender tops of the plants before they have a chance to flower. This can cause the central stem to form smaller side branches. The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds. The ecological value of Bottle Gentian is low, notwithstanding the appeal of the flowers to humans.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a mesic prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Bottle Gentian is a wierd-looking plant with a striking appearance. The adorable flowers are often deep violet, although other shades also occur, even in the same cluster of flowers. The only other gentian that this species can be confused with (among those that occur in Illinois) is Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian). Usually, Soapwort Gentian is pale violet or greyish blue, while the interconnecting fringe of the corolla is shorter than, or equal to, the length of the lobes. This interconnecting fringe is always taller than the lobes in the corolla of the Bottle Gentian. Sometimes the segments of the calyx curve outward in the Bottle Gentian, while they remain reasonably upright in the Soapwort Gentian, but this is not always a reliable distinction.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月05日
Description: During the first year, this plant develops a rosette of basal leaves. During the second year, this biennial plant bolts to become 3-7' tall at maturity, branching above. The stems are light green, angular or terete, and moderately to densely covered with spreading white hairs. Alternate leaves occur along these stems that have ascending blades; they are sessile or short-petiolate. The leaf blades are up to 7" long and 1" across, although they are usually about one-half of the maximum size. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate or elliptic in shape, while their margins are entire (toothless) or slightly dentate. The leaf surfaces are yellowish green or medium green and glabrous to slightly pubescent (usually becoming more glabrous with age). However, during the autumn, the leaves often become reddish in response to cold weather. The upper stems terminate in open panicles of floral spikes that are up to 2½' long and across. In each spike, the sessile flowers bloom gradually from the bottom to the top with flower buds above and developing seed capsules below.
Each flower is about ½" long and across, consisting of 4 white to pink petals, a narrow calyx tube with 4 green to red sepals at its apex, 8 long-exserted stamens, and an inferior ovary with a long-exserted style. The petals are oblanceolate in shape, tapering to narrow clawed bases; they are arranged in a semi-circle above the reproductive organs. The sepals are linear-lanceolate, short-pubescent, and strongly recurved or deflexed (bent downward or away from the petals). The stamens have white filaments and slender yellow anthers. The slender style is white; it has a 4-lobed stigma at its apex. The branches of the inflorescence are light green or reddish green, angular or terete, and short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to mid-autumn, lasting about 1-2 months. The flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are 6-8 mm. long, fusiform (spindle-shaped), slightly 4-ribbed, and short-pubescent. Each capsule contains a few seeds.
Cultivation: This biennial plant prefers full sunlight and more or less mesic conditions. It tolerates many kinds of soil, include those that contain loam, clay, gravel, or sand.
Range & Habitat: The native Biennial Gaura occurs in most counties of Illinois, where it is occasional to locally common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic prairies, meadows in wooded areas, limestone glades, abandoned fields, gravelly banks along rivers, roadside embankments, areas along railroads, and waste areas. Biennial Gaura prefers disturbed areas where there is reduced competition from other plants, although it is occasionally found in higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by long-tongued bees (especially bumblebees) and nectar-seeking moths, including the Northern Corn Earworm Moth (Heliothis zea). Other insects feed destructively on the foliage, flowers, developing seed capsules, and plant sap of Biennial Gaura. Insects in this latter group include aphids (Macrosiphum gaurae, Macrosiphum pseudorosae), leaf-mining larvae of a Momphid moth (Mompha argentimaculella), gall-forming larvae of a a Momphid moth (Mompha rufocristatella), and larvae of the Primrose Moth (Schinia florida) and Gaura Moth (Schinia gaura). Larvae of the latter two moths feed on the flowers and developing seed capsules. The adults of these two moths often hide near the flowers of Biennial Gaura during the day; they are well-camouflaged because of their pinkish or reddish colors. This plant's relationships with vertebrate animals is currently unavailable.
Photographic Location: The photographs of plants were taken along a railroad in Champaign, Illinois, and at a prairie of Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: During late summer when this tall plant is in full bloom, its lanky stems and flowering spikes have a tendency to sway with each passing breeze. Biennial Gaura (Gaura biennis) has not received much attention because of its untidy appearance and slightly weedy nature. However, it provides attractive flowers during the hot and dreary month of August, when other plants are usually dormant. Biennial Gaura closely resembles Large-flowered Gaura (Gaura longiflora), except this latter species has short appressed hairs along its stems, rather than long and widely spreading hairs. Large-flowered Gaura has a more western distribution than Biennial Gaura, and it is less common in Illinois. Another species with a more western distribution, Small-flowered Gaura (Gaura parviflora), has more densely pubescent leaves, a less branched inflorescence, and smaller flowers than Biennial Gaura. Small-flowered Gaura is uncommon in Illinois, where it is adventive.
Each flower is about ½" long and across, consisting of 4 white to pink petals, a narrow calyx tube with 4 green to red sepals at its apex, 8 long-exserted stamens, and an inferior ovary with a long-exserted style. The petals are oblanceolate in shape, tapering to narrow clawed bases; they are arranged in a semi-circle above the reproductive organs. The sepals are linear-lanceolate, short-pubescent, and strongly recurved or deflexed (bent downward or away from the petals). The stamens have white filaments and slender yellow anthers. The slender style is white; it has a 4-lobed stigma at its apex. The branches of the inflorescence are light green or reddish green, angular or terete, and short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to mid-autumn, lasting about 1-2 months. The flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are 6-8 mm. long, fusiform (spindle-shaped), slightly 4-ribbed, and short-pubescent. Each capsule contains a few seeds.
Cultivation: This biennial plant prefers full sunlight and more or less mesic conditions. It tolerates many kinds of soil, include those that contain loam, clay, gravel, or sand.
Range & Habitat: The native Biennial Gaura occurs in most counties of Illinois, where it is occasional to locally common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic prairies, meadows in wooded areas, limestone glades, abandoned fields, gravelly banks along rivers, roadside embankments, areas along railroads, and waste areas. Biennial Gaura prefers disturbed areas where there is reduced competition from other plants, although it is occasionally found in higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by long-tongued bees (especially bumblebees) and nectar-seeking moths, including the Northern Corn Earworm Moth (Heliothis zea). Other insects feed destructively on the foliage, flowers, developing seed capsules, and plant sap of Biennial Gaura. Insects in this latter group include aphids (Macrosiphum gaurae, Macrosiphum pseudorosae), leaf-mining larvae of a Momphid moth (Mompha argentimaculella), gall-forming larvae of a a Momphid moth (Mompha rufocristatella), and larvae of the Primrose Moth (Schinia florida) and Gaura Moth (Schinia gaura). Larvae of the latter two moths feed on the flowers and developing seed capsules. The adults of these two moths often hide near the flowers of Biennial Gaura during the day; they are well-camouflaged because of their pinkish or reddish colors. This plant's relationships with vertebrate animals is currently unavailable.
Photographic Location: The photographs of plants were taken along a railroad in Champaign, Illinois, and at a prairie of Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: During late summer when this tall plant is in full bloom, its lanky stems and flowering spikes have a tendency to sway with each passing breeze. Biennial Gaura (Gaura biennis) has not received much attention because of its untidy appearance and slightly weedy nature. However, it provides attractive flowers during the hot and dreary month of August, when other plants are usually dormant. Biennial Gaura closely resembles Large-flowered Gaura (Gaura longiflora), except this latter species has short appressed hairs along its stems, rather than long and widely spreading hairs. Large-flowered Gaura has a more western distribution than Biennial Gaura, and it is less common in Illinois. Another species with a more western distribution, Small-flowered Gaura (Gaura parviflora), has more densely pubescent leaves, a less branched inflorescence, and smaller flowers than Biennial Gaura. Small-flowered Gaura is uncommon in Illinois, where it is adventive.
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求助
Grz1027
2018年01月05日
What kind of succulent do I have? I was thinking that it is an aloe plant, but I'm not sure
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stunning.succulents：haworthia fasciata?
文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月03日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is about ½–1½' tall, often branching abundantly and presenting a bushy appearance. The weak stems are ascending to sprawling; they are light green, sharply 4-angled, shallowly furrowed along their sides, and mostly glabrous, except where the whorled leaves occur. Near the bases of these leaves, there are narrow rings of dense short hairs on the stems. At intervals along these stems, there are whorls of 4-6 sessile leaves. Where the lower stems branch dichotomously, there are usually whorls of 5-6 leaves, otherwise there are whorls of 4 leaves. Relative to their stems, these leaves are ascending to widely spreading. Individual leaves are ½–1¼" long and about one-fourth as much across; they are elliptic-oblong to oblong in shape, while their margins are entire (toothless) and stiffly ciliate. The upper and lower leaf surfaces are medium green and mostly glabrous. However, the lower leaf surfaces are stiffly short-hairy along their central veins. These hairs can cling for support on adjacent plants.
The upper and outer stems terminate in dichotomously branched clusters of 2-4 flowers; there are 1-2 small clusters of 2-4 flowers per stem. The glabrous peduncles of these floral clusters are up to 1" long and the glabrous pedicels of the flowers are up to ½" long. Each flower is a little less than ¼" across, consisting of a white corolla with 4 lanceolate lobes, a pair of pistils, and 4 stamens; the calyx is minute and insignificant. The inferior ovaries of the pistils are light green, and glabrous; together they are biglobular in shape. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 1 month. Usually only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. After the blooming period, the ovaries mature into a pair of joined dry fruits; each fruit contains a single seed. The seeds are about 0.5 mm. long, somewhat flattened, and globoid. The root system is fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, wet to moist conditions, and soil containing organic matter. This plant doesn't like to dry out, and it slowly fades away after blooming.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Madder is an occasional to locally common plant that has been reported from most counties of Illinois. However, it is uncommon or absent in some central and western counties of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to moist black soil prairies, prairie swales, floodplain woodlands, soggy thickets, swamps, fens, seeps, and shallow ditches along railroads. This plant tends to occur in grassy or sedge-dominated areas and it functions as an understory plant in wet to moist prairies. However, with the destruction of such prairie habitat, it has become less common than in the past.
Faunal Associations: Generally, the small white flowers of Wild Madder (Galium obtusum) and other bedstraws (Galium spp.) attract small bees and flies, including Halictid bees, masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), and Syrphid flies. These insects cross-pollinate the flowers. Some insects feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of bedstraws. These species include flower-feeding larvae of the Bedstraw Midge (Dasineura americana), foliage-feeding larvae of an introduced sawfly (Halidamia affinis), and the larvae of such moths as the Galium Sphinx (Hyles gallii), Drab Brown Wave (Lobocleta ossularia), and White-banded Toothed Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata). Bedstraws are also summer hosts of the polyphagous Black Cherry Aphid (Myzus cerasi). Little is known about the floral-faunal relationships of Wild Madder with vertebrate animals.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a moist prairie remnant along an abandoned railroad in Champaign County, Illinois.
Comments: Except for the showy Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale), bedstraws (Galium spp.) are often overlooked by prairie restorationists and wildflower enthusiasts because of their small flowers. Wild Madder can be distinguished from other bedstraws by the following characteristics: 1) it has smooth hairless stems, 2) there are usually only 4 leaves per whorl, although sometimes 5-6 leaves per whorl, 3) the fruits are smooth and hairless, 4) the flowers have 4 corolla lobes, and 5) the leaves are blunt-tipped. Other bedstraws often have bristly stems and fruits, more than 4 leaves per whorl, flowers with 3 corolla lobes, and/or leaves with more pointed tips. Another common name of Galium obtusum is Blunt-leaved Bedstraw.
The upper and outer stems terminate in dichotomously branched clusters of 2-4 flowers; there are 1-2 small clusters of 2-4 flowers per stem. The glabrous peduncles of these floral clusters are up to 1" long and the glabrous pedicels of the flowers are up to ½" long. Each flower is a little less than ¼" across, consisting of a white corolla with 4 lanceolate lobes, a pair of pistils, and 4 stamens; the calyx is minute and insignificant. The inferior ovaries of the pistils are light green, and glabrous; together they are biglobular in shape. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 1 month. Usually only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. After the blooming period, the ovaries mature into a pair of joined dry fruits; each fruit contains a single seed. The seeds are about 0.5 mm. long, somewhat flattened, and globoid. The root system is fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, wet to moist conditions, and soil containing organic matter. This plant doesn't like to dry out, and it slowly fades away after blooming.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Madder is an occasional to locally common plant that has been reported from most counties of Illinois. However, it is uncommon or absent in some central and western counties of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to moist black soil prairies, prairie swales, floodplain woodlands, soggy thickets, swamps, fens, seeps, and shallow ditches along railroads. This plant tends to occur in grassy or sedge-dominated areas and it functions as an understory plant in wet to moist prairies. However, with the destruction of such prairie habitat, it has become less common than in the past.
Faunal Associations: Generally, the small white flowers of Wild Madder (Galium obtusum) and other bedstraws (Galium spp.) attract small bees and flies, including Halictid bees, masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), and Syrphid flies. These insects cross-pollinate the flowers. Some insects feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of bedstraws. These species include flower-feeding larvae of the Bedstraw Midge (Dasineura americana), foliage-feeding larvae of an introduced sawfly (Halidamia affinis), and the larvae of such moths as the Galium Sphinx (Hyles gallii), Drab Brown Wave (Lobocleta ossularia), and White-banded Toothed Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata). Bedstraws are also summer hosts of the polyphagous Black Cherry Aphid (Myzus cerasi). Little is known about the floral-faunal relationships of Wild Madder with vertebrate animals.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a moist prairie remnant along an abandoned railroad in Champaign County, Illinois.
Comments: Except for the showy Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale), bedstraws (Galium spp.) are often overlooked by prairie restorationists and wildflower enthusiasts because of their small flowers. Wild Madder can be distinguished from other bedstraws by the following characteristics: 1) it has smooth hairless stems, 2) there are usually only 4 leaves per whorl, although sometimes 5-6 leaves per whorl, 3) the fruits are smooth and hairless, 4) the flowers have 4 corolla lobes, and 5) the leaves are blunt-tipped. Other bedstraws often have bristly stems and fruits, more than 4 leaves per whorl, flowers with 3 corolla lobes, and/or leaves with more pointed tips. Another common name of Galium obtusum is Blunt-leaved Bedstraw.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月03日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 4-7" tall, consisting of several basal leaves and one or more inflorescences. The basal leaves are trifoliate. The leaflets are up to 2½" long and 1½" across; they are obovate or oval in shape and coarsely toothed along their middle to outer margins. The tips of leaflets are rounded, while their bottoms are either wedge-shaped or rounded. The upper leaflet surface is medium to dark green and glabrous. The lower leaflet surface is variably hairy; fine hairs are most likely to occur along the bases of central veins, but they may occur elsewhere along the lower surface. Leaflet venation is pinnate and conspicuous. The petiolules (basal stalklets) of leaflets are light green, hairy, and very short (about 1 mm. in length). The petioles of basal leaves are up to 6" long; they are light green to light reddish green, terete, and hairy. One or more umbel-like clusters of flowers are produced from long peduncles up to 5" long. These peduncles are light green to light reddish green, terete, and hairy. Each umbel-like cluster has about 4-6 flowers on pedicels up to ¾" long. These pedicels are light green to light reddish green, terete, and hairy. At the base of these pedicels, there are several bracts up to ¼" long that are light green to dark red, lanceolate in shape, and hairy.
Individual flowers are about ½–¾" across when they are fully open; they can be pistillate, staminate, or perfect (staminate flowers are the least common). Each flower has 5 white petals, 5 green sepals, and 5 green sepal-like bracts. The petals are oval to orbicular in shape; they are longer than either the sepals or sepal-like bracts. The sepals are lanceolate in shape and hairy, while the sepal-like bracts are linear-lanceolate and hairy; both sepals and sepal-like bracts are joined together at the base of the flower. Each pistillate flower has a dome-shaped cluster of pistils at its center that is greenish yellow or pale yellow. Each staminate flower has 20-35 stamens with pale yellow filaments and yellow anthers. Each perfect flower has a dome-shaped cluster of pistils at its center and a ring of surrounding stamens. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 3-4 weeks. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by fruits when growing conditions are favorable, otherwise they abort. These fruits are up to ½" long and across; they are globoid or globoid-ovoid in shape, becoming bright red at maturity. Small seeds are scattered across the surface of these fruits in sunken pits; the persistent sepals and sepal-like bracts are appressed to the upper surface of these fruits. The fleshy interior of these fruits has a sweet-tart flavor; they are edible. The root system consists of a shallow crown with fibrous roots. After the production of flowers and fruits, hairy above-ground stolons up to 2' long may develop from the crown. When the tips of these stolons touch the ground, they often form plantlets that take root. In this manner, clonal colonies of plants often develop.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and fertile soil containing loam or clay-loam. Wild Strawberry is a cool-season plant that grows actively during the spring and fall, but it often becomes dormant after setting fruit during the hot summer months. This plant is easy to cultivate, and it will spread to form a loose ground cover in open areas. The foliage is more resistant to foliar disease than most cultivated strawberries. While flowers are produced reliably every spring where there is adequate sunlight, the fruits may or may not develop, depending on the weather and environmental conditions. Watering plants during dry spells in late spring and early summer probably encourages fruits to develop. These fruits are much smaller in size than those of cultivated strawberries.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Strawberry is common in most areas of Illinois, although in parts of NW and southern Illinois it is occasional or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include black soil prairies, hill prairies, bluegrass meadows, small meadows in wooded areas, open woodlands, woodland borders, savannas, limestone glades, roadsides, and areas along railroads. Wild Strawberry is able to tolerate competition from taller plants because it develops early in the spring, and it is able to tolerate some shade later in the year. This plant occurs in both degraded and high quality habitats, often not far from wooded areas.
Faunal Associations: The ecological value of Wild Strawberry to various insects, birds, and animals is high. The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), mason bees (Osmia spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), Halictid cuckoo bees (Sphecodes spp.), Andrenid bees, Syrphid flies, thick-headed flies (Conopidae), Tachinid flies, bottle flies (Lucilia spp.), flesh flies (Sarcophagidae), small butterflies, and skippers (see Robertson, 1929, & others). These floral visitors are beneficial because they cross-pollinate the flowers. Other insects feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of Wild Strawberry. Caterpillars of the Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaurae wyandot) feed on this plant. Other insect feeders include larvae of such moths as the Strawberry Crown Borer (Synanthedon bibionipennis), Strawberry Leafroller Moth (Ancylis comptana fragariae), and Wild Strawberry Seed Borer (Grapholita angleseana). The Moth Table has a more complete list of moth species that feed on this plant.
Other insect feeders include the Strawberry Flea Beetle (Altica ignita) and other leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), the Strawberry Sap Beetle (Stelidota gemmata), the Strawberry Root Weevil (Otiorhynchus ovatus) and other weevils (Curculionidae), larvae of the Strawberry Reniform Gall Midge (Cecidomyia reniformis), larvae of the Strawberry Cylindrical Gall Wasp (Diastrophus fragariae), larvae of the Curled Rose Sawfly (Allantus cinctus) and other sawflies, the Strawberry Aphid (Chaetosiphon fragaefolii) and other aphids, and flower thrips. The Insect Table has a more complete list of insect species that feed on this plant. Various vertebrate animals eat the fruits and foliage of Wild Strawberry. Many upland gamebirds and songbirds eat the fruits, including the Ring-necked Pheasant, Greater Prairie Chicken, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, and American Robin. Some mammals, including the Opossum, Eastern Skunk, Franklin Ground Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, and White-footed Mouse, also eat the fruits, as do the Eastern Box Turtle, Ornate Box Turtle, and Wood Turtle. By eating the fruits, these animals spread the seeds to new locations. The foliage of Wild Strawberry is a source of food for the Cottontail Rabbit, White-tailed Deer, Groundhog, and Meadow Vole. The foliage is also browsed by horses, cattle, sheep, and goats. The Wildlife Table has a more complete list of vertebrate animals that feed on this plant.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken along a roadside near Urbana, Illinois; at Dave Monk's postage stamp prairie in Champaign, Illinois; and at the wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the parent plants for the cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa). The other parent plant of the cultivated strawberry is the Coastal Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis). This latter species is found along the Pacific Coast in both North and South America. The cultivated strawberry inherited the superior flavor of the Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and the larger fruit size of the Coastal Strawberry. The Wild Strawberry produces attractive white flowers during the spring and small red fruits during the early summer. It is similar in appearance to another native species, the Hillside Strawberry (Fragaria vesca americana). The fruits of Hillside Strawberry have sepals and sepal-like bracts that are spreading to reflexed, rather than appressed. The fruits of Hillside Strawberry also have seeds scattered on top of their surfaces, rather than enclosed in shallow pits. This strawberry species is found in northern Illinois, where it is uncommon. It is closely related to the Alpine Strawberry (Fragaria vesca vesca), which is found in Europe.
Individual flowers are about ½–¾" across when they are fully open; they can be pistillate, staminate, or perfect (staminate flowers are the least common). Each flower has 5 white petals, 5 green sepals, and 5 green sepal-like bracts. The petals are oval to orbicular in shape; they are longer than either the sepals or sepal-like bracts. The sepals are lanceolate in shape and hairy, while the sepal-like bracts are linear-lanceolate and hairy; both sepals and sepal-like bracts are joined together at the base of the flower. Each pistillate flower has a dome-shaped cluster of pistils at its center that is greenish yellow or pale yellow. Each staminate flower has 20-35 stamens with pale yellow filaments and yellow anthers. Each perfect flower has a dome-shaped cluster of pistils at its center and a ring of surrounding stamens. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 3-4 weeks. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by fruits when growing conditions are favorable, otherwise they abort. These fruits are up to ½" long and across; they are globoid or globoid-ovoid in shape, becoming bright red at maturity. Small seeds are scattered across the surface of these fruits in sunken pits; the persistent sepals and sepal-like bracts are appressed to the upper surface of these fruits. The fleshy interior of these fruits has a sweet-tart flavor; they are edible. The root system consists of a shallow crown with fibrous roots. After the production of flowers and fruits, hairy above-ground stolons up to 2' long may develop from the crown. When the tips of these stolons touch the ground, they often form plantlets that take root. In this manner, clonal colonies of plants often develop.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and fertile soil containing loam or clay-loam. Wild Strawberry is a cool-season plant that grows actively during the spring and fall, but it often becomes dormant after setting fruit during the hot summer months. This plant is easy to cultivate, and it will spread to form a loose ground cover in open areas. The foliage is more resistant to foliar disease than most cultivated strawberries. While flowers are produced reliably every spring where there is adequate sunlight, the fruits may or may not develop, depending on the weather and environmental conditions. Watering plants during dry spells in late spring and early summer probably encourages fruits to develop. These fruits are much smaller in size than those of cultivated strawberries.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Strawberry is common in most areas of Illinois, although in parts of NW and southern Illinois it is occasional or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include black soil prairies, hill prairies, bluegrass meadows, small meadows in wooded areas, open woodlands, woodland borders, savannas, limestone glades, roadsides, and areas along railroads. Wild Strawberry is able to tolerate competition from taller plants because it develops early in the spring, and it is able to tolerate some shade later in the year. This plant occurs in both degraded and high quality habitats, often not far from wooded areas.
Faunal Associations: The ecological value of Wild Strawberry to various insects, birds, and animals is high. The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), mason bees (Osmia spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), Halictid cuckoo bees (Sphecodes spp.), Andrenid bees, Syrphid flies, thick-headed flies (Conopidae), Tachinid flies, bottle flies (Lucilia spp.), flesh flies (Sarcophagidae), small butterflies, and skippers (see Robertson, 1929, & others). These floral visitors are beneficial because they cross-pollinate the flowers. Other insects feed destructively on the foliage and other parts of Wild Strawberry. Caterpillars of the Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaurae wyandot) feed on this plant. Other insect feeders include larvae of such moths as the Strawberry Crown Borer (Synanthedon bibionipennis), Strawberry Leafroller Moth (Ancylis comptana fragariae), and Wild Strawberry Seed Borer (Grapholita angleseana). The Moth Table has a more complete list of moth species that feed on this plant.
Other insect feeders include the Strawberry Flea Beetle (Altica ignita) and other leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), the Strawberry Sap Beetle (Stelidota gemmata), the Strawberry Root Weevil (Otiorhynchus ovatus) and other weevils (Curculionidae), larvae of the Strawberry Reniform Gall Midge (Cecidomyia reniformis), larvae of the Strawberry Cylindrical Gall Wasp (Diastrophus fragariae), larvae of the Curled Rose Sawfly (Allantus cinctus) and other sawflies, the Strawberry Aphid (Chaetosiphon fragaefolii) and other aphids, and flower thrips. The Insect Table has a more complete list of insect species that feed on this plant. Various vertebrate animals eat the fruits and foliage of Wild Strawberry. Many upland gamebirds and songbirds eat the fruits, including the Ring-necked Pheasant, Greater Prairie Chicken, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, and American Robin. Some mammals, including the Opossum, Eastern Skunk, Franklin Ground Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, and White-footed Mouse, also eat the fruits, as do the Eastern Box Turtle, Ornate Box Turtle, and Wood Turtle. By eating the fruits, these animals spread the seeds to new locations. The foliage of Wild Strawberry is a source of food for the Cottontail Rabbit, White-tailed Deer, Groundhog, and Meadow Vole. The foliage is also browsed by horses, cattle, sheep, and goats. The Wildlife Table has a more complete list of vertebrate animals that feed on this plant.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken along a roadside near Urbana, Illinois; at Dave Monk's postage stamp prairie in Champaign, Illinois; and at the wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the parent plants for the cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa). The other parent plant of the cultivated strawberry is the Coastal Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis). This latter species is found along the Pacific Coast in both North and South America. The cultivated strawberry inherited the superior flavor of the Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and the larger fruit size of the Coastal Strawberry. The Wild Strawberry produces attractive white flowers during the spring and small red fruits during the early summer. It is similar in appearance to another native species, the Hillside Strawberry (Fragaria vesca americana). The fruits of Hillside Strawberry have sepals and sepal-like bracts that are spreading to reflexed, rather than appressed. The fruits of Hillside Strawberry also have seeds scattered on top of their surfaces, rather than enclosed in shallow pits. This strawberry species is found in northern Illinois, where it is uncommon. It is closely related to the Alpine Strawberry (Fragaria vesca vesca), which is found in Europe.
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