文章
Miss Chen
2018年03月07日
Description: This wildflower is a biennial or short-lived perennial. During the 1st year, it consists of a low rosette of leaves spanning about 1' across. During the 2nd year and thereafter, it develops stems with alternate leaves and becomes about 3-8' tall. These stems are usually sparingly branched. The central stem and side stems are light green to reddish brown, terete with several longitudinal ridges, and pubescent-woolly. The alternate leaves are up to 9" long and 3" across, becoming gradually smaller as they ascend the stems. These leaves are lanceolate, oblanceolate, or elliptic in shape; their margins are entire, slightly dentate, or shallowly lobed. At the pointed tip of each lobe or dentate tooth, there is usually a spine. The upper surface of each leaf is green with appressed white hairs, while the lower surface is covered with a dense mat of white-woolly hairs. The base of each leaf is sessile or clasps its stem slightly. The basal leaves of 1st year plants are similar to the alternate leaves, except they are often more deeply pinnatifid.
Flowering Plant
The upper stems terminate in individual flowerheads spanning about 2" across. Each flowerhead has a multitude of small disk florets that are pink to purplish pink. Each floret has a tubular corolla that divides into 5 slender lobes. The base of the flowerhead is surrounded by numerous floral scales (phyllaries) that partially overlap each other. Each small floral scale is lanceolate-ovate and dark green with a white midrib; it has a dark tip, where a fine spine projects outward. Underneath each flowerhead, there are 2-3 small leafy bracts with spines along their margins like the leaves. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall and lasts about 1–1½ months. The flowerheads are usually fragrant. After the blooming period, the entire plant begins to wither away and turns yellow to brown. The disk florets of the flowerheads become masses of bullet-shaped achenes with tufts of cottony white hairs. These achenes are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist to mesic areas, and a fertile loam, clay-loam, or sandy-loam soil. Tall Thistle is more tolerant of shade than other thistles. The lower leaves may wither away prematurely at a dry sunny site. The size of this plant can vary significantly depending on environmental conditions.
Range & Habitat: The native Tall Thistle is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). This thistle is widely distributed, but usually isn't common where it occurs. Habitats include open deciduous woodlands, woodland borders, thinly wooded rocky slopes, areas along woodland paths, savannas, thickets, swamps, meadows, areas along railroads, and roadsides. Tall Thistle can be found in both disturbed and undisturbed habitats; it is found in wooded habitats more often than other thistles.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowerheads attracts bumblebees, long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), Fritillary butterflies (Speyeria spp.), Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa spp.), Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio spp.), and Sphinx moths, including hummingbird clearwing moths (Hemaris spp.). The pollen also attracts Halictid bees and other bees, Syrphid flies, and various beetles (Robertson, 1929; Graenicher, 1907). Other insects feed destructively on the foliage, sap, and other parts of Cirsium spp. (thistles). These insects include Oulema palustris (a leaf beetle), Cassida rubiginosa (Thistle Tortoise Beetle), Euphoria inda (Bumble Flower Beetle), Melanoplus borealis (Northern Grasshopper), Entylia bactriana (a treehopper), and such aphids as Brachycaudus cardui (Thistle Aphid), Capitophorus elaeagni (Artichoke Aphid), and Uroleucon cirsii (Large Thistle Aphid); see Clark et al. (2004), Marshall (2006), Cranshaw (2004), Funkhouser (1917), and Brust et al. (2008). The caterpillars of two butterflies, Calephelis muticum (Swamp Metalmark) and Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady), also feed on thistles (Opler & Krizek, 1984; Wagner, 2005), as do the caterpillars of several moths (see Moth Table). The American Goldfinch, Clay-colored Sparrow, Pine Siskin, Slate-colored Junco, and Indigo Bunting eat the seeds of thistles; the American Goldfinch also uses thistle-down to line its nests (Martin et al., 1951/1961; DeVore et al., 2004). Although the Tall Thistle is less heavily armed with spines than some thistles, they provide some protection from hoofed mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: Along a woodland path at Fox Ridge State Park in east-central Illinois.
Comments: As the common name suggests, this thistle can become quite tall. It resembles Cirsium discolor (Pasture Thistle) and other common thistles, except that its leaves are less pinnatifid and spiny. The native Pasture Thistle prefers habitats that are more dry and sunny, but it is also sometimes found in wooded habitats. An aggressive Eurasian species, Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle), also prefers habitats that are more dry and sunny; it is even more heavily armed with spines than the Pasture Thistle. Unlike the Tall Thistle and Pasture Thistle, the Bull Thistle has leaf undersides that are more green because they are less densely hairy. The leaf undersides of the preceding native thistles are bright white because they have dense mats of white-woolly hairs. All of these tall-growing thistles are in bloom at about the same time of year and their erect flowerheads are pink to purplish pink.
Flowering Plant
The upper stems terminate in individual flowerheads spanning about 2" across. Each flowerhead has a multitude of small disk florets that are pink to purplish pink. Each floret has a tubular corolla that divides into 5 slender lobes. The base of the flowerhead is surrounded by numerous floral scales (phyllaries) that partially overlap each other. Each small floral scale is lanceolate-ovate and dark green with a white midrib; it has a dark tip, where a fine spine projects outward. Underneath each flowerhead, there are 2-3 small leafy bracts with spines along their margins like the leaves. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall and lasts about 1–1½ months. The flowerheads are usually fragrant. After the blooming period, the entire plant begins to wither away and turns yellow to brown. The disk florets of the flowerheads become masses of bullet-shaped achenes with tufts of cottony white hairs. These achenes are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist to mesic areas, and a fertile loam, clay-loam, or sandy-loam soil. Tall Thistle is more tolerant of shade than other thistles. The lower leaves may wither away prematurely at a dry sunny site. The size of this plant can vary significantly depending on environmental conditions.
Range & Habitat: The native Tall Thistle is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). This thistle is widely distributed, but usually isn't common where it occurs. Habitats include open deciduous woodlands, woodland borders, thinly wooded rocky slopes, areas along woodland paths, savannas, thickets, swamps, meadows, areas along railroads, and roadsides. Tall Thistle can be found in both disturbed and undisturbed habitats; it is found in wooded habitats more often than other thistles.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowerheads attracts bumblebees, long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), Fritillary butterflies (Speyeria spp.), Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa spp.), Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio spp.), and Sphinx moths, including hummingbird clearwing moths (Hemaris spp.). The pollen also attracts Halictid bees and other bees, Syrphid flies, and various beetles (Robertson, 1929; Graenicher, 1907). Other insects feed destructively on the foliage, sap, and other parts of Cirsium spp. (thistles). These insects include Oulema palustris (a leaf beetle), Cassida rubiginosa (Thistle Tortoise Beetle), Euphoria inda (Bumble Flower Beetle), Melanoplus borealis (Northern Grasshopper), Entylia bactriana (a treehopper), and such aphids as Brachycaudus cardui (Thistle Aphid), Capitophorus elaeagni (Artichoke Aphid), and Uroleucon cirsii (Large Thistle Aphid); see Clark et al. (2004), Marshall (2006), Cranshaw (2004), Funkhouser (1917), and Brust et al. (2008). The caterpillars of two butterflies, Calephelis muticum (Swamp Metalmark) and Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady), also feed on thistles (Opler & Krizek, 1984; Wagner, 2005), as do the caterpillars of several moths (see Moth Table). The American Goldfinch, Clay-colored Sparrow, Pine Siskin, Slate-colored Junco, and Indigo Bunting eat the seeds of thistles; the American Goldfinch also uses thistle-down to line its nests (Martin et al., 1951/1961; DeVore et al., 2004). Although the Tall Thistle is less heavily armed with spines than some thistles, they provide some protection from hoofed mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: Along a woodland path at Fox Ridge State Park in east-central Illinois.
Comments: As the common name suggests, this thistle can become quite tall. It resembles Cirsium discolor (Pasture Thistle) and other common thistles, except that its leaves are less pinnatifid and spiny. The native Pasture Thistle prefers habitats that are more dry and sunny, but it is also sometimes found in wooded habitats. An aggressive Eurasian species, Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle), also prefers habitats that are more dry and sunny; it is even more heavily armed with spines than the Pasture Thistle. Unlike the Tall Thistle and Pasture Thistle, the Bull Thistle has leaf undersides that are more green because they are less densely hairy. The leaf undersides of the preceding native thistles are bright white because they have dense mats of white-woolly hairs. All of these tall-growing thistles are in bloom at about the same time of year and their erect flowerheads are pink to purplish pink.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年03月04日
Description: This perennial wildflower forms a rosette of basal leaves spanning up to 1' across. The basal leaves are up to 8" long and 6" across; they are oval-cordate or oval and their margins are undulate-angular to shallowly cleft. The petioles of the basal leaves are up to 6" long, light green, glabrous, and rather stout. The upper surfaces of the leaves are medium to dark green and glabrous, while their lower surfaces are pale greenish white to bright white. During the spring, an unbranched flowering stalk with alternate leaves develops; it becomes 3-9' tall. The central stalk is pale green to pale purple, terete, glabrous, and glaucous; fine longitudinal veins are often visible along this stalk. The alternate leaves are up to 8" long and 8" across, becoming gradually smaller as they ascend the central stalk. The leaves are mostly deltate-cordate, deltate-orbicular, or deltate-ovate; their margins are shallowly to moderately cleft with pointed lobes and to some extent undulate-angular. The upper and lower surfaces of the alternate leaves have the same characteristics as the basal leaves, and both types of leaves have palmate veins. The petioles along the central stalk are about as long as their leaves; they are light green and glabrous.
The central stalk terminates in a flat-topped panicle (or compound corymb) of flowerheads. The flowerheads are usually arranged in small clusters of 4-15 flowerheads. The branches of the panicle are light green and glabrous. Individual flowerheads are about 1/8" (3 mm.) across and 1/3" (8 mm.) long, consisting of an involucre (base of the flowerhead) with 5 bracts in a single series and 5 disk florets. In addition, there may be 2-3 tiny bracteoles near the base of the flowerhead. Each disk floret has a tubular corolla with 5 narrow lobes and an exerted bipartite style; the corolla is cream-colored, greenish white, or pale purplish white. The bracts of the involucre are linear-lanceolate, light green (sometimes tinted purple), and glabrous. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about 1 month. Each fertile disk floret produces an oblongoid achene with a tuft of white hair. The achenes are distributed by the wind.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and loamy, rocky, or sandy soil.
Range & Habitat: The native Pale Indian Plantain is occasional throughout most of Illinois, except in the NW corner of the state, where it is largely absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, rocky woodlands, woodland borders, wooded slopes and slopes of ravines, woodland openings, typical savannas and sandy savannas, typical thickets and sandy thickets, partially shaded areas of sand dunes near Lake Michigan, banks of streams, and prairies. Occasional wildfires and removal of woody vegetation is probably beneficial in maintaining the habitat of this wildflower.
Faunal Associations: In order to set fertile seed, the florets require cross-pollination by insects. Such insect visitors are relatively few; they consist primarily of wasps, flies, and small bees, which are attracted to either the nectar or pollen. The larvae of a lizard beetle, Languria bicolor, bore through the stems of Pale Indian Plantain (Vestal, 1913), while the larvae of a moth, Phyllocnistis insignis, are serpentine leaf-miners (Microleps website, 2010).
Photographic Location: A prairie in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs were taken by Keith and Patty Horn (Copyright © 2009).
Comments: Pale Indian Plantain can become quite tall. It has interesting foliage that looks like it was made of plastic. Unlike other Arnoglossum spp. (Indian Plantains) in Illinois, Pale Indian Plantain has leaves with whitened undersides (varying from pale greenish white to bright white). The common name, 'Indian Plantain,' refers to another species in this genus that has plantain-shaped leaves. A scientific synonym of Pale Indian Plantain is Cacalia atriplicifolia.
The central stalk terminates in a flat-topped panicle (or compound corymb) of flowerheads. The flowerheads are usually arranged in small clusters of 4-15 flowerheads. The branches of the panicle are light green and glabrous. Individual flowerheads are about 1/8" (3 mm.) across and 1/3" (8 mm.) long, consisting of an involucre (base of the flowerhead) with 5 bracts in a single series and 5 disk florets. In addition, there may be 2-3 tiny bracteoles near the base of the flowerhead. Each disk floret has a tubular corolla with 5 narrow lobes and an exerted bipartite style; the corolla is cream-colored, greenish white, or pale purplish white. The bracts of the involucre are linear-lanceolate, light green (sometimes tinted purple), and glabrous. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about 1 month. Each fertile disk floret produces an oblongoid achene with a tuft of white hair. The achenes are distributed by the wind.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and loamy, rocky, or sandy soil.
Range & Habitat: The native Pale Indian Plantain is occasional throughout most of Illinois, except in the NW corner of the state, where it is largely absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, rocky woodlands, woodland borders, wooded slopes and slopes of ravines, woodland openings, typical savannas and sandy savannas, typical thickets and sandy thickets, partially shaded areas of sand dunes near Lake Michigan, banks of streams, and prairies. Occasional wildfires and removal of woody vegetation is probably beneficial in maintaining the habitat of this wildflower.
Faunal Associations: In order to set fertile seed, the florets require cross-pollination by insects. Such insect visitors are relatively few; they consist primarily of wasps, flies, and small bees, which are attracted to either the nectar or pollen. The larvae of a lizard beetle, Languria bicolor, bore through the stems of Pale Indian Plantain (Vestal, 1913), while the larvae of a moth, Phyllocnistis insignis, are serpentine leaf-miners (Microleps website, 2010).
Photographic Location: A prairie in Fayette County, Illinois. The photographs were taken by Keith and Patty Horn (Copyright © 2009).
Comments: Pale Indian Plantain can become quite tall. It has interesting foliage that looks like it was made of plastic. Unlike other Arnoglossum spp. (Indian Plantains) in Illinois, Pale Indian Plantain has leaves with whitened undersides (varying from pale greenish white to bright white). The common name, 'Indian Plantain,' refers to another species in this genus that has plantain-shaped leaves. A scientific synonym of Pale Indian Plantain is Cacalia atriplicifolia.
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September是柚子绿茶味儿的
2018年03月03日
阿九春播日记：2018.3.3洋桔梗播种，种类：惊艳系列：绿/茶/深茶，百变系列：新香槟，露西塔：紫；育苗环境：半露养，12孔育苗盘，发发得育苗土，8～9小时日照
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小馒头331：等更新
小馒头331：我也播了，没发芽，请问小洋播种有诀窍吗？
文章
Miss Chen
2018年03月01日
Description: This vine is a summer annual about 2-8' long that twines about adjacent vegetation and branches occasionally. The slender stems are light green to reddish green, terete, and covered with either appressed white hairs (var. bracteata) or spreading tawny hairs (var. comosa). Alternate trifoliate leaves occur along these stems. The terminal leaflets are up to 2½" long (var. bracteata) or as much as 4" long (var. comosa); the lateral leaflets are a little shorter. All leaflets are ovate to ovate-rhombic in shape and smooth along their margins. The upper surface of the leaflets is medium green and hairless to sparsely covered with appressed hairs; the lower surface of the leaflets is pale green and usually more hairy. In each trifoliate leaf, the petiolule (basal stalklet) of the terminal leaflet is up to ¾" long, while the petiolules of the lateral leaflets are about 1/8" (3 mm.) long. The slender petioles are 2-6" long. At the base of eachTwo Flowers & Seedpod petiole, there is a pair of small stipules less than ¼" long. Occasionally, congested racemes of 2-15 flowers up to 2" long are produced from the axils of the leaves. Individual flowers consist of 5 petals, a tubular calyx with 4 teeth, several stamens, and a pistil. The petals have a pea-like floral structure consisting of an upright banner, 2 lateral wings, and a keel that is curved upward. The edges of the banner are often folded backward, while the narrow wings and keel project forward. The petals are light pink, pale lavender, or white; the calyx is light green to nearly white and either hairless or hairy. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer into the fall and lasts about 1½-3 months. Fertile flowers are replaced by seedpods about 1-1½" long; these seedpods are oblongoid and flattened with short curved beaks. Each seedpod contains 1-4 relatively large seeds; individual seeds are reniform and flattened. In addition to the preceding flowers and their seedpods, Hog Peanut also produces self-fertile flowers that lack petals. These inconspicuous flowers are produced on low stolons along the ground; they mature into single-seeded fleshy fruits with an obovoid shape. Sometimes, these fruits become subterranean.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist conditions, and soil containing sand or loam. The root system of Hog Peanut fixes nitrogen in the soil through the assistance of symbiotic bacteria.
Range & Habitat: The native Hog Peanut is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map); the two varieties of Hog Peanut, var. bracteata and var. comosa, are about equally common. Habitats consist of floodplain woodlands, low wooded areas along streams, soggy thickets, damp sandy meadows, and seeps. Some disturbance is beneficial if it reduces the shade of canopy trees and other kinds of woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The caterpillars of Epargyreus clarus (Silver-Spotted Skipper) and Autochton cellus (Gold-Banded Skipper) feed on the foliage of Hog Peanut. Other insect feeders include the aphid Microparsus variabilis and several leaf beetles: Cerotoma trifurcata, Odontota dorsalis, Odontota horni, Odontota mundula, Odontota scapularis, Phyllecthris dorsalis, and Sumitrosis rosea. Some of these beetles have larvae that mine the leaves. Various vertebrate animals also use Hog Peanut as a food source. Either the seeds or the fleshy fruits of self-fertile flowers are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Bobwhite, Passenger Pigeon (now extinct), White-Footed Mouse, and Meadow Vole; the Ruffed Grouse also feeds on the foliage. To a limited extent, White-Tailed Deer also feed on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Near a stream in sandy woodland at the Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana.
Comments: Sometimes the scientific name is spelled 'Amphicarpa bracteata.' The common name refers to the fleshy fruits of the self-fertile flowers, which are edible to humans. These unusual fruits distinguish Hog Peanut from many other species in the Bean family. Another vine in the Bean family, Apios americana (Groundnut), produces edible underground tubers. These tubers are part of the root system, rather than a modified seedpod. Compared to Hog Peanut, Groundnut has compound leaves with 5 leaflets and its flowers are often reddish brown and less cylindrical in shape. Other vines in the Bean family have differently shaped flowers and their leaflets are usually less broad and rhombic than those of Hog Peanut.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist conditions, and soil containing sand or loam. The root system of Hog Peanut fixes nitrogen in the soil through the assistance of symbiotic bacteria.
Range & Habitat: The native Hog Peanut is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map); the two varieties of Hog Peanut, var. bracteata and var. comosa, are about equally common. Habitats consist of floodplain woodlands, low wooded areas along streams, soggy thickets, damp sandy meadows, and seeps. Some disturbance is beneficial if it reduces the shade of canopy trees and other kinds of woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The caterpillars of Epargyreus clarus (Silver-Spotted Skipper) and Autochton cellus (Gold-Banded Skipper) feed on the foliage of Hog Peanut. Other insect feeders include the aphid Microparsus variabilis and several leaf beetles: Cerotoma trifurcata, Odontota dorsalis, Odontota horni, Odontota mundula, Odontota scapularis, Phyllecthris dorsalis, and Sumitrosis rosea. Some of these beetles have larvae that mine the leaves. Various vertebrate animals also use Hog Peanut as a food source. Either the seeds or the fleshy fruits of self-fertile flowers are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Bobwhite, Passenger Pigeon (now extinct), White-Footed Mouse, and Meadow Vole; the Ruffed Grouse also feeds on the foliage. To a limited extent, White-Tailed Deer also feed on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Near a stream in sandy woodland at the Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana.
Comments: Sometimes the scientific name is spelled 'Amphicarpa bracteata.' The common name refers to the fleshy fruits of the self-fertile flowers, which are edible to humans. These unusual fruits distinguish Hog Peanut from many other species in the Bean family. Another vine in the Bean family, Apios americana (Groundnut), produces edible underground tubers. These tubers are part of the root system, rather than a modified seedpod. Compared to Hog Peanut, Groundnut has compound leaves with 5 leaflets and its flowers are often reddish brown and less cylindrical in shape. Other vines in the Bean family have differently shaped flowers and their leaflets are usually less broad and rhombic than those of Hog Peanut.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月24日
Description: This perennial wildflower consists of a rosette, or clustered rosettes, of basal leaves from which one or more flowering stalks develop. The ascending to spreading basal leaves are 1-6" long and 1/8–1/2" (3-12 mm.) across; they areColonies of Flowering Plants dark green, linear-oblanceolate in shape, smooth along their margins, and mostly hairless. The leaves of plants that are under stress from drought may become grayish green. Individual flowerheads develop at the apex of unbranched stalks that are 4-12" high; these flowering stalks are more or less erect. The stalks are rather stout and more or less finely pubescent. Individual flowerheads span 1-1¾" across, consisting of 10-30 ray florets that surround a dense cluster of 50 or more disk florets. The petal-like rays of the ray florets are ¼–¾" long, bright yellow, oblong in shape, and divided into 3 blunt teeth at their tips. The tiny disk florets are golden yellow, tubular in shape, and lobed along their upper rims. Both ray and disk florets are fertile. Around the base of each flowerhead, there are green floral bracts (phyllaries) in 2-3 series. Individual floral bracts are about ¼" in length, finely pubescent, and oblong-ovate with rounded tips. The blooming period usually occurs from late spring to early summer. A colony of plants may bloom for about a month. The florets are replaced by small achenes that are angular and finely pubescent; they become mature during the summer. At the apex of each achene, there is a tiny crown of 5 or more chaffy scales that are lanceolate in shape. The achenes are distributed by gravity and wind, although they usually don't travel far from the mother plant. The root system consists of a short stout caudex that eventually branches, forming a cluster of plants from vegetative offsets.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, well-drained mesic to dry conditions, and a gritty alkaline soil containing gravel or rocky material. This wildflower can be cultivated in rock gardens. The seeds require no winter dormancy and should be sowed during the same year that they are produced.
Range & Habitat: Lakeside Daisy is a rare native wildflower in Illinois, having been found in only Tazewell and Will counties (see Distribution Map). It is state-listed as 'endangered' and federally listed as 'threatened.' At one time, this wildflower was extirpated from the wild in Illinois, although it still existed in private gardens in the Chicago area. More recently, it has been successfully reintroduced in various natural areas of the state. The largest population in the United States exists in Marblehead Peninsula along Lake Erie in Ohio. Habitats consist of dry dolomite prairies and gravel prairies, gravelly hill prairies, sand-gravel terraces along major rivers, ledges along cliffs, and limestone quarries. This wildflower is found in rocky areas with sparse vegetation and can tolerate minor amounts of disturbance.
Faunal Associations: Both nectar and pollen are available from the flowerheads, which attract bees, flies, beetles, butterflies, and skippers. Floral bee visitors include bumblebees, small carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), and Halictid bees. Cross-pollination is required because individual plants are genetically self-incompatible. Insects that feed on the Lakeside Daisy include grasshoppers and the larvae of an unidentified weevil; the latter feeds on the seeds. The flowering stalks are eaten occasionally by the White-Tailed Deer and Cottontail Rabbit. In the Western states, related species in the Hymenoxys/Tetraneuris complex are known to have toxic leaves that can poison cattle and sheep, however the toxicity of the more eastern Lakeside Daisy has not been determined.
Photographic Location: A botanical garden in the Chicago area. The photographs of the Lakeside Daisy were taken by Jim Ault (Copyright © 2010).
Comments: The Lakeside Daisy is an attractive plant. This wildflower is rare because of its restrictive habitat requirements and the limited distribution of its seeds. Lakeside Daisy is one of several spring-blooming species in the Aster family that have yellow flowerheads and rosettes of basal leaves. It can be distinguished from these other species by its narrow dark green leaves, unbranched flowering stalks, three-toothed rays, and achenes with tiny crowns of scales (rather than a tufts of hairs). Other closely related species exist in the Western states. The Lakeside Daisy is sometimes classified as var. glabra of the western Hymenoxys acaulis. However, this latter species differs by having fewer ray florets (less than 15), floral bracts (phyllaries) with awned pointed tips, and basal leaves that are gray-green with silky hairs.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, well-drained mesic to dry conditions, and a gritty alkaline soil containing gravel or rocky material. This wildflower can be cultivated in rock gardens. The seeds require no winter dormancy and should be sowed during the same year that they are produced.
Range & Habitat: Lakeside Daisy is a rare native wildflower in Illinois, having been found in only Tazewell and Will counties (see Distribution Map). It is state-listed as 'endangered' and federally listed as 'threatened.' At one time, this wildflower was extirpated from the wild in Illinois, although it still existed in private gardens in the Chicago area. More recently, it has been successfully reintroduced in various natural areas of the state. The largest population in the United States exists in Marblehead Peninsula along Lake Erie in Ohio. Habitats consist of dry dolomite prairies and gravel prairies, gravelly hill prairies, sand-gravel terraces along major rivers, ledges along cliffs, and limestone quarries. This wildflower is found in rocky areas with sparse vegetation and can tolerate minor amounts of disturbance.
Faunal Associations: Both nectar and pollen are available from the flowerheads, which attract bees, flies, beetles, butterflies, and skippers. Floral bee visitors include bumblebees, small carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), and Halictid bees. Cross-pollination is required because individual plants are genetically self-incompatible. Insects that feed on the Lakeside Daisy include grasshoppers and the larvae of an unidentified weevil; the latter feeds on the seeds. The flowering stalks are eaten occasionally by the White-Tailed Deer and Cottontail Rabbit. In the Western states, related species in the Hymenoxys/Tetraneuris complex are known to have toxic leaves that can poison cattle and sheep, however the toxicity of the more eastern Lakeside Daisy has not been determined.
Photographic Location: A botanical garden in the Chicago area. The photographs of the Lakeside Daisy were taken by Jim Ault (Copyright © 2010).
Comments: The Lakeside Daisy is an attractive plant. This wildflower is rare because of its restrictive habitat requirements and the limited distribution of its seeds. Lakeside Daisy is one of several spring-blooming species in the Aster family that have yellow flowerheads and rosettes of basal leaves. It can be distinguished from these other species by its narrow dark green leaves, unbranched flowering stalks, three-toothed rays, and achenes with tiny crowns of scales (rather than a tufts of hairs). Other closely related species exist in the Western states. The Lakeside Daisy is sometimes classified as var. glabra of the western Hymenoxys acaulis. However, this latter species differs by having fewer ray florets (less than 15), floral bracts (phyllaries) with awned pointed tips, and basal leaves that are gray-green with silky hairs.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月21日
Description: This perennial plant is usually 4-12" tall and unbranched. There is a rosette of 2-6 strap-like basal leaves that are individually about 3-8" long and 1/3" (8 mm.) across. They are linear to linear-oblanceolate with smooth margins, and usually wither away before the flowers bloom. On robust specimens, there may be 1 or 2 small leaves on the lower flowering stalk. The flowering stalk is up to 1' tall, with 6-12 flowers occurring on the upper half. These flowers are arranged on the stalk as intertwined double spirals – as a result, the individual spirals are not readily discernible. The flowering stalk is light green and covered more or less with white glandular hairs. At the base of each flower, there is a conspicuous green bract that is curved and narrowly ovate. Each flower is about 1/3" (8 mm.) long, consisting of 3Flowering Stalk white sepals and 3 white petals. The upper sepal and upper two petals are fused together and form a curved hood that curls upward at its tip, forming a small upper lip with 3 lobes. The lower petal has a prominent lip that hangs downward and has a crystalline appearance, while the lateral sepals are linear and non-spreading. Together, these sepals and petals form a tubular-shaped flower that nods downward. The blooming period can occur from late summer until the fall, and lasts about a month. There is usually a mild floral scent. Some plants may form cleistogamous flowers. Fertilized flowers are replaced by pods containing the tiny seeds, which are easily carried aloft by the wind. These pods may be capable of photosynthesis while they are green. The root system consists of a cluster of fleshy roots at the base of the plant that are finger-like in shape, and occasional rhizomes may be produced. This orchid can reproduce from the seeds of the flowers, or it may form offsets from rhizomes. Normal growth and development won't occur unless the root system forms an endomycorrhizal association with the appropriate species of fungus.
Cultivation: For most ecotypes of this orchid, the preference is full or partial sun and moist sandy soil. Some ecotypes appear to flourish in thin rocky soil that is rather dry. Taller, more aggressive plants can out-compete this orchid for the available light, so it prefers rather open ground vegetation. Starting plants from seed is quite difficult; on the other hand, this orchid is easier to transplant than most others. Cultivars of this orchid species are available from the mass horticultural market, while local ecotypes are next to impossible to obtain.
Range & Habitat: Nodding Ladies' Tresses occurs occasionally throughout Illinois, where it is native; for an orchid species, it is fairly common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist sand prairies, sandy savannas, areas adjacent to paths in sandy woodlands, shrubby bogs, sandy pannes near lakes, gravelly seeps, limestone glades, bluffs, sandy pits, ditches, and abandoned fields. This orchid typically occurs in somewhat disturbed areas of high quality habitats, and appears to respond positively to occasional wildfires. Individual plants are usually scattered about, rather than forming dense colonies.
Faunal Associations: Both long-tongued and short-tongued bees occasionally visit the flowers for nectar. The seeds are too small to be of any interest to birds. The foliage can be eaten by various mammalian herbivores, including rabbits, groundhogs, and deer, while the fleshy roots are probably eaten by pocket gophers when individual plants stray into drier areas.
Photographic Location: The photographed plant was growing in a sandy swale at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in NW Indiana.
Comments: While rather small-sized, the bright white spike of flowers provides a striking contrast with the background vegetation and is fairly easy to spot. The individual flowers are attractive, particularly when they are viewed close-up; in particular, the lower lip has an intricate crystalline pattern that can vary significantly from flower to flower. Unlike the Ladies' Tresses orchids that form a single spiral of flowers, such as Spiranthes lacera (Slender Ladies' Tresses), the Nodding Ladies' Tresses falls into the group of Spiranthes spp. with double intertwined spirals that are difficult to discern because of the density of flowers on the spike. The Spiranthes spp. in this group are distinguished from each other primarily by considering the variation in the structure of their flowers and the shape of their leaves. Nodding Ladies' Tresses can be distinguished from these other species by the downward curve of its tubular flowers, providing them with a 'nodding' appearance.
Cultivation: For most ecotypes of this orchid, the preference is full or partial sun and moist sandy soil. Some ecotypes appear to flourish in thin rocky soil that is rather dry. Taller, more aggressive plants can out-compete this orchid for the available light, so it prefers rather open ground vegetation. Starting plants from seed is quite difficult; on the other hand, this orchid is easier to transplant than most others. Cultivars of this orchid species are available from the mass horticultural market, while local ecotypes are next to impossible to obtain.
Range & Habitat: Nodding Ladies' Tresses occurs occasionally throughout Illinois, where it is native; for an orchid species, it is fairly common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist sand prairies, sandy savannas, areas adjacent to paths in sandy woodlands, shrubby bogs, sandy pannes near lakes, gravelly seeps, limestone glades, bluffs, sandy pits, ditches, and abandoned fields. This orchid typically occurs in somewhat disturbed areas of high quality habitats, and appears to respond positively to occasional wildfires. Individual plants are usually scattered about, rather than forming dense colonies.
Faunal Associations: Both long-tongued and short-tongued bees occasionally visit the flowers for nectar. The seeds are too small to be of any interest to birds. The foliage can be eaten by various mammalian herbivores, including rabbits, groundhogs, and deer, while the fleshy roots are probably eaten by pocket gophers when individual plants stray into drier areas.
Photographic Location: The photographed plant was growing in a sandy swale at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in NW Indiana.
Comments: While rather small-sized, the bright white spike of flowers provides a striking contrast with the background vegetation and is fairly easy to spot. The individual flowers are attractive, particularly when they are viewed close-up; in particular, the lower lip has an intricate crystalline pattern that can vary significantly from flower to flower. Unlike the Ladies' Tresses orchids that form a single spiral of flowers, such as Spiranthes lacera (Slender Ladies' Tresses), the Nodding Ladies' Tresses falls into the group of Spiranthes spp. with double intertwined spirals that are difficult to discern because of the density of flowers on the spike. The Spiranthes spp. in this group are distinguished from each other primarily by considering the variation in the structure of their flowers and the shape of their leaves. Nodding Ladies' Tresses can be distinguished from these other species by the downward curve of its tubular flowers, providing them with a 'nodding' appearance.
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权问薇
2018年02月21日
繁殖前的准备
这种树最好使用芽接的方式来繁殖，时间最好选择7、8月。砧木要选择嫁接后能起到矮化作用的，可以选择寿星桃等。嫁接也是要选择合适的容器的，这容器若是选不对，很容易影响日后的生长。可以选择既能协调树形，也能协调到可观赏部分已经周边环境的容器，四周不能渗水，否则很容易引起盐分的累积，这样会影响植株的生长。
基质的配置
栽培可观赏的绯桃的时候，需要在容器中放好珍珠岩、树皮等植料，但是要根据所在地域的特点来选择，但是如果要选用树皮的话，不能拿过来直接使用，而是要堆放1个月以上。掌握好正确的比例，才能让植株生长的更好。
繁殖的要点
要嫁接的部位最好离地面有5-10cm，这里有一点好处，就是可以将喜欢的不同颜色的花接在同一个砧木上，这样就可以同时欣赏到很多品种了。盆栽的话，根系的防寒能力可能要差一点，所以温度低的时候，如果不能放进室内，也是要做好保暖工作的，否则我植株很容易冻伤。
繁殖后的管理
如果还在苗期，成活之后，春天要及时把砧木剪掉，重视期间的水肥管理。要是管理的好，这段时间枝干会很快变粗，为了适应盆栽，要尽量控制根系的伸展，这样就能是根须增多，第二年就能上盆了。开花的时候，尽量保障其水分的供应，因为它开的花会很多，消耗的水也比较多。
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权问薇
2018年02月21日
发芽时间和温度
花毛莨可以在秋季的时候播种。一般选择在9月份，北方温度较低的地区可以选择8月份。
花毛莨种子不宜高于20℃的气候下出芽，所以一般可以选择深秋时节再进行播种。
它种子的最佳出芽温度为5℃~15℃，在播种时要注意温度的调节，给种子一个良好的出芽温度。
种子的处理
经过催芽的花毛莨种子的出芽率比未经催芽的种子高出很多。所以在下种前最好对种子进行催芽处理，来提高种子的出芽能力。
催芽处理具体来说，就是将种子干燥，蒸发掉水分，然后置于密闭低温的环境中处理一段时间。所谓低温是指-1℃~5℃，不能过低，否则会冻伤种子。
土壤的挑选
花毛莨喜欢相对潮湿的生长环境，这要求所用培植土拥有一定的保水能力，浇完水后可以保持一段时间不干燥。
种子发芽后的生长需要营养物质，这就要求所用培植土有一定程度以上的肥力，保证可以满足幼苗生长。
种子的发芽需要一定的空气支持，这就要求所用培植土不能密度太大，要有一定的缝隙足够空气流通顺畅。
种植的方式
选择一个体积适中的花盆，在盆底撒上一层小石块，增加培植土的保湿能力。
将准备好的培植土倒入花盆中，用铲子慢慢理平。
再将经过催芽处理的种子撒到土表，注意要播撒均匀，种距保持适中。
在用一层薄薄的培植土覆盖在种子上。此时要注意培养土的厚度不能过厚，否则会徒增种子的破土难度，影响种子正常出芽。
最后还需要往花盆中浇一些水，保证培养土的湿润，给种子一个适宜的出芽环境。
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Miss Chen
2018年02月20日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is unbranched and up to 3' tall. The central stem is slightly ridged, hairless, and green or reddish. The alternate leaves are up to 8" long and 1½" across, becoming much smaller as they ascend up the stem. They are lanceolate, oblanceolate, or narrowly ovate, while their margins are smooth or slightly serrated. Sometimes there are tiny hairs along the margins, otherwise the leaves are hairless. The leaves are sessile or taper gradually to a petiole-like base. Above their axils along the central stem are small wing-like leaflets. The inflorescence occurs at the apex of the plant, and consists of a panicle of flowering stems that often arch upward and outward like a fireworks display. There are numerous yellow composite flowers, each about ¼" across. From 4 to 12 ray florets can be observed around the disk florets, often unevenly spaced and not open at the same time. The flowers may have a mild fragrance. The blooming period occurs during mid- to late summer, and lasts about 1 to 1½ months. Later, the achenes develop with small tufts of hair, which are dispersed by wind. The root system consists of a short caudex (on old plants), which may produce rhizomes and vegetative offshoots.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, and mesic to slightly dry conditions. Moist conditions are tolerated, if the soil is reasonably well-drained. This plant is not fussy about soil texture, which can contain loam, clay, sand, or gravel. Foliar disease is not normally a problem until after the blooming period, when mildew and other diseases may appear.
Range & Habitat: The native Early Goldenrod is widely distributed throughout Illinois, occurring in most counties (see Distribution Map). It is occasional to locally common. Early Goldenrod occurs in mesic to slightly dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, gravel prairies, oak savannas, thickets, open areas of rocky upland woods, sunny waste areas, and abandoned fields. It is the earliest goldenrod to bloom in these habitats in Illinois.
Faunal Associations: Like other goldenrods, this plant attracts many kinds of insects to the flowers, including long-tongued and short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles, including Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (Goldenrod Soldier Beetle). The caterpillars of many moths feed on the foliage and other parts of this goldenrod (see Moth Table), while the adults of Cirrhophanus triangulifer (Goldenrod Stowaway Moth) like to hide in the flowers. Other insects feed on this and other goldenrods, including various lace bugs, leafhoppers, seed beetles, leaf beetles, and Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug). The Greater Prairie Chicken may feed on the foliage, while the Eastern Goldfinch, Tree Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow eat the seeds to a limited extent. Mammalian herbivores may feed on the foliage if little else is available, including the White-Tailed Deer, Groundhog, Cottontail Rabbit, and livestock.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is the earliest blooming goldenrod. It is an attractive, slender plant with a delicate appearance. Aside from its early bloom, Early Goldenrod can be distinguished from other goldenrods by the near or complete absence of hair on the stems and leaves (unlike Solidago nemoralis), the presence of winged leaflets above the leaf axils on the central stem (unlike Solidago canadensis), and an inflorescence that flares outward (rather than upward, like Solidago speciosa). No other goldenrod that occurs on prairies in Illinois has this combination of features.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, and mesic to slightly dry conditions. Moist conditions are tolerated, if the soil is reasonably well-drained. This plant is not fussy about soil texture, which can contain loam, clay, sand, or gravel. Foliar disease is not normally a problem until after the blooming period, when mildew and other diseases may appear.
Range & Habitat: The native Early Goldenrod is widely distributed throughout Illinois, occurring in most counties (see Distribution Map). It is occasional to locally common. Early Goldenrod occurs in mesic to slightly dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, gravel prairies, oak savannas, thickets, open areas of rocky upland woods, sunny waste areas, and abandoned fields. It is the earliest goldenrod to bloom in these habitats in Illinois.
Faunal Associations: Like other goldenrods, this plant attracts many kinds of insects to the flowers, including long-tongued and short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles, including Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (Goldenrod Soldier Beetle). The caterpillars of many moths feed on the foliage and other parts of this goldenrod (see Moth Table), while the adults of Cirrhophanus triangulifer (Goldenrod Stowaway Moth) like to hide in the flowers. Other insects feed on this and other goldenrods, including various lace bugs, leafhoppers, seed beetles, leaf beetles, and Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug). The Greater Prairie Chicken may feed on the foliage, while the Eastern Goldfinch, Tree Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow eat the seeds to a limited extent. Mammalian herbivores may feed on the foliage if little else is available, including the White-Tailed Deer, Groundhog, Cottontail Rabbit, and livestock.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is the earliest blooming goldenrod. It is an attractive, slender plant with a delicate appearance. Aside from its early bloom, Early Goldenrod can be distinguished from other goldenrods by the near or complete absence of hair on the stems and leaves (unlike Solidago nemoralis), the presence of winged leaflets above the leaf axils on the central stem (unlike Solidago canadensis), and an inflorescence that flares outward (rather than upward, like Solidago speciosa). No other goldenrod that occurs on prairies in Illinois has this combination of features.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月13日
Description: This perennial plant is ½–1' tall, consisting of a tuft of basal leaves and flowering stalks that are grass-like in appearance. The basal leaves are shorter than the flowering stalks; they are both green, linear, and about 1/8" across. Each flowering stalk is narrowly winged and terminates in a pair of flower-bearing spathes and an outer leafy bract. Each spathe isClose-up of Flower sessile and consists of a pair of claw-like bracts up to 1" long; these bracts are often reddish or light brownish green. The outer leafy bract is up to 3" long. Between the bracts of each spathe, there develops a floppy umbel of flowers. Although an umbel has up to 6 flowers, only 1 or 2 flowers bloom at the same time. When it is fully open, each flower is about ½" across and consists of 6 white or pale blue tepals, a united column of yellow to orange-yellow stamens, and a green globoid ovary that is covered with fine glandular hairs. The slender pedicel of each flower is about ½" long. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer and lasts about 3-4 weeks; the flowers usually remain open from late morning to mid-afternoon on sunny days. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a seed capsule that is globoid and ridged; this capsule eventually turns brown and contains many small seeds. The root system consists of a tuft of coarse fibrous roots. This plant spreads by forming offsets and by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, mesic levels of moisture, and a loamy soil, although this species will adapt to other growing conditions. It often adapts well to grassy areas, but dislikes competition from taller broad-leaved forbs.
Range & Habitat: The native White Blue-Eyed Grass is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois; it is somewhat less common in the western half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic prairies, savannas, meadows in wooded areas, open woodlands, limestone glades, and grassy areas along railroads. This species can be found in degraded meadows with Kentucky Bluegrass, as well as higher quality prairies with native bunch grasses. Occasional wildfires are probably beneficial in preventing this species from becoming smothered by the decaying remains of taller vegetation.
Faunal Associations: Various kinds of bees and flower flies visit the flowers for nectar or pollen; the bees are probably more effective at cross-pollination. I have observed a small dark beetle gnawing on the flowers; it remains unidentified. Little else is known about floral-faunal relationships for this species.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois. In one photograph, a long leafy bract lies above the spathes. The bracts of the outer spathe are readily observable, while the bracts of the inner spathe are emerging from the leafy bract.
Comments: This is one of the more common Sisyrinchium sp. in Illinois. White Blue-Eyed Grass can be rather variable in appearance: one common form is short (about 6" high) with white flowers, while another form is tall (about 12" high) with pale blue flowers. White Blue-Eyed Grass is the only Sisyrinchium sp. in Illinois with 2 sessile spathes at the apex of each flowering stalk. Only one of the spathes may be evident when a flowering stalk begins to bloom; however, both spathes (each consisting of a pair of claw-like bracts) should be observable later during the blooming period or when the seed capsules develop. Other Sisyrinchium spp. produce a single sessile spathe on each flowering stalk, or they produce spathes on long secondary stalks (peduncles) at least occasionally. Sometimes Sisyrinchium albidum is called Common Blue-Eyed Grass.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, mesic levels of moisture, and a loamy soil, although this species will adapt to other growing conditions. It often adapts well to grassy areas, but dislikes competition from taller broad-leaved forbs.
Range & Habitat: The native White Blue-Eyed Grass is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois; it is somewhat less common in the western half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic prairies, savannas, meadows in wooded areas, open woodlands, limestone glades, and grassy areas along railroads. This species can be found in degraded meadows with Kentucky Bluegrass, as well as higher quality prairies with native bunch grasses. Occasional wildfires are probably beneficial in preventing this species from becoming smothered by the decaying remains of taller vegetation.
Faunal Associations: Various kinds of bees and flower flies visit the flowers for nectar or pollen; the bees are probably more effective at cross-pollination. I have observed a small dark beetle gnawing on the flowers; it remains unidentified. Little else is known about floral-faunal relationships for this species.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois. In one photograph, a long leafy bract lies above the spathes. The bracts of the outer spathe are readily observable, while the bracts of the inner spathe are emerging from the leafy bract.
Comments: This is one of the more common Sisyrinchium sp. in Illinois. White Blue-Eyed Grass can be rather variable in appearance: one common form is short (about 6" high) with white flowers, while another form is tall (about 12" high) with pale blue flowers. White Blue-Eyed Grass is the only Sisyrinchium sp. in Illinois with 2 sessile spathes at the apex of each flowering stalk. Only one of the spathes may be evident when a flowering stalk begins to bloom; however, both spathes (each consisting of a pair of claw-like bracts) should be observable later during the blooming period or when the seed capsules develop. Other Sisyrinchium spp. produce a single sessile spathe on each flowering stalk, or they produce spathes on long secondary stalks (peduncles) at least occasionally. Sometimes Sisyrinchium albidum is called Common Blue-Eyed Grass.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月13日
Description: This perennial plant is about 4-10' tall and remains unbranched, except for the panicle of flowering stems near the apex. The central stem is thick, hairless, and four-sided. The large opposite leaves are up to 8" long and 5" across, which join together around the central stem to form a cup that can hold water, hence the name of the plant. These leaves are broadly lanceolate to cordate, coarsely toothed, and have a rough, sandpapery texture. The yellow composite flowers bloom during early to mid-summer for about 1-1½ months. Each sunflower-like composite flower is about 3-4" across, consisting of numerous yellow disk florets that are surrounded by 18-40 yellow or pale yellow ray florets. The infertile disk florets protrude somewhat from the center and are rather conspicuous, while the ray florets are fertile. The latter produce thin achenes, each with a well-developed marginal wing, which are dispersed to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of a central taproot, and abundant shallow rhizomes that help to spread the plant vegetatively, often forming substantial colonies.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist loamy soil. This plant may drop some of its lower leaves in response to a drought. Sometimes, the leaves and buds of distressed plants turn brown, growth becomes stunted, and blossums abort in response to disease or drought. Another problem is that Cup Plant may topple over during a rainstorm with strong winds, particularly while it is blooming, or situated on a slope.
Range & Habitat: The native Cup Plant occurs throughout Illinois, except for a few southern counties (see Distribution Map). It is fairly common. Typical habitats include moist black soil prairies, moist meadows near rivers, low-lying woodland edges and thickets, fens and seeps, lake borders, fence rows, and along ditches near railroads.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers are common visitors and the most important pollinators of the flowers. Some short-tongued bees, wasps, bee flies, and other kinds of flies also visit the flowers for pollen or nectar. The larvae of an Antistrophus sp. (Gall Wasp sp.) feed within the stems of this plant, and may attract the hyperparasitic wasp Eurytoma lutea. Various birds, especially goldfinches, are very fond of the seeds, and drink water from the cups formed by the leaves. Because of the tendency to form dense colonies, this plant provides good cover for birds, which often lurk among the leaves during the heat of the day, searching for insects or pausing to rest. Large herbivores, especially cattle, may eat the eat leaves of Cup Plant, especially those of immature plants.
Photographic Location: The photographs of the flowering plants and perfoliate leaves were taken at a small restored prairie in Urbana, Illinois, while the photograph of the flowerhead close-up was taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is an imposing, but attractive plant when it is in bloom. Cup Plant is easy to distinguish from other Silphium spp., as well as various sunflowers, by the perfoliate leaves that can hold water, and the hairless four-angled stems.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist loamy soil. This plant may drop some of its lower leaves in response to a drought. Sometimes, the leaves and buds of distressed plants turn brown, growth becomes stunted, and blossums abort in response to disease or drought. Another problem is that Cup Plant may topple over during a rainstorm with strong winds, particularly while it is blooming, or situated on a slope.
Range & Habitat: The native Cup Plant occurs throughout Illinois, except for a few southern counties (see Distribution Map). It is fairly common. Typical habitats include moist black soil prairies, moist meadows near rivers, low-lying woodland edges and thickets, fens and seeps, lake borders, fence rows, and along ditches near railroads.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers are common visitors and the most important pollinators of the flowers. Some short-tongued bees, wasps, bee flies, and other kinds of flies also visit the flowers for pollen or nectar. The larvae of an Antistrophus sp. (Gall Wasp sp.) feed within the stems of this plant, and may attract the hyperparasitic wasp Eurytoma lutea. Various birds, especially goldfinches, are very fond of the seeds, and drink water from the cups formed by the leaves. Because of the tendency to form dense colonies, this plant provides good cover for birds, which often lurk among the leaves during the heat of the day, searching for insects or pausing to rest. Large herbivores, especially cattle, may eat the eat leaves of Cup Plant, especially those of immature plants.
Photographic Location: The photographs of the flowering plants and perfoliate leaves were taken at a small restored prairie in Urbana, Illinois, while the photograph of the flowerhead close-up was taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is an imposing, but attractive plant when it is in bloom. Cup Plant is easy to distinguish from other Silphium spp., as well as various sunflowers, by the perfoliate leaves that can hold water, and the hairless four-angled stems.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月11日
Description: This shrub is 2-8' tall, often branching near the base and toward the tips of older stems. Woody stems are terete and variably colored – usually some shade of yellowish tan, brown, or gray. Young woody stems are often short-pubescent, but they become glabrous with age. New shoots are light green and short-pubescent. Alternate leaves occur along young stems and shoots. The leaf blades are 1¾-4" long and ¼-¾" across; they are narrowly lanceolate, oblanceolate, or oblong-elliptic in shape and smooth to slightly crenate along their margins. The margins are often revolute (curved downward) as well. The upper surface of the leaf blades is medium green or grayish green and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent, while the lower surface (for this variety of Prairie Willow) is short-pubescent and sometimes whitened. The petioles are ¼-½" in length and short-pubescent. At the base of the petioles, lanceolate stipules are sometimes found.
Because Prairie Willow is dioecious, different shrubs will develop either all male (staminate) catkins or all female (pistillate) catkins from the bud scales along twigs of the preceding year. Male catkins are ¼-¾" in length, becoming longer as they mature. They are covered with silvery hairs at first, but later become yellowish or reddish from the anthers of numerous florets. Each male floret consists of a pair of stamens and a hairy bract. Female catkins are ½-3" in length, becoming longer as they mature. Each female catkin has several greenish female florets along its length. A female floret consists of a greenish ovary about 4-8 mm. in length and a hairy bract. The ovary is narrowly lanceoloid in shape with an elongated beak; it is also short-pubescent with a pair of stigmata at its apex. The male and female florets have neither petals nor sepals. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring for about 1 week. Afterwards, the female florets develop into seed capsules that become light brown at maturity, when they split open to release tiny seeds that are embedded in cottony hairs. These seeds are dispersed by the wind. The root system is woody and branching. This shrub reproduces by reseeding itself.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil that is loamy, gravelly, or sandy. New plants can be started by inserting cut-stems into the ground during the spring, where they will form roots. Prairie Willow is more tolerant of dry conditions than many other species in the genus. It is relatively slow-growing for a willow, usually remaining less than 4' tall, although sometimes Prairie Willow becomes larger when conditions are favorable.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Willow occurs occasionally throughout Illinois; it has been observed in most counties. This variety of Prairie Willow is far more common than other varieties within the state. Habitats consist of black soil prairies, sand prairies, sandy shrub prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, sandy and non-sandy savannas, sandy thickets, barren rocky areas along bluffs, and gravelly seeps. This unusual willow can found in either moist lowland or drier upland areas.
Faunal Associations: The catkins of Prairie Willow attract primarily small bees and flies, including Cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), Syrphid flies, Calliphorid flies, Muscid flies, and others. Among the Andrenid bees, the following species are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of willows (Salix spp.): Andrena bisalicis, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena fenningeri, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena mariae, and Andrena salictaria. These insects seek nectar and pollen from the florets of the catkins. Many other insects feed on the foliage, bore through the wood, or suck plant juices from willows. The following leaf beetles have been observed to feed on Prairie Willow: Chrysomela knabi (American Willow Leaf Beetle), Chrysomela lineatopunctata, Chrysomela scripta (Cottonwood Leaf Beetle), Crepidodera decora, Crepidodera nana, Cryptocephalus leucomelas, and Disonycha alternata (Striped Willow Flea Beetle). The Prairie Willow is also the preferred host plant for the leafhopper Empoasca humilis. Other insect feeders include the larvae of wood-boring beetles, weevils, the larvae of gall flies, plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, the larvae of sawflies, and the caterpillars of many moths. Caterpillars of the butterflies Satyrium acadicum (Acadian Hairstreak) and Limenitis archippus (Viceroy) feed on the leaves of willows, as do the caterpillars of the skipper Erynnis icelus (Dreamy Duskywing). Among vertebrate animals, such birds as the Ruffed Grouse and White-Crowned Sparrow feed on the buds and catkins of willows. Other birds, such as the Northern Harrier, Wilson's Warbler, Yellow Warbler, American Goldfinch, Gray Catbird, and Willow Flycatcher, often construct their nests in willow thickets. The twigs and leaves are often browsed by White-Tailed Deer and Elk.
Photographic Location: A sandy shrub prairie at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve in NW Ohio.
Comments: The typical variety of Prairie Willow (Salix humilis humilis) has been described here. Two less common varieties, Smooth Prairie Willow (Salix humilis hyporhysa) and Sage Willow (Salix humilis microphylla), also occur in Illinois. Unlike the typical Prairie Willow, Smooth Prairie Willow has leaves that are hairless (or nearly so) and its young shoots and stems are also hairless or less hairy. The margins of Smooth Prairie Willow's leaf blades are also less likely to be revolute (curved downward), otherwise it is almost identical to the typical variety and occupies similar habitats. The Sage Willow is quite different from the preceding two varieties in that it is a smaller shrub only 1-3' tall with smaller leaves (about ¾-2" long) and smaller catkins. It is also usually found in habitats that are more dry and barren than the preceding varieties. The Sage Willow has been classified as a distinct willow species in the past (Salix tristis), but it is now regarded (rightly or wrongly) as a variety of Prairie Willow. In general, the rather variable Prairie Willow can be distinguished from other willow species (Salix spp.) by its preference for drier habitats and small size, smooth to nearly smooth margins that lack conspicuous and abundant teeth, its pubescent shoots and leaf undersides (with the exception of var. hyporhysa), and lanceolate stipules.
Because Prairie Willow is dioecious, different shrubs will develop either all male (staminate) catkins or all female (pistillate) catkins from the bud scales along twigs of the preceding year. Male catkins are ¼-¾" in length, becoming longer as they mature. They are covered with silvery hairs at first, but later become yellowish or reddish from the anthers of numerous florets. Each male floret consists of a pair of stamens and a hairy bract. Female catkins are ½-3" in length, becoming longer as they mature. Each female catkin has several greenish female florets along its length. A female floret consists of a greenish ovary about 4-8 mm. in length and a hairy bract. The ovary is narrowly lanceoloid in shape with an elongated beak; it is also short-pubescent with a pair of stigmata at its apex. The male and female florets have neither petals nor sepals. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring for about 1 week. Afterwards, the female florets develop into seed capsules that become light brown at maturity, when they split open to release tiny seeds that are embedded in cottony hairs. These seeds are dispersed by the wind. The root system is woody and branching. This shrub reproduces by reseeding itself.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil that is loamy, gravelly, or sandy. New plants can be started by inserting cut-stems into the ground during the spring, where they will form roots. Prairie Willow is more tolerant of dry conditions than many other species in the genus. It is relatively slow-growing for a willow, usually remaining less than 4' tall, although sometimes Prairie Willow becomes larger when conditions are favorable.
Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Willow occurs occasionally throughout Illinois; it has been observed in most counties. This variety of Prairie Willow is far more common than other varieties within the state. Habitats consist of black soil prairies, sand prairies, sandy shrub prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, sandy and non-sandy savannas, sandy thickets, barren rocky areas along bluffs, and gravelly seeps. This unusual willow can found in either moist lowland or drier upland areas.
Faunal Associations: The catkins of Prairie Willow attract primarily small bees and flies, including Cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), Syrphid flies, Calliphorid flies, Muscid flies, and others. Among the Andrenid bees, the following species are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of willows (Salix spp.): Andrena bisalicis, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena fenningeri, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena mariae, and Andrena salictaria. These insects seek nectar and pollen from the florets of the catkins. Many other insects feed on the foliage, bore through the wood, or suck plant juices from willows. The following leaf beetles have been observed to feed on Prairie Willow: Chrysomela knabi (American Willow Leaf Beetle), Chrysomela lineatopunctata, Chrysomela scripta (Cottonwood Leaf Beetle), Crepidodera decora, Crepidodera nana, Cryptocephalus leucomelas, and Disonycha alternata (Striped Willow Flea Beetle). The Prairie Willow is also the preferred host plant for the leafhopper Empoasca humilis. Other insect feeders include the larvae of wood-boring beetles, weevils, the larvae of gall flies, plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, the larvae of sawflies, and the caterpillars of many moths. Caterpillars of the butterflies Satyrium acadicum (Acadian Hairstreak) and Limenitis archippus (Viceroy) feed on the leaves of willows, as do the caterpillars of the skipper Erynnis icelus (Dreamy Duskywing). Among vertebrate animals, such birds as the Ruffed Grouse and White-Crowned Sparrow feed on the buds and catkins of willows. Other birds, such as the Northern Harrier, Wilson's Warbler, Yellow Warbler, American Goldfinch, Gray Catbird, and Willow Flycatcher, often construct their nests in willow thickets. The twigs and leaves are often browsed by White-Tailed Deer and Elk.
Photographic Location: A sandy shrub prairie at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve in NW Ohio.
Comments: The typical variety of Prairie Willow (Salix humilis humilis) has been described here. Two less common varieties, Smooth Prairie Willow (Salix humilis hyporhysa) and Sage Willow (Salix humilis microphylla), also occur in Illinois. Unlike the typical Prairie Willow, Smooth Prairie Willow has leaves that are hairless (or nearly so) and its young shoots and stems are also hairless or less hairy. The margins of Smooth Prairie Willow's leaf blades are also less likely to be revolute (curved downward), otherwise it is almost identical to the typical variety and occupies similar habitats. The Sage Willow is quite different from the preceding two varieties in that it is a smaller shrub only 1-3' tall with smaller leaves (about ¾-2" long) and smaller catkins. It is also usually found in habitats that are more dry and barren than the preceding varieties. The Sage Willow has been classified as a distinct willow species in the past (Salix tristis), but it is now regarded (rightly or wrongly) as a variety of Prairie Willow. In general, the rather variable Prairie Willow can be distinguished from other willow species (Salix spp.) by its preference for drier habitats and small size, smooth to nearly smooth margins that lack conspicuous and abundant teeth, its pubescent shoots and leaf undersides (with the exception of var. hyporhysa), and lanceolate stipules.
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