成长记
涟漪潋滟
2018年07月12日
7月9日播下番茄黄瓜和中药种子，今天金太阳番茄已经发芽，播3出3，黑樱桃出1，黄瓜出1。7月12日播下各种香草种子，由于没有用东西遮盖，可能被老鼠造访了，有些种子是不需覆土的，可能已经被搞乱或不见。12日全植物施了一种叫超敏蛋白的水溶肥。本来是用酵素肥的，但酵素可能缺少微量元素，所以找了这个肥互补。
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Miss Chen
2018年07月09日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant consists of a rosette of 2-8 basal leaves and a single flowering stalk. The glabrous basal leaves are up to 12" long and ¼" across; they are linear with parallel veins, flattened and solid in cross-section, rather than round and hollow. The basal leaves are rather floppy and often curve downward near the middle, rather than remaining erect. They are green or greyish green, but turn yellow and wither away after the flowers bloom. The flowering stalk is up to 18" long and stiffly erect; it is round or terete and solid in cross-section. This stalk is devoid of cauline leaves and terminates in an umbel of 15-40 flowers that spans about 2" across. Each flower is about ¼" across and consists of 6 white tepals, 6 stamens with conspicuous anthers, and a single slender style. Each tepal may have a line along the middle of its outer/lower surface that is light green, light purple, or light brown. The white filaments of the stamens are narrowly triangular as they become more narrow at their tips where the anthers occur. Each flower has a slender pedicel up to 1" long. At the base of the umbel, there are often 1-3 membranous bracts that originally enclosed the buds of the flowers.
The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall and lasts about 1 month. The flowers are fragrant. Each flower is replaced by a green seed capsule that is 3-celled and has 3 rounded lobes. Each capsule contains several seeds that are small, black, and shiny. Unlike some Allium spp., no aerial bulbets are produced. The root system consists of an elongated bulb with fibrous roots at the bottom. This plant reproduces by its seeds and vegetative offsets. It often forms clumps of plants.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and a rich loamy soil. This plant can spread aggressively by either its seeds or vegetative offsets. Clumps of plants are easily divided and the divided clumps can be planted in new locations. This plant is winter hardy in all areas of Illinois.
Range & Habitat: According to official records, Garlic Chives has not naturalized in Illinois, even though it is often cultivated as a garden plant. This is surprising, considering its aggressive nature. However, the webmaster has observed clumps of naturalized plants that were growing in 3 different locations in the Champaign-Urbana area in Champaign County, Illinois (see Distribution Map). Garlic Chives has naturalized in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska, and it seems likely that this plant has naturalized in other counties of Illinois as well. It is native to China and parts of SE Asia. So far, habitats in Illinois include a degraded meadow in a wooded area, the bank of a drainage ditch, and the edge of a yard along a sidewalk. Several clumps of Garlic Chives have persisted in the meadow for several years.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and skippers. Some of the bees probably collect pollen as well. The foliage has a garlic scent, which is repugnant to many mammalian herbivores. However, young leaves are edible to humans in limited amounts.
Photographic Location: Along a sidewalk in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Garlic Chives is often grown in gardens because of its attractive flowers and the culinary properties of the leaves. This plant is fairly easy to identify because it blooms later than other native or naturalized Allium spp., usually in late summer or early fall. The basal leaves of Garlic Chives resemble those of the native Allium cernuum (Nodding Onion), but the latter species has umbels that hang downward and it blooms during mid-summer. The flowering umbels of Garlic Chives resemble those of the native Allium stellatum (Cliff Onion), but the latter has basal leaves that are more narrow and upright. Other Allium spp. differ from Garlic Chives because they bloom earlier in the year, or they produce aerial bulbets, or they have basal leaves that are round and hollow in cross-section.
The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall and lasts about 1 month. The flowers are fragrant. Each flower is replaced by a green seed capsule that is 3-celled and has 3 rounded lobes. Each capsule contains several seeds that are small, black, and shiny. Unlike some Allium spp., no aerial bulbets are produced. The root system consists of an elongated bulb with fibrous roots at the bottom. This plant reproduces by its seeds and vegetative offsets. It often forms clumps of plants.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and a rich loamy soil. This plant can spread aggressively by either its seeds or vegetative offsets. Clumps of plants are easily divided and the divided clumps can be planted in new locations. This plant is winter hardy in all areas of Illinois.
Range & Habitat: According to official records, Garlic Chives has not naturalized in Illinois, even though it is often cultivated as a garden plant. This is surprising, considering its aggressive nature. However, the webmaster has observed clumps of naturalized plants that were growing in 3 different locations in the Champaign-Urbana area in Champaign County, Illinois (see Distribution Map). Garlic Chives has naturalized in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska, and it seems likely that this plant has naturalized in other counties of Illinois as well. It is native to China and parts of SE Asia. So far, habitats in Illinois include a degraded meadow in a wooded area, the bank of a drainage ditch, and the edge of a yard along a sidewalk. Several clumps of Garlic Chives have persisted in the meadow for several years.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and skippers. Some of the bees probably collect pollen as well. The foliage has a garlic scent, which is repugnant to many mammalian herbivores. However, young leaves are edible to humans in limited amounts.
Photographic Location: Along a sidewalk in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Garlic Chives is often grown in gardens because of its attractive flowers and the culinary properties of the leaves. This plant is fairly easy to identify because it blooms later than other native or naturalized Allium spp., usually in late summer or early fall. The basal leaves of Garlic Chives resemble those of the native Allium cernuum (Nodding Onion), but the latter species has umbels that hang downward and it blooms during mid-summer. The flowering umbels of Garlic Chives resemble those of the native Allium stellatum (Cliff Onion), but the latter has basal leaves that are more narrow and upright. Other Allium spp. differ from Garlic Chives because they bloom earlier in the year, or they produce aerial bulbets, or they have basal leaves that are round and hollow in cross-section.
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Miss Chen
2018年07月08日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 4-12" tall and unbranched, consisting of a rosette of leaves and a flowering stalk. The basal leaves are up to 3" long and 1" across. They are evergreen or semi-evergreen, obovate (spoon-shaped), and nearly hairless. Their margins are crenate and slightly undulate. The flowering stalk is 4-angled and slightly pubescent or hairy. The opposite leaves along this stalk are similar to the basal leaves, except that they are smaller in size and ovate. The flowers occur in a whorled spike along the upper half of the leafy stalk. They are produced in abundance and densely distributed along this spike. Each tubular flower is about 1/2–2/3" (12-17 mm.) in length, consisting of a 2-lipped corolla and a green calyx with 5 teeth. The corolla is usually various shades of blue-violet, and less often pink or white. There are dark blue-violet lines that lead toward the throat of the corolla; they function as nectar guides. The upper lip of the corolla is truncated and very small, while the large lower lip has 3 rounded lobes. The middle lobe of the lower lip is notched at its tip and the largest in size. The outer surface of the corolla behind the lobes is conspicuously hairy; this causes the flower buds to appear hairy.
The blooming period occurs during the spring and lasts about 2-3 weeks. Each flower is replaced by 4 nutlets that are oval-shaped and pitted across the surface. The root system consists of a crown of fibrous roots. Green stolons up to 12" long are produced from the rosette of basal leaves. They are largely naked, except for a few small leaves that are narrowly ovate. These stolons often form new plantlets by rooting at their tips. Carpet Bugle can reproduce by seeds or vegetatively by means of these stolons; it often forms colonies.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun, slightly moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil that is somewhat acidic. If the soil is poorly drained and soggy, crown rot can develop and spread rapidly. In sandy soil, the roots are occasionally attacked by nematodes.
Range & Habitat: The non-native Carpet Bugle can escape from cultivation in gardens, but it is still uncommon in the wild, occurring in NE Illinois and Jackson County in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include partially shaded areas of lawns, edges of yards, partially shaded areas along foundations of buildings, nursery plots, and edges of woodlands. This plant is occasionally used as a ground cover because of its evergreen leaves and low spreading habit, but it is potentially invasive of natural areas. In Eurasia, where it is native, this plant occurs in partially shaded areas of deciduous woodlands, thickets, or meadows; the flowers bloom before the leaves of the trees have become fully developed.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated by bumblebees and other long-tongued bees. According to sources within the horticulture industry, the foliage is rarely bothered by rabbits and deer.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken underneath a tree at Dave Monk's postage stamp prairie in Champaign, Illinois, and along the side of a house in NW Ohio.
Comments: Different cultivars of Carpet Bugle are available through the horticultural industry that can vary considerably in the color of their flowers and foliage. The only other Ajuga sp. that has naturalized in Illinois is Ajuga genevensis (Geneva Bugle). This species is slightly taller with stems and leaves that are more hairy than Carpet Bugle; it also doesn't produce stolons. Carpet Bugle is easy to distinguish from other members of the Mint family because of the following combination of features: 1) Its blue-violet flowers are ½" in length or slightly larger, 2) the upper lip of the corolla is truncated and quite short, 3) the flowers occur in a terminal whorled spike, 4) the flowers bloom during the spring on stalks that are 1' tall or less, and 5) above ground stolons are produced in abundance from the rosette of basal leaves. This latter characteristic is especially useful in identifying this species because very few members of the Mint family produce above-ground stolons.
The blooming period occurs during the spring and lasts about 2-3 weeks. Each flower is replaced by 4 nutlets that are oval-shaped and pitted across the surface. The root system consists of a crown of fibrous roots. Green stolons up to 12" long are produced from the rosette of basal leaves. They are largely naked, except for a few small leaves that are narrowly ovate. These stolons often form new plantlets by rooting at their tips. Carpet Bugle can reproduce by seeds or vegetatively by means of these stolons; it often forms colonies.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun, slightly moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil that is somewhat acidic. If the soil is poorly drained and soggy, crown rot can develop and spread rapidly. In sandy soil, the roots are occasionally attacked by nematodes.
Range & Habitat: The non-native Carpet Bugle can escape from cultivation in gardens, but it is still uncommon in the wild, occurring in NE Illinois and Jackson County in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include partially shaded areas of lawns, edges of yards, partially shaded areas along foundations of buildings, nursery plots, and edges of woodlands. This plant is occasionally used as a ground cover because of its evergreen leaves and low spreading habit, but it is potentially invasive of natural areas. In Eurasia, where it is native, this plant occurs in partially shaded areas of deciduous woodlands, thickets, or meadows; the flowers bloom before the leaves of the trees have become fully developed.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated by bumblebees and other long-tongued bees. According to sources within the horticulture industry, the foliage is rarely bothered by rabbits and deer.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken underneath a tree at Dave Monk's postage stamp prairie in Champaign, Illinois, and along the side of a house in NW Ohio.
Comments: Different cultivars of Carpet Bugle are available through the horticultural industry that can vary considerably in the color of their flowers and foliage. The only other Ajuga sp. that has naturalized in Illinois is Ajuga genevensis (Geneva Bugle). This species is slightly taller with stems and leaves that are more hairy than Carpet Bugle; it also doesn't produce stolons. Carpet Bugle is easy to distinguish from other members of the Mint family because of the following combination of features: 1) Its blue-violet flowers are ½" in length or slightly larger, 2) the upper lip of the corolla is truncated and quite short, 3) the flowers occur in a terminal whorled spike, 4) the flowers bloom during the spring on stalks that are 1' tall or less, and 5) above ground stolons are produced in abundance from the rosette of basal leaves. This latter characteristic is especially useful in identifying this species because very few members of the Mint family produce above-ground stolons.
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Miss Chen
2018年06月16日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant forms a small tuft of ascending to arching basal leaves about 4-12" (10-30 cm.) long. Individual basal leaves are about 1 mm. across, medium green, terete, and hairless (or nearly so). One or two erect floral stalks about 8-16" (20-40 cm.) long develop from the tuft of leaves; these stalks are about 1.5 mm. across, reddish brown, terete, and hairless. The foliage is reportedly aromatic when crushed. Each stalk has a narrow raceme of flowers about 3-10" (7.5-25 cm.) long; these flowers alternate along the stalk and they are sparsely distributed. Each flower is about 2 mm. across, consisting of 3 purplish green petals, 3 purplish green sepals, 3 fertile green pistils that are joined together, and 6 inconspicuous stamens. The outer sepals are orbicular-ovate in shape, while the inner petals have a flattened-pyriform shape. The stigmas of the pistils are white and feathery (plumose).
The slender pedicels of the flowers are 2-10 mm. long, ascending to erect, reddish brown, and hairless. The blooming period occurs during the summer and early autumn, lasting about 1-2 months for a large colony of plants. The flowers are cross-pollinated by the wind. Afterwards, the pistils develop into 3-celled fruits (schizocarps) about 7-9 mm. long and 1 mm. across. These fruits are narrowly oblongoid-oblanceoloid in shape and 3-angled; they are initially green, but later become brown. At maturity, these fruits divide longitudinally into 3 narrow sections, beginning at the bottom. The central axis of each fruit is 3-winged; there are 3 seeds per fruit. The seeds are similar in appearance to their fruits, but a little shorter and more slender. The root system consists of a whitish crown with fibrous roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, wet conditions, and a barren calcareous soil containing an abundance of sand or gravel. This plant is intolerant of competition from other ground vegetation. It is quite cold-hardy.
Range & Habitat: The native Slender Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) is rare in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It is found in the NE section of the state and 2 counties toward the center of the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies along the southern range-limit of this species. In the United States, Slender Arrowgrass occurs in the New England region, Great Lakes area, Northern Plains, and scattered areas of the western states. It also occurs in Canada, Eurasia, and New Zealand. In Illinois, habitats consist primarily of fens, calcareous gravelly seeps, marl flats, and calcareous sandy pannes near Lake Michigan. This very conservative plant is restricted to high quality natural areas within the state.
Faunal Associations: Floral-faunal relationships of this plant in Illinois are not known. Further to the north in Canada and Alaska, the foliage and especially the whitish crowns are a preferred source of food for the adults and goslings of several species of geese, including Branta canadensis (Canada Goose), Branta bernicula nigricans (Black Brant Goose), and Chen caerulescens (Lesser Snow Goose). The foliage and crowns of Slender Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) are reportedly high in protein and low in fiber (Mulder et al., 1996; Prevett et al., 1985).
The foliage also contains hydrocyanic compounds that can be toxic to sheep and cattle if it is consumed in sufficient quantity. There is some evidence in Europe that the seeds of this plant can cling to the fur of deer and cattle. Thus, these animals can spread the seeds to new areas (Mouissie et al., 2005).
Photographic Location: A gravelly seep in McHenry County, Illinois.
Comments: This plant is not very showy and it is easily overlooked. The only other species of this genus that occurs in Illinois, Sea Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima), is also very rare within the state and it occurs in similar areas. Sea Arrowgrass is a little larger and stouter than Slender Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) overall. Its fruits (schizocarps) have a wider ovoid shape and they divide into 6 sections (6 seeds per fruit), rather than 3 sections. Unlike Slender Arrowgrass, the central axis of its fruit is not winged. The wind-pollinated flowers of these plants are rather odd-looking because their feathery stigmas resemble tufts of hair that are typically found on seeds. An alternative spelling of the scientific name for Slender Arrowgrass is Triglochin palustre, and another common name of this plant is Marsh Arrowgrass.
The slender pedicels of the flowers are 2-10 mm. long, ascending to erect, reddish brown, and hairless. The blooming period occurs during the summer and early autumn, lasting about 1-2 months for a large colony of plants. The flowers are cross-pollinated by the wind. Afterwards, the pistils develop into 3-celled fruits (schizocarps) about 7-9 mm. long and 1 mm. across. These fruits are narrowly oblongoid-oblanceoloid in shape and 3-angled; they are initially green, but later become brown. At maturity, these fruits divide longitudinally into 3 narrow sections, beginning at the bottom. The central axis of each fruit is 3-winged; there are 3 seeds per fruit. The seeds are similar in appearance to their fruits, but a little shorter and more slender. The root system consists of a whitish crown with fibrous roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, wet conditions, and a barren calcareous soil containing an abundance of sand or gravel. This plant is intolerant of competition from other ground vegetation. It is quite cold-hardy.
Range & Habitat: The native Slender Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) is rare in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It is found in the NE section of the state and 2 counties toward the center of the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies along the southern range-limit of this species. In the United States, Slender Arrowgrass occurs in the New England region, Great Lakes area, Northern Plains, and scattered areas of the western states. It also occurs in Canada, Eurasia, and New Zealand. In Illinois, habitats consist primarily of fens, calcareous gravelly seeps, marl flats, and calcareous sandy pannes near Lake Michigan. This very conservative plant is restricted to high quality natural areas within the state.
Faunal Associations: Floral-faunal relationships of this plant in Illinois are not known. Further to the north in Canada and Alaska, the foliage and especially the whitish crowns are a preferred source of food for the adults and goslings of several species of geese, including Branta canadensis (Canada Goose), Branta bernicula nigricans (Black Brant Goose), and Chen caerulescens (Lesser Snow Goose). The foliage and crowns of Slender Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) are reportedly high in protein and low in fiber (Mulder et al., 1996; Prevett et al., 1985).
The foliage also contains hydrocyanic compounds that can be toxic to sheep and cattle if it is consumed in sufficient quantity. There is some evidence in Europe that the seeds of this plant can cling to the fur of deer and cattle. Thus, these animals can spread the seeds to new areas (Mouissie et al., 2005).
Photographic Location: A gravelly seep in McHenry County, Illinois.
Comments: This plant is not very showy and it is easily overlooked. The only other species of this genus that occurs in Illinois, Sea Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima), is also very rare within the state and it occurs in similar areas. Sea Arrowgrass is a little larger and stouter than Slender Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) overall. Its fruits (schizocarps) have a wider ovoid shape and they divide into 6 sections (6 seeds per fruit), rather than 3 sections. Unlike Slender Arrowgrass, the central axis of its fruit is not winged. The wind-pollinated flowers of these plants are rather odd-looking because their feathery stigmas resemble tufts of hair that are typically found on seeds. An alternative spelling of the scientific name for Slender Arrowgrass is Triglochin palustre, and another common name of this plant is Marsh Arrowgrass.
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Miss Chen
2018年06月12日
Description: This is a submerged or floating aquatic plant (about ½–12' long) that branches at right angles (90°). The jointed stems are pale green to reddish purple, glabrous, and fragile, often dividing into smaller segments. Along these stems, there are whorls of 5-14 divided leaves that curve upward; these leaves are 1-4 cm. long. The leaves are more crowded toward the growing tips of stems than elsewhere; they are medium to dark green and glabrous. Both stems and leaves have a tendency to be somewhat stiff and brittle, especially when they are coated with lime in calcareous water. Each leaf divides dichotomously into 2-4 segments (rarely more); these segments are narrowly linear (up to 0.5 mm. across) and flattened. Each leaf segment is conspicuously toothed along one side, while it is smooth (entire) on the other side.
Coontail is monoecious, forming male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers on the same plant. Both types of flowers are produced in the axils of the leaves and they are sessile. Female flowers occur individually, while male flowers occur either individually or in pairs. Both types of flowers are very small in size (about 2 mm. in length), and they have involucres consisting of 8-14 floral bracts that surround the reproductive organs. These bracts are translucent and broadly oblong; their tips are truncate and fringed. There are neither sepals nor petals. Each female flower has a single pistil with a long slender style, while each male flower has 8-14 anthers that are sessile or nearly so (very short or absent filaments). The blooming period occurs intermittently during the summer and early autumn. Cross-pollination is accomplished through water currents. However, only a few flowers, if any, are produced by individual plants. The female flowers are replaced by 3-spined achenes. The body of each mature achene is 4-6 mm. long, ovoid in shape, slightly flattened, and wingless along its sides. Each achene has 2 basal spines and a single spine at its apex; these spines are 0.5-12.0 mm. in length and they are either straight or curved. Coontail has no real root system, although it is able to anchor itself in mud or sand through either lodged stems or the development of modified leaves. By late autumn, winter turions (tight buds of leaves) develop at the tips of stems that sink to the bottom of a body of water, where they remain until spring of the following year. Growth and development begin again with the return of warmer weather. In addition to its achenes and winter turions, Coontail reproduces vegetatively whenever its stems divide into smaller segments.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and relatively clear water up to 9' deep that has adequate levels of nutrients; water pH can be mildly acidic to alkaline. At the water's bottom, the soil should consist of mud, sandy mud, or muddy gravel. Coontail is more tolerant of shade than the majority of aquatic plants and it is able to tolerate some turbidity in the water if it is not excessive. This aquatic plant can adapt to sites with either stagnant water or slow-moving currents where there is some protection from wind and waves. Because of its phytotoxic properties, Coontail can inhibit the growth of phytoplankton and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). At some locations, it can spread aggressively and become a pest.
Range & Habitat: The native Coontail is occasional to common throughout Illinois. This species is native to a wide area of North America, from where it has spread to other parts of the world. Habitats include quiet inlets of lakes, ponds, rivers with slow-moving currents, marshes, and springs. Generally, Coontail is typically found in bodies of water with muddy bottoms, although it also occurs where the water bottom contains some sand or rocky material. Sometimes Coontail is cultivated as an aquarium plant. It has also been introduced deliberately into polluted bodies of water in bioremediation projects because of its ability to absorb suspended particles of chromium, lead, arsenic, and other chemicals.
Faunal Associations: The leaves of Coontail provide hiding places for small aquatic organisms and its leaves are sometimes grazed by snails. Both the foliage and seeds of this aquatic plant are eaten by the American Coot (Fulica americana), many species of waterfowl (see the Waterfowl Table), and some turtles (Legler, 1943; Ernst et al., 1994), including the Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina), Blanding's Turtle (Emys blandingii), Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna), and Slider (Trachemys scripta). This aquatic plant is also eaten by carp and, to a lesser extent, by muskrats. The foliage and seeds of Coontail can spread to new wetlands through human activity. For example, when people dump the content of aquariums into waterways that contain Coontail, it can easily establish itself in such habitats. Similarly, because Coontail can cling to anchors, boat trailers, fishing nets, and dredging equipment, it may be transported considerable distances from one body water to another.
Photographic Location: In shallow water of a sandy marsh at the Heron Boardwalk in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: Coontail superficially resembles some Chara spp., even though the latter are actually algae, rather than vascular plants. Coontail can be distinguished by its leaf segments, which have teeth along only one of 2 sides (rather than both), and its crushed foliage lacks the distinctive garlic or skunk-like smell that is so typical of many Chara spp. A closely related species, Ceratophyllum echinatum (Spiny Hornwort), is also found in Illinois, but it is less common. Compared to Coontail, Spiny Hornwort has softer foliage and its leaf segments either lack teeth or they have less conspicuous teeth along one side of their leaf segments. In addition, the achenes of Spiny Hornwort are shallowly winged along their sides, and each winged side of an achene has 3-10 spiny teeth. Although they have apical and basal spines, the achenes of Coontail lack spiny teeth along their sides. Another common name of Ceratophyllum demersum is Common Hornwort.
Coontail is monoecious, forming male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers on the same plant. Both types of flowers are produced in the axils of the leaves and they are sessile. Female flowers occur individually, while male flowers occur either individually or in pairs. Both types of flowers are very small in size (about 2 mm. in length), and they have involucres consisting of 8-14 floral bracts that surround the reproductive organs. These bracts are translucent and broadly oblong; their tips are truncate and fringed. There are neither sepals nor petals. Each female flower has a single pistil with a long slender style, while each male flower has 8-14 anthers that are sessile or nearly so (very short or absent filaments). The blooming period occurs intermittently during the summer and early autumn. Cross-pollination is accomplished through water currents. However, only a few flowers, if any, are produced by individual plants. The female flowers are replaced by 3-spined achenes. The body of each mature achene is 4-6 mm. long, ovoid in shape, slightly flattened, and wingless along its sides. Each achene has 2 basal spines and a single spine at its apex; these spines are 0.5-12.0 mm. in length and they are either straight or curved. Coontail has no real root system, although it is able to anchor itself in mud or sand through either lodged stems or the development of modified leaves. By late autumn, winter turions (tight buds of leaves) develop at the tips of stems that sink to the bottom of a body of water, where they remain until spring of the following year. Growth and development begin again with the return of warmer weather. In addition to its achenes and winter turions, Coontail reproduces vegetatively whenever its stems divide into smaller segments.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and relatively clear water up to 9' deep that has adequate levels of nutrients; water pH can be mildly acidic to alkaline. At the water's bottom, the soil should consist of mud, sandy mud, or muddy gravel. Coontail is more tolerant of shade than the majority of aquatic plants and it is able to tolerate some turbidity in the water if it is not excessive. This aquatic plant can adapt to sites with either stagnant water or slow-moving currents where there is some protection from wind and waves. Because of its phytotoxic properties, Coontail can inhibit the growth of phytoplankton and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). At some locations, it can spread aggressively and become a pest.
Range & Habitat: The native Coontail is occasional to common throughout Illinois. This species is native to a wide area of North America, from where it has spread to other parts of the world. Habitats include quiet inlets of lakes, ponds, rivers with slow-moving currents, marshes, and springs. Generally, Coontail is typically found in bodies of water with muddy bottoms, although it also occurs where the water bottom contains some sand or rocky material. Sometimes Coontail is cultivated as an aquarium plant. It has also been introduced deliberately into polluted bodies of water in bioremediation projects because of its ability to absorb suspended particles of chromium, lead, arsenic, and other chemicals.
Faunal Associations: The leaves of Coontail provide hiding places for small aquatic organisms and its leaves are sometimes grazed by snails. Both the foliage and seeds of this aquatic plant are eaten by the American Coot (Fulica americana), many species of waterfowl (see the Waterfowl Table), and some turtles (Legler, 1943; Ernst et al., 1994), including the Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina), Blanding's Turtle (Emys blandingii), Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna), and Slider (Trachemys scripta). This aquatic plant is also eaten by carp and, to a lesser extent, by muskrats. The foliage and seeds of Coontail can spread to new wetlands through human activity. For example, when people dump the content of aquariums into waterways that contain Coontail, it can easily establish itself in such habitats. Similarly, because Coontail can cling to anchors, boat trailers, fishing nets, and dredging equipment, it may be transported considerable distances from one body water to another.
Photographic Location: In shallow water of a sandy marsh at the Heron Boardwalk in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: Coontail superficially resembles some Chara spp., even though the latter are actually algae, rather than vascular plants. Coontail can be distinguished by its leaf segments, which have teeth along only one of 2 sides (rather than both), and its crushed foliage lacks the distinctive garlic or skunk-like smell that is so typical of many Chara spp. A closely related species, Ceratophyllum echinatum (Spiny Hornwort), is also found in Illinois, but it is less common. Compared to Coontail, Spiny Hornwort has softer foliage and its leaf segments either lack teeth or they have less conspicuous teeth along one side of their leaf segments. In addition, the achenes of Spiny Hornwort are shallowly winged along their sides, and each winged side of an achene has 3-10 spiny teeth. Although they have apical and basal spines, the achenes of Coontail lack spiny teeth along their sides. Another common name of Ceratophyllum demersum is Common Hornwort.
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Miss Chen
2018年06月12日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is ¾–2¼' tall and unbranched. The central stem is green, glabrous, and terete. A single well-developed leaf occurs near the base of the central stem. This leaf is 4-12" long, ¼–1½" across, and ascending; it is linear-elliptic to elliptic in shape and entire (toothless) along its margins. The leaf tapers gradually into a narrow base that is enclosed by a sheath, while its tip is narrowly acute and hull-shaped. The upper surface of the entire leaf is often slightly concave (curved inward from the margins) along its length. Both the upper and lower leaf surfaces are yellowish green to medium green and glabrous. Leaf venation is parallel. Below the well-developed leaf, there are 1-2 rudimentary leaves that are sheath-like and inconspicuous.
The central stem terminates in a spike of 2-15 flowers (rarely up to 20). The rachis of this floral spike is green to reddish purple, terete, and glabrous; it has a tendency to zig-zag between the flowers. Each flower is 1-2" across, consisting of 3 petaloid sepals, 3 petals, an exposed reproductive column, and an inferior ovary. Both the sepals and petals (excluding the petal that has been modified into a lip) are pink to deep rosy pink (rarely white); the sepals and petals may also have faint veins of dark rosy pink. The sepals are ovate or broadly oblong-ovate in shape, while the petals are broadly elliptic or elliptic-ovate in shape. Depending on the stage of development, both petals and sepals are spreading and more or less incurved from their tips; their upper surfaces are flat to somewhat concave. Both sepals and petals are nearly the same length (about ¾" long), although the sepals are a little wider. The third petal has been modified into an upper lip about ¾" long. This upper lip is linear in shape (grooved above and convex below), except toward its tip, where it has been widened by 2 lateral lobes; these lobes are half-orbicular to bluntly triangular in shape. At the center of this lobed tip, is a patch of white and a cluster of clubbed pseudo-stamens; these pseudo-stamens are hair-like in appearance and yellow to orange. Elsewhere, the lip is pink to rosy pink (rarely white) like the sepals and remaining petals. The lip is also hinged at its base.
The exposed reproductive column is mostly linear-flattened in shape, straight, and pink to rosy pink (rarely white). However, toward its tip, the reproductive column is upturned, terete along its center, and laterally lobed. The reproductive organs are located at the tip of the column, which is dark rosy pink. The reproductive column lies opposite from the upper lip of the flower; it is about ¾" long. The ascending inferior ovary, at the time of bloom, is light green to pale greenish pink, cylindrical-ribbed in shape, and glabrous. The blooming period usually occurs from early to late summer, lasting about 3-4 weeks. The flowers bloom sequentially from the bottom to the top of the floral spike. There can be either a mild floral fragrance or none. Afterwards, fertile flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are about ¾" long and ellipsoid-ovoid in shape; they eventually break open to release numerous tiny seeds, which are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a globoid to ovoid corm with fibrous roots below.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, wet to moist conditions, and soil containing some sand and/or peat. Sometimes, this orchid is available from specialist orchid nurseries and it can be cultivated in gardens if its requirements are met. Wild plants, however, should never be collected.
Range & Habitat: The native Grass Pink Orchid has been found primarily in the northern half of Illinois and a few scattered counties elsewhere (see Distribution Map). This orchid is now rare and it is state-listed as 'endangered.' At one time, the Grass Pink Orchid was more abundant in Illinois, but its populations have declined because of habitat destruction and unscrupulous collecting. Habitats where this orchid can be found include wet to moist sand prairies, wet to moist sandy meadows, shallow sandy swales, openings in sandy swamps, fens, and bogs. This orchid is found in high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees and other large long-tongued bees are the primary pollinators of the flowers. Halictid bees, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles also visit the flowers occasionally, but they are unlikely to be effective at cross-pollination. See Cole (1988), Luer (1975), Small (1976), and Thien & Marcks (1972) for more information. Neither nectar nor accessible pollen are available to such flower-visiting insects. Instead, they are lured by deception to land on the showy flowers. In particular, they are often attracted to the colorful pseudo-stamens on the lip of the flower. If the visiting insect has sufficient weight, the hinged lip of the flower collapses onto its exposed reproductive column, attaching pollinia to the back of the insect. When the same insect visits the next flower, the same process can deposit the pollinia onto the exposed stigma of the reproductive column, enabling cross-pollination to occur. Like other orchids, the foliage and flowers of the Grass Pink Orchid are probably vulnerable to browsing by White-tailed Deer and other mammalian herbivores. When such animals are too abundant, it may be necessary to protect colonies and solitary plants of this orchid with wire cages or fencing.
Photographic Location: A shallow sandy swale at a nature preserve in Lake County, Illinois.
Comments: The structure of the flower for this orchid is highly unusual because its lip is located at the top rather than the bottom, causing the flower to appear upside-down (even though it is actually rightside-up). The Grass Pink Orchid is the most common species of its genus within the state and it is widely distributed within the eastern United States and SE Canada. The only other species of this genus within the state, the Oklahoma Grass Pink Orchid (Calopogon oklahomensis), is even more rare and it is also state-listed as 'endangered.' This latter orchid can be distinguished from the former as follows: 1) the petals and sepals of its flower are usually a lighter shade of pink, and 2) the lip of its flower has a patch of short pink pseudo-stamens above its showier yellow pseudo-stamens. The more common Grass Pink orchid lacks short pink pseudo-stamens on the lip of its flower. The Oklahoma Grass Pink Orchid is also found in drier habitats, like mesic prairies. Other common names of Calopogon tuberosus are Tuberous Grass Pink and Grass Pink, even though it is neither a grass nor a member of the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae).
The central stem terminates in a spike of 2-15 flowers (rarely up to 20). The rachis of this floral spike is green to reddish purple, terete, and glabrous; it has a tendency to zig-zag between the flowers. Each flower is 1-2" across, consisting of 3 petaloid sepals, 3 petals, an exposed reproductive column, and an inferior ovary. Both the sepals and petals (excluding the petal that has been modified into a lip) are pink to deep rosy pink (rarely white); the sepals and petals may also have faint veins of dark rosy pink. The sepals are ovate or broadly oblong-ovate in shape, while the petals are broadly elliptic or elliptic-ovate in shape. Depending on the stage of development, both petals and sepals are spreading and more or less incurved from their tips; their upper surfaces are flat to somewhat concave. Both sepals and petals are nearly the same length (about ¾" long), although the sepals are a little wider. The third petal has been modified into an upper lip about ¾" long. This upper lip is linear in shape (grooved above and convex below), except toward its tip, where it has been widened by 2 lateral lobes; these lobes are half-orbicular to bluntly triangular in shape. At the center of this lobed tip, is a patch of white and a cluster of clubbed pseudo-stamens; these pseudo-stamens are hair-like in appearance and yellow to orange. Elsewhere, the lip is pink to rosy pink (rarely white) like the sepals and remaining petals. The lip is also hinged at its base.
The exposed reproductive column is mostly linear-flattened in shape, straight, and pink to rosy pink (rarely white). However, toward its tip, the reproductive column is upturned, terete along its center, and laterally lobed. The reproductive organs are located at the tip of the column, which is dark rosy pink. The reproductive column lies opposite from the upper lip of the flower; it is about ¾" long. The ascending inferior ovary, at the time of bloom, is light green to pale greenish pink, cylindrical-ribbed in shape, and glabrous. The blooming period usually occurs from early to late summer, lasting about 3-4 weeks. The flowers bloom sequentially from the bottom to the top of the floral spike. There can be either a mild floral fragrance or none. Afterwards, fertile flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are about ¾" long and ellipsoid-ovoid in shape; they eventually break open to release numerous tiny seeds, which are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a globoid to ovoid corm with fibrous roots below.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, wet to moist conditions, and soil containing some sand and/or peat. Sometimes, this orchid is available from specialist orchid nurseries and it can be cultivated in gardens if its requirements are met. Wild plants, however, should never be collected.
Range & Habitat: The native Grass Pink Orchid has been found primarily in the northern half of Illinois and a few scattered counties elsewhere (see Distribution Map). This orchid is now rare and it is state-listed as 'endangered.' At one time, the Grass Pink Orchid was more abundant in Illinois, but its populations have declined because of habitat destruction and unscrupulous collecting. Habitats where this orchid can be found include wet to moist sand prairies, wet to moist sandy meadows, shallow sandy swales, openings in sandy swamps, fens, and bogs. This orchid is found in high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees and other large long-tongued bees are the primary pollinators of the flowers. Halictid bees, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles also visit the flowers occasionally, but they are unlikely to be effective at cross-pollination. See Cole (1988), Luer (1975), Small (1976), and Thien & Marcks (1972) for more information. Neither nectar nor accessible pollen are available to such flower-visiting insects. Instead, they are lured by deception to land on the showy flowers. In particular, they are often attracted to the colorful pseudo-stamens on the lip of the flower. If the visiting insect has sufficient weight, the hinged lip of the flower collapses onto its exposed reproductive column, attaching pollinia to the back of the insect. When the same insect visits the next flower, the same process can deposit the pollinia onto the exposed stigma of the reproductive column, enabling cross-pollination to occur. Like other orchids, the foliage and flowers of the Grass Pink Orchid are probably vulnerable to browsing by White-tailed Deer and other mammalian herbivores. When such animals are too abundant, it may be necessary to protect colonies and solitary plants of this orchid with wire cages or fencing.
Photographic Location: A shallow sandy swale at a nature preserve in Lake County, Illinois.
Comments: The structure of the flower for this orchid is highly unusual because its lip is located at the top rather than the bottom, causing the flower to appear upside-down (even though it is actually rightside-up). The Grass Pink Orchid is the most common species of its genus within the state and it is widely distributed within the eastern United States and SE Canada. The only other species of this genus within the state, the Oklahoma Grass Pink Orchid (Calopogon oklahomensis), is even more rare and it is also state-listed as 'endangered.' This latter orchid can be distinguished from the former as follows: 1) the petals and sepals of its flower are usually a lighter shade of pink, and 2) the lip of its flower has a patch of short pink pseudo-stamens above its showier yellow pseudo-stamens. The more common Grass Pink orchid lacks short pink pseudo-stamens on the lip of its flower. The Oklahoma Grass Pink Orchid is also found in drier habitats, like mesic prairies. Other common names of Calopogon tuberosus are Tuberous Grass Pink and Grass Pink, even though it is neither a grass nor a member of the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae).
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Miss Chen
2018年05月29日
Description: This herbaceous wildflower is 5-12" tall, consisting of a single stem and a whorl of 3 spreading leaves at its apex. The central stem is purplish green or maroon, terete, glabrous, and rather stout. Individual leaves are 3-4" long and 2-3½" across; they are ovate or oval, smooth along their margins, sessile, glabrous, and parallel-veined. The upper leaf surface is medium green or mottled green (a mixture of both light green and medium green). The leaf bases are rounded and their tips are usually blunt.
On a mature plant, a single sessile flower develops on top of the whorl of leaves. Individual flowers consist of 3 dark maroon petals about ¾-1¼" long (rarely greenish yellow or brown), 3 green or purplish green sepals about ½-1" long, 6 stamens about ½-¾" long, and an angular superior ovary with 3 recurved stigmata at its apex. The erect petals are narrowly elliptic to elliptic in shape. The sepals are narrowly lanceolate and widely spreading to slightly ascending; they lie above the plane of the leaves. The anthers have dark maroon and yellow stripes; they are much longer than the filaments. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring, lasting about 3 weeks. The flowers usually have a slight aroma of rotting meat. Each flower is replace by a dry 3-celled fruit that is whitish to purplish green. The fruit splits open to release the seeds. The root system consists of a stout rhizome and secondary fibrous roots. Clonal offsets occasionally develop from the rhizome.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to light shade during the spring; during the summer, more shade is tolerated. The soil should be moist, rich, and loamy with abundant organic matter (decaying leaves, etc.). This wildflower develops slowly from seed, requiring several years to reach maturity. The seeds should be kept moist and planted as soon as possible; they are often slow to germinate. It is also possible to start plants from clonal offsets.
Range & Habitat: The native Sessile Trillium is found primarily in NE and southern Illinois, where it is uncommon. It is more common further to the east. Habitats include rich mesic woodlands, floodplain woodlands in valleys, lower slopes of shady ravines, and swamps. These habitats are dominated by such deciduous canopy trees as Sugar Maple, American Beech, American Basswood, and Green Ash. In Illinois, Sessile Trillium occurs in high quality woodlands where the original ground flora is still intact.
Faunal Associations: Robertson (1929) observed a small weevil, Centrinites strigicollis, visiting the flowers for pollen. Because of the malodorous odor and color of the petals, the flowers are probably visited by beetles and flies that are attracted to rotting flesh. The polyphagous caterpillars of two moths, Clepsis melaleucana (Black-Patched Clepsis) and Euplexia benesimilis (American Angle Shades), have been observed to feed on trilliums. The seeds are distributed by ants (and possibly some beetles), which are attracted to their elaisomes (food appendages). White-Tailed Deer readily browse on the foliage of trilliums, although Sessile Trillium may be eaten less often than some trillium species because of its dark-colored and less conspicuous flowers.
Photographic Location: A soggy area of Goff Woods Nature Preserve in NW Ohio. This woodlands is a small remnant of what was once called the 'Great Black Swamp,' which covered large areas of NW Ohio and NE Indiana.
Comments: In many ways, Sessile Trillium resembles the more common Prairie Trillium (Trillium recurvatum), which is also found in wooded habitats in Illinois. Sessile Trillium can be distinguished from the latter species by its sessile rounded leaves and widely spreading or ascending sepals, which are held above the leaves. In contrast, the leaves of Prairie Trillium taper gradually into petioles and the sepals of its flowers hang downward below the leaves. Both Sessile Trillium and Prairie Trillium can have flowers with greenish yellow petals, but this is rather uncommon. Other trilliums in Illinois have petals that are never colored dark maroon, or their flowers have conspicuous pedicels (flowering stalks). Other common names of Trillium sessile are Toadshade and Wake Robin.
On a mature plant, a single sessile flower develops on top of the whorl of leaves. Individual flowers consist of 3 dark maroon petals about ¾-1¼" long (rarely greenish yellow or brown), 3 green or purplish green sepals about ½-1" long, 6 stamens about ½-¾" long, and an angular superior ovary with 3 recurved stigmata at its apex. The erect petals are narrowly elliptic to elliptic in shape. The sepals are narrowly lanceolate and widely spreading to slightly ascending; they lie above the plane of the leaves. The anthers have dark maroon and yellow stripes; they are much longer than the filaments. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring, lasting about 3 weeks. The flowers usually have a slight aroma of rotting meat. Each flower is replace by a dry 3-celled fruit that is whitish to purplish green. The fruit splits open to release the seeds. The root system consists of a stout rhizome and secondary fibrous roots. Clonal offsets occasionally develop from the rhizome.Distribution Map
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to light shade during the spring; during the summer, more shade is tolerated. The soil should be moist, rich, and loamy with abundant organic matter (decaying leaves, etc.). This wildflower develops slowly from seed, requiring several years to reach maturity. The seeds should be kept moist and planted as soon as possible; they are often slow to germinate. It is also possible to start plants from clonal offsets.
Range & Habitat: The native Sessile Trillium is found primarily in NE and southern Illinois, where it is uncommon. It is more common further to the east. Habitats include rich mesic woodlands, floodplain woodlands in valleys, lower slopes of shady ravines, and swamps. These habitats are dominated by such deciduous canopy trees as Sugar Maple, American Beech, American Basswood, and Green Ash. In Illinois, Sessile Trillium occurs in high quality woodlands where the original ground flora is still intact.
Faunal Associations: Robertson (1929) observed a small weevil, Centrinites strigicollis, visiting the flowers for pollen. Because of the malodorous odor and color of the petals, the flowers are probably visited by beetles and flies that are attracted to rotting flesh. The polyphagous caterpillars of two moths, Clepsis melaleucana (Black-Patched Clepsis) and Euplexia benesimilis (American Angle Shades), have been observed to feed on trilliums. The seeds are distributed by ants (and possibly some beetles), which are attracted to their elaisomes (food appendages). White-Tailed Deer readily browse on the foliage of trilliums, although Sessile Trillium may be eaten less often than some trillium species because of its dark-colored and less conspicuous flowers.
Photographic Location: A soggy area of Goff Woods Nature Preserve in NW Ohio. This woodlands is a small remnant of what was once called the 'Great Black Swamp,' which covered large areas of NW Ohio and NE Indiana.
Comments: In many ways, Sessile Trillium resembles the more common Prairie Trillium (Trillium recurvatum), which is also found in wooded habitats in Illinois. Sessile Trillium can be distinguished from the latter species by its sessile rounded leaves and widely spreading or ascending sepals, which are held above the leaves. In contrast, the leaves of Prairie Trillium taper gradually into petioles and the sepals of its flowers hang downward below the leaves. Both Sessile Trillium and Prairie Trillium can have flowers with greenish yellow petals, but this is rather uncommon. Other trilliums in Illinois have petals that are never colored dark maroon, or their flowers have conspicuous pedicels (flowering stalks). Other common names of Trillium sessile are Toadshade and Wake Robin.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月25日
Description: This perennial wildflower is about 6-12" tall and unbranched, or sparingly so. Both fertile and infertile shoots are produced; the latter develop later in the year and don't produce flowers. The central stem is light green to pale purplish green and glabrous to moderately pubescent. The opposite leaves are up to 3" long and 1¼" across; they are ovate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, elliptic, or broadly oblong. The upper surface of these leaves is medium to dark green and finely pubescent (sometimes sparsely); their margins are smooth (entire) and ciliate. The leaf bases are sessile or nearly sessile, while their tips are either acute or blunt; lower leaves are more likely to have short petioles and blunt tips than upper leaves.
The central stem of each fertile shoot produces a terminal cyme of flowers; occasional individual flowers may develop from the axils of the upper leaves. Each flower is about ½" across, consisting of 5 green sepals, 5 white petals (looking like 10 petals, because each petal is deeply bifurcated), a white ovary with 3 styles at its apex, and 10 stamens with reddish brown anthers. The petals are about the same length or a little longer than the sepals. Each sepal is lanceolate to ovate and pubescent. The pedicel of each flower is up to 1" long and pubescent. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring and lasts about a month. Each flower is replaced by an ovoid capsule that is open at its apex; it has 6 curved teeth around its upper rim. Each capsule contains many small seeds that are globoid, somewhat flattened, and minutely warty. Each seed is often slightly notched on one side. The root system consists of a taproot with slender fibrous roots. Small colonies of plants are occasionally formed.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to light shade during the spring, followed by light to medium shade. The soil should be well-drained but consistently moist, with an abundance of organic matter and a layer of decaying leaves. It should also be somewhat acidic. Shallow rocky ground and slopes help to reduce competition from taller plants.
Range & Habitat: The native Star Chickweed is a rare plant in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in Pope County of southern Illinois, and a few counties in NE Illinois (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies at the NW corner of the range for this species. It is more common in the southern half of Indiana and other states. Habitats include edges of rocky meadows, rocky wooded slopes, wooded bluffs, and the upper slopes of sandstone ravines. Outside of Illinois, another typical habitat is rich mesic woodlands. This conservative species is found in high quality woodlands, especially where sandstone is close to the ground surface.
Faunal Associations: The flowers of Star Chickweed attract cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), mason bees (Osmia spp.), Halictid bees (Augochlorella spp., Lasioglossum spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), the Giant Bee Fly (Bombylius major), Syrphid flies, and other miscellaneous flies. Butterflies and skippers are rare visitors of the flowers. These insects are attracted primarily to the nectar of the flowers, although some of the bees collect pollen for their larvae and some of the flies feed on pollen as adults. Insects that feed on Stellaria spp., including possibly this chickweed, are the aphid Abstrusomyzus phloxae, the Pale Tortoise Beetle (Cassida flaveola), and caterpillars of a moth, Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave). Information about this chickweed's ecological relationships with vertebrate animals is currently unavailable.
Photographic Location: The edge of a rocky meadow and the wooded upper slope of a sandstone ravine at Shades State Park in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Of all the chickweeds (whether native or introduced), Star Chickweed is arguably the most attractive. It's a pity that this species isn't more common in Illinois. The only other chickweed in Illinois that resembles it is Myosoton aquaticum (Water Chickweed), which is native to Eurasia. This latter species can become larger in size than Star Chickweed, and its leaves are usually more broad toward their bases. Even more importantly, the flowers of Water Chickweed have 5 styles and its seed capsules have 5 teeth. In contrast, Star Chickweed has flowers with 3 styles and seed capsules with 6 teeth. Water Chickweed, as its common name suggests, also prefers damp water-logged habitats, such as roadside ditches and low areas along rivers. Other common names of Stellaria pubera are Giant Chickweed and Great Chickweed; these names sometimes refer to Myosoton aquaticum as well.
The central stem of each fertile shoot produces a terminal cyme of flowers; occasional individual flowers may develop from the axils of the upper leaves. Each flower is about ½" across, consisting of 5 green sepals, 5 white petals (looking like 10 petals, because each petal is deeply bifurcated), a white ovary with 3 styles at its apex, and 10 stamens with reddish brown anthers. The petals are about the same length or a little longer than the sepals. Each sepal is lanceolate to ovate and pubescent. The pedicel of each flower is up to 1" long and pubescent. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring and lasts about a month. Each flower is replaced by an ovoid capsule that is open at its apex; it has 6 curved teeth around its upper rim. Each capsule contains many small seeds that are globoid, somewhat flattened, and minutely warty. Each seed is often slightly notched on one side. The root system consists of a taproot with slender fibrous roots. Small colonies of plants are occasionally formed.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to light shade during the spring, followed by light to medium shade. The soil should be well-drained but consistently moist, with an abundance of organic matter and a layer of decaying leaves. It should also be somewhat acidic. Shallow rocky ground and slopes help to reduce competition from taller plants.
Range & Habitat: The native Star Chickweed is a rare plant in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in Pope County of southern Illinois, and a few counties in NE Illinois (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies at the NW corner of the range for this species. It is more common in the southern half of Indiana and other states. Habitats include edges of rocky meadows, rocky wooded slopes, wooded bluffs, and the upper slopes of sandstone ravines. Outside of Illinois, another typical habitat is rich mesic woodlands. This conservative species is found in high quality woodlands, especially where sandstone is close to the ground surface.
Faunal Associations: The flowers of Star Chickweed attract cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), mason bees (Osmia spp.), Halictid bees (Augochlorella spp., Lasioglossum spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), the Giant Bee Fly (Bombylius major), Syrphid flies, and other miscellaneous flies. Butterflies and skippers are rare visitors of the flowers. These insects are attracted primarily to the nectar of the flowers, although some of the bees collect pollen for their larvae and some of the flies feed on pollen as adults. Insects that feed on Stellaria spp., including possibly this chickweed, are the aphid Abstrusomyzus phloxae, the Pale Tortoise Beetle (Cassida flaveola), and caterpillars of a moth, Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave). Information about this chickweed's ecological relationships with vertebrate animals is currently unavailable.
Photographic Location: The edge of a rocky meadow and the wooded upper slope of a sandstone ravine at Shades State Park in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Of all the chickweeds (whether native or introduced), Star Chickweed is arguably the most attractive. It's a pity that this species isn't more common in Illinois. The only other chickweed in Illinois that resembles it is Myosoton aquaticum (Water Chickweed), which is native to Eurasia. This latter species can become larger in size than Star Chickweed, and its leaves are usually more broad toward their bases. Even more importantly, the flowers of Water Chickweed have 5 styles and its seed capsules have 5 teeth. In contrast, Star Chickweed has flowers with 3 styles and seed capsules with 6 teeth. Water Chickweed, as its common name suggests, also prefers damp water-logged habitats, such as roadside ditches and low areas along rivers. Other common names of Stellaria pubera are Giant Chickweed and Great Chickweed; these names sometimes refer to Myosoton aquaticum as well.
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