文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月12日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 1-3' tall, branching occasionally. The slender stems have a tendency to sprawl; they are light green to reddish green, angular, and strongly ridged. Usually, there are a few short hairs that provide the stems with a slightly rough texture. At intervals along the stems, there are whorls of 6 sessile leaves. These leaves are up to 2½" long and ½" across; they are oblanceolate in shape, while their margins are smooth and ciliate. Each leaf abruptly tapers to a short pointed tip (cuspidate). Occasionally, 1-3 stalks of flowers develop from the middle to upper whorled leaves; these stalks are often longer than the leaves, and they can be axillary or terminal. Each of these stalks may produce 1-3 flowers on slender pedicels.
Each flower spans about 1/6" (4.5 mm.) across, consisting of 4 greenish white to white petals, 4 stamens, and a bristly 2-celled ovary. Each petal tapers to a narrow tip. The blooming period occurs during the summer for about 2 months. Each flower is replaced by a bristly 2-celled carpel; each globoid cell contains a single small seed. The cells of the carpel eventually separate. The root system produces rhizomes. This plant can spread by reseeding itself, or by forming vegetative offshoots from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, moist conditions, and a fertile loamy soil.
Range & Habitat: The native Sweet-Scented Bedstraw occurs in most areas of Illinois, where it is occasional to locally common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands, rocky bluffs, areas along woodland paths, thickets, moist meadows, partially shaded seeps and springs, partially shaded riverbanks, and bogs. In badly degraded woodlands, this plant is replaced by Galium aparine (Cleavers).
Faunal Associations: The flowers are occasionally visited by small bees or flies; these insects usually suck nectar. The caterpillars of several moths feed on Galium spp. (Bedstraws), including Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave), Epirrhoe alternata (White-Banded Toothed Carpet), and Hyles gallii (Galium Sphinx). Other insect feeders include larvae of Dasineura americana (Bedstraw Midge), larvae of the sawfly Halidamia affinis, and the polyphagous aphid Abstrusomyzus phloxae. Deer usually leave the foliage alone. The bristly carpels of Sweet-Scented Bedstraw can cling to the fur of animals and the clothing of humans; by this means, the seeds are distributed to new locations.
Photographic Location: Along a woodland path in a moist area of Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The common name refers to the vanilla scent of the dried foliage. Sweet-Scented Bedstraw is typically found in moist woodlands. It can be distinguished from other Galium spp. (Bedstraws) by considering the following set of features: 1) there are 6 leaves per whorl, 2) the carpels are bristly rather than glabrous, 3) the leaves are oblanceolate with short pointed tips, and 4) the petals of the flowers taper to narrow tips. Sweet-Scented Bedstraw is one of the larger Bedstraws and its stems can be smooth or slightly rough. Its appearance is similar to Galium aparine (Cleavers), although the latter is an annual plant that occasionally produces 8 leaves per whorl and its bristly stems and leaf margins are more likely to cling to adjacent objects.
Each flower spans about 1/6" (4.5 mm.) across, consisting of 4 greenish white to white petals, 4 stamens, and a bristly 2-celled ovary. Each petal tapers to a narrow tip. The blooming period occurs during the summer for about 2 months. Each flower is replaced by a bristly 2-celled carpel; each globoid cell contains a single small seed. The cells of the carpel eventually separate. The root system produces rhizomes. This plant can spread by reseeding itself, or by forming vegetative offshoots from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, moist conditions, and a fertile loamy soil.
Range & Habitat: The native Sweet-Scented Bedstraw occurs in most areas of Illinois, where it is occasional to locally common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands, rocky bluffs, areas along woodland paths, thickets, moist meadows, partially shaded seeps and springs, partially shaded riverbanks, and bogs. In badly degraded woodlands, this plant is replaced by Galium aparine (Cleavers).
Faunal Associations: The flowers are occasionally visited by small bees or flies; these insects usually suck nectar. The caterpillars of several moths feed on Galium spp. (Bedstraws), including Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave), Epirrhoe alternata (White-Banded Toothed Carpet), and Hyles gallii (Galium Sphinx). Other insect feeders include larvae of Dasineura americana (Bedstraw Midge), larvae of the sawfly Halidamia affinis, and the polyphagous aphid Abstrusomyzus phloxae. Deer usually leave the foliage alone. The bristly carpels of Sweet-Scented Bedstraw can cling to the fur of animals and the clothing of humans; by this means, the seeds are distributed to new locations.
Photographic Location: Along a woodland path in a moist area of Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The common name refers to the vanilla scent of the dried foliage. Sweet-Scented Bedstraw is typically found in moist woodlands. It can be distinguished from other Galium spp. (Bedstraws) by considering the following set of features: 1) there are 6 leaves per whorl, 2) the carpels are bristly rather than glabrous, 3) the leaves are oblanceolate with short pointed tips, and 4) the petals of the flowers taper to narrow tips. Sweet-Scented Bedstraw is one of the larger Bedstraws and its stems can be smooth or slightly rough. Its appearance is similar to Galium aparine (Cleavers), although the latter is an annual plant that occasionally produces 8 leaves per whorl and its bristly stems and leaf margins are more likely to cling to adjacent objects.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月12日
Description: This perennial wildflower is 4-20" tall at maturity, developing weak branching stems that have a tendency to lean on adjacent vegetation as they become longer. These stems are light green, angular, and branched; their edges are either smooth or slightly rough from short bristly hairs. Along the stems, there are whorls of mostly 6 leaves; often there are whorls of 4 leaves immediately below the cymes or panicles of flowers. Individual leaves are up to ¾" long and 1/8" (3 mm.) across; they are linear-elliptic in shape with short bristly hairs along their margins. The upper leaf surface is medium to dark green, hairless, and shiny. The leaves are sessile at their bases, while their tips are either blunt or acute.
The upper stems terminate in either small cymes or large panicles of flowers; the size of an inflorescence is variable depending on the size of the plant and environmental conditions. Each inflorescence is abundantly branched, terminating in groups of 2-3 flowers on short divergent pedicels. The pedicels of the flowers are light green, angular, and hairless. Each flower is about 1/8" across or a little less, consisting of a white corolla with 4 pointed lobes, 4 stamens, 2 styles, and a 2-celled ovary that is without bristles. Each cell of the ovary is globoid-ovoid in shape and joined together with the other cell along one side. The blooming period occurs during early summer, lasting about 2-3 weeks. The flowers are later replaced with smooth 2-celled fruits that change color from light green to purple and finally brown. Each cell of the fruit usually contains a single seed (or sometimes none). The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. Small colonies of plants often develop from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is medium shade to dappled sunlight, mesic to dry conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, sand, or rocky material with decaying organic matter. This bedstraw is more tolerant of dry conditions than most species in its genus. It could be cultivated as a ground cover underneath trees.
Range & Habitat: The native Shining Bedstraw is common throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include rich mesic woodlands, upland woodlands, open rocky woodlands, sandy woodlands, upper slopes and tops of bluffs, shaded cliffs, and woodland edges. Generally, this bedstraw is found in upland wooded areas where deciduous trees, especially oaks, are present.
Faunal Associations: The small flowers are cross-pollinated by small bees and flies, including Masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp.), and Syrphid flies. These insects suck nectar from the flowers. Other insects feed on the foliage, flower tissue, or plant juices of Galium spp. (bedstraws). These insect feeders include the caterpillars of such moths as Epirrhoe alternata (White-Banded Toothed Carpet), Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave), and Hyles gallii (Galium Sphinx). Another insect, Myzus cerasi (Black Cherry Aphid), uses bedstraws as summer host plants. Because the stiff bristly hairs of the leaves can cling to passing objects, animals may play a minor role in distributing the seeds to new locations.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a wooded bluff in east-central Illinois and the edge of a sandy woodland in NW Indiana.
Comments: Shining Bedstraw can be identified by its attractive shiny leaves in whorls of 6, its smooth fruits, and its preference for upland wooded locations.
The upper stems terminate in either small cymes or large panicles of flowers; the size of an inflorescence is variable depending on the size of the plant and environmental conditions. Each inflorescence is abundantly branched, terminating in groups of 2-3 flowers on short divergent pedicels. The pedicels of the flowers are light green, angular, and hairless. Each flower is about 1/8" across or a little less, consisting of a white corolla with 4 pointed lobes, 4 stamens, 2 styles, and a 2-celled ovary that is without bristles. Each cell of the ovary is globoid-ovoid in shape and joined together with the other cell along one side. The blooming period occurs during early summer, lasting about 2-3 weeks. The flowers are later replaced with smooth 2-celled fruits that change color from light green to purple and finally brown. Each cell of the fruit usually contains a single seed (or sometimes none). The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. Small colonies of plants often develop from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is medium shade to dappled sunlight, mesic to dry conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, sand, or rocky material with decaying organic matter. This bedstraw is more tolerant of dry conditions than most species in its genus. It could be cultivated as a ground cover underneath trees.
Range & Habitat: The native Shining Bedstraw is common throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include rich mesic woodlands, upland woodlands, open rocky woodlands, sandy woodlands, upper slopes and tops of bluffs, shaded cliffs, and woodland edges. Generally, this bedstraw is found in upland wooded areas where deciduous trees, especially oaks, are present.
Faunal Associations: The small flowers are cross-pollinated by small bees and flies, including Masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp.), and Syrphid flies. These insects suck nectar from the flowers. Other insects feed on the foliage, flower tissue, or plant juices of Galium spp. (bedstraws). These insect feeders include the caterpillars of such moths as Epirrhoe alternata (White-Banded Toothed Carpet), Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave), and Hyles gallii (Galium Sphinx). Another insect, Myzus cerasi (Black Cherry Aphid), uses bedstraws as summer host plants. Because the stiff bristly hairs of the leaves can cling to passing objects, animals may play a minor role in distributing the seeds to new locations.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a wooded bluff in east-central Illinois and the edge of a sandy woodland in NW Indiana.
Comments: Shining Bedstraw can be identified by its attractive shiny leaves in whorls of 6, its smooth fruits, and its preference for upland wooded locations.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月11日
Description: This perennial wildflower is ¾–2' tall with erect to ascending stems. These stems are sometimes branched at the base, otherwise they are unbranched (except when axillary inflorescences are present). The stems are light green, 4-angled, and glabrous to sparsely hairy. At intervals along these stems, there are whorls of 4 leaves. The leaves are up to 2½" long and 1" across, lanceolate-ovate to ovate, medium green, sessile, and sparsely pubescent on both the lower and upper sides. Their margins are smooth and ciliate. Each leaf has 3 prominent parallel veins. Usually, the leaves toward the middle of each stem are largest. Each major stem terminates in a dichotomously forked inflorescence that produces only a few flowers; sometimes smaller inflorescences develop from the axils of the upper leaves. Like the stems, the branches of each inflorescence are 4-angled, light green, and glabrous to sparsely hairy. At each fork of the inflorescence, there are 0-4 small bracts that are linear or linear-lanceolate in shape.
The flowers occur individually along these branches and they are usually sessile (or nearly so). Each flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across, consisting of a corolla with 4 lobes, a double-ovoid ovary, 4 stamens, and a pair of styles. The corolla is usually greenish white or greenish yellow; less often, it is purple. The immature ovary is green, bristly, and 2-celled. The blooming period usually occurs during the early summer and lasts about a month. At maturity, each ovary becomes a dry fruit that is black or dark brown, globoid in shape, and covered with hooked bristles. One cell of this fruit produces a single nutlet, while the other cell becomes a small fleshy elaiosome (food appendage). The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself or vegetatively through its rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade, mesic to dry conditions, and a loamy or rocky soil with some decaying organic matter (e.g., fallen leaves). The foliage usually remains in good condition throughout the summer.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Licorice is occasional to locally common throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic to dry deciduous woodlands, bluffs, woodland borders, areas along woodland paths, thickets, and limestone glades.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited sparingly by small bees and miscellaneous flies; these insects usually seek nectar. The caterpillars of several moths feed on Galium spp. (Bedstraws), including Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave), Pleuroprucha insulsaria (Common Tan Wave), Scopula limboundata (Large Lace Border), Epirrhoe alternata (White-banded Toothed Carpet), and Hyles gallii (Galium Sphinx). Bedstraws are summer hosts of Myzus cerasi (Black Cherry Aphid); another aphid, Aphis gossypii (Cotton Aphid), has been found on the leaves of Wild Licorice. Among vertebrate animals, the Eastern Box Turtle occasionally eats the foliage of bedstraws in woodlands; White-tailed Deer also eat the foliage of these plants to a limited extent. The hooked bristles of the fruits can cling to the fur of mammals and the clothing of humans; this distributes the seeds into new areas. Because each fruit contains an elaiosome that is attractive to ants, these insects also help to distribute the seeds.
Photographic Location: A deciduous woodland at Pine Hills Nature Preserve in west-central Indiana.
Comments: While the flowers are not very showy, the foliage is reasonably attractive. Wild Licorice has larger leaves than most Galium spp. (Bedstraws). In addition to this characteristic, it can be distinguished from other bedstraws by its whorls of 4 leaves, pubescent leaves, bristly fruit, and/or flowers that are sessile along the branches of each inflorescence. A very similar species, Galium lanceolatum (Lance-Leaved Wild Licorice), has hairless leaves that are more narrow toward their tips, and its flowers are usually purple. Both of these species prefer shaded habitats that are rather dry.
The flowers occur individually along these branches and they are usually sessile (or nearly so). Each flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across, consisting of a corolla with 4 lobes, a double-ovoid ovary, 4 stamens, and a pair of styles. The corolla is usually greenish white or greenish yellow; less often, it is purple. The immature ovary is green, bristly, and 2-celled. The blooming period usually occurs during the early summer and lasts about a month. At maturity, each ovary becomes a dry fruit that is black or dark brown, globoid in shape, and covered with hooked bristles. One cell of this fruit produces a single nutlet, while the other cell becomes a small fleshy elaiosome (food appendage). The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself or vegetatively through its rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade, mesic to dry conditions, and a loamy or rocky soil with some decaying organic matter (e.g., fallen leaves). The foliage usually remains in good condition throughout the summer.
Range & Habitat: The native Wild Licorice is occasional to locally common throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic to dry deciduous woodlands, bluffs, woodland borders, areas along woodland paths, thickets, and limestone glades.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited sparingly by small bees and miscellaneous flies; these insects usually seek nectar. The caterpillars of several moths feed on Galium spp. (Bedstraws), including Lobocleta ossularia (Drab Brown Wave), Pleuroprucha insulsaria (Common Tan Wave), Scopula limboundata (Large Lace Border), Epirrhoe alternata (White-banded Toothed Carpet), and Hyles gallii (Galium Sphinx). Bedstraws are summer hosts of Myzus cerasi (Black Cherry Aphid); another aphid, Aphis gossypii (Cotton Aphid), has been found on the leaves of Wild Licorice. Among vertebrate animals, the Eastern Box Turtle occasionally eats the foliage of bedstraws in woodlands; White-tailed Deer also eat the foliage of these plants to a limited extent. The hooked bristles of the fruits can cling to the fur of mammals and the clothing of humans; this distributes the seeds into new areas. Because each fruit contains an elaiosome that is attractive to ants, these insects also help to distribute the seeds.
Photographic Location: A deciduous woodland at Pine Hills Nature Preserve in west-central Indiana.
Comments: While the flowers are not very showy, the foliage is reasonably attractive. Wild Licorice has larger leaves than most Galium spp. (Bedstraws). In addition to this characteristic, it can be distinguished from other bedstraws by its whorls of 4 leaves, pubescent leaves, bristly fruit, and/or flowers that are sessile along the branches of each inflorescence. A very similar species, Galium lanceolatum (Lance-Leaved Wild Licorice), has hairless leaves that are more narrow toward their tips, and its flowers are usually purple. Both of these species prefer shaded habitats that are rather dry.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月11日
Description: This annual plant is up to 1' long and sparingly branched. Its slender stems are glabrous and sprawling to erect. The alternate leaves are up to 3" long and 2" across; they are pinnately compound with 3-7 narrow leaflets. Each leaflet is linear-oblong, smooth along the margins, and hairless.Close-up of Flower Occasionally, a leaflet may be cleft into 2-3 narrow lobes. Both the stems and leaves are light green and rather mossy in appearance. Individual flowers develop from the axils of the upper leaves. Each flower is about ¼" across, consisting of 3 green sepals, 3 white petals, 6 stamens (usually), and a single style. The sepals are lanceolate-ovate and much larger than the petals. The petals are narrowly oblong and inconspicuous. The slender pedicel of each flower is about 1" long. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring and lasts about a month. During the heat of summer, the foliage turns yellow and quickly withers away. Each flower develops 1-3 carpels that are globoid and bumpy across the upper surface. The carpels are initially pale green or pale yellow, but they later turn brown and release the seeds. The root system consists of a slender branching taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself, and it often form colonies at favorable sites.
Cultivation: The preference is diffuse sunlight to light shade during the spring when vegetative growth and development occurs, otherwise it can be quite shady. The soil should be consistently moist and loamy or silty. This plant doesn't like to dry out.
Range & Habitat: The native False Mermaid occurs occasionally in northern and east central Illinois, otherwise it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands and low-lying areas along springs and small rivers in wooded areas. False Mermaid is usually found in high quality woodlands where the original flora is still intact. This is one of the spring wildflowers in woodlands that is threatened by the invasion of Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard).
Faunal Associations: The small inconspicuous flowers can attract flower flies and small bees. The foliage is not known to be toxic and may be edible to mammalian herbivores, although little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this species.
Photographic Location: A moist area of Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This inconspicuous little plant is easy to overlook, except where it occurs in sizable colonies along the woodland floor. The delicate foliage is attractive and resembles moss or a Galium sp. (Bedstraw). It isn't immediately obvious when False Mermaid is blooming as the flowers are inconspicuous – careful inspection at the right time during the spring will reveal the green sepals, tiny white petals, and the stamens. It is fairly easy to identify this plant because each flower has only 3 sepals and 3 petals, while the alternate leaves are pinnately compound. Other woodland plants with a similar appearance include Galium spp. (Bedstraws) and Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy). Bedstraws have flowers with 4 petals and their simple leaves occur in whorls. Aunt Lucy has pinnately compound leaves, but its flowers have 5 white petals and its foliage is more or less hairy.
Cultivation: The preference is diffuse sunlight to light shade during the spring when vegetative growth and development occurs, otherwise it can be quite shady. The soil should be consistently moist and loamy or silty. This plant doesn't like to dry out.
Range & Habitat: The native False Mermaid occurs occasionally in northern and east central Illinois, otherwise it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands and low-lying areas along springs and small rivers in wooded areas. False Mermaid is usually found in high quality woodlands where the original flora is still intact. This is one of the spring wildflowers in woodlands that is threatened by the invasion of Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard).
Faunal Associations: The small inconspicuous flowers can attract flower flies and small bees. The foliage is not known to be toxic and may be edible to mammalian herbivores, although little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this species.
Photographic Location: A moist area of Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This inconspicuous little plant is easy to overlook, except where it occurs in sizable colonies along the woodland floor. The delicate foliage is attractive and resembles moss or a Galium sp. (Bedstraw). It isn't immediately obvious when False Mermaid is blooming as the flowers are inconspicuous – careful inspection at the right time during the spring will reveal the green sepals, tiny white petals, and the stamens. It is fairly easy to identify this plant because each flower has only 3 sepals and 3 petals, while the alternate leaves are pinnately compound. Other woodland plants with a similar appearance include Galium spp. (Bedstraws) and Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy). Bedstraws have flowers with 4 petals and their simple leaves occur in whorls. Aunt Lucy has pinnately compound leaves, but its flowers have 5 white petals and its foliage is more or less hairy.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月11日
Description: This perennial plant is ½–1½' tall and up to 3½' long, developing as a dwarf shrub or a short woody vine. The central stem is either ascending or sprawling, branching occasionally. The central stem and any lateral stems are light green or purple, terete or angular, and hairless. Pairs of opposite leaves occur at interval along these stems. Individual leaves are up to 2½" long and 1¾" across, obovate, hairless, and finely serrate-crenate along their margins. The upper surface of each leaf is medium green, while the lower surface is slightly more pale with raised pinnate veins. The petioles are about 1/8" (3 mm.) long. Cymes of 1-4 flowers occasionally develop from the axils of the leaves. The peduncle of each cyme is about 1-2" long, while the pedicels of individual flowers are much shorter. Individual flowers are up to 1/3" (8 mm.) across, consisting of 5 pale greenish purple petals, a short green calyx with 5 lobes, 5 short stamens, and a central pistil. The petals are nearly orbicular in shape and slightly overlapping.
The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1½ months. Each fertile flower is replaced by a tuberculate globoid fruit about ¾" across. This fruit usually has 3 lobed cells (less often, there are 5). The outer surface of the fruit is orange or pink. When it splits open along its lobes, the fleshy arils covering the seeds are revealed; they are scarlet. New rootlets can develop where the stems have contact with the ground; as a result, this plant can reproduce vegetatively.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, moist to slightly dry conditions, and soil that is loamy or rocky. Well-drained areas are preferred. Because of its habitat of growth, Running Strawberry Bush can be used as a ground cover.
Range & Habitat: Running Strawberry Bush is an uncommon plant that is found only in NE Illinois, east-central Illinois, and southern Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Illinois lies along the NW edge of its range. Habitats include upland rocky woodlands, wooded slopes, thinly wooded bluffs, and shaded to semi-shaded areas along the edges of cliffs. Running Strawberry is a conservative species that is found in high quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: Information about floral-faunal relationships for this particular species is limited. The nectar and pollen of the flowers probably attract small bees and miscellaneous flies. Some insects that are known to feed on Euonymus spp. include Taedia evonymi (Euonymus Plant Bug), Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Black Vine Weevil), Unaspis euonymi (Euonymus Scale), caterpillars of Herpetogramma thestealis (Pyralid Moth sp.), caterpillars of Yponomeuta multipunctella (American Ermine Moth), and the larvae of Stenocorus cinnamopterus (Long-Horned Beetle sp.). The larvae of this latter insect bore through branches. The fruit of Running Strawberry Bush is probably eaten by the Wild Turkey and other birds, while the foliage is occasionally eaten by White-Tailed Deer and Cottontail Rabbits, even though both the fruit and foliage are supposed to be somewhat toxic.
Photographic Location: Along the wooded slope of a bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This interesting shrub should be cultivated more often. Running Strawberry Bush differs from other Euonymus spp. by its low habit of growth (less than 2' tall) and stems that often sprawl across the ground (less than 4' long). Other Euonymus spp. are either taller or they have longer stems. The flowers of Running Strawberry Bush have 5 petals, while the flowers of most Eurasian Euonymus spp. in Illinois have only 4 petals. This low shrub can be confused with a small Euonymus americanus (Strawberry Bush). Running Strawberry Bush usually has obovate leaves that are widest above the middle, while the latter shrub has leaves that are widest at or below the middle. A mature specimen of Strawberry Bush is about 3-6' tall.
The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer and lasts about 1½ months. Each fertile flower is replaced by a tuberculate globoid fruit about ¾" across. This fruit usually has 3 lobed cells (less often, there are 5). The outer surface of the fruit is orange or pink. When it splits open along its lobes, the fleshy arils covering the seeds are revealed; they are scarlet. New rootlets can develop where the stems have contact with the ground; as a result, this plant can reproduce vegetatively.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, moist to slightly dry conditions, and soil that is loamy or rocky. Well-drained areas are preferred. Because of its habitat of growth, Running Strawberry Bush can be used as a ground cover.
Range & Habitat: Running Strawberry Bush is an uncommon plant that is found only in NE Illinois, east-central Illinois, and southern Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Illinois lies along the NW edge of its range. Habitats include upland rocky woodlands, wooded slopes, thinly wooded bluffs, and shaded to semi-shaded areas along the edges of cliffs. Running Strawberry is a conservative species that is found in high quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: Information about floral-faunal relationships for this particular species is limited. The nectar and pollen of the flowers probably attract small bees and miscellaneous flies. Some insects that are known to feed on Euonymus spp. include Taedia evonymi (Euonymus Plant Bug), Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Black Vine Weevil), Unaspis euonymi (Euonymus Scale), caterpillars of Herpetogramma thestealis (Pyralid Moth sp.), caterpillars of Yponomeuta multipunctella (American Ermine Moth), and the larvae of Stenocorus cinnamopterus (Long-Horned Beetle sp.). The larvae of this latter insect bore through branches. The fruit of Running Strawberry Bush is probably eaten by the Wild Turkey and other birds, while the foliage is occasionally eaten by White-Tailed Deer and Cottontail Rabbits, even though both the fruit and foliage are supposed to be somewhat toxic.
Photographic Location: Along the wooded slope of a bluff in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: This interesting shrub should be cultivated more often. Running Strawberry Bush differs from other Euonymus spp. by its low habit of growth (less than 2' tall) and stems that often sprawl across the ground (less than 4' long). Other Euonymus spp. are either taller or they have longer stems. The flowers of Running Strawberry Bush have 5 petals, while the flowers of most Eurasian Euonymus spp. in Illinois have only 4 petals. This low shrub can be confused with a small Euonymus americanus (Strawberry Bush). Running Strawberry Bush usually has obovate leaves that are widest above the middle, while the latter shrub has leaves that are widest at or below the middle. A mature specimen of Strawberry Bush is about 3-6' tall.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月10日
Description: This perennial wildflower is 3-10" tall, consisting of one or more stems with alternate leaves and compound umbels of flowers. The light green to reddish brown stems are stout, longitudinal ridged, and glabrous; sometimes they are erect, but more often sprawl across the ground. The leaves are up to 5" long and 3" across; they are ternately compound (typically divided into 3 leaflets). Each leaflet is irregularly cleft into about 3 narrow lobes; these lobes are oblong, elliptic-oblong, or narrowly oblanceolate and their margins lack teeth. The blades of the leaves (i.e., their leaflets) are light to medium green and glabrous, while their long petioles are sheathed at the base.
The stems terminate in compound umbels of white flowers. Each compound umbel consists of 1-4 umbellets, while each umbellet has 1-6 flowers. The flowers of each umbellet are closely bunched together because their pedicels are quite short. At the base of each umbellet, there is a small leafy bract. Each flower is about ¼" across, consisting of 5 narrow white petals, 5 stamens, a divided white style, and no sepals. The anthers of the stamens are initially dark red, but they soon turn black. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring and lasts about 1 month. Each flower is replaced by a slightly flattened globoid fruit (a schizocarp) that contains a single seed. The root system consists of a corm with fibrous roots. This wildflower reproduces by reseeding itself. Occasionally, it forms loose colonies of plants.
Cultivation: Some dappled sunlight is required during the spring, otherwise shade is tolerated. Moist to mesic conditions and a rich loamy soil with some rotting organic matter are preferred. Most vegetative growth and development occurs during thePlant in Bloom spring.
Range & Habitat: The native Harbinger-of-Spring has a scattered distribution throughout most of Illinois, but it is absent from the NW section of the state (see Distribution Map). It is occasional in some woodlands, but mysteriously absent from many others. Habitats include rich mesic woodlands with deciduous trees, wooded areas at the base of bluffs, rocky bluffs, wooded bottomland of rocky canyons, gentle wooded slopes along rivers, and areas along woodland paths. This wildflower is normally found in high quality deciduous woodlands.
Faunal Associations: The flowers attract primarily small to medium-size bees and miscellaneous flies. Bee visitors include Little Carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), Mason bees (Osmia spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), and Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp., Halictus spp., etc.). Fly visitors include Calliphorid flies, Anthomyiid flies, Frit flies (Chloropidae), Lance flies (Lonchaeidae), and flower flies (Syrphidae). These insects seek primarily nectar from the flowers.
Photographic Location: A wooded area at the base of a bluff in Kickapoo State Park, Vermilion County, Illinois. This location is not far from an abandoned coal mine.
Comments: This is one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in our deciduous woodlands. Because of its small flowers and low growth habit, it is rather easy to overlook. Also, when observed from a distance, Harbinger-of-Spring can be confused with other wildflowers with small white flowers. Another common name is 'Pepper-and-Salt Plant,' which refers to the anthers of the flowers (after they have become black) and the bright white petals. This wildflower is fairly distinctive because of its period of early bloom, stout stems, oddly colored anthers, and tight umbellets of flowers with narrow white petals.
The stems terminate in compound umbels of white flowers. Each compound umbel consists of 1-4 umbellets, while each umbellet has 1-6 flowers. The flowers of each umbellet are closely bunched together because their pedicels are quite short. At the base of each umbellet, there is a small leafy bract. Each flower is about ¼" across, consisting of 5 narrow white petals, 5 stamens, a divided white style, and no sepals. The anthers of the stamens are initially dark red, but they soon turn black. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-spring and lasts about 1 month. Each flower is replaced by a slightly flattened globoid fruit (a schizocarp) that contains a single seed. The root system consists of a corm with fibrous roots. This wildflower reproduces by reseeding itself. Occasionally, it forms loose colonies of plants.
Cultivation: Some dappled sunlight is required during the spring, otherwise shade is tolerated. Moist to mesic conditions and a rich loamy soil with some rotting organic matter are preferred. Most vegetative growth and development occurs during thePlant in Bloom spring.
Range & Habitat: The native Harbinger-of-Spring has a scattered distribution throughout most of Illinois, but it is absent from the NW section of the state (see Distribution Map). It is occasional in some woodlands, but mysteriously absent from many others. Habitats include rich mesic woodlands with deciduous trees, wooded areas at the base of bluffs, rocky bluffs, wooded bottomland of rocky canyons, gentle wooded slopes along rivers, and areas along woodland paths. This wildflower is normally found in high quality deciduous woodlands.
Faunal Associations: The flowers attract primarily small to medium-size bees and miscellaneous flies. Bee visitors include Little Carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), Mason bees (Osmia spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), and Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp., Halictus spp., etc.). Fly visitors include Calliphorid flies, Anthomyiid flies, Frit flies (Chloropidae), Lance flies (Lonchaeidae), and flower flies (Syrphidae). These insects seek primarily nectar from the flowers.
Photographic Location: A wooded area at the base of a bluff in Kickapoo State Park, Vermilion County, Illinois. This location is not far from an abandoned coal mine.
Comments: This is one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in our deciduous woodlands. Because of its small flowers and low growth habit, it is rather easy to overlook. Also, when observed from a distance, Harbinger-of-Spring can be confused with other wildflowers with small white flowers. Another common name is 'Pepper-and-Salt Plant,' which refers to the anthers of the flowers (after they have become black) and the bright white petals. This wildflower is fairly distinctive because of its period of early bloom, stout stems, oddly colored anthers, and tight umbellets of flowers with narrow white petals.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月10日
Description: This herbaceous parasitic plant is 4-18" tall. Small plants are often unbranched, but large plants are paniculately branched with stiff ascending stems. These stems are initially cream, tan, or purple-striped, but they turn brown with age. The surface of each stem is mostly glabrous, but sometimes it is slightly pubescent. The leaves are reduced to insignificant scales; they are located underneath some of the flowers. Along the length of the stems are alternate flowers; the lower stems have cleistogamous (self-fertile) flowers, while the upper stems have perfect flowers that are usually sterile. The cleistogamous flowers are small and bud-like in shape, while the perfect flowers have tubular corollas with short calyces.
The corolla of a perfect flower is about 1/3" (8 mm.) in length, cream- and purple-colored, with 4 short lobes along its outer rim. Each calyx is cream-colored with 5 purple-striped teeth; it is much shorter than the corolla of a perfect flower. Each perfect flower has a single style and four stamens; the latter are hidden within the corolla. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each fertile flower is replaced by a small ovoid seed capsule about ¼" (6 mm.) long; it contains numerous tiny seeds that can be blown about by the wind. The root system is fibrous. Sometimes large colonies of this plant can be found.
Cultivation: This parasitic plant contains no chlorophyll and obtains its nutrients from the roots of Fagus grandifolia (American Beech). Without the presence of this tree, Beechdrops cannot survive.
Range & Habitat: The native Beechdrops is uncommon in Illinois; it is found in a few counties of the southern and SE regions of the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies at the western range limit of both Beechdrops and the American Beech; both species are more common further to the east. Habitats include mesic woodlands and rocky wooded slopes where American Beech and Sugar Maple trees are usually codominant.
Faunal Associations: Very little information is available about floral-faunal relationships for this species. The perfect flowers may be visited occasionally by long-tongued bees. The ecological value of Beechdrops to animals appears to be low.
Photographic Location: A rocky wooded slope in west central Indiana where American Beech was present.
Comments: From a distance, this plant looks like it is dead, even when it is in bloom, resembling an elongated skeletal hand that has poked up from the ground. When examined up-close, however, it is an interesting plant with beautiful cream and purple-striped flowers and similarly colored stems. Beechdrops is a member of a small group of parasitic plants in the Broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). None of these species are very common in Illinois, and they should be protected in the areas where they occur. Other species in this family tend to be more stout and less branched than Beechdrops; they also produce larger flowers with similar tubular corollas (exceeding ½" in length). These species don't compete directly with Beechdrops because they are parasitic on the roots of plants other than American Beech; typical hosts are oak trees and various members of the Aster family.
The corolla of a perfect flower is about 1/3" (8 mm.) in length, cream- and purple-colored, with 4 short lobes along its outer rim. Each calyx is cream-colored with 5 purple-striped teeth; it is much shorter than the corolla of a perfect flower. Each perfect flower has a single style and four stamens; the latter are hidden within the corolla. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each fertile flower is replaced by a small ovoid seed capsule about ¼" (6 mm.) long; it contains numerous tiny seeds that can be blown about by the wind. The root system is fibrous. Sometimes large colonies of this plant can be found.
Cultivation: This parasitic plant contains no chlorophyll and obtains its nutrients from the roots of Fagus grandifolia (American Beech). Without the presence of this tree, Beechdrops cannot survive.
Range & Habitat: The native Beechdrops is uncommon in Illinois; it is found in a few counties of the southern and SE regions of the state (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies at the western range limit of both Beechdrops and the American Beech; both species are more common further to the east. Habitats include mesic woodlands and rocky wooded slopes where American Beech and Sugar Maple trees are usually codominant.
Faunal Associations: Very little information is available about floral-faunal relationships for this species. The perfect flowers may be visited occasionally by long-tongued bees. The ecological value of Beechdrops to animals appears to be low.
Photographic Location: A rocky wooded slope in west central Indiana where American Beech was present.
Comments: From a distance, this plant looks like it is dead, even when it is in bloom, resembling an elongated skeletal hand that has poked up from the ground. When examined up-close, however, it is an interesting plant with beautiful cream and purple-striped flowers and similarly colored stems. Beechdrops is a member of a small group of parasitic plants in the Broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). None of these species are very common in Illinois, and they should be protected in the areas where they occur. Other species in this family tend to be more stout and less branched than Beechdrops; they also produce larger flowers with similar tubular corollas (exceeding ½" in length). These species don't compete directly with Beechdrops because they are parasitic on the roots of plants other than American Beech; typical hosts are oak trees and various members of the Aster family.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月10日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is up to 1' tall, branching sparingly. It produces both basal and alternate compound leaves with a similar appearance. The stems are reddish green, hairless, and slender. The compound leaves are trifoliate and they have slender petioles. The terminal leaflet has a longer petiolule (basal stalklet) than the two lateral leaflets. These leaflets are up to 1" long and ¾" across. They are ternately lobed, cleft, and hairless. The white flowers occur individually or in groups of 2-3. Each flower spans about ¾" across, consisting of 5 petal-like sepals that are white, no petals, several slender stamens with yellow anthers, and a few green pistils in the center. The blooming period occurs during mid-spring and lasts about 3 weeks. Afterwards, the pistils are replaced by beaked follicles (seedpods that split open along one side) that individually contain several seeds. The root system is fibrous and occasionally small tubers are produced. Vegetative clones of the mother plant are often produced from these tubers; reproduction also occurs by the seeds. False Rue Anemone often forms dense colonies of plants.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil with abundant leaf mould.
Range & Habitat: The native False Rue Anemone is fairly common in the majority of counties in Illinois, otherwise it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include in rich mesic woodlands and low woodlands along streams where deciduous trees are dominant. This species can be extirpated from a woodlands by an invasion of Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) and non-native shrubs.
Faunal Associations: Except for visitors of the flowers, little is known about the floral-faunal relations of this species. The pollen of the flowers attracts medium- to small-sized bees and flies primarily, including Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp., etc.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), honeybees, Syrphid flies, and other flies. The bees collect pollen, while the flies feed on pollen. Occasionally various beetles also feed on the pollen, but they are less effective at cross-pollination. Some of these insects probably search in vain for nectar, as the flowers lack nectaries. The foliage of False Rue Anemone is rarely browsed by mammalian herbivores (personal observation).
Photographic Location: A mesic deciduous woodlands at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Another scientific name for False Rue Anemone is Isopyrum biternatum. This species blooms a little earlier than many other spring wildflowers in a woodlands, and it has attractive flowers and foliage. Two other members of the Buttercup family that occur in woodlands, Anemone quinequefolia (Wood Anemone) and Anemonella thalictroides (Rue Anemone), resemble False Rue Anemone. Wood Anemone has leaflets that are coarsely serrated along the margins and their lobes taper to sharp points; it also differs from False Rue Anemone by the whorl of leaves underneath its flowers. Rue Anemone also has whorled leaves underneath its flowers, otherwise its foliage is very similar to that of False Rue Anemone (which has alternate leaves along the stems). While Wood Anemone and Rue Anemone produce small clusters of beaked achenes (each containing a single seed within a hardened exterior), False Rue Anemone produces small clusters of beaked follicles that each contain 2 or more seeds. Sometimes the white flowers of Wood Anemone and Rue Anemone have more than 5 petal-like sepals, while the flowers of False Rue Anemone never have more than 5 petal-like sepals.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil with abundant leaf mould.
Range & Habitat: The native False Rue Anemone is fairly common in the majority of counties in Illinois, otherwise it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include in rich mesic woodlands and low woodlands along streams where deciduous trees are dominant. This species can be extirpated from a woodlands by an invasion of Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) and non-native shrubs.
Faunal Associations: Except for visitors of the flowers, little is known about the floral-faunal relations of this species. The pollen of the flowers attracts medium- to small-sized bees and flies primarily, including Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp., etc.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), honeybees, Syrphid flies, and other flies. The bees collect pollen, while the flies feed on pollen. Occasionally various beetles also feed on the pollen, but they are less effective at cross-pollination. Some of these insects probably search in vain for nectar, as the flowers lack nectaries. The foliage of False Rue Anemone is rarely browsed by mammalian herbivores (personal observation).
Photographic Location: A mesic deciduous woodlands at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Another scientific name for False Rue Anemone is Isopyrum biternatum. This species blooms a little earlier than many other spring wildflowers in a woodlands, and it has attractive flowers and foliage. Two other members of the Buttercup family that occur in woodlands, Anemone quinequefolia (Wood Anemone) and Anemonella thalictroides (Rue Anemone), resemble False Rue Anemone. Wood Anemone has leaflets that are coarsely serrated along the margins and their lobes taper to sharp points; it also differs from False Rue Anemone by the whorl of leaves underneath its flowers. Rue Anemone also has whorled leaves underneath its flowers, otherwise its foliage is very similar to that of False Rue Anemone (which has alternate leaves along the stems). While Wood Anemone and Rue Anemone produce small clusters of beaked achenes (each containing a single seed within a hardened exterior), False Rue Anemone produces small clusters of beaked follicles that each contain 2 or more seeds. Sometimes the white flowers of Wood Anemone and Rue Anemone have more than 5 petal-like sepals, while the flowers of False Rue Anemone never have more than 5 petal-like sepals.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月10日
Description: This wildflower is a spring annual about 4-16" tall; it branches occasionally and is more or less erect. The stems are rather thick and succulent, pale green to pale purple, and glaucous; they have widely scattered to dense tufts of long white hairs. The lower leaves are opposite, while the upper leaves are alternate; they are widely spreading. Each leaf is up to 4" long and 1" across; it is simple pinnate or pinnate-pinnatifid in structure and oblong-ovate in outline. There are 7-13 narrow leaflets (or narrow lobes) on each leaf; they can be opposite or alternate. Each leaflet has 3-5 large teeth or cleft lobes. The upper surface of each leaf is medium to dark green and hairy. At the base of each leaf, there is a stout petiole that is flattened on top and somewhat hairy.
Individual flowers up to ¼" across are produced from the axils of the upper leaves; their pedicels are short, slender, and hairy. Each flower has a white or pale blue corolla with 5 petal-like lobes and a hairy green calyx with 5 large teeth. There may be fine purple lines within the interior of the corolla and tiny specks of purple on the petal-like lobes. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer and lasts about 1½ months. The flowers open up during the day; only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. The corollas soon fall off, while the teeth of the calyxes become enlarged, spreading outward from their seed capsules. Each seed capsule is globoid, slightly bifid, and hairy; it contains 4 seeds. The seeds are brown, ovoid, and finely pitted. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to light shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil with abundant organic matter. Most vegetative growth occurs during the spring; the foliage turns yellow and withers away during the summer.
Range & Habitat: The native Aunt Lucy is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois, except the SE section of the state, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include deciduous woodlands, gardens and nurseries, partially shaded areas along buildings, and waste places. This wildflower prefers locations where the ground vegetation is scant as a result of overhead shade or a recent disturbance.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts various kinds of bees, including mason bees (Osmia spp.), little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees. Bee flies (Bombyliidae) are also attracted to the nectar of the flowers, while Syrphid flies feed mostly on the pollen. According to Ada Georgia in A Manual of Weeds (1913), the bruised foliage of Aunt Lucy has a rank disagreeable odor, therefore it is avoided by livestock and probably other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois, where this wildflower developed spontaneously.
Comments: Aunt Lucy is an oddball member of the Waterleaf family. It is not very showy and often omitted from many wildflower guides. Aunt Lucy occurs in two quite different habitats: deciduous woodlands and disturbed areas where the ground is bare or lightly mulched. In the former habitat, it is one of our native spring wildflowers, while in the latter habitat it is a minor weed of nurseries and bare open ground in cities. The leaves of Aunt Lucy are fairly distinctive and help to distinguish it from many other kinds of plants. It resembles to some extent Floerkia proserpinacoides (False Mermaid), except the latter species has greenish flowers with only 3 petals and 3 sepals, and its leaflets (or lobes) are more narrow and smooth.
Individual flowers up to ¼" across are produced from the axils of the upper leaves; their pedicels are short, slender, and hairy. Each flower has a white or pale blue corolla with 5 petal-like lobes and a hairy green calyx with 5 large teeth. There may be fine purple lines within the interior of the corolla and tiny specks of purple on the petal-like lobes. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer and lasts about 1½ months. The flowers open up during the day; only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. The corollas soon fall off, while the teeth of the calyxes become enlarged, spreading outward from their seed capsules. Each seed capsule is globoid, slightly bifid, and hairy; it contains 4 seeds. The seeds are brown, ovoid, and finely pitted. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to light shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil with abundant organic matter. Most vegetative growth occurs during the spring; the foliage turns yellow and withers away during the summer.
Range & Habitat: The native Aunt Lucy is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois, except the SE section of the state, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include deciduous woodlands, gardens and nurseries, partially shaded areas along buildings, and waste places. This wildflower prefers locations where the ground vegetation is scant as a result of overhead shade or a recent disturbance.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts various kinds of bees, including mason bees (Osmia spp.), little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees. Bee flies (Bombyliidae) are also attracted to the nectar of the flowers, while Syrphid flies feed mostly on the pollen. According to Ada Georgia in A Manual of Weeds (1913), the bruised foliage of Aunt Lucy has a rank disagreeable odor, therefore it is avoided by livestock and probably other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois, where this wildflower developed spontaneously.
Comments: Aunt Lucy is an oddball member of the Waterleaf family. It is not very showy and often omitted from many wildflower guides. Aunt Lucy occurs in two quite different habitats: deciduous woodlands and disturbed areas where the ground is bare or lightly mulched. In the former habitat, it is one of our native spring wildflowers, while in the latter habitat it is a minor weed of nurseries and bare open ground in cities. The leaves of Aunt Lucy are fairly distinctive and help to distinguish it from many other kinds of plants. It resembles to some extent Floerkia proserpinacoides (False Mermaid), except the latter species has greenish flowers with only 3 petals and 3 sepals, and its leaflets (or lobes) are more narrow and smooth.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月08日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is ½–1½' long; it has ascending to sprawling stems that branch occasionally. The stems are purplish green to dark reddish purple, sharply 4-angled, stiff, and glabrous to softly hairy. At intervals along these stems, there are pairs of opposite leaves; they are more or less sessile. The leaves are ¾–1½" long and about one-third to two-thirds as much across; they are lanceolate, ovate, or ovate-cordate in shape, while their margins are sparingly toothed and slightly ciliate. The tips of the leaves are acute, while their bases are rounded to slightly cordate. The upper and lower leaf surfaces are yellowish green, medium green, or dark green; they are glandular-punctate and often softly hairy along the major veins. Leaf venation is pinnate. The foliage of this plant has a strong mint aroma, especially when it is crushed. Small cymes or dome-shaped panicles of flowers occur from the axils of the middle to upper leaves, and they also terminate the upper stems. The branches and pedicels of these inflorescences are similar to the stems in their characteristics, except they are more slender.
Each flower is 6-8 mm. (1/4" to 1/3") in length, consisting of a tubular corolla with 4 spreading lobes, a tubular calyx with 5 teeth, 2 strongly exserted stamens, and a 4-parted ovary with a strongly exserted style. The corolla is pink or lavender (rarely white) and softly hairy along its exterior; its 4 lobes are similar in size. The calyx is light green to light reddish purple with 10 raised nerves that are a darker shade of green or reddish purple; it is glandular-punctate. The teeth of the calyx are triangular in shape and similar in size; they are shorter than the tube of the calyx. The filaments of the stamens are white to light purple, while their anthers are pink to lavender, becoming brown with age. The slender style is white to light purple; it has a bifurcated tip. The calyx is noticeably shorter than the corolla, while the stamens and style are almost twice the length of the corolla. The blooming period occurs from late summer to mid-autumn, lasting about 1½ months. Afterwards, each flower is replaced by 4 tiny brown nutlets. These nutlets are about 1 mm. long, about 0.7 mm. across, broadly ellipsoid and bluntly 3-angled in shape; they are small enough to be blown about by the wind. The root system is fibrous, forming small root-buds for next year's stems.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, mesic to dry conditions, and shallow rocky soil that is somewhat acidic. Excessive moisture on the leaves can cause a rust-fungus to develop. This plant can also adapt to ordinary garden soil if taller and more aggressive ground vegetation is kept away from it.
Range & Habitat: The native American Dittany is occasional to locally common in SW Illinois and the southern tip of Illinois (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies along the northern range-limit of this plant. Habitats include upland rocky woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, upper wooded slopes, and semi-shaded areas of sandstone cliffs. American Dittany is found in association with upland oak-hickory woodlands, especially where sandstone is close to the soil surface. It is usually found in high quality natural areas where ground vegetation is relatively sparse.
Faunal Associations: Very little information is currently available about the floral-faunal relationships of this plant. The flowers are probably cross-pollinated by various flies (Blanchan, 1900) and also bees. According to Rudolph et al. (2006), it is a moderately important nectar plant of migrating Monarch butterflies during the autumn. The caterpillars of a monophagous or oligophagous moth, Stephensia cunilae, mine the leaves (Braun, 1948). This plant is also recorded as one of the hosts of a polyphagous leaf beetle, Capraita circumdata (Clark et al., 2004). Because of the strong mint fragrance of the foliage, mammalian herbivores (deer, groundhogs, etc.) usually avoid its consumption.
Photographic Location: The wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: American Dittany (Cunila origanoides) can adapt to shade gardens and its pinkish flowers provide a welcome alternative to the more common autumn-blooming goldenrods and asters. The common name of this plant may refer to its resemblance to a Mediterranean species, Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamnus). American Dittany also resembles the cultivated culinary herbs, Oregano (Origanum vulgare) and Marjoram (Origanum majorana), except its flowers have only 2 fertile stamens rather than 4 fertile stamens, its leaves are usually larger in size, and its leaf tips are more acute than those of the latter species. American Dittany can be distinguished from other similar species in the Mint family by means of a combination of the following characteristics: 1) the presence of only 2 fertile stamens, rather than 4 fertile stamens, on its flowers, 2) the strongly exserted stamens and style of its flowers, 3) the conspicuous punctate glands on its leaves and the calyces of its flowers, 4) the lack of conspicuous lips on its flowers, 3) the similarity of the 5 teeth on its calyces, 4) the relatively broad shape of its leaves that taper into acute tips, 5) the sessile nature of its leaves, and 6) the strong mint fragrance of its foliage. In addition to American Dittany, Cunila origanoides has several other common names in circulation; they include Stone Mint, Common Dittany, Sweet Horsemint, Frost Mint, Frost Flowers, and Fairy Skirts. During early frosts of the autumn, this plant sometimes forms white 'frost flowers' near its stem bases; they develop from the bursting and freezing of exposed sap.
Each flower is 6-8 mm. (1/4" to 1/3") in length, consisting of a tubular corolla with 4 spreading lobes, a tubular calyx with 5 teeth, 2 strongly exserted stamens, and a 4-parted ovary with a strongly exserted style. The corolla is pink or lavender (rarely white) and softly hairy along its exterior; its 4 lobes are similar in size. The calyx is light green to light reddish purple with 10 raised nerves that are a darker shade of green or reddish purple; it is glandular-punctate. The teeth of the calyx are triangular in shape and similar in size; they are shorter than the tube of the calyx. The filaments of the stamens are white to light purple, while their anthers are pink to lavender, becoming brown with age. The slender style is white to light purple; it has a bifurcated tip. The calyx is noticeably shorter than the corolla, while the stamens and style are almost twice the length of the corolla. The blooming period occurs from late summer to mid-autumn, lasting about 1½ months. Afterwards, each flower is replaced by 4 tiny brown nutlets. These nutlets are about 1 mm. long, about 0.7 mm. across, broadly ellipsoid and bluntly 3-angled in shape; they are small enough to be blown about by the wind. The root system is fibrous, forming small root-buds for next year's stems.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, mesic to dry conditions, and shallow rocky soil that is somewhat acidic. Excessive moisture on the leaves can cause a rust-fungus to develop. This plant can also adapt to ordinary garden soil if taller and more aggressive ground vegetation is kept away from it.
Range & Habitat: The native American Dittany is occasional to locally common in SW Illinois and the southern tip of Illinois (see Distribution Map). Illinois lies along the northern range-limit of this plant. Habitats include upland rocky woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, upper wooded slopes, and semi-shaded areas of sandstone cliffs. American Dittany is found in association with upland oak-hickory woodlands, especially where sandstone is close to the soil surface. It is usually found in high quality natural areas where ground vegetation is relatively sparse.
Faunal Associations: Very little information is currently available about the floral-faunal relationships of this plant. The flowers are probably cross-pollinated by various flies (Blanchan, 1900) and also bees. According to Rudolph et al. (2006), it is a moderately important nectar plant of migrating Monarch butterflies during the autumn. The caterpillars of a monophagous or oligophagous moth, Stephensia cunilae, mine the leaves (Braun, 1948). This plant is also recorded as one of the hosts of a polyphagous leaf beetle, Capraita circumdata (Clark et al., 2004). Because of the strong mint fragrance of the foliage, mammalian herbivores (deer, groundhogs, etc.) usually avoid its consumption.
Photographic Location: The wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: American Dittany (Cunila origanoides) can adapt to shade gardens and its pinkish flowers provide a welcome alternative to the more common autumn-blooming goldenrods and asters. The common name of this plant may refer to its resemblance to a Mediterranean species, Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamnus). American Dittany also resembles the cultivated culinary herbs, Oregano (Origanum vulgare) and Marjoram (Origanum majorana), except its flowers have only 2 fertile stamens rather than 4 fertile stamens, its leaves are usually larger in size, and its leaf tips are more acute than those of the latter species. American Dittany can be distinguished from other similar species in the Mint family by means of a combination of the following characteristics: 1) the presence of only 2 fertile stamens, rather than 4 fertile stamens, on its flowers, 2) the strongly exserted stamens and style of its flowers, 3) the conspicuous punctate glands on its leaves and the calyces of its flowers, 4) the lack of conspicuous lips on its flowers, 3) the similarity of the 5 teeth on its calyces, 4) the relatively broad shape of its leaves that taper into acute tips, 5) the sessile nature of its leaves, and 6) the strong mint fragrance of its foliage. In addition to American Dittany, Cunila origanoides has several other common names in circulation; they include Stone Mint, Common Dittany, Sweet Horsemint, Frost Mint, Frost Flowers, and Fairy Skirts. During early frosts of the autumn, this plant sometimes forms white 'frost flowers' near its stem bases; they develop from the bursting and freezing of exposed sap.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月08日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 1-3' tall; it is unbranched toward the base, but branches occasionally in the upper half. The light green stems are glabrous and occasionally glaucous; they are slightly wider and angular at the bases of petioles. The compound leaves are trifoliate. The lower compound leaves have long petioles, while the upper compound leaves are sessile, or nearly so. Elongated membranous sheaths can be found at the bases of petioles. The leaflets of the compound leaves are up to 4" long and 2" across, becoming smaller as they ascend the stems. Individual leaflets are ovate, elliptic or lanceolate in shape, doubly serrated along their margins, and glabrous. Some of the lower leaflets may be shallowly to deeply cleft along their margins, forming 1-2 lobes. The leaflets are rounded or wedged-shaped at their bases, where they have winged petiolules (basal stalklets). The upper surface of leaflets is medium to dark green.
The upper stems terminate in compound umbels of tiny white flowers. These umbels are somewhat irregular and span about 1½-3" across. Each umbel divides into about 3-10 umbellets, while each umbellet consists of 3-10 flowers. Neither umbels nor umbellets have any significant floral bracts. Each flower is less than 3 mm. (1/8") across, consisting of 5 white petals, 5 white stamens, a conical pistil that is light green, and a short-tubular calyx that is green and without teeth. The petals usually curve inward at their tips. The blooming period occurs during early to mid-summer, lasts about 1 month. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by an elongated ribbed fruit (schizocarp) that tapers at both ends. These fruits are initially green, but they later become dark-colored; each fruit consists of 2 seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself; it occasionally forms colonies at favorable sites.
Cultivation: The preference is medium to light shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a loamy soil with decaying organic material.
Range & Habitat: The native Honewort is a common plant that occurs in most areas of Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands (especially Sugar Maple & Basswood woodlands), woodland borders, edges of shady seeps, wooded areas along springs and streams, wooded bluffs, fence rows that are overgrown with trees, and shady edges of yards. This species adapts well to shaded areas with a history of light to moderate disturbance. It can also be found in higher quality woodlands with more conservative species.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp., Sphecodes spp.), masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), cuckoo wasps (Hedychrum spp.), wild carrot wasps (Gasteruption spp.), Ichneumonid wasps, Syrphid flies, dance flies (Empis spp.), bee flies (Bombyliidae), thick-headed flies (Conopidae), Tachinid flies, Chloropid flies, long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae), leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae), and other insects. Insect that feed destructively on Honewort include the leaf-mining larvae of Euleia heraclei (Hogweed Picture-Winged Fly), Cavariella aegopodii (Willow-Carrot Aphid), Hyadaphis foeniculi (Fennel Aphid), leaf-mining larvae of the moth Epermenia pimpinella, and caterpillars of the butterfly Papilio polyxenes asterius (Black Swallowtail). Information about this plant's relationships to vertebrate animals is scarce. White-Tailed Deer browse occasionally on the foliage. When colonies of plants develop, they provide cover for a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate animals.
Photographic Location: Busey Woods at Urbana, Illinois, where there are areas of moist to mesic deciduous woodlands.
Comments: Honewort is a woodland wildflower that blooms in the shade during the summer. Its white flowers are quite small and not very showy, which is quite typical of wildflower species that adapt to this type of habitat. Because their are many members of the Carrot family with umbels of small white flowers, they can be difficult to identify. Honewort can be distinguished from similar species by the following characteristics: 1) It has hairless leaves and stems, 2) it has trifoliate leaves with leaflets that are sometimes cleft, 3) its leaflets are elliptic to ovate, rather than narrowly linear, 4) its umbels of white flowers are compound, rather than simple, and 5) it has no significant floral bracts at the bases of either umbels or umbellets. If this isn't sufficient to produce an identification (this is a difficult group of plants), then consider the following two characteristics of the leaflets: Theirs margin are usually doubly serrate, and the bases of leaflets taper to winged petiolules (sometimes they are quite short).
The upper stems terminate in compound umbels of tiny white flowers. These umbels are somewhat irregular and span about 1½-3" across. Each umbel divides into about 3-10 umbellets, while each umbellet consists of 3-10 flowers. Neither umbels nor umbellets have any significant floral bracts. Each flower is less than 3 mm. (1/8") across, consisting of 5 white petals, 5 white stamens, a conical pistil that is light green, and a short-tubular calyx that is green and without teeth. The petals usually curve inward at their tips. The blooming period occurs during early to mid-summer, lasts about 1 month. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by an elongated ribbed fruit (schizocarp) that tapers at both ends. These fruits are initially green, but they later become dark-colored; each fruit consists of 2 seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself; it occasionally forms colonies at favorable sites.
Cultivation: The preference is medium to light shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a loamy soil with decaying organic material.
Range & Habitat: The native Honewort is a common plant that occurs in most areas of Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands (especially Sugar Maple & Basswood woodlands), woodland borders, edges of shady seeps, wooded areas along springs and streams, wooded bluffs, fence rows that are overgrown with trees, and shady edges of yards. This species adapts well to shaded areas with a history of light to moderate disturbance. It can also be found in higher quality woodlands with more conservative species.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp., Sphecodes spp.), masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), cuckoo wasps (Hedychrum spp.), wild carrot wasps (Gasteruption spp.), Ichneumonid wasps, Syrphid flies, dance flies (Empis spp.), bee flies (Bombyliidae), thick-headed flies (Conopidae), Tachinid flies, Chloropid flies, long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae), leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae), and other insects. Insect that feed destructively on Honewort include the leaf-mining larvae of Euleia heraclei (Hogweed Picture-Winged Fly), Cavariella aegopodii (Willow-Carrot Aphid), Hyadaphis foeniculi (Fennel Aphid), leaf-mining larvae of the moth Epermenia pimpinella, and caterpillars of the butterfly Papilio polyxenes asterius (Black Swallowtail). Information about this plant's relationships to vertebrate animals is scarce. White-Tailed Deer browse occasionally on the foliage. When colonies of plants develop, they provide cover for a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate animals.
Photographic Location: Busey Woods at Urbana, Illinois, where there are areas of moist to mesic deciduous woodlands.
Comments: Honewort is a woodland wildflower that blooms in the shade during the summer. Its white flowers are quite small and not very showy, which is quite typical of wildflower species that adapt to this type of habitat. Because their are many members of the Carrot family with umbels of small white flowers, they can be difficult to identify. Honewort can be distinguished from similar species by the following characteristics: 1) It has hairless leaves and stems, 2) it has trifoliate leaves with leaflets that are sometimes cleft, 3) its leaflets are elliptic to ovate, rather than narrowly linear, 4) its umbels of white flowers are compound, rather than simple, and 5) it has no significant floral bracts at the bases of either umbels or umbellets. If this isn't sufficient to produce an identification (this is a difficult group of plants), then consider the following two characteristics of the leaflets: Theirs margin are usually doubly serrate, and the bases of leaflets taper to winged petiolules (sometimes they are quite short).
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Miss Chen
2018年05月07日
Description: This biennial plant is about 1–2½' tall, branching occasionally. The stems have a tendency to zigzag between leaves; they are light green, terete, and both short-pubescent and hairy. The alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 6" across. The lower leaves are pinnately cleft into 5 lobes; they are longer than wide, dentate along their margins, and slightly hairy. The earliest of these lower leaves have patches of greyish white or light green toward the middle of their upper surfaces, providing them with a water-stained appearance. The middle to upper leaves are orbicular and cleft into 5 lobes, resembling maple leaves; they are dentate along their margins and slightly hairy. The petioles of these leaves are rather long and stout; they are both short-pubescent and sparsely hairy.
The upper stems terminate in floppy cymes of flowers. These flowers are about ¾" across when they are fully open, becoming more erect while in bloom. Each flower has a lavender or pale purplish pink corolla that consists of 5 spreading petals. At the base of this corolla, there is a hairy green calyx with 5 narrowly triangular teeth. Between each pair of teeth on the calyx, there is a short appendage that is strongly recurved. Toward the center of the corolla, there are 5 stamens with light to medium brown anthers and a slender white style that is divided toward its apex. The peduncles and pedicels of the cymes are light green, terete, and both short-pubescent and hairy; the peduncles are up to 6" long, while the pedicels are up to 1" long. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 3 weeks. Each flower is replaced by a 2-chambered capsule containing several seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is light dappled shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil containing abundant organic matter. Sometimes this plant succumbs to fusarium wilt and other wilt-causing fungi. In spite of its biennial habit, it is possible to maintain this plant in a woodland flower garden as it reseeds itself readily.
Range & Habitat: The native Great Waterleaf occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois; it is less common or absent in the southern and extreme NW areas of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands, woodland borders, areas adjacent to woodland paths, shaded or partially shaded seeps, and shaded or partially shaded areas along rivers. This woodland wildflower begins to bloom after the leaves of the trees have partially developed.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract various kinds of bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, mason bees (Hoplitis spp., Osmia spp.), digger bees (Synhalonia spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), and Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp., etc.). An Andrenid bee, Andrena geranii, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege) of Hydrophyllum spp. Other insects that visit the flowers include Syrphid flies, dance flies (Empis spp.), butterflies, and skippers. Except for these flower visitors, surprisingly little appears to be known about floral-fauna relationships for this species. White-Tailed Deer probably browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: A woodland flower garden on the campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois, and a deciduous woodland at Pine Hills State Nature Preserve in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Great Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum) is one of the more common Hydrophyllum spp. within the state and its flowers are the most attractive. This species has hairy stems and calyxes, and some of its leaves resemble maple leaves. A distinctive characteristic consists of the small recurved appendages between the teeth of its calyx, hence the "appendiculatum" in the scientific name. Other Hydrophyllum spp. lack these strongly recurved appendages and they have less showy flowers. Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginiana) and Canada Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum canadense) have less hairy stems, while Large-Leaved Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum macrophyllum) lacks cleft orbicular leaves that resemble maple leaves. The leaves of this latter species are always longer than broad, and they are pinnately divided to an even greater extent than the lower leaves of Great Waterleaf.
The upper stems terminate in floppy cymes of flowers. These flowers are about ¾" across when they are fully open, becoming more erect while in bloom. Each flower has a lavender or pale purplish pink corolla that consists of 5 spreading petals. At the base of this corolla, there is a hairy green calyx with 5 narrowly triangular teeth. Between each pair of teeth on the calyx, there is a short appendage that is strongly recurved. Toward the center of the corolla, there are 5 stamens with light to medium brown anthers and a slender white style that is divided toward its apex. The peduncles and pedicels of the cymes are light green, terete, and both short-pubescent and hairy; the peduncles are up to 6" long, while the pedicels are up to 1" long. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 3 weeks. Each flower is replaced by a 2-chambered capsule containing several seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is light dappled shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil containing abundant organic matter. Sometimes this plant succumbs to fusarium wilt and other wilt-causing fungi. In spite of its biennial habit, it is possible to maintain this plant in a woodland flower garden as it reseeds itself readily.
Range & Habitat: The native Great Waterleaf occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois; it is less common or absent in the southern and extreme NW areas of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to mesic deciduous woodlands, woodland borders, areas adjacent to woodland paths, shaded or partially shaded seeps, and shaded or partially shaded areas along rivers. This woodland wildflower begins to bloom after the leaves of the trees have partially developed.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract various kinds of bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, mason bees (Hoplitis spp., Osmia spp.), digger bees (Synhalonia spp.), Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), and Halictid bees (Lasioglossum spp., etc.). An Andrenid bee, Andrena geranii, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege) of Hydrophyllum spp. Other insects that visit the flowers include Syrphid flies, dance flies (Empis spp.), butterflies, and skippers. Except for these flower visitors, surprisingly little appears to be known about floral-fauna relationships for this species. White-Tailed Deer probably browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: A woodland flower garden on the campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois, and a deciduous woodland at Pine Hills State Nature Preserve in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Great Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum) is one of the more common Hydrophyllum spp. within the state and its flowers are the most attractive. This species has hairy stems and calyxes, and some of its leaves resemble maple leaves. A distinctive characteristic consists of the small recurved appendages between the teeth of its calyx, hence the "appendiculatum" in the scientific name. Other Hydrophyllum spp. lack these strongly recurved appendages and they have less showy flowers. Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginiana) and Canada Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum canadense) have less hairy stems, while Large-Leaved Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum macrophyllum) lacks cleft orbicular leaves that resemble maple leaves. The leaves of this latter species are always longer than broad, and they are pinnately divided to an even greater extent than the lower leaves of Great Waterleaf.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月05日
Description: This herbaceous perennial wildflower is 3-7' tall. The stems are light green and hairless, while the large compound leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate with 10 or more leaflets. Usually 3 or 5 leaflets are grouped together in the ultimate partitions of each compound leaf. Individual leaflets are up to 4" long and 3" across; they are medium green, glabrous, and lanceolate to broadly ovate in shape. The margins of these leaflets are coarsely toothed; the terminal leaflets are often shallowly to deeply cleft.
Each plant produces one or more panicles of racemes about 1-3' long. These panicles are very narrow and produce only a few secondary racemes around the central raceme. The racemes are narrowly cylindrical in shape and erect; they are densely covered with flowers, buds, and fruits (follicles) in varying stages of development (buds on top, flowers in the middle, and fruits below). Individual flowers span about 2/3" across and they are completely white, consisting of about 24 stamens, a single pistil, and insignificant sepals that drop early. The slender stamens are long and conspicuous, while the pistil has a short curved tip. Each flower has a short pedicel. The blooming period occurs during early to middle summer and lasts about 1½ months. The flowers have an odd unpleasant scent. Each flower is replaced by a small follicle about 1/3" long; this follicle hasDistribution Map a beak that is very short and usually curved. Each follicle splits open along one side to release several seeds; these seeds are fairly smooth (not conspicuously scaly). The root system is rhizomatous and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil with abundant organic material. This plant requires plenty of space.
Range & Habitat: The native Black Cohosh is rare in Illinois and state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in only a few counties in northern and southern Illinois. At some of these localities, Black Cohosh is probably extirpated because it hasn't observed since the late 19th century. At other localities, the population consists of plants that have been introduced. Habitat includes mesic deciduous woodlands (where Sugar Maple is often dominant) and the bases of bluffs along rivers. In Illinois, Black Cohosh is more common in flower gardens than the wild; it is also more common in natural areas further to the east, including the Appalachian mountains.
Faunal Associations: The flowers provide both nectar and pollen to insect visitors. Unfortunately, these insects are largely unknown, in part because Black Cohosh is uncommon in Illinois and neighboring states. The caterpillars of the butterfly Celastrina neglecta major (Appalachian Azure) feed exclusively on Black Cohosh; however, this insect doesn't occur in Illinois. It is doubtful that mammalian herbivores feed on this wildflower to any significant degree because the foliage is toxic.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at The Arboretum in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the largest woodland wildflowers. Black Cohosh is attractive as a wildflower in part because it produces showy spikes of white flowers during the summer, when there is little else in bloom in wooded habitats. For this reason, it's a pity that this species isn't more common within the state. There are two other species that Black Cohosh can be confused with. One of them, Cimicifuga rubifolia (Appalachian Bugbane), has leaflets up to 10" long and across that often display a maple-leaf shape; it also has fewer than 10 leaflets per compound leaf.
In contrast, Black Cohosh has smaller leaflets (up to 4" long and 3" across) and there are usually more than 10-20 leaflets per compound leaf. Another species, Cimicifuga americana (American Bugbane), has foliage that is nearly identical to that of Black Cohosh. However, American Bugbane has several pistils in the center of each flower, while Black Cohosh has only a single pistil per flower. Similarly, American Bugbane produces its follicles in clusters (one for each pistil), while Black Cohosh produces its follicles individually.
Each plant produces one or more panicles of racemes about 1-3' long. These panicles are very narrow and produce only a few secondary racemes around the central raceme. The racemes are narrowly cylindrical in shape and erect; they are densely covered with flowers, buds, and fruits (follicles) in varying stages of development (buds on top, flowers in the middle, and fruits below). Individual flowers span about 2/3" across and they are completely white, consisting of about 24 stamens, a single pistil, and insignificant sepals that drop early. The slender stamens are long and conspicuous, while the pistil has a short curved tip. Each flower has a short pedicel. The blooming period occurs during early to middle summer and lasts about 1½ months. The flowers have an odd unpleasant scent. Each flower is replaced by a small follicle about 1/3" long; this follicle hasDistribution Map a beak that is very short and usually curved. Each follicle splits open along one side to release several seeds; these seeds are fairly smooth (not conspicuously scaly). The root system is rhizomatous and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil with abundant organic material. This plant requires plenty of space.
Range & Habitat: The native Black Cohosh is rare in Illinois and state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in only a few counties in northern and southern Illinois. At some of these localities, Black Cohosh is probably extirpated because it hasn't observed since the late 19th century. At other localities, the population consists of plants that have been introduced. Habitat includes mesic deciduous woodlands (where Sugar Maple is often dominant) and the bases of bluffs along rivers. In Illinois, Black Cohosh is more common in flower gardens than the wild; it is also more common in natural areas further to the east, including the Appalachian mountains.
Faunal Associations: The flowers provide both nectar and pollen to insect visitors. Unfortunately, these insects are largely unknown, in part because Black Cohosh is uncommon in Illinois and neighboring states. The caterpillars of the butterfly Celastrina neglecta major (Appalachian Azure) feed exclusively on Black Cohosh; however, this insect doesn't occur in Illinois. It is doubtful that mammalian herbivores feed on this wildflower to any significant degree because the foliage is toxic.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at The Arboretum in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the largest woodland wildflowers. Black Cohosh is attractive as a wildflower in part because it produces showy spikes of white flowers during the summer, when there is little else in bloom in wooded habitats. For this reason, it's a pity that this species isn't more common within the state. There are two other species that Black Cohosh can be confused with. One of them, Cimicifuga rubifolia (Appalachian Bugbane), has leaflets up to 10" long and across that often display a maple-leaf shape; it also has fewer than 10 leaflets per compound leaf.
In contrast, Black Cohosh has smaller leaflets (up to 4" long and 3" across) and there are usually more than 10-20 leaflets per compound leaf. Another species, Cimicifuga americana (American Bugbane), has foliage that is nearly identical to that of Black Cohosh. However, American Bugbane has several pistils in the center of each flower, while Black Cohosh has only a single pistil per flower. Similarly, American Bugbane produces its follicles in clusters (one for each pistil), while Black Cohosh produces its follicles individually.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月05日
Description: This wildflower has evergreen leaves and semi-woody stems. The entire plant, including the inflorescence, is about 6-10" tall. Plants without an inflorescence are only 3-5" tall. The central stem of each plant is red to brown, unbranched, glabrous, and more or less terete. One or two pairs of smaller opposite leaves occur near the base of the stem, while a single whorl of three larger leaves occur at the base of the inflorescence. The leaves are 1-3" long, ¼–1" across, rather leathery in texture, and glabrous; they are lanceolate to ovate in shape, while their margins have widely spaced dentate teeth. The upper leave surface is dark green, except in areas along the veins, where it is white; this provides the upper leaf surface with a pinnately striped appearance. The lower leaf surface is light green. The petioles of these leaves are short and slender. On fertile plants, the stem terminates in an inflorescence consisting of a nodding umbel, or nodding umbel-like cyme, of 2-5 flowers on a long unbranched peduncle (flowering stalk). Sometimes the inflorescence produces only a single nodding flower. The erect peduncle is pinkish red to light brown, relatively stout, terete, and short-pubescent; the pedicels of individual flowers are similar, except they are shorter (about 1" long) and strongly recurved, holding the flowers face-down. Each flower is about ½–¾" across, consisting of 5 white petals, 5 light green sepals, 10 stamens, and a green pistil. The petals are oval in shape and concave toward the face of the flower. The sepals are oval-ovate in shape and less than one-half of the length of the petals. The stamens have showy light pink anthers and very short filaments; the anthers are bifurcated, releasing pollen from round pores at their tips. The pistil consists of a superior ovary, a short style, and large stigma (all green). The ovary is subgloboid in shape and slightly 5-lobed. The style has a short obconic shape with a broad flat tip and even broader base. The stigma is dome-shaped and wider than the style.
The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 2 weeks. The flowers are fragrant. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are about 8 mm. (1/3") across and dark brown at maturity; they have the same shape as the ovary. The sepals persist underneath these seed capsules. When these capsules split open from above, they release many fine seeds. The root system consists of brown fibrous roots and underground white stolons; the latter are long and slender. Clonal plants are often produced from the stolons.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, dry-mesic conditions, and an acidic soil containing some rocky material or sand. Growth and development are relatively slow. The seeds are difficult to germinate, although new plants can be created by dividing the root systems of older plants. In order to flourish, however, the presence of an appropriate mycorrhizal fungus in the soil may be required.
Range & Habitat: Striped Wintergreen is a rare native plant in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in only two counties (Cook County and Pope County) within the state; see the Distribution Map. At the present time, it may be extirpated from Cook County because of development. Illinois lies along the NE range-limit of this plant; it is more common in mountainous areas further to the east and southeast. In Illinois, habitats consist of rocky upland woodlands and sandy upland woodlands; the latter habitat occurs along Lake Michigan. In these habitats, oaks (Quercus spp.) are usually the dominant canopy trees. Outside of Illinois, this plant is often found in mixed woodlands and coniferous woodlands. Striped Wintergreen is restricted to high quality natural areas in Illinois.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by bumblebees; honeybees also visit the flowers (Standley et al., 1988). These insects obtain nectar from the flowers. The foliage of Striped Wintergreen is regarded as toxic to sheep (Schaffer, 1904), and White-tailed Deer usually avoid it when there are better sources of food (Rawinski, 2016).
Photographic Location: A wooded area in the southern Appalachian mountains. The photographs were taken by Paul Showers (Copyright © 2016).
Comments: Both the foliage and flowers are quite ornamental. In Illinois, the closest relative of Striped Wintergreen is Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata). This latter plant can be distinguished by its leaves: 1) they are oblanceolate in shape, 2) the margins of its leaves are more finely and abundantly toothed, and 3) its leaves lack the white markings that are found on the leaves of Striped Wintergreen. The inflorescence of Pipsissewa also tends to have more flowers (4-8) than the inflorescence of Striped Wintergreen. The common name, 'Wintergreen,' refers to the evergreen leaves, as the leaves of Striped Wintergreen do not possess a mint-like fragrance. Thus, Striped Wintergreen should not be confused with another low-growing semi-woody plant, Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens). In addition to the fragrance of its leaves, this latter plant differs by its white bell-shaped flowers, red berries, and toothless leaf margins. Other common names of Chimaphila maculata are Spotted Wintergreen, Spotted Prince's Cone, Striped Prince's Cone, Spotted Pipsissewa, and Striped Pipsissewa.
The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 2 weeks. The flowers are fragrant. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are about 8 mm. (1/3") across and dark brown at maturity; they have the same shape as the ovary. The sepals persist underneath these seed capsules. When these capsules split open from above, they release many fine seeds. The root system consists of brown fibrous roots and underground white stolons; the latter are long and slender. Clonal plants are often produced from the stolons.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to medium shade, dry-mesic conditions, and an acidic soil containing some rocky material or sand. Growth and development are relatively slow. The seeds are difficult to germinate, although new plants can be created by dividing the root systems of older plants. In order to flourish, however, the presence of an appropriate mycorrhizal fungus in the soil may be required.
Range & Habitat: Striped Wintergreen is a rare native plant in Illinois, where it is state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in only two counties (Cook County and Pope County) within the state; see the Distribution Map. At the present time, it may be extirpated from Cook County because of development. Illinois lies along the NE range-limit of this plant; it is more common in mountainous areas further to the east and southeast. In Illinois, habitats consist of rocky upland woodlands and sandy upland woodlands; the latter habitat occurs along Lake Michigan. In these habitats, oaks (Quercus spp.) are usually the dominant canopy trees. Outside of Illinois, this plant is often found in mixed woodlands and coniferous woodlands. Striped Wintergreen is restricted to high quality natural areas in Illinois.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by bumblebees; honeybees also visit the flowers (Standley et al., 1988). These insects obtain nectar from the flowers. The foliage of Striped Wintergreen is regarded as toxic to sheep (Schaffer, 1904), and White-tailed Deer usually avoid it when there are better sources of food (Rawinski, 2016).
Photographic Location: A wooded area in the southern Appalachian mountains. The photographs were taken by Paul Showers (Copyright © 2016).
Comments: Both the foliage and flowers are quite ornamental. In Illinois, the closest relative of Striped Wintergreen is Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata). This latter plant can be distinguished by its leaves: 1) they are oblanceolate in shape, 2) the margins of its leaves are more finely and abundantly toothed, and 3) its leaves lack the white markings that are found on the leaves of Striped Wintergreen. The inflorescence of Pipsissewa also tends to have more flowers (4-8) than the inflorescence of Striped Wintergreen. The common name, 'Wintergreen,' refers to the evergreen leaves, as the leaves of Striped Wintergreen do not possess a mint-like fragrance. Thus, Striped Wintergreen should not be confused with another low-growing semi-woody plant, Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens). In addition to the fragrance of its leaves, this latter plant differs by its white bell-shaped flowers, red berries, and toothless leaf margins. Other common names of Chimaphila maculata are Spotted Wintergreen, Spotted Prince's Cone, Striped Prince's Cone, Spotted Pipsissewa, and Striped Pipsissewa.
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Miss Chen
2018年05月05日
Description: This annual plant is about ½–4' tall. Medium to large plants (greater than 1½' tall) branch occasionally, while small plants (less than 1½' tall) are often unbranched. The central and lateral stems are hairless. Alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 4" across; they are ovate or deltoid-ovate with 2-4 large teeth along their margins. These teeth are pointed and widely spaced. The uppermost leaves are moreFlowering Plants narrow and may have only 0-1 teeth along their margins. The widely spreading leaves are medium to dark green and hairless; they are not white-mealy on their undersides. The leaf tips are pointed, while their bases are truncate or slightly indented. The slender petioles are up to 1" long. The central stem and upper lateral stems terminate in panicles of sessile clustered flowers. In addition to these, there are usually secondary panicles that develop from the axils of the upper leaves. The branches of these panicles can be hairless or conspicuously hairy. Individual flowers are green or greenish white and only 1/8" (3 mm.) across, consisting of 5 sepals, 5 stamens, and a flattened ovary with a pair of tiny styles at its apex. There are no petals. The sepals are ovate and slightly keeled. The blooming period can occur from late spring into the fall. On an individual plant in bloom, the flowers are at different stages of development. Pollination is by wind. The persistent sepals only partially cover the developing seeds; there is only one seed per flower. Each seed is covered with a thin membrane that is easily removed. Individual seeds are flattened, circular in circumference, and shiny black; they are 1.5–2.0 mm. across. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads into new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade and mesic to dry conditions. While this plant is usually found on rocky ground, it will adapt to ordinary garden soil. Depending on the fertility of the soil and moisture conditions, the size of individual plants can vary considerably.
Range & Habitat: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is uncommon to occasional in most areas of Illinois, except in the east-central section of the state, where it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). This is a native plant. Habitats include rocky upland woodlands, shaded or semi-shaded ledges of cliffs, bottoms of thinly wooded bluffs, recently logged or burned woodlands, woodland openings, shaded to semi-shaded areas of rocky glades, thickets, and fence rows. Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is often found in high quality habitats, but it also occurs in disturbed areas. This is one of the less weedy Chenopodium spp.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this unusual woodland plant, although several moths, skippers, and leaf beetles are known to feed on Chenopodium spp. primarily in weedy open areas. The Bobwhite and several sparrows eat the seeds of these species, while White-Tailed Deer occasionally browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Ledge of a sandstone cliff at the Portland Arch in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex) has very distinctive leaves, which makes it is easy to recognize. These leaves are usually larger in size than those of many other Chenopodium spp., and they usually have 1-4 pairs of widely spaced large teeth. Other Chenopodium spp. have leaves with smaller teeth or their leaves lack teeth altogether. Unlike Maple-Leaved Goosefoot, these latter species often have white-mealy leaf undersides, white-mealy upper stems, and/or white-mealy sepals. They are usually found in sunny disturbed areas rather than woodlands. The American species, Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex), closely resembles a European species with the same common name, Chenopodium hybridum (Maple-Leaved Goosefoot), but it has a different number of chromosomes. The American species is sometimes referred to as Chenopodium gigantospermum, which refers to its relatively large seeds for species in this genus.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to medium shade and mesic to dry conditions. While this plant is usually found on rocky ground, it will adapt to ordinary garden soil. Depending on the fertility of the soil and moisture conditions, the size of individual plants can vary considerably.
Range & Habitat: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is uncommon to occasional in most areas of Illinois, except in the east-central section of the state, where it is rare or absent (see Distribution Map). This is a native plant. Habitats include rocky upland woodlands, shaded or semi-shaded ledges of cliffs, bottoms of thinly wooded bluffs, recently logged or burned woodlands, woodland openings, shaded to semi-shaded areas of rocky glades, thickets, and fence rows. Maple-Leaved Goosefoot is often found in high quality habitats, but it also occurs in disturbed areas. This is one of the less weedy Chenopodium spp.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this unusual woodland plant, although several moths, skippers, and leaf beetles are known to feed on Chenopodium spp. primarily in weedy open areas. The Bobwhite and several sparrows eat the seeds of these species, while White-Tailed Deer occasionally browse on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Ledge of a sandstone cliff at the Portland Arch in west-central Indiana.
Comments: Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex) has very distinctive leaves, which makes it is easy to recognize. These leaves are usually larger in size than those of many other Chenopodium spp., and they usually have 1-4 pairs of widely spaced large teeth. Other Chenopodium spp. have leaves with smaller teeth or their leaves lack teeth altogether. Unlike Maple-Leaved Goosefoot, these latter species often have white-mealy leaf undersides, white-mealy upper stems, and/or white-mealy sepals. They are usually found in sunny disturbed areas rather than woodlands. The American species, Maple-Leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex), closely resembles a European species with the same common name, Chenopodium hybridum (Maple-Leaved Goosefoot), but it has a different number of chromosomes. The American species is sometimes referred to as Chenopodium gigantospermum, which refers to its relatively large seeds for species in this genus.
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