文章
Miss Chen
2018年03月04日
Description: This perennial plant is about 1¾-2¾' tall and unbranched. The central stem is light green, round in cross-section (terete), and glabrous to finely pubescent. The opposite leaves are up to 6" long and 3" across. They are ovate-oblong or broadly lanceolate, with smooth margins that may undulate up and down. The leaves often curl upward from the pinkish central vein. The upper surface of the foliage is mostly glabrous and yellowish green to dark green (depending on light conditions), while the lower surface is light green and softly pubescent (at least along the major veins). Leaf venation is pinnate. The central stem terminates with 1-6 umbels of flowers; there may be a few axillary umbels from some of the upper leaves as well. Each rounded umbel is about 2-3" across. These flowers have the typical structure for milkweeds; they are pale purple to deep purple, sometimes with greenish or rosy tints. However, the central reproductive column and the bases of the deflexed petals are more pale than the rest of the flower.
Flowering Plant
The hoods are much taller than the horns; the latter curve inward toward the reproductive column and appear spike-like (but are slightly thicker toward the base). The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, and lasts about one month. The flowers have a pleasant fragrance. If cross-pollination occurs, the flowers are replaced by seedpods (follicles) that are held erect. These seedpods are up to 6" long and 1" across; they are narrowly lanceoloid in shape. They have a smooth surface and are finely short-pubescent or canescent. The seeds have large tufts of white hair; they are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a fleshy taproot and rhizomes; small colonies of plants are sometimes produced from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun and mesic conditions; this plant also tolerates light shade and full sun, as well as considerable variations in the moisture regime. Immature plants are inclined to wilt during a drought, and should be watered. The soil can consist of moisture-retaining loam or clay-loam. The plants make rapid growth during the late spring until they flower and form seedpods, then they gradually degenerate. It takes 3 years or more for a small transplant or seedling to reach flowering size. The leaves have tendency to turn yellow and curl in response to dry sunny conditions, or when they become old.
Range & Habitat: The native Purple Milkweed is an occasional plant that is widely distributed in Illinois (see Distribution Map). However, it is uncommon or absent in some areas of NW, central, and east-central Illinois. Habitats include lower slopes of hill prairies, meadows in wooded areas, thickets and woodland borders, bluffs and open woodlands, oak savannas, glades, and roadsides. This plant usually occurs along prairie edges near wooded areas, rather than in open prairie. It is usually found in higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. To a lesser extent, green metallic bees and other Halictid bees may visit the flowers, but they are less effective at pollination. Another unusual visitor of the flowers is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Among the butterflies, such visitors as the Pipevine Swallowtail, Giant Swallowtail, American Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Clouded Sulfur, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Regal Fritillary, Great Spangled Fritillary, and many others have been reported. A group of oligophagous insects feed on milkweeds. They include caterpillars of the butterfly Danaus plexippes (Monarch); caterpillars of the moths Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia) and Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia); the aphids Aphis asclepiadis, Aphis nerii, and Myzocallis asclepiadis; Lygaeus kalmii (Small Milkweed Bug) and Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug); and Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle). Mammalian herbivores rarely consume Purple Milkweed and other milkweeds because of the bitter-tasting, toxic foliage, which contains cardiac glycosides.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois, and at the Coneflower Hill Prairie near Lake Shelbyville in east-central Illinois.
Comments: The flowers of Purple Milkweed are quite attractive. This species is less aggressive than Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed), which it resembles somewhat in appearance. However, the flowers of Purple Milkweed are usually a deeper color of purple and more likely to occur in terminal umbels at the apex of the central stem, rather than as axillary umbels between the upper leaves. The seedpods of Purple Milkweed are smooth, while the seedpods of Common Milkweed have soft prickles. Purple Milkweed also resembles Asclepias rubra (Red Milkweed), but the horns on the flowers of the latter species are straight and about as tall as the hoods, while the horns of Purple Milkweed are shorter than the hoods and curve inward toward the reproductive column of the flowers.
Flowering Plant
The hoods are much taller than the horns; the latter curve inward toward the reproductive column and appear spike-like (but are slightly thicker toward the base). The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, and lasts about one month. The flowers have a pleasant fragrance. If cross-pollination occurs, the flowers are replaced by seedpods (follicles) that are held erect. These seedpods are up to 6" long and 1" across; they are narrowly lanceoloid in shape. They have a smooth surface and are finely short-pubescent or canescent. The seeds have large tufts of white hair; they are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a fleshy taproot and rhizomes; small colonies of plants are sometimes produced from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun and mesic conditions; this plant also tolerates light shade and full sun, as well as considerable variations in the moisture regime. Immature plants are inclined to wilt during a drought, and should be watered. The soil can consist of moisture-retaining loam or clay-loam. The plants make rapid growth during the late spring until they flower and form seedpods, then they gradually degenerate. It takes 3 years or more for a small transplant or seedling to reach flowering size. The leaves have tendency to turn yellow and curl in response to dry sunny conditions, or when they become old.
Range & Habitat: The native Purple Milkweed is an occasional plant that is widely distributed in Illinois (see Distribution Map). However, it is uncommon or absent in some areas of NW, central, and east-central Illinois. Habitats include lower slopes of hill prairies, meadows in wooded areas, thickets and woodland borders, bluffs and open woodlands, oak savannas, glades, and roadsides. This plant usually occurs along prairie edges near wooded areas, rather than in open prairie. It is usually found in higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. To a lesser extent, green metallic bees and other Halictid bees may visit the flowers, but they are less effective at pollination. Another unusual visitor of the flowers is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Among the butterflies, such visitors as the Pipevine Swallowtail, Giant Swallowtail, American Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Clouded Sulfur, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Regal Fritillary, Great Spangled Fritillary, and many others have been reported. A group of oligophagous insects feed on milkweeds. They include caterpillars of the butterfly Danaus plexippes (Monarch); caterpillars of the moths Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia) and Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia); the aphids Aphis asclepiadis, Aphis nerii, and Myzocallis asclepiadis; Lygaeus kalmii (Small Milkweed Bug) and Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug); and Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle). Mammalian herbivores rarely consume Purple Milkweed and other milkweeds because of the bitter-tasting, toxic foliage, which contains cardiac glycosides.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois, and at the Coneflower Hill Prairie near Lake Shelbyville in east-central Illinois.
Comments: The flowers of Purple Milkweed are quite attractive. This species is less aggressive than Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed), which it resembles somewhat in appearance. However, the flowers of Purple Milkweed are usually a deeper color of purple and more likely to occur in terminal umbels at the apex of the central stem, rather than as axillary umbels between the upper leaves. The seedpods of Purple Milkweed are smooth, while the seedpods of Common Milkweed have soft prickles. Purple Milkweed also resembles Asclepias rubra (Red Milkweed), but the horns on the flowers of the latter species are straight and about as tall as the hoods, while the horns of Purple Milkweed are shorter than the hoods and curve inward toward the reproductive column of the flowers.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年03月02日
Description: This wildflower is an herbaceous perennial about 1½-3' tall that branches divergently. The stems are light green to red, glabrous, and terete. Pairs of opposite leaves occur along these stems; they are 1½-4" long and ¾-2" across. Individual leaves are oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate, pinnately veined, and smooth along their margins. The upper leaf surface is medium green and glabrous, while the lower surface is pale green and either hairless or pubescent. The slender petioles are about ¼" in length and light green to red. Generally, the leaves are widely spreading or they have a tendency to droop along the stems. Both the stems and leaves contain milky juice.
The slightly nodding flowers are produced in terminal cymes (flat-headed panicles) spanning 1-4" across. Individual flowers are about 1/3" (8-9 mm.) long and about the same length across; each flower has a white to pink bell-shaped corolla with 5 spreading to recurved lobes, a small light green calyx with 5 teeth, 5 stamens, and 2 pistils. The stamens form a cone over the merged stigmata of the pistils. There are also 5 nectaries between the bases of the stamens. The interior of the corolla has 5 thick pink stripes that lead to the nectaries. The peduncles and pedicels of the cymes are light green to red and glabrous; individual pedicels are less than 1/3" long. The blooming period occurs during the summer for 1-2 months. There is a sweet floral fragrance. Flowers that have been successfully cross-pollinatedDistribution Map produce follicles in pairs. Each follicle is 3-6" long and narrowly cylindrical, tapering gradually to a point. At maturity, it splits open along one side to release small seeds with tufts of hair. The seeds are distributed by the wind. The root system is rhizomatous.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and a somewhat barren soil that is sandy or rocky. Spreading Dogbane tolerates other kinds of habitats, but it tends to be less competitive with other plants.
Range & Habitat: The native Spreading Dogbane is occasional in most areas of the state; it is slightly more common in the northern section of the state than elsewhere. Habitats include upland prairies, sand prairies, sandy savannas, stabilized sand dunes near Lake Michigan, thin sandy woodlands, thinly wooded rocky bluffs, and abandoned sandy fields. Spreading Dogbane tends to be particularly common in areas that are burned over from wildfires. In wooded areas, it is typically found in association with oak trees.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by small bees (particularly Halictid bees) and miscellaneous flies. The floral reward of these visitors is nectar. Other insects feed on the foliage, plant juices, and other parts of Spreading Dogbane. These species include Chrysochus auratus (Dogbane Beetle) and Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle); they also include caterpillars of the moths Cycnia oregonensis (Oregon Cycnia), Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia), Papaipema baptisiae (Wild Indigo Borer Moth), and Spargaloma sexpunctata (Six-Spotted Gray). Hottes & Frison (1931) observed the following aphids feeding on one or more Apocynum spp. (Dogbanes): Aphis asclepiadis, Aphis citricola, and Macrosiphum gei. The last two aphid species are highly polyphagous. Because the white latex of the foliage is acrid and toxic, mammalian herbivores rarely bother Spreading Dogbane.
Photographic Location: A stabilized sand dune near Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana. The dominant vegetation of this sand dune consisted of oak trees.
Comments: Spreading Dogbane is a rather lanky plant with small fragrant flowers. It is less aggressive (at least in Illinois) than the closely related Apocynum cannabinum (Common Dogbane). This latter plant refers wetter habitats than Spreading Dogbane. These two species are similar to each other in appearance, but Spreading Dogbane can be distinguished as follows: 1) it tends to be a shorter and more widely spreading plant than Common Dogbane, 2) its flowers are slightly larger in size and the lobes of its corollas are more widely spreading or recurved, and 3) its flowers have conspicuous pink stripes along the sides of the corolla's interior.
The slightly nodding flowers are produced in terminal cymes (flat-headed panicles) spanning 1-4" across. Individual flowers are about 1/3" (8-9 mm.) long and about the same length across; each flower has a white to pink bell-shaped corolla with 5 spreading to recurved lobes, a small light green calyx with 5 teeth, 5 stamens, and 2 pistils. The stamens form a cone over the merged stigmata of the pistils. There are also 5 nectaries between the bases of the stamens. The interior of the corolla has 5 thick pink stripes that lead to the nectaries. The peduncles and pedicels of the cymes are light green to red and glabrous; individual pedicels are less than 1/3" long. The blooming period occurs during the summer for 1-2 months. There is a sweet floral fragrance. Flowers that have been successfully cross-pollinatedDistribution Map produce follicles in pairs. Each follicle is 3-6" long and narrowly cylindrical, tapering gradually to a point. At maturity, it splits open along one side to release small seeds with tufts of hair. The seeds are distributed by the wind. The root system is rhizomatous.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and a somewhat barren soil that is sandy or rocky. Spreading Dogbane tolerates other kinds of habitats, but it tends to be less competitive with other plants.
Range & Habitat: The native Spreading Dogbane is occasional in most areas of the state; it is slightly more common in the northern section of the state than elsewhere. Habitats include upland prairies, sand prairies, sandy savannas, stabilized sand dunes near Lake Michigan, thin sandy woodlands, thinly wooded rocky bluffs, and abandoned sandy fields. Spreading Dogbane tends to be particularly common in areas that are burned over from wildfires. In wooded areas, it is typically found in association with oak trees.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by small bees (particularly Halictid bees) and miscellaneous flies. The floral reward of these visitors is nectar. Other insects feed on the foliage, plant juices, and other parts of Spreading Dogbane. These species include Chrysochus auratus (Dogbane Beetle) and Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle); they also include caterpillars of the moths Cycnia oregonensis (Oregon Cycnia), Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia), Papaipema baptisiae (Wild Indigo Borer Moth), and Spargaloma sexpunctata (Six-Spotted Gray). Hottes & Frison (1931) observed the following aphids feeding on one or more Apocynum spp. (Dogbanes): Aphis asclepiadis, Aphis citricola, and Macrosiphum gei. The last two aphid species are highly polyphagous. Because the white latex of the foliage is acrid and toxic, mammalian herbivores rarely bother Spreading Dogbane.
Photographic Location: A stabilized sand dune near Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana. The dominant vegetation of this sand dune consisted of oak trees.
Comments: Spreading Dogbane is a rather lanky plant with small fragrant flowers. It is less aggressive (at least in Illinois) than the closely related Apocynum cannabinum (Common Dogbane). This latter plant refers wetter habitats than Spreading Dogbane. These two species are similar to each other in appearance, but Spreading Dogbane can be distinguished as follows: 1) it tends to be a shorter and more widely spreading plant than Common Dogbane, 2) its flowers are slightly larger in size and the lobes of its corollas are more widely spreading or recurved, and 3) its flowers have conspicuous pink stripes along the sides of the corolla's interior.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年03月02日
Description: This twining herbaceous vine is up to 10' long, clambering over adjacent shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. The twining stems are light green, terete, and glabrous to minutely pubescent. At intervals along these stems, there occurs alternate compound leaves that are odd-pinnate with 3-7 leaflets (usually 5 leaflets and rarely 3 leaflets). The leaflets are 1½–3½" (4–9 cm.) long and ¾–2¼" (2–5.5 cm.) across; they are lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, ovate, or broadly ovate in shape with toothless (entire) margins. The upper leaflet surface is medium to dark green and hairless, while the lower leaflet surface is either light green or whitened green and hairless to minutely pubescent. Leaflet venation is pinnate. The leaflets have short light green petiolules (less than ¼" or 6 mm.) that are hairless to minutely pubescent. The petioles and rachises (central stalks) of the compound leaves are light green, narrowly furrowed above, convex below, and hairless to minutely pubescent. The foliage of this vine contains a milky sap.
From the axils of the compound leaves, there occasionally develops racemes of flowers that are 2–6" (5–15 cm.) in length; the basal stalks of these racemes are up to 3" long, light green, terete, and hairless to minutely hairy. Flowers are are moderately to densely distributed along these racemes. Each flower has 5 petals forming an ascending standard with an upper keel, a pair of lower lateral wings, and a lower keel that curls upward. These petals are light to moderate maroon (brownish red to brownish purple) toward the front of the flower; toward the back of the flower, they are either a similar shade of maroon or somewhat whitened. The ascending standard functions as a hood over the other floral parts; it has an orbicular shape, but with a sharp keel along its upper side. The standard has either a short, upright, and thickened appendage at the outer tip of its keel, or such an appendage is lacking. Near the throat of the flower, the standard has 2 bands of diagonal black stripes on its inner side. The lower-lateral wings extend forward a shorter distance than the standard above; they are oblanceolate to obovate in shape. The lower keel (consisting of two folded petals) is shaped like an upward scythe with a whitish outer edge.
The short-tubular calyx at the base of the flower is light green or light to medium maroon; it is glabrous to finely short-pubescent. Along the outer rim of the calyx, are 5 shallow and irregular lobes or teeth. The floral rachis (central stalk of the raceme) is light green, terete, hairless to finely short-pubescent, and bumpy from small tubercles; these tubercles are extra-floral nectaries that secret droplets of nectar shortly after the flowers and their pedicels become detached from the floral rachis. The very short pedicels of the flowers are light green, terete, and glabrous to finely short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 2 months for a colony of vines. Afterwards, fertile flowers are replaced by slender cylindrical seedpods about 2-4" (5–10 cm.) long and 0.2" (5 mm.) across that are light green to yellowish green; these seedpods are often slightly curved (up or down) and slightly compressed along their sides. However, some vines are sterile and they don't produce seedpods after the flowers bloom.Distribution Map The seedpods each contain several seeds; eventually they divide into 2 parts, ejecting their seeds. Fresh individual seeds are medium maroon with an inflated reniform shape; dried seeds become dark brown and more chunky. The root system is fibrous, long-rhizomatous, and tuberous; the tubers are arranged at intervals along the rhizomes like knotted ropes. Individual tubers are ½–3" long and ovoid to globoid in shape; they have brown exteriors and white interiors. This vine reproduces primarily (or even entirely) by its tuberous rhizomes, forming clonal vines. A vine with fertile flowers and seedpods can also reproduce by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to full sun, moist conditions, and loamy, gravelly, or sandy soil containing some organic matter. The root system of this vine fixes atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. This vine may fail to bloom during some years, and when it blooms the flowers often fail to produce seedpods. It can be easily propagated by digging up the tubers of the root system and planting them elsewhere.
Range & Habitat: The native Groundnut (Apios americana) is occasional throughout Illinois. Compared to the past, populations of this vine may have declined because of habitat destruction. It is widely distributed in the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. Habitats include moist to mesic woodlands, typical thickets and sandy thickets, typical sloughs and sandy sloughs, moist prairies and moist meadows, typical seeps and gravelly seeps, banks of streams, and edges of fens. This vine is found in average to high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited primarily by bees for nectar and, to a lesser extent, pollen. This includes honeybees, bumblebees, leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), and Halictid bees. Leaf-cutting bees are considered the most important cross-pollinators of the flowers. Yellow jackets (Vespula spp.) have also been reported to visit the flowers to a lesser extent (see Robertson, 1929; Bruneau & Anderson, 1994). A claim has been made, on the basis of the structure and coloration of the flowers, that flies are likely to be the primary pollinators of the flowers (Westercamp & Paul, 1993), but this hypothesis has not been substantiated by empirical observation. Several species of ants have been observed to visit the tuberculous extra-floral nectaries on the central stalks of the floral racemes (Harvey, 2009).
Other insects feed on the leaves of Groundnut (Apios americana). This includes the leaf-mining larvae of Pachyschelus schwarzi (a metallic wood-boring beetle), leaf-mining larvae of Cerotoma trifurcata (Bean Leaf Beetle) and Odontota scapularis (Orange-shouldered Leafminer Beetle), and leaf-eating caterpillars of Epargyreus clarus (Silver-spotted Skipper) and Thorybes bathyllus (Southern Cloudywing); see MacRae (1991), Clark et al. (2004), and Barnes (1999). Among vertebrate animals, White-tailed Deer have been observed to feed on the foliage of this vine, and it has been considered a possible source of forage for goats (Morales et al., 2009). Both the seeds and tubers are edible to humans, and they were considered an excellent source of food by both early pioneers and Amerindians. Compared to other commonly eaten tubers and root vegetables, the tubers of Groundnut are unusually high in protein. This vine also provides excellent protective cover for many small to medium-sized mammals, birds, and other fauna.
Photographic Location: A moist thicket at Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve in Cook County, Illinois.
Comments: Groundnut (Apios americana) produces attractive, if somewhat untidy, foliage and unusually colored flowers. As an additional bonus, both seeds and tubers of this vine are edible to humans. Groundnut can be distinguished from similar herbaceous vines by the presence of alternate compound leaves that usually have 5 leaflets; its flowers are also very distinctive. There are both diploid and triploid Groundnut vines. The diploid vines are fertile and they are capable of producing seedpods, while triploid vines are infertile and they never produce seedpods. The infertile triploid vines are supposed to be more common toward the northern extent of Groundnut's range. Morphologically, these two groups of vines cannot be readily distinguished. One vine in Illinois, Amphicarpaea bracteata (Hog Peanut), could be confused with Groundnut, but the Hog peanut has compound leaves with only 3 leaflets (never 5 or 7) and its flowers are light pink and more cylindrical in shape. There is another species, Price's Groundnut (Apios priceana), that shares the same genus as the Groundnut. The uncommon Price's Groundnut occurs primarily to the south of Illinois, although it has been found in a single county in southern Illinois, where it is state-listed as endangered. Price's Groundnut can be distinguished by the pink or whitish pink coloration of its flowers, and by the long, upright, and thickened appendage that is located in front of the keel on the banner of its flowers. The root system of Price's Groundnut is said to produce larger tubers that are solitary, while the more common Groundnut produces smaller tubers that are arranged along individual rhizomes like a knotted rope. Other common names of Apios americana are American Groundnut and American Potato Bean.
From the axils of the compound leaves, there occasionally develops racemes of flowers that are 2–6" (5–15 cm.) in length; the basal stalks of these racemes are up to 3" long, light green, terete, and hairless to minutely hairy. Flowers are are moderately to densely distributed along these racemes. Each flower has 5 petals forming an ascending standard with an upper keel, a pair of lower lateral wings, and a lower keel that curls upward. These petals are light to moderate maroon (brownish red to brownish purple) toward the front of the flower; toward the back of the flower, they are either a similar shade of maroon or somewhat whitened. The ascending standard functions as a hood over the other floral parts; it has an orbicular shape, but with a sharp keel along its upper side. The standard has either a short, upright, and thickened appendage at the outer tip of its keel, or such an appendage is lacking. Near the throat of the flower, the standard has 2 bands of diagonal black stripes on its inner side. The lower-lateral wings extend forward a shorter distance than the standard above; they are oblanceolate to obovate in shape. The lower keel (consisting of two folded petals) is shaped like an upward scythe with a whitish outer edge.
The short-tubular calyx at the base of the flower is light green or light to medium maroon; it is glabrous to finely short-pubescent. Along the outer rim of the calyx, are 5 shallow and irregular lobes or teeth. The floral rachis (central stalk of the raceme) is light green, terete, hairless to finely short-pubescent, and bumpy from small tubercles; these tubercles are extra-floral nectaries that secret droplets of nectar shortly after the flowers and their pedicels become detached from the floral rachis. The very short pedicels of the flowers are light green, terete, and glabrous to finely short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 2 months for a colony of vines. Afterwards, fertile flowers are replaced by slender cylindrical seedpods about 2-4" (5–10 cm.) long and 0.2" (5 mm.) across that are light green to yellowish green; these seedpods are often slightly curved (up or down) and slightly compressed along their sides. However, some vines are sterile and they don't produce seedpods after the flowers bloom.Distribution Map The seedpods each contain several seeds; eventually they divide into 2 parts, ejecting their seeds. Fresh individual seeds are medium maroon with an inflated reniform shape; dried seeds become dark brown and more chunky. The root system is fibrous, long-rhizomatous, and tuberous; the tubers are arranged at intervals along the rhizomes like knotted ropes. Individual tubers are ½–3" long and ovoid to globoid in shape; they have brown exteriors and white interiors. This vine reproduces primarily (or even entirely) by its tuberous rhizomes, forming clonal vines. A vine with fertile flowers and seedpods can also reproduce by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to full sun, moist conditions, and loamy, gravelly, or sandy soil containing some organic matter. The root system of this vine fixes atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. This vine may fail to bloom during some years, and when it blooms the flowers often fail to produce seedpods. It can be easily propagated by digging up the tubers of the root system and planting them elsewhere.
Range & Habitat: The native Groundnut (Apios americana) is occasional throughout Illinois. Compared to the past, populations of this vine may have declined because of habitat destruction. It is widely distributed in the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. Habitats include moist to mesic woodlands, typical thickets and sandy thickets, typical sloughs and sandy sloughs, moist prairies and moist meadows, typical seeps and gravelly seeps, banks of streams, and edges of fens. This vine is found in average to high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited primarily by bees for nectar and, to a lesser extent, pollen. This includes honeybees, bumblebees, leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), and Halictid bees. Leaf-cutting bees are considered the most important cross-pollinators of the flowers. Yellow jackets (Vespula spp.) have also been reported to visit the flowers to a lesser extent (see Robertson, 1929; Bruneau & Anderson, 1994). A claim has been made, on the basis of the structure and coloration of the flowers, that flies are likely to be the primary pollinators of the flowers (Westercamp & Paul, 1993), but this hypothesis has not been substantiated by empirical observation. Several species of ants have been observed to visit the tuberculous extra-floral nectaries on the central stalks of the floral racemes (Harvey, 2009).
Other insects feed on the leaves of Groundnut (Apios americana). This includes the leaf-mining larvae of Pachyschelus schwarzi (a metallic wood-boring beetle), leaf-mining larvae of Cerotoma trifurcata (Bean Leaf Beetle) and Odontota scapularis (Orange-shouldered Leafminer Beetle), and leaf-eating caterpillars of Epargyreus clarus (Silver-spotted Skipper) and Thorybes bathyllus (Southern Cloudywing); see MacRae (1991), Clark et al. (2004), and Barnes (1999). Among vertebrate animals, White-tailed Deer have been observed to feed on the foliage of this vine, and it has been considered a possible source of forage for goats (Morales et al., 2009). Both the seeds and tubers are edible to humans, and they were considered an excellent source of food by both early pioneers and Amerindians. Compared to other commonly eaten tubers and root vegetables, the tubers of Groundnut are unusually high in protein. This vine also provides excellent protective cover for many small to medium-sized mammals, birds, and other fauna.
Photographic Location: A moist thicket at Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve in Cook County, Illinois.
Comments: Groundnut (Apios americana) produces attractive, if somewhat untidy, foliage and unusually colored flowers. As an additional bonus, both seeds and tubers of this vine are edible to humans. Groundnut can be distinguished from similar herbaceous vines by the presence of alternate compound leaves that usually have 5 leaflets; its flowers are also very distinctive. There are both diploid and triploid Groundnut vines. The diploid vines are fertile and they are capable of producing seedpods, while triploid vines are infertile and they never produce seedpods. The infertile triploid vines are supposed to be more common toward the northern extent of Groundnut's range. Morphologically, these two groups of vines cannot be readily distinguished. One vine in Illinois, Amphicarpaea bracteata (Hog Peanut), could be confused with Groundnut, but the Hog peanut has compound leaves with only 3 leaflets (never 5 or 7) and its flowers are light pink and more cylindrical in shape. There is another species, Price's Groundnut (Apios priceana), that shares the same genus as the Groundnut. The uncommon Price's Groundnut occurs primarily to the south of Illinois, although it has been found in a single county in southern Illinois, where it is state-listed as endangered. Price's Groundnut can be distinguished by the pink or whitish pink coloration of its flowers, and by the long, upright, and thickened appendage that is located in front of the keel on the banner of its flowers. The root system of Price's Groundnut is said to produce larger tubers that are solitary, while the more common Groundnut produces smaller tubers that are arranged along individual rhizomes like a knotted rope. Other common names of Apios americana are American Groundnut and American Potato Bean.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年03月01日
Description: This vine is a summer annual about 2-8' long that twines about adjacent vegetation and branches occasionally. The slender stems are light green to reddish green, terete, and covered with either appressed white hairs (var. bracteata) or spreading tawny hairs (var. comosa). Alternate trifoliate leaves occur along these stems. The terminal leaflets are up to 2½" long (var. bracteata) or as much as 4" long (var. comosa); the lateral leaflets are a little shorter. All leaflets are ovate to ovate-rhombic in shape and smooth along their margins. The upper surface of the leaflets is medium green and hairless to sparsely covered with appressed hairs; the lower surface of the leaflets is pale green and usually more hairy. In each trifoliate leaf, the petiolule (basal stalklet) of the terminal leaflet is up to ¾" long, while the petiolules of the lateral leaflets are about 1/8" (3 mm.) long. The slender petioles are 2-6" long. At the base of eachTwo Flowers & Seedpod petiole, there is a pair of small stipules less than ¼" long. Occasionally, congested racemes of 2-15 flowers up to 2" long are produced from the axils of the leaves. Individual flowers consist of 5 petals, a tubular calyx with 4 teeth, several stamens, and a pistil. The petals have a pea-like floral structure consisting of an upright banner, 2 lateral wings, and a keel that is curved upward. The edges of the banner are often folded backward, while the narrow wings and keel project forward. The petals are light pink, pale lavender, or white; the calyx is light green to nearly white and either hairless or hairy. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer into the fall and lasts about 1½-3 months. Fertile flowers are replaced by seedpods about 1-1½" long; these seedpods are oblongoid and flattened with short curved beaks. Each seedpod contains 1-4 relatively large seeds; individual seeds are reniform and flattened. In addition to the preceding flowers and their seedpods, Hog Peanut also produces self-fertile flowers that lack petals. These inconspicuous flowers are produced on low stolons along the ground; they mature into single-seeded fleshy fruits with an obovoid shape. Sometimes, these fruits become subterranean.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist conditions, and soil containing sand or loam. The root system of Hog Peanut fixes nitrogen in the soil through the assistance of symbiotic bacteria.
Range & Habitat: The native Hog Peanut is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map); the two varieties of Hog Peanut, var. bracteata and var. comosa, are about equally common. Habitats consist of floodplain woodlands, low wooded areas along streams, soggy thickets, damp sandy meadows, and seeps. Some disturbance is beneficial if it reduces the shade of canopy trees and other kinds of woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The caterpillars of Epargyreus clarus (Silver-Spotted Skipper) and Autochton cellus (Gold-Banded Skipper) feed on the foliage of Hog Peanut. Other insect feeders include the aphid Microparsus variabilis and several leaf beetles: Cerotoma trifurcata, Odontota dorsalis, Odontota horni, Odontota mundula, Odontota scapularis, Phyllecthris dorsalis, and Sumitrosis rosea. Some of these beetles have larvae that mine the leaves. Various vertebrate animals also use Hog Peanut as a food source. Either the seeds or the fleshy fruits of self-fertile flowers are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Bobwhite, Passenger Pigeon (now extinct), White-Footed Mouse, and Meadow Vole; the Ruffed Grouse also feeds on the foliage. To a limited extent, White-Tailed Deer also feed on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Near a stream in sandy woodland at the Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana.
Comments: Sometimes the scientific name is spelled 'Amphicarpa bracteata.' The common name refers to the fleshy fruits of the self-fertile flowers, which are edible to humans. These unusual fruits distinguish Hog Peanut from many other species in the Bean family. Another vine in the Bean family, Apios americana (Groundnut), produces edible underground tubers. These tubers are part of the root system, rather than a modified seedpod. Compared to Hog Peanut, Groundnut has compound leaves with 5 leaflets and its flowers are often reddish brown and less cylindrical in shape. Other vines in the Bean family have differently shaped flowers and their leaflets are usually less broad and rhombic than those of Hog Peanut.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist conditions, and soil containing sand or loam. The root system of Hog Peanut fixes nitrogen in the soil through the assistance of symbiotic bacteria.
Range & Habitat: The native Hog Peanut is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map); the two varieties of Hog Peanut, var. bracteata and var. comosa, are about equally common. Habitats consist of floodplain woodlands, low wooded areas along streams, soggy thickets, damp sandy meadows, and seeps. Some disturbance is beneficial if it reduces the shade of canopy trees and other kinds of woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The caterpillars of Epargyreus clarus (Silver-Spotted Skipper) and Autochton cellus (Gold-Banded Skipper) feed on the foliage of Hog Peanut. Other insect feeders include the aphid Microparsus variabilis and several leaf beetles: Cerotoma trifurcata, Odontota dorsalis, Odontota horni, Odontota mundula, Odontota scapularis, Phyllecthris dorsalis, and Sumitrosis rosea. Some of these beetles have larvae that mine the leaves. Various vertebrate animals also use Hog Peanut as a food source. Either the seeds or the fleshy fruits of self-fertile flowers are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Bobwhite, Passenger Pigeon (now extinct), White-Footed Mouse, and Meadow Vole; the Ruffed Grouse also feeds on the foliage. To a limited extent, White-Tailed Deer also feed on the foliage.
Photographic Location: Near a stream in sandy woodland at the Indiana Dunes State Park in NW Indiana.
Comments: Sometimes the scientific name is spelled 'Amphicarpa bracteata.' The common name refers to the fleshy fruits of the self-fertile flowers, which are edible to humans. These unusual fruits distinguish Hog Peanut from many other species in the Bean family. Another vine in the Bean family, Apios americana (Groundnut), produces edible underground tubers. These tubers are part of the root system, rather than a modified seedpod. Compared to Hog Peanut, Groundnut has compound leaves with 5 leaflets and its flowers are often reddish brown and less cylindrical in shape. Other vines in the Bean family have differently shaped flowers and their leaflets are usually less broad and rhombic than those of Hog Peanut.
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Miss Chen
2018年03月01日
Description: This perennial vine is up to 15' long and non-woody. The stems twine about adjacent vegetation and fences, climbing upward toward the light. These stems are light green or light reddish green, round in circumference (terete), and shiny; they often have lines of fine white hairs. Opposite leaves up to 6" long and 2½" across occur at intervals along the stems. They are triangular-cordate, glabrous, and dark green. Their margins are smooth, but sometimes undulate up and down. The sinus of the leaf blade is indented and somewhat flattened. The petioles are up to 3" long and often reddish green. A milky sap is absent from the foliage. From the axils of the middle to upper leaves, there are small clusters of flowers about ¾-1½" across on peduncles 1-3" long. Each flower is white or pinkish white and up to ¼" long.
The structure of each flower consists of a light green calyx with 5 lanceolate lobes, a white corolla with 5 linear lobes (sometimes with pink tips), and a white corona (or crown-like appendage) surrounding the reproductive organs in the center. The lobes of the corolla are semi-erect and rather twisted. The corona is divided into 5 segments; each segment has 2 linear extensions at its apex that are rather membranous and twisted. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about 1-2 months. The flowers have a strong honey-like fragrance. If cross-pollination of a flower occurs, there develops a smooth follicle up to 4" long and 1" across; it is lanceoloid and tapers gradually to a point at one end. This follicle is initially green, although it laters becomes reddish green and finally brown. When the follicle splits open along one side, it releases numerous seeds. Each seed has a large tuft of white hairs, which enables distribution by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot and long rhizomes. This vine reproduces by clonal offsets or by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and mesic to dry conditions. Almost any kind of soil is tolerated, including those that contain loam, clay, gravel, or sand. Bluevine can be difficult to get rid off because new shoots can develop from the root system after the entire vine has been pulled. The seeds don't germinate until late spring or early summer.
Range & Habitat: The native Bluevine is occasional to locally common in southern and central Illinois, while in northern Illinois it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include thickets, banks of rivers and drainage ditches, gravelly areas along railroads and roadsides, cropland, overgrown vacant lots, shrubbery in yards, and fence rows. Bluevine adapts quite well to disturbed habitats and it is rather weedy.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts Halictid bees, masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), wasps, flies, and Monarch butterflies. Among the flies, are such visitors as bee flies (Bombyliidae), thick-headed flies (Conopidae), Tachinid flies, and bottle flies. Caterpillars of the butterfly Danaus plexippes (Monarch) feed on the foliage, while Aphis nerii (Milkweed Aphid) sucks juices from the foliage. Another insect, Labidomera clivicollis (Swamp Milkweed Beetle) also reportedly feeds on the foliage (Clark et al., 2004). Mammalian herbivores avoid consumption of the foliage because of its bitter taste and poisonous properties.
Photographic Location: The photograph of the flowers was taken near a railroad in Champaign, Illinois, while photographs of the foliage and seedpod were taken at a fence row near the webmaster's apartment complex in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Bluevine is often referred to as Cynanchum laeve; its scientific name has changed occasionally through the years. Other common names for this species are Honeyvine and Sandvine. A few members of the Milkweed family in Illinois are twining vines, rather than erect herbaceous plants. Most of these occur in southern Illinois in swampy habitats; they are currently classified as Matelea spp. (Climbing Milkweeds), although they were assigned to the Gonolobus genus in the past. Climbing Milkweeds have larger flowers with spreading corolla lobes; they are variously colored. The flowers of Bluevine are smaller with more erect corolla lobes. An introduced species, Vincetoxicum nigrum (Black Swallow-Wort), occurs occasionally in Illinois. It was formerly known as Cynanchum nigrum. Black Swallow-Wort has leaves that are rounded at the base and its flowers are brownish purple. All of these vines produce follicles (seedpods) that resemble those of other members in the Milkweed family.
The structure of each flower consists of a light green calyx with 5 lanceolate lobes, a white corolla with 5 linear lobes (sometimes with pink tips), and a white corona (or crown-like appendage) surrounding the reproductive organs in the center. The lobes of the corolla are semi-erect and rather twisted. The corona is divided into 5 segments; each segment has 2 linear extensions at its apex that are rather membranous and twisted. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about 1-2 months. The flowers have a strong honey-like fragrance. If cross-pollination of a flower occurs, there develops a smooth follicle up to 4" long and 1" across; it is lanceoloid and tapers gradually to a point at one end. This follicle is initially green, although it laters becomes reddish green and finally brown. When the follicle splits open along one side, it releases numerous seeds. Each seed has a large tuft of white hairs, which enables distribution by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot and long rhizomes. This vine reproduces by clonal offsets or by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and mesic to dry conditions. Almost any kind of soil is tolerated, including those that contain loam, clay, gravel, or sand. Bluevine can be difficult to get rid off because new shoots can develop from the root system after the entire vine has been pulled. The seeds don't germinate until late spring or early summer.
Range & Habitat: The native Bluevine is occasional to locally common in southern and central Illinois, while in northern Illinois it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include thickets, banks of rivers and drainage ditches, gravelly areas along railroads and roadsides, cropland, overgrown vacant lots, shrubbery in yards, and fence rows. Bluevine adapts quite well to disturbed habitats and it is rather weedy.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts Halictid bees, masked bees (Hylaeus spp.), wasps, flies, and Monarch butterflies. Among the flies, are such visitors as bee flies (Bombyliidae), thick-headed flies (Conopidae), Tachinid flies, and bottle flies. Caterpillars of the butterfly Danaus plexippes (Monarch) feed on the foliage, while Aphis nerii (Milkweed Aphid) sucks juices from the foliage. Another insect, Labidomera clivicollis (Swamp Milkweed Beetle) also reportedly feeds on the foliage (Clark et al., 2004). Mammalian herbivores avoid consumption of the foliage because of its bitter taste and poisonous properties.
Photographic Location: The photograph of the flowers was taken near a railroad in Champaign, Illinois, while photographs of the foliage and seedpod were taken at a fence row near the webmaster's apartment complex in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Bluevine is often referred to as Cynanchum laeve; its scientific name has changed occasionally through the years. Other common names for this species are Honeyvine and Sandvine. A few members of the Milkweed family in Illinois are twining vines, rather than erect herbaceous plants. Most of these occur in southern Illinois in swampy habitats; they are currently classified as Matelea spp. (Climbing Milkweeds), although they were assigned to the Gonolobus genus in the past. Climbing Milkweeds have larger flowers with spreading corolla lobes; they are variously colored. The flowers of Bluevine are smaller with more erect corolla lobes. An introduced species, Vincetoxicum nigrum (Black Swallow-Wort), occurs occasionally in Illinois. It was formerly known as Cynanchum nigrum. Black Swallow-Wort has leaves that are rounded at the base and its flowers are brownish purple. All of these vines produce follicles (seedpods) that resemble those of other members in the Milkweed family.
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Miss Chen
2018年03月01日
Description: This plant is a herbaceous perennial that becomes 1¼–2½' tall when it flowers. The central stem is light green, terete, sparsely hairy, and unbranched. Alternate compound leaves occur primarily along the lower one-half of this stem; they are odd-pinnate with 3-9 primary leaflets (usually about 5). In addition to the primary leaflets, there is usually a single pair of secondary leaflets on each compound leaf; these secondary leaflets are much smaller in size. Successive pairs of primary leaflets become gradually larger in size, while the terminal primary leaflet is the largest in size, for each compound leaf. The terminal primary leaflets are 2–3½" long and 1¼–2" across; all primary leaflets are obovate to broadly ellipsoid in shape, while their margins are coarsely dentate-crenate. The secondary leaflets are less than ½" long and lanceolate to elliptic in shape. All of the leaflets are sessile.
The upper leaflet surface is medium green or yellowish green and hairless (or nearly so), while the lower leaflet surface is light or whitish green and sparsely hairy along the undersides of primary veins. In addition, the lower leaflet surface usually has minute glandular hairs that can glisten in bright sunlight (a 10x hand lens may be necessary to see them). The petioles and rachises of the compound leaves are light green and sparsely hairy; they are flat or finely grooved along their upper surfaces, while their lower surfaces are convex. Pairs of stipules up to 1" long occur at the petiole bases of compound leaves. These stipules are either unlobed and lanceolate in shape, or they are divided into 2-3 lanceolate lobes. The central stem terminates in either an unbranched raceme or sparingly branched racemes of flowers. The racemes are spike-like in appearance and they are ½–1¼' long. If lateral racemes are present, they are shorter than the central raceme. The flowers are distributed alternately along each raceme. Each flower is about ¼" across or slightly larger in size, consisting of 5 yellow petals, 5 green sepals, 5-15 stamens, and a burry green hypanthium containing a pair of carpels (female reproductive organs). The rachis of each raceme is light to medium green, terete, sparsely hairy below, and short glandular-hairy above. The pedicels of the flowers are short (less than ¼" long).
The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 3 weeks. There is no noticeable floral scent. The burry fruits (mature hypanthia) are 3-4 mm. long and slightly less across; they are obconic-hemispheric below, tapering to a knobby apex above. Around the middle of each fruit, there are 2-3 rows of hooked spines that are widely spreading to ascending (mainly the latter). The obconic-hemispheric section of the fruit may have shallow longitudinal grooves, or such grooves may be lacking. The entire fruit is covered with very short glandular hairs. These fruits usually nod or hang downward from their pedicels. Each fruit contains are pair of seeds. The root system is fibrous, occasionally forming narrow spindle-shaped tubers.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to light shade, mesic to dry-mesic conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, glacial till, or rocky material.
Range & Habitat: The native Woodland Agrimony is occasional in the southern half of Illinois and NE Illinois, while in the rest of the state it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, upland savannas, rocky bluffs, and openings in upland woodlands. This plant is found in higher quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by Halictid bees, other small bees, Syrphid flies, and other flies. Insects that feed destructively on species of Agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) include the aphids Macrosiphum agrimoniellum and Macrosiphum pallidum, larvae of the gall fly Contarinia agrimoniae, larvae of the sawfly Fenella nigrita, and larvae of the moths Anacampsis agrimoniella and Coptotriche agrimoniella (Blackman & Eastop, 2013; Felt, 1917; Smith, 2006; Covell, 1984/2005; Microleps website, 2010). There is some evidence that White-tailed Deer browse on Woodland Agrimony (Agrimonia rostellata), reducing its abundance in wooded areas (Dávalos et al., 2014). The burry fruits can cling to the fur of mammals (cattle, sheep, deer), feathers of birds, and clothing of people, spreading the seeds to new areas.
Photographic Location: An opening in an upland woodland at Merwin Nature Preserve in McLain County, Illinois.
Comments: The different species of Agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) all have spike-like racemes of small yellow flowers and compound leaves that are odd-pinnate. Their compound leaves are unusual in having smaller secondary leaflets interspersed between the larger primary leaflets. Because they are similar in appearance, different species of Agrimony can be difficult to identify. Woodland Agrimony (Agrimonia rostellata) can be distinguished from these other species of Agrimony by examining its fruits: 1) its burry fruits tend to be smaller in size (3-4 mm. long), 2) they have fewer bristles that are spreading to ascending, and 3) they are more hemispheric below and develop a knob-like beak above, rather than being obconic below and with a more tapered beak above. In addition to its fruits, Woodland Agrimony can be distinguished from some species of Agrimony by the short glandular hairs on its floral stalks, the scarcity of secondary leaflets on its compound leaves, the presence of minute glandular hairs on the lower sides of its leaflets (this can be difficult to see), and its greater tendency to develop branching racemes of flowers. Overall, Woodland Agrimony tends to be less robust and smaller in size than other species of Agrimony within the state.
The upper leaflet surface is medium green or yellowish green and hairless (or nearly so), while the lower leaflet surface is light or whitish green and sparsely hairy along the undersides of primary veins. In addition, the lower leaflet surface usually has minute glandular hairs that can glisten in bright sunlight (a 10x hand lens may be necessary to see them). The petioles and rachises of the compound leaves are light green and sparsely hairy; they are flat or finely grooved along their upper surfaces, while their lower surfaces are convex. Pairs of stipules up to 1" long occur at the petiole bases of compound leaves. These stipules are either unlobed and lanceolate in shape, or they are divided into 2-3 lanceolate lobes. The central stem terminates in either an unbranched raceme or sparingly branched racemes of flowers. The racemes are spike-like in appearance and they are ½–1¼' long. If lateral racemes are present, they are shorter than the central raceme. The flowers are distributed alternately along each raceme. Each flower is about ¼" across or slightly larger in size, consisting of 5 yellow petals, 5 green sepals, 5-15 stamens, and a burry green hypanthium containing a pair of carpels (female reproductive organs). The rachis of each raceme is light to medium green, terete, sparsely hairy below, and short glandular-hairy above. The pedicels of the flowers are short (less than ¼" long).
The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early autumn, lasting about 3 weeks. There is no noticeable floral scent. The burry fruits (mature hypanthia) are 3-4 mm. long and slightly less across; they are obconic-hemispheric below, tapering to a knobby apex above. Around the middle of each fruit, there are 2-3 rows of hooked spines that are widely spreading to ascending (mainly the latter). The obconic-hemispheric section of the fruit may have shallow longitudinal grooves, or such grooves may be lacking. The entire fruit is covered with very short glandular hairs. These fruits usually nod or hang downward from their pedicels. Each fruit contains are pair of seeds. The root system is fibrous, occasionally forming narrow spindle-shaped tubers.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun to light shade, mesic to dry-mesic conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, glacial till, or rocky material.
Range & Habitat: The native Woodland Agrimony is occasional in the southern half of Illinois and NE Illinois, while in the rest of the state it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, upland savannas, rocky bluffs, and openings in upland woodlands. This plant is found in higher quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated by Halictid bees, other small bees, Syrphid flies, and other flies. Insects that feed destructively on species of Agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) include the aphids Macrosiphum agrimoniellum and Macrosiphum pallidum, larvae of the gall fly Contarinia agrimoniae, larvae of the sawfly Fenella nigrita, and larvae of the moths Anacampsis agrimoniella and Coptotriche agrimoniella (Blackman & Eastop, 2013; Felt, 1917; Smith, 2006; Covell, 1984/2005; Microleps website, 2010). There is some evidence that White-tailed Deer browse on Woodland Agrimony (Agrimonia rostellata), reducing its abundance in wooded areas (Dávalos et al., 2014). The burry fruits can cling to the fur of mammals (cattle, sheep, deer), feathers of birds, and clothing of people, spreading the seeds to new areas.
Photographic Location: An opening in an upland woodland at Merwin Nature Preserve in McLain County, Illinois.
Comments: The different species of Agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) all have spike-like racemes of small yellow flowers and compound leaves that are odd-pinnate. Their compound leaves are unusual in having smaller secondary leaflets interspersed between the larger primary leaflets. Because they are similar in appearance, different species of Agrimony can be difficult to identify. Woodland Agrimony (Agrimonia rostellata) can be distinguished from these other species of Agrimony by examining its fruits: 1) its burry fruits tend to be smaller in size (3-4 mm. long), 2) they have fewer bristles that are spreading to ascending, and 3) they are more hemispheric below and develop a knob-like beak above, rather than being obconic below and with a more tapered beak above. In addition to its fruits, Woodland Agrimony can be distinguished from some species of Agrimony by the short glandular hairs on its floral stalks, the scarcity of secondary leaflets on its compound leaves, the presence of minute glandular hairs on the lower sides of its leaflets (this can be difficult to see), and its greater tendency to develop branching racemes of flowers. Overall, Woodland Agrimony tends to be less robust and smaller in size than other species of Agrimony within the state.
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Miss Chen
2018年03月01日
Description: This is a herbaceous perennial that becomes 2-4' tall when it blooms, often forming tufts of clonal plants. The stems are light green, terete, glandular short-pubescent, and sparsely to moderately covered with spreading hairs. Alternate compound leaves occur primarily toward the base of this plant; they are widely spreading to ascending and odd-pinnate with 3-11 primary leaflets. In addition, these compound leaves also have 1-4 pairs of secondary leaflets that are inserted between the primary leaflets. The terminal primary leaflets are the largest in size (up to 4" long and 2¼" across), while the lateral primary leaflets become gradually smaller in size as they approach the bases of compound leaves. The primary leaflets are elliptic, broadly elliptic, ovate, obovate, or orbicular-ovate in shape, while their margins are coarsely toothed. The upper surfaces of primary leaflets are yellowish green or medium green and glabrous to sparsely appressed-pubescent. The lower surfaces of primary leaflets are light green and glandular short-pubescent; they also have long spreading hairs that are distributed sparsely along the undersides of the major veins.
The secondary leaflets are similar to the primary leaflets, except they are smaller in size (less than ½" in length). The secondary leaflets are lanceolate to ovate in shape and their margins are either toothless (entire) or sparingly toothed. The rachises and petioles of compound leaves are light green, flat or narrowly grooved above, and convex below; they are glandular short-pubescent and sparsely to moderately covered with long spreading hairs. The primary leaflets are either sessile or they have very short petiolules (basal stalklets). At the bases of petioles, there are pairs of leafy stipules that are up to 1" long, half-ovate or ovate in shape, and sparingly toothed. The stems terminate in spike-like racemes of flowers (¾–2¼' long) that are either unbranched or sparingly so. The central stalks of these racemes are light green, terete, and glandular short-pubescent; they are moderately covered with spreading hairs below, sparsely covered with spreading hairs in the middle, and largely devoid of such spreading hairs above.
Each flower is about ¼" across or slightly more, consisting of 5 yellow petals, 5 green sepals, 10-15 stamens, and a burry hypanthium containing a pair of carpels (female reproductive organs). Both the sepals and hypanthium are minutely glandular-pubescent along their outer surfaces; the sepals are cordate-ovate in shape. The pedicels of the flowers are short (less than ¼" in length), light green, and glandular short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs during the summer for about 3 weeks; only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by burry fruits that are obconic with shallow furrows below and ovoid in shape above, tapering abruptly into an acute beak. Around the middle of each fruit, there 3-5 rows of hooked bristles that are slightly descending, widely spreading, or ascending. Mature fruits are 3½–5 mm. long and slightly wider across (including the hooked bristles); they hang downward from their pedicels. Each fruit contains a pair of seeds. The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil containing loam or clay-loam, although other soil types are tolerated. In full sunlight, the foliage becomes yellowish green. Sometimes this plant grows in waterlogged conditions, but this is not preferred. The long spike-like racemes have a tendency to arch or lean to one side as they mature.
Range & Habitat: The native Tall Agrimony is occasional in northern Illinois, uncommon in central Illinois, and rare or absent in the southern section of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, upland savannas, thickets, disturbed open woodlands, woodland borders, areas along woodland paths, soggy meadows, and swamps. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred, although this species is also found in high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract primarily Halictid bees, other small bees, Syrphid flies, and other flies. Robertson (1929) observed a single species of Halictid bee, Lasioglossum versatum, visiting the flowers of an agrimony (probably Agrimonia gryposepala) in Illinois. Other insects feed on the leaves, flowering stems, and developing seeds of agrimony (Agrimonia spp.). These species include aphids (Macrosiphum agrimoniellum, Macrosiphum pallidum), larvae of a gall fly (Contarinia agrimoniae), larvae of a sawfly (Fenella nigrita), and larvae of moths (Anacampsis agrimoniella, Coptotriche agrimoniella); see Blackman & Eastop (2013), Felt (1917), Smith (2006), Covell (1984/2005), and the Microleps website (2010). The burry fruits readily attach to the feathers of birds, fur of mammals, and clothing of humans, by which means their seeds are spread to new locations.
Photographic Location: A soggy meadow at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: Tall Agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala) can vary somewhat in the number of primary leaflets per compound leaf, and also in the shape of those leaflets. With the exception of Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora), species of agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) are very similar to each other in appearance and usually prefer similar habitats. Downy Agrimony (Agrimonia pubescens) can be distinguished by the lack of glandular hairs on its flowering stalks, and similarly for Roadside Agrimony (Agrimonia striata) and Small-fruited Agrimony (Agrimonia microcarpa). While Woodland Agrimony (Agrimonia rostellata) has glandular hairs on its flowering stalks, like Tall Agrimony, it tends to have smaller fruits (typically 3-4 mm. in length) that are differently shaped and less bristly. Swamp Agrimony differs from the preceding species of agrimony by its more abundant primary leaflets (9-17 primary leaflets per compound leaf) and the more narrow shape of those leaflets. It also prefers wetter habitats than Tall Agrimony and the other species of agrimony that occur in Illinois. Another species that is not recorded from Illinois, European Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), can be distinguished from native species of agrimony by the abundant long hairs on both its flowering stalks and fruits.
The secondary leaflets are similar to the primary leaflets, except they are smaller in size (less than ½" in length). The secondary leaflets are lanceolate to ovate in shape and their margins are either toothless (entire) or sparingly toothed. The rachises and petioles of compound leaves are light green, flat or narrowly grooved above, and convex below; they are glandular short-pubescent and sparsely to moderately covered with long spreading hairs. The primary leaflets are either sessile or they have very short petiolules (basal stalklets). At the bases of petioles, there are pairs of leafy stipules that are up to 1" long, half-ovate or ovate in shape, and sparingly toothed. The stems terminate in spike-like racemes of flowers (¾–2¼' long) that are either unbranched or sparingly so. The central stalks of these racemes are light green, terete, and glandular short-pubescent; they are moderately covered with spreading hairs below, sparsely covered with spreading hairs in the middle, and largely devoid of such spreading hairs above.
Each flower is about ¼" across or slightly more, consisting of 5 yellow petals, 5 green sepals, 10-15 stamens, and a burry hypanthium containing a pair of carpels (female reproductive organs). Both the sepals and hypanthium are minutely glandular-pubescent along their outer surfaces; the sepals are cordate-ovate in shape. The pedicels of the flowers are short (less than ¼" in length), light green, and glandular short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs during the summer for about 3 weeks; only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by burry fruits that are obconic with shallow furrows below and ovoid in shape above, tapering abruptly into an acute beak. Around the middle of each fruit, there 3-5 rows of hooked bristles that are slightly descending, widely spreading, or ascending. Mature fruits are 3½–5 mm. long and slightly wider across (including the hooked bristles); they hang downward from their pedicels. Each fruit contains a pair of seeds. The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun, moist to dry-mesic conditions, and soil containing loam or clay-loam, although other soil types are tolerated. In full sunlight, the foliage becomes yellowish green. Sometimes this plant grows in waterlogged conditions, but this is not preferred. The long spike-like racemes have a tendency to arch or lean to one side as they mature.
Range & Habitat: The native Tall Agrimony is occasional in northern Illinois, uncommon in central Illinois, and rare or absent in the southern section of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland woodlands, upland savannas, thickets, disturbed open woodlands, woodland borders, areas along woodland paths, soggy meadows, and swamps. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred, although this species is also found in high quality natural areas.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract primarily Halictid bees, other small bees, Syrphid flies, and other flies. Robertson (1929) observed a single species of Halictid bee, Lasioglossum versatum, visiting the flowers of an agrimony (probably Agrimonia gryposepala) in Illinois. Other insects feed on the leaves, flowering stems, and developing seeds of agrimony (Agrimonia spp.). These species include aphids (Macrosiphum agrimoniellum, Macrosiphum pallidum), larvae of a gall fly (Contarinia agrimoniae), larvae of a sawfly (Fenella nigrita), and larvae of moths (Anacampsis agrimoniella, Coptotriche agrimoniella); see Blackman & Eastop (2013), Felt (1917), Smith (2006), Covell (1984/2005), and the Microleps website (2010). The burry fruits readily attach to the feathers of birds, fur of mammals, and clothing of humans, by which means their seeds are spread to new locations.
Photographic Location: A soggy meadow at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: Tall Agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala) can vary somewhat in the number of primary leaflets per compound leaf, and also in the shape of those leaflets. With the exception of Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora), species of agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) are very similar to each other in appearance and usually prefer similar habitats. Downy Agrimony (Agrimonia pubescens) can be distinguished by the lack of glandular hairs on its flowering stalks, and similarly for Roadside Agrimony (Agrimonia striata) and Small-fruited Agrimony (Agrimonia microcarpa). While Woodland Agrimony (Agrimonia rostellata) has glandular hairs on its flowering stalks, like Tall Agrimony, it tends to have smaller fruits (typically 3-4 mm. in length) that are differently shaped and less bristly. Swamp Agrimony differs from the preceding species of agrimony by its more abundant primary leaflets (9-17 primary leaflets per compound leaf) and the more narrow shape of those leaflets. It also prefers wetter habitats than Tall Agrimony and the other species of agrimony that occur in Illinois. Another species that is not recorded from Illinois, European Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), can be distinguished from native species of agrimony by the abundant long hairs on both its flowering stalks and fruits.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月28日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 4-7' tall and little branched, except for a few stems developing from the middle to upper leaf axils. The central stem is light green, glabrous, 4-angled, and strongly winged. The opposite leaves are up to 6" long and 3" across, while their petioles are up to 2" long. The leaves are lanceolate-ovate or cordate-ovate, medium to dark green, and hairless or nearly so; their margins are coarsely serrated. At the apex of a plant, young vegetation may be slightly pubescent. The central stem and major secondary stems terminate in individual spikes of flowers. Each spike is about 4-16" long and ¾–1" across; the length of each spike is highly variable depending on the size of each plant and its maturity. The flowers are densely crowded together all around the spike, although only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Each flower consists of a tubular corolla about 1/3" (8 mm.) long and a tubular calyx about 1/4" (6 mm.) long. The pale yellow corolla has 2 upper lobes, 2 lateral lobes, and a single lower lobe that is the largest in size. These lobes are short and rounded. The light green calyx has 5 teeth and several veins along its sides; it is hairless or mostly hairless. Each flower has 4 stamens that are strongly exerted from the corolla and a divided style. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts 1-2 months. Individual flowers are short-lived. At maturity, each flower is replaced by 4 nutlets. The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. Clonal colonies are often produced from the rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil. This plant dislikes dry sunny areas, which will cause the foliage to wilt during a summer drought.
Range & Habitat: The native Yellow Giant Hyssop is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois, except in the NW and southern sections of the state, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include deciduous woodlands, woodland borders and openings, thickets, meadows in wooded areas, and powerline clearances in wooded areas. Occasional disturbance is beneficial if it reduces, but does not eliminate, the shade from canopy trees and other kinds of woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited by bees (e.g., honeybees, bumblebees, & Halictid bees), bee flies, and butterflies. These insects suck nectar, although some of the bees may collect pollen. Syrphid flies also visit the flowers to feed on pollen, but they are less effective at cross-pollination. The dense foliage of Yellow Giant Hyssop attracts its fair share of predatory insects, including parasitic wasps, spiders, ladybird beetles, and others. White-Tailed Deer leave the foliage alone because of its bitter taste.
Photographic Location: A powerline clearance at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The pale yellow flowers are not very showy because they seem small in comparison to the rest of the plant and only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Thus, the attractiveness of Yellow Giant Hyssop consists primarily of its foliage. Other species in this genus that occur in Illinois are Agastache scrophulariaefolia (Blue Giant Hyssop) and Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop). Blue Giant Hyssop is about the same size as Yellow Giant Hyssop and it has a similar appearance, except that the corolla of its flowers are blue and its stems are pubescent. Anise Hyssop has a shorter stature than the preceding species and its foliage has an anise scent; it also has flowers with blue corollas.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil. This plant dislikes dry sunny areas, which will cause the foliage to wilt during a summer drought.
Range & Habitat: The native Yellow Giant Hyssop is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois, except in the NW and southern sections of the state, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include deciduous woodlands, woodland borders and openings, thickets, meadows in wooded areas, and powerline clearances in wooded areas. Occasional disturbance is beneficial if it reduces, but does not eliminate, the shade from canopy trees and other kinds of woody vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are visited by bees (e.g., honeybees, bumblebees, & Halictid bees), bee flies, and butterflies. These insects suck nectar, although some of the bees may collect pollen. Syrphid flies also visit the flowers to feed on pollen, but they are less effective at cross-pollination. The dense foliage of Yellow Giant Hyssop attracts its fair share of predatory insects, including parasitic wasps, spiders, ladybird beetles, and others. White-Tailed Deer leave the foliage alone because of its bitter taste.
Photographic Location: A powerline clearance at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The pale yellow flowers are not very showy because they seem small in comparison to the rest of the plant and only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Thus, the attractiveness of Yellow Giant Hyssop consists primarily of its foliage. Other species in this genus that occur in Illinois are Agastache scrophulariaefolia (Blue Giant Hyssop) and Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop). Blue Giant Hyssop is about the same size as Yellow Giant Hyssop and it has a similar appearance, except that the corolla of its flowers are blue and its stems are pubescent. Anise Hyssop has a shorter stature than the preceding species and its foliage has an anise scent; it also has flowers with blue corollas.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月28日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is up to 2½' tall, forming occasional lateral stems. These stems are light green, hairless, and rather shiny. The shiny compound leaves are medium green, hairless, and odd-pinnate with 3 or 5 leaflets. The lower compound leaves have long petioles, which become shorter as the leaves alternate upward along the stems. The variable leaflets are up to 3" long and 2" across; they are lanceolate, ovate, cordate, or broadly oblong in shape, although the larger leaflets sometimes have 1-2 cleft lobes. Leaflet margins are serrated.
Compound Umbel
Flat to slightly rounded compound umbels of yellow flowers occur at the ends of the upper stems. Each compound umbel is about 2-3" across, and consists of about 12 umbellets. There are about 21 flowers in each umbellet; the central flower of each umbellet is sessile (or nearly so) during the blooming period. Each flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across; it has 5 incurved yellow petals, an insignificant calyx, a pistil, and 5 stamens. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, and lasts about 1 month. There is no floral scent. The seeds are oblong and flattened, but not winged, with several lighter-colored longitudinal ridges. The root system consists of a dense cluster of coarse fibrous roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, although light shade under trees is tolerated. The soil should be moist and loamy, and can contain some rocky material. Foliar disease rarely occurs. The seeds can be difficult to germinate, otherwise this plant is easy to grow and maintain.
Range & Habitat: The native Golden Alexanders is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois, except for some southern and western counties, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist black soil prairies, openings in moist to mesic woodlands, areas along woodland paths, savannas, thickets, limestone glades, thinly wooded bluffs, powerline clearances in wooded areas, and abandoned fields. Golden Alexanders occurs in both degraded and higher quality habitats. It adapts readily to habitat restorations.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are attractive to many kinds of insects seeking pollen or nectar, especially short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. Among the short-tongued bees are such visitors as Green Metallic bees, Masked bees, and Andrenid bees (including the oligolege, Andrena ziziae). Wasp visitors include Eumenine wasps, spider wasps, Ichneumonid wasps, and Crabronine wasps. Such long-tongued bees as bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.) also visit the flowers, as do some small butterflies and true bugs. Notwithstanding all of these visitors, this plant is capable of self-pollination. Caterpillars of the butterflies Papilio polyxenes asterius (Black Swallowtail) and Papilio joanae (Ozark Swallowtail) feed on the leaves and flowers, while caterpillars of Papaipema rigida (Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth) bore through the stems. Two aphids, Aphis saniculae and Aphis thaspii, suck plant juices from Golden Alexanders and similar species in the Carrot family.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Golden Alexanders should not be confused with Pastinaca sativa (Wild Parsnip), which is a weedy Eurasian biennial. The latter is taller, blooms later, and has more leaflets in each compound leaf. It can be particularly difficult to distinguish Golden Alexanders from Thaspium trifoliatum aureum (Yellow Meadow Parsnip), which is another native perennial plant. For the latter plant, the central flower of each umbellet has a short pedicel, the achenes are winged, and its basal leaves are simple, rather than trifoliate. Otherwise, these two species share nearly the same characteristics. Golden Alexanders is an excellent addition to a wildflower garden because it provides accessible nectar to many beneficial insects with short mouthparts during the spring and early summer when such flowers are relatively uncommon.
Compound Umbel
Flat to slightly rounded compound umbels of yellow flowers occur at the ends of the upper stems. Each compound umbel is about 2-3" across, and consists of about 12 umbellets. There are about 21 flowers in each umbellet; the central flower of each umbellet is sessile (or nearly so) during the blooming period. Each flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across; it has 5 incurved yellow petals, an insignificant calyx, a pistil, and 5 stamens. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, and lasts about 1 month. There is no floral scent. The seeds are oblong and flattened, but not winged, with several lighter-colored longitudinal ridges. The root system consists of a dense cluster of coarse fibrous roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, although light shade under trees is tolerated. The soil should be moist and loamy, and can contain some rocky material. Foliar disease rarely occurs. The seeds can be difficult to germinate, otherwise this plant is easy to grow and maintain.
Range & Habitat: The native Golden Alexanders is occasional to locally common in most areas of Illinois, except for some southern and western counties, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist black soil prairies, openings in moist to mesic woodlands, areas along woodland paths, savannas, thickets, limestone glades, thinly wooded bluffs, powerline clearances in wooded areas, and abandoned fields. Golden Alexanders occurs in both degraded and higher quality habitats. It adapts readily to habitat restorations.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are attractive to many kinds of insects seeking pollen or nectar, especially short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. Among the short-tongued bees are such visitors as Green Metallic bees, Masked bees, and Andrenid bees (including the oligolege, Andrena ziziae). Wasp visitors include Eumenine wasps, spider wasps, Ichneumonid wasps, and Crabronine wasps. Such long-tongued bees as bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.) also visit the flowers, as do some small butterflies and true bugs. Notwithstanding all of these visitors, this plant is capable of self-pollination. Caterpillars of the butterflies Papilio polyxenes asterius (Black Swallowtail) and Papilio joanae (Ozark Swallowtail) feed on the leaves and flowers, while caterpillars of Papaipema rigida (Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth) bore through the stems. Two aphids, Aphis saniculae and Aphis thaspii, suck plant juices from Golden Alexanders and similar species in the Carrot family.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Busey Woods in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Golden Alexanders should not be confused with Pastinaca sativa (Wild Parsnip), which is a weedy Eurasian biennial. The latter is taller, blooms later, and has more leaflets in each compound leaf. It can be particularly difficult to distinguish Golden Alexanders from Thaspium trifoliatum aureum (Yellow Meadow Parsnip), which is another native perennial plant. For the latter plant, the central flower of each umbellet has a short pedicel, the achenes are winged, and its basal leaves are simple, rather than trifoliate. Otherwise, these two species share nearly the same characteristics. Golden Alexanders is an excellent addition to a wildflower garden because it provides accessible nectar to many beneficial insects with short mouthparts during the spring and early summer when such flowers are relatively uncommon.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月28日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 1-2½' tall, branching sparingly in the upper half of the plant. The stems are hairless and round, with light green lines that run vertically. The basal leaves are undivided, up to 4" long and 3" across, and have petioles about 2-3" long. They are usually cordate or broadly ovate in overall shape, but with blunt or rounded tips. Otherwise, the leaves alternate up the stem, having progressively shorter petioles and a smaller size. The upper leaves are often ternately compound, and sometimes each leaflet is divided into three lobes. The surface of these leaves are often shiny, while their margins are serrate or crenate. There may be a purplish spot where the petiole meets the base of a leaf.
Compound Umbels of Flowers
The upper stems produce compound umbels of tiny yellow flowers. A typical umbel spans about 2-3" across, and consists of about 7-15 umbellets, which in turn have about 10-20 flowers. These flowers have short pedicels, except the central flower of each umbellet, which is sessile. Each flower has 5 yellow petals that barely open, and is less than 1/8" across. The blooming period occurs during late spring and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a small fruit with 5 angular ribs – however, this fruit is not winged. The root system consists of a central taproot.
Cultivation: This plant prefers light shade to full sun, and mesic to dry conditions. The soil can contain loam, clay-loam, or some rocky material. This plant is easy to grow, and not much troubled by foliar disease.
Range & Habitat: The native Heartleaf Golden Alexanders is restricted to NE Illinois, where it is an uncommon plant (see Distribution Map). It also occurs in Hardin county of SE Illinois. Habitats include moist to dry black soil prairies, hill prairies, rocky upland woodlands, limestone glades, bluffs, abandoned fields, and roadsides. Usually, this species occurs in drier locations than Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders).
Faunal Associations: Various kinds of insects visit the flowers primarily for nectar, especially small bees (Halictid, Andrenid, Nomadine) and flies (Chloropid, Tachinid, Muscid, Syrphid, etc.), as well as occasional beetles and plant bugs. The bees collect pollen as well, while some flies and beetles may feed on pollen. The caterpillars of Papilio polyxenes asterias (Black Swallowtail butterfly) feed on the foliage of this and other members of the Carrot family.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Heartleaf Golden Alexanders differs from its close relative, Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders), by its simple basal leaves, while the latter species has lower leaves that are compound. It also closely resembles Thaspium trifoliatum var. aureum (Meadow Parsnip), but differs from this species in two ways: 1) The central flower of each umbellet is sessile, and 2) the angular fruits enclosing the seeds lack wings. The central flower of each umbellet for the Meadow Parsnip, on the other hand, has a short pedicel like the other flowers, and its angular fruits are strongly winged and somewhat flattened. These latter characteristics provide the Meadow Parsnip with a slight advantage in the distribution of its seeds by wind.
Compound Umbels of Flowers
The upper stems produce compound umbels of tiny yellow flowers. A typical umbel spans about 2-3" across, and consists of about 7-15 umbellets, which in turn have about 10-20 flowers. These flowers have short pedicels, except the central flower of each umbellet, which is sessile. Each flower has 5 yellow petals that barely open, and is less than 1/8" across. The blooming period occurs during late spring and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a small fruit with 5 angular ribs – however, this fruit is not winged. The root system consists of a central taproot.
Cultivation: This plant prefers light shade to full sun, and mesic to dry conditions. The soil can contain loam, clay-loam, or some rocky material. This plant is easy to grow, and not much troubled by foliar disease.
Range & Habitat: The native Heartleaf Golden Alexanders is restricted to NE Illinois, where it is an uncommon plant (see Distribution Map). It also occurs in Hardin county of SE Illinois. Habitats include moist to dry black soil prairies, hill prairies, rocky upland woodlands, limestone glades, bluffs, abandoned fields, and roadsides. Usually, this species occurs in drier locations than Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders).
Faunal Associations: Various kinds of insects visit the flowers primarily for nectar, especially small bees (Halictid, Andrenid, Nomadine) and flies (Chloropid, Tachinid, Muscid, Syrphid, etc.), as well as occasional beetles and plant bugs. The bees collect pollen as well, while some flies and beetles may feed on pollen. The caterpillars of Papilio polyxenes asterias (Black Swallowtail butterfly) feed on the foliage of this and other members of the Carrot family.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the wildflower garden of the webmaster in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Heartleaf Golden Alexanders differs from its close relative, Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders), by its simple basal leaves, while the latter species has lower leaves that are compound. It also closely resembles Thaspium trifoliatum var. aureum (Meadow Parsnip), but differs from this species in two ways: 1) The central flower of each umbellet is sessile, and 2) the angular fruits enclosing the seeds lack wings. The central flower of each umbellet for the Meadow Parsnip, on the other hand, has a short pedicel like the other flowers, and its angular fruits are strongly winged and somewhat flattened. These latter characteristics provide the Meadow Parsnip with a slight advantage in the distribution of its seeds by wind.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月27日
Description: This perennial plant is 3-6' tall and unbranched, except for the flowering stalks of the inflorescence. The central stem is stout and covered with fine white hairs. The alternate dark green leaves are up to 7" long and 2" across. They are lanceolate to narrowly ovate, and slightly serrrated along the margins. The lower sides of the leaves are covered in dense white hairs, which are longer and more prominent than other Vernonia spp. At the apex of the plant, the inflorescence is a corymb of numerous rayless composite flowers. The hairy stems of the inflorescence are usually reddish brown. Each composite flower is about ½–¾" across, and contains from 30-60 disk florets (usually closer to the lower end of the range). These florets are bright magenta and quite showy. There is no floral scent. Numerous dull green or reddish brown bracts subtend the composite flowers, which are aligned together like fish scales. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall, and lasts about a month. The root system is densely fibrous and rhizomatous, and will form offsets to create a small colony of plants. The ribbed, slightly hairy achenes have a small tufts of light brown hair, and are dispersed by the wind.
Cultivation: This plant prefers full or partial sunlight and moist to average conditions. It is somewhat drought resistant. Under severe conditions, the plant will wilt and blooms abort. The soil texture can consist of fertile loam, clay-loam, or have a slightly gritty texture from exposed glacial till and gravel. Disease is not troublesome, except for occasional episodes of mildew during the fall. This species is easy to grow.
Range & Habitat: The native Missouri Ironweed occurs throughout Illinois, except in the NW corner of the state (see Distribution Map). It is a common plant. Typical habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, openings and edges of woodlands, swamps, seeps, limestone glades, edges of lakes, overgrazed pastures, vacant lots, and areas along railroads. It is common in disturbed areas, but also occurs in high quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers attract long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers primarily. Among the bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, Epeoline Cuckoo bees, and Miner bees. Butterfly visitors include Swallowtails, Whites, Sulfurs, Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and others. Bee flies and Halictid bees may also visit the flowers. The flowers are capable of self-pollination in the absence of these insects. The caterpillars of some moths feed on Ironweed species, including Grammia parthenice (Parthenice Tiger Moth), Perigea xanthioides (Red Groundling), and Papaipema cerussata (Ironweed Borer Moth). Mammalian herbivores avoid consumption of this plant because of the bitter taste of the leaves. In overgrazed pastures, Ironweed is an 'increaser' because it is one of the last plants to be eaten.
Photographic Location: Photographs were taken at the Red Bison Railroad Prairie in Savoy, Illinois.
Comments: This is an attractive plant when in bloom, and one of the best attractors of late summer butterflies. Missouri Ironweed can be distinguished from other Vernonia spp. primarily by the number of disk florets in the compound flowers, and the profuse hairiness of the stems and lower sides of the leaves. It is probably the most common species of ironweed in Illinois. Sometimes hybrids occur among different species of ironweeds, making identification difficult.
Cultivation: This plant prefers full or partial sunlight and moist to average conditions. It is somewhat drought resistant. Under severe conditions, the plant will wilt and blooms abort. The soil texture can consist of fertile loam, clay-loam, or have a slightly gritty texture from exposed glacial till and gravel. Disease is not troublesome, except for occasional episodes of mildew during the fall. This species is easy to grow.
Range & Habitat: The native Missouri Ironweed occurs throughout Illinois, except in the NW corner of the state (see Distribution Map). It is a common plant. Typical habitats include moist to mesic black soil prairies, openings and edges of woodlands, swamps, seeps, limestone glades, edges of lakes, overgrazed pastures, vacant lots, and areas along railroads. It is common in disturbed areas, but also occurs in high quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers attract long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers primarily. Among the bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, Epeoline Cuckoo bees, and Miner bees. Butterfly visitors include Swallowtails, Whites, Sulfurs, Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and others. Bee flies and Halictid bees may also visit the flowers. The flowers are capable of self-pollination in the absence of these insects. The caterpillars of some moths feed on Ironweed species, including Grammia parthenice (Parthenice Tiger Moth), Perigea xanthioides (Red Groundling), and Papaipema cerussata (Ironweed Borer Moth). Mammalian herbivores avoid consumption of this plant because of the bitter taste of the leaves. In overgrazed pastures, Ironweed is an 'increaser' because it is one of the last plants to be eaten.
Photographic Location: Photographs were taken at the Red Bison Railroad Prairie in Savoy, Illinois.
Comments: This is an attractive plant when in bloom, and one of the best attractors of late summer butterflies. Missouri Ironweed can be distinguished from other Vernonia spp. primarily by the number of disk florets in the compound flowers, and the profuse hairiness of the stems and lower sides of the leaves. It is probably the most common species of ironweed in Illinois. Sometimes hybrids occur among different species of ironweeds, making identification difficult.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月27日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 2-4' tall and unbranched. The central stem is round, hairless, and white, light green, or reddish purple. The alternate leaves are up to 5" long and ½" across. They are narrowly lanceolate, narrowly ovate, or linear. Their margins are serrated, while the upper and lower leaf surfaces are hairless. The lower leaf surface also has a prominent central vein, and black dots may be present. The leaves are sessile against the stem, or they have short petioles. The central stem terminates in a flat-topped cluster of magenta compound flowers (i.e., a corymb). This flower cluster is quite dense, rather than loose and spreading. The flowering stalks may be slightly pubescent.
A compound flower consists of 15-30 disk florets with a short cylinder of green bracts underneath. These bracts are appressed together like fish scales, and they are often slightly ciliate. The cylinder of bracts spans about 1/5" across. A disk floret is magenta, with 5 spreading lobes and a prominent divided style. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. The flowers are replaced by achenes that have a pappus of hair-like scales. These achenes can be blown several feet from the mother plant by gusts of wind. The root system is spreading and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, moist conditions, and fertile soil. Partial sun and slightly moister or drier conditions are also tolerated. This plant can withstand occasional flooding for short periods of time. The foliage is not bothered by pests and disease to any significant extent.
Range & Habitat: The native Smooth Ironweed is fairly common in in the northern half of Illinois, but uncommon elsewhere in the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to moist black soil prairies, riverbottom prairies, marshes, sloughs along railroads, and edges of fields. Smooth Ironweed is found in wetland habitats to a greater extent than other species of Ironweeds.
Faunal Associations: The flowers attract long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers primarily. Other visitors include bee flies and Halictid bees. These insects seek nectar, although bees also collect pollen. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, Epeoline cuckoo bees, Miner bees, and large Leaf-Cutting bees. An oligolectic bee of Ironweeds is Melissodes vernoniae. The caterpillars of several moths feed on Ironweed, including Grammia parthenice (Parthenice Tiger Moth) and Perigea xanthioides (Red Groundling). Caterpillars that bore into the roots or stems of Ironweed include Papaipema cerussata (Ironweed Borer Moth), Carmenta bassiformis (Eupatorium Borer Moth), and some Polygrammodes spp. (Pyralid Moths). The bitter foliage of Ironweed deters consumption by mamamalian herbivores – it is known as an 'increaser' because it is one of the last plants to be eaten in overgrazed pastures.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a moist prairie along a railroad in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: Another common name for this plant is Common Ironweed. However, in southern Illinois, this species is not common. Smooth Ironweed is one of the smaller Ironweeds with a compact inflorescence and smooth hairless leaves. Other Ironweed species have hairy stems or leaves. An exception is Vernonia gigantea (Tall Ironweed), which has hairless leaves and stems upon occasion. However, Tall Ironweed has a spreading inflorescence, and it is usually a taller plant (as the name implies). The larger leaves of Tall Ironweed exceed ½" across, while the leaves of Smooth Ironweed are ½" or less. Some authorities state that Smooth Ironweed has black dots on the undersides of the leaves, but this is not always true. The species in this genus are occasionally difficult to identify because they can hybridize with each other.
A compound flower consists of 15-30 disk florets with a short cylinder of green bracts underneath. These bracts are appressed together like fish scales, and they are often slightly ciliate. The cylinder of bracts spans about 1/5" across. A disk floret is magenta, with 5 spreading lobes and a prominent divided style. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. The flowers are replaced by achenes that have a pappus of hair-like scales. These achenes can be blown several feet from the mother plant by gusts of wind. The root system is spreading and fibrous.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, moist conditions, and fertile soil. Partial sun and slightly moister or drier conditions are also tolerated. This plant can withstand occasional flooding for short periods of time. The foliage is not bothered by pests and disease to any significant extent.
Range & Habitat: The native Smooth Ironweed is fairly common in in the northern half of Illinois, but uncommon elsewhere in the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include wet to moist black soil prairies, riverbottom prairies, marshes, sloughs along railroads, and edges of fields. Smooth Ironweed is found in wetland habitats to a greater extent than other species of Ironweeds.
Faunal Associations: The flowers attract long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers primarily. Other visitors include bee flies and Halictid bees. These insects seek nectar, although bees also collect pollen. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, Epeoline cuckoo bees, Miner bees, and large Leaf-Cutting bees. An oligolectic bee of Ironweeds is Melissodes vernoniae. The caterpillars of several moths feed on Ironweed, including Grammia parthenice (Parthenice Tiger Moth) and Perigea xanthioides (Red Groundling). Caterpillars that bore into the roots or stems of Ironweed include Papaipema cerussata (Ironweed Borer Moth), Carmenta bassiformis (Eupatorium Borer Moth), and some Polygrammodes spp. (Pyralid Moths). The bitter foliage of Ironweed deters consumption by mamamalian herbivores – it is known as an 'increaser' because it is one of the last plants to be eaten in overgrazed pastures.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a moist prairie along a railroad in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: Another common name for this plant is Common Ironweed. However, in southern Illinois, this species is not common. Smooth Ironweed is one of the smaller Ironweeds with a compact inflorescence and smooth hairless leaves. Other Ironweed species have hairy stems or leaves. An exception is Vernonia gigantea (Tall Ironweed), which has hairless leaves and stems upon occasion. However, Tall Ironweed has a spreading inflorescence, and it is usually a taller plant (as the name implies). The larger leaves of Tall Ironweed exceed ½" across, while the leaves of Smooth Ironweed are ½" or less. Some authorities state that Smooth Ironweed has black dots on the undersides of the leaves, but this is not always true. The species in this genus are occasionally difficult to identify because they can hybridize with each other.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月26日
Description: This perennial plant is 2½–5' tall and unbranched, except near the apex where the inflorescence occurs. The central stem is light green, terete, slightly short-pubescent, and stiffly erect. Alternate leaves occur along the entire length of the stem; they are ascending to widely spreading. The leaves are 3-6" long and ¼–¾" across; they are linear to linear-elliptic in shape, sessile or short-petiolate, and either entire (toothless) or sparsely and minutely toothed along their margins. The leaves have prominent central veins that are light-colored. The upper leaf surface is medium to dark green and glabrous to rough-textured from minute stiff hairs. The lower leaf surface is light green and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent, except along central vein, where it is pubescent. The central stem and lateral upper stems terminate in clusters of flowerheads that are somewhat flat-topped. The branches and peduncles of the flowerheads are light green, sparsely short-pubescent, and terete; the peduncles are 1½–5" long.
Flowerheads
Each flowerhead is ¾–1¼" across, consisting of a dense head of 50-100 disk florets and no ray florets. The corollas of the disk florets are magenta (reddish purple), narrowly tubular in shape, and 5-lobed; the corolla lobes of these florets are narrowly lanceolate in shape and ascending. Bifurcated styles are exserted from these corollas; these styles are magenta. Surrounding the base of each flowerhead, there are numerous phyllaries in several series; they are loosely overlapping. Individual phyllaries are ½–1" long; their bases are linear-lanceolate in shape, tapering into long filiform tips that are more or less incurved. These phyllaries are mostly light green, except toward their tips, where they are often white to magenta; they are sparsely short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early autumn, lasting about 1 month for a colony of plants. There is no noticeable floral scent. Afterwards, the florets are replaced by achenes with small tufts of bristly hair at their apices; these hairs are light brown or pale purple. The achenes are 3-5 mm. long and bullet-shaped with vertical pubescent ribs; they are distributed to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of stout short rhizomes, from which clonal offsets are produced.
Cultivation: In Illinois, this plant occurs at sites with full sun, mesic conditions, and a loam or clay-loam soil.
Range & Habitat: Great Ironweed is a very rare plant in Illinois; it has been collected only in Champaign County in the east-central portion of the state during 1957-1958 (see Distribution Map). These specimens are located in the herbarium of the Illinois State Museum. Apparently, the population of plants at the original collection site was destroyed and the species was thought to be extirpated from the state. However, during the late summer of 2005 the webmaster discovered several plants of Great Ironweed at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois (also in Champaign County). The status of this ironweed as a native or adventive species in Illinois is uncertain. Habitats of this rare species in Champaign County include roadside fencerows and prairies. Great Ironweed is more common in areas that lie to the southwest of Illinois (e.g., Missouri and Arkansas). It is often found in rocky glades in these areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowerheads of ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) attract bumblebees, little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp.), digger bees (Melissodes spp., Svastra spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), bee flies (Bombyliidae), butterflies (Papilio spp. & others), and skippers (Polites spp. & others); see Robertson (1929) and Reed (1993). The bee visitors are attracted to the nectar and pollen of the flowerheads, while the remaining insects feed on the nectar. Two digger bees, Melissodes vernoniae and Melissodes denticulata, are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of ironweeds. Other insects feed on the leaves, bore through the stems or roots, suck plant juices, or feed destructively on the flowerheads of these plants. Examples of such insects include the Thirteen-spotted Billbug (Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus), larvae of the Ironweed Bud Midge (Asphondylia vernoniae), larvae of the Ironweed Blossum Midge (Youngomyia podophyllae), larvae of the Ironweed Borer Moth (Papaipema cerussata), larvae of the Parthenice Tiger Moth (Grammia parthenice), the Ironweed Aphid (Aphis vernoniae), Four-humped Stink Bug (Brochymena quadripustulata), Little Pasture Grasshopper (Melanoplus confusus), Four-spotted Tree Cricket (Oecanthus quadripunctatus), and Short-winged Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus brevipennis). The Insect Table provides a more complete list of insects that feed on ironweeds. Vertebrate animals appear to have little use for these plants, as their seeds are little-used by birds and their bitter foliage is usually avoided by mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, where a population of this ironweed has persisted for several years.
Comments: This is one of the easier ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) to identify because of the distinctive appearance of the phyllaries (floral bracts) – long and thread-like. No other ironweed has this kind of phyllary at the base of its flowerheads. Great Ironweed (Vernonia arkansana) also differs from other ironweeds by its narrow leaves and the large number of disk florets (50-100) in each flowerhead. Other species in this genus have flowerheads with fewer disk florets (20-50) and their flowerheads are less wide. Other common names of Vernonia arkansana that are occasionally used include 'Ozark Ironweed' and 'Curlytop Ironweed.' An alternative scientific name for this species is Vernonia crinita. I am happy to see this wonderful wildflower back in the state again.
Flowerheads
Each flowerhead is ¾–1¼" across, consisting of a dense head of 50-100 disk florets and no ray florets. The corollas of the disk florets are magenta (reddish purple), narrowly tubular in shape, and 5-lobed; the corolla lobes of these florets are narrowly lanceolate in shape and ascending. Bifurcated styles are exserted from these corollas; these styles are magenta. Surrounding the base of each flowerhead, there are numerous phyllaries in several series; they are loosely overlapping. Individual phyllaries are ½–1" long; their bases are linear-lanceolate in shape, tapering into long filiform tips that are more or less incurved. These phyllaries are mostly light green, except toward their tips, where they are often white to magenta; they are sparsely short-pubescent. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early autumn, lasting about 1 month for a colony of plants. There is no noticeable floral scent. Afterwards, the florets are replaced by achenes with small tufts of bristly hair at their apices; these hairs are light brown or pale purple. The achenes are 3-5 mm. long and bullet-shaped with vertical pubescent ribs; they are distributed to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of stout short rhizomes, from which clonal offsets are produced.
Cultivation: In Illinois, this plant occurs at sites with full sun, mesic conditions, and a loam or clay-loam soil.
Range & Habitat: Great Ironweed is a very rare plant in Illinois; it has been collected only in Champaign County in the east-central portion of the state during 1957-1958 (see Distribution Map). These specimens are located in the herbarium of the Illinois State Museum. Apparently, the population of plants at the original collection site was destroyed and the species was thought to be extirpated from the state. However, during the late summer of 2005 the webmaster discovered several plants of Great Ironweed at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois (also in Champaign County). The status of this ironweed as a native or adventive species in Illinois is uncertain. Habitats of this rare species in Champaign County include roadside fencerows and prairies. Great Ironweed is more common in areas that lie to the southwest of Illinois (e.g., Missouri and Arkansas). It is often found in rocky glades in these areas.
Faunal Associations: The flowerheads of ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) attract bumblebees, little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp.), digger bees (Melissodes spp., Svastra spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), bee flies (Bombyliidae), butterflies (Papilio spp. & others), and skippers (Polites spp. & others); see Robertson (1929) and Reed (1993). The bee visitors are attracted to the nectar and pollen of the flowerheads, while the remaining insects feed on the nectar. Two digger bees, Melissodes vernoniae and Melissodes denticulata, are specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of ironweeds. Other insects feed on the leaves, bore through the stems or roots, suck plant juices, or feed destructively on the flowerheads of these plants. Examples of such insects include the Thirteen-spotted Billbug (Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus), larvae of the Ironweed Bud Midge (Asphondylia vernoniae), larvae of the Ironweed Blossum Midge (Youngomyia podophyllae), larvae of the Ironweed Borer Moth (Papaipema cerussata), larvae of the Parthenice Tiger Moth (Grammia parthenice), the Ironweed Aphid (Aphis vernoniae), Four-humped Stink Bug (Brochymena quadripustulata), Little Pasture Grasshopper (Melanoplus confusus), Four-spotted Tree Cricket (Oecanthus quadripunctatus), and Short-winged Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus brevipennis). The Insect Table provides a more complete list of insects that feed on ironweeds. Vertebrate animals appear to have little use for these plants, as their seeds are little-used by birds and their bitter foliage is usually avoided by mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, where a population of this ironweed has persisted for several years.
Comments: This is one of the easier ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) to identify because of the distinctive appearance of the phyllaries (floral bracts) – long and thread-like. No other ironweed has this kind of phyllary at the base of its flowerheads. Great Ironweed (Vernonia arkansana) also differs from other ironweeds by its narrow leaves and the large number of disk florets (50-100) in each flowerhead. Other species in this genus have flowerheads with fewer disk florets (20-50) and their flowerheads are less wide. Other common names of Vernonia arkansana that are occasionally used include 'Ozark Ironweed' and 'Curlytop Ironweed.' An alternative scientific name for this species is Vernonia crinita. I am happy to see this wonderful wildflower back in the state again.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年02月26日
Description: This short-lived perennial plant is up to 3½' tall, branching occasionally. The stems are light green to dull reddish purple and they are heavily covered with long white hairs. The opposite leaves are up to 4" long and 3" across; they are oval-ovate or obovate and coarsely serrated along the margins. The whitish green leaves are covered with fine white hairs (especially on their lower sides), and they are either sessile or have short petioles. In addition to the pinnate venation, each leaf has a reticulated network of smaller veins. The upper stems terminate in hairy floral spikes. These spikes are 1-8" long and densely crowded with pink or lavender flowers (usually the latter). The floral spikes bloom from the bottom up; relatively few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Each flower is about ¼" across or a little wider, consisting of a short corolla with a narrow opening and 5 spreading lobes, a small calyx with narrow teeth, and the reproductive organs. The calyx is grayish green to reddish purple and hairy. There is no floral scent. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late summer, and lasts about 1½ months. Four brown nutlets are produced per flower. The root system consists of a taproot, which may tiller from the base (sending up multiple stems). This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and mesic to dry conditions. Generally, Hoary Vervain flourishes in poor soil containing some clay, sand, or gravel. In rich loamy soil, it will grow well, but has difficulty competing with other plants. Drought resistance is good, although some of the lower leaves may shrivel and fall off the plant. The seeds germinate readily in open areas where there is some exposure to sunlight.
Range & Habitat: The native Hoary Vervain occurs in almost every county of Illinois. It is fairly common, although possibly less so than in the past (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland prairies, gravel prairies, hill prairies, barrens with stunted shrubby vegetation, limestone glades, overgrazed pastures, abandoned fields, the grassy shoulders of highway overpasses, and areas along railroads. Hoary Vervain favors low grassy areas with a history of disturbance, particularly from grazing.
Faunal Associations: Many kinds of insects are attracted to the flowers, including long-tongued bees, green metallic bees, thread-waisted wasps, bee flies, thick-headed flies, butterflies, and skippers. Among the long-tongued bees, the flowers attract such visitors as honeybees, bumblebees, little carpenter bees, cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp.), miner bees (Melissodes spp.), and leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.). A specialist visitor of the flowers is Calliopsis verbenae (Verbena Bee). Several grasshoppers feed on the foliage of Hoary Vervain: Hippiscus ocelote (Wrinkled Grasshopper), Melanoplus confusus (Little Pasture Grasshopper), Melanoplus femurrubrum (Red-Legged Grasshopper), and Melanoplus keeleri luridus (Keeler's Grasshopper). Other insect feeders include caterpillars of the moth Catabena lineolata (Fine-Lined Sallow), caterpillars of Crambodes talidiformis (Verbena Moth), and the aphid Macrosiphum verbenae. The seeds of Verbena spp. are eaten by various songbirds to a limited extent, including the Cardinal (winter), Slate-Colored Junco (winter), Field Sparrow, and others. It is possible that these birds help to distribute the seeds to new areas. Mammalian herbivores rarely eat Hoary Vervain because the foliage is quite hairy and bitter. It is considered an 'increaser' in overgrazed pastures.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Among the Verbena spp. that are native to Illinois, Hoary Vervain is one of the showiest, even though it is sometimes considered an unwelcome weed in pastures. This vervain can be distinguished from similar species by its larger flowers and exceptionally hairy stems and leaves. Naturally occurring hybrids of Hoary Vervain with other Verbena spp. can occur, although they are relatively uncommon.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and mesic to dry conditions. Generally, Hoary Vervain flourishes in poor soil containing some clay, sand, or gravel. In rich loamy soil, it will grow well, but has difficulty competing with other plants. Drought resistance is good, although some of the lower leaves may shrivel and fall off the plant. The seeds germinate readily in open areas where there is some exposure to sunlight.
Range & Habitat: The native Hoary Vervain occurs in almost every county of Illinois. It is fairly common, although possibly less so than in the past (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland prairies, gravel prairies, hill prairies, barrens with stunted shrubby vegetation, limestone glades, overgrazed pastures, abandoned fields, the grassy shoulders of highway overpasses, and areas along railroads. Hoary Vervain favors low grassy areas with a history of disturbance, particularly from grazing.
Faunal Associations: Many kinds of insects are attracted to the flowers, including long-tongued bees, green metallic bees, thread-waisted wasps, bee flies, thick-headed flies, butterflies, and skippers. Among the long-tongued bees, the flowers attract such visitors as honeybees, bumblebees, little carpenter bees, cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp.), miner bees (Melissodes spp.), and leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.). A specialist visitor of the flowers is Calliopsis verbenae (Verbena Bee). Several grasshoppers feed on the foliage of Hoary Vervain: Hippiscus ocelote (Wrinkled Grasshopper), Melanoplus confusus (Little Pasture Grasshopper), Melanoplus femurrubrum (Red-Legged Grasshopper), and Melanoplus keeleri luridus (Keeler's Grasshopper). Other insect feeders include caterpillars of the moth Catabena lineolata (Fine-Lined Sallow), caterpillars of Crambodes talidiformis (Verbena Moth), and the aphid Macrosiphum verbenae. The seeds of Verbena spp. are eaten by various songbirds to a limited extent, including the Cardinal (winter), Slate-Colored Junco (winter), Field Sparrow, and others. It is possible that these birds help to distribute the seeds to new areas. Mammalian herbivores rarely eat Hoary Vervain because the foliage is quite hairy and bitter. It is considered an 'increaser' in overgrazed pastures.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Among the Verbena spp. that are native to Illinois, Hoary Vervain is one of the showiest, even though it is sometimes considered an unwelcome weed in pastures. This vervain can be distinguished from similar species by its larger flowers and exceptionally hairy stems and leaves. Naturally occurring hybrids of Hoary Vervain with other Verbena spp. can occur, although they are relatively uncommon.
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Miss Chen
2018年02月25日
Description: This biennial plant consists of a low-growing rosette of basal leaves up to 7" across during the 1st year. These basal leaves are up to 3½" long and ¾" across; they are green to greyish green, oblanceolate, dentate, and often slightly pinnatifid with shallow lobes. Their upper surface is often hairy, although they tend to become less hairy with age. During the 2nd year, Tower Mustard bolts during the spring and produces one or more flowering stalks up to 3½' tall. These stalks are light green to dull white, unbranched, hairless, and glaucous. Sometimes there may be a few hairs near the base of the stalks. The alternate cauline leaves are up to 3" long and 1" across. They are greyish green, lanceolate, smooth along the margins, hairless, and glaucous. Some of the lower cauline leaves may be dentate and slightly pinnatifid. The base of each cauline leaf clasps the stalk with a pair of basal lobes, which may be rounded or pointed. During cool spring weather, the cauline leaves may turn purple when they are exposed to full sun. Each stalk terminates in an elongated raceme of flowers and upright siliques (slender cylindrical seedpods). This raceme can become as long as the rest of the plant (up to 1¾' in length) and it has a tower-like appearance. Each flower at the apex of the raceme is up to 1/6" (4 mm.) across, consisting of 4 white or cream petals, 4 light green or yellow sepals, a stout style, and several stamens. The pedicels of the flowers and siliques are about ¼–½" in length.
The blooming period occurs during late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 1½ months. Each flower is replaced by a slender cylindrical silique up to 2½" long. The siliques are held upright close to stalk of the raceme. Each silique contains 1 or 2 rows of slightly flattened ovoid seeds. These small seeds have narrowly winged margins and they are dispersed to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of a stout taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, mesic to dry conditions, and loam, clay-loam, or rocky soil. This plant also tolerates soil containing sand or hardpan clay. It is fairly easy to grow from seed.
Range & Habitat: The native Tower Mustard occurs occasionally in the northern half of Illinois, but it is uncommon in the southern half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include various kinds of prairies (sand, gravel, black soil, or clay), rocky open woodlands, barren savannas, limestone glades, rocky bluffs, and abandoned fields. In Illinois, Tower Mustard has low fidelity to any particular habitat. It also occurs in Eurasia.
Faunal Associations: Mostly small bees and flower flies visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. Occasionally various species of White butterflies (Pieridae) visit the flowers for nectar. The caterpillars of two Pierid butterflies, Anthocharis midea (Falcate Orangetip) and Euchloe olympia (Olympia Marble), prefer Arabis spp. (Rock Cresses) as a food source, particularly those Rock Cresses that are typically found in sunny habitats. The caterpillars of another Pierid butterfly, Pieris napi (Mustard White), reportedly feed on Rock Cresses, although this butterfly species hasn't been observed in Illinois since the 19th century. Little information appears to be available about the desirability of Tower Mustard as a food source for mammalian herbivores. However, the foliage is not particularly bitter nor peppery.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Among the various Rock Cresses (Arabis spp. and related genera), Tower Mustard is mostly likely to be found in black soil prairies, although it also occurs in other kinds of habitats. The tower-like inflorescence gives this plant an odd appearance that is rather striking, especially when it becomes 3-4' tall. Because Tower Mustard is not difficult to grow and seems rather robust, it is rather surprising that this species is not more common. There are several Rock Cresses in Illinois, which can be found in either sunny or shady habitats, depending on the species. Some species have erect siliques that are appressed against the stalk of the raceme, while other species have siliques that are spreading or drooping. Tower Mustard belongs to the first group. Its appearance is similar to a very rare species, Arabis drummondii (Drummond's Rock Cress). This latter species has flattened siliques containing 2 rows of seeds and the style of its flowers is more slender than the style of Tower Mustard. Another species, Arabis hirsuta (Hairy Rock Cress), has hairs along at least the lower half of its flowering stalks, and it has flattened siliques containing a single row of seeds. The siliques of Tower Mustard are terete (round in cross-section). A scientific synonym of this plant is Arabis glabra.
The blooming period occurs during late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 1½ months. Each flower is replaced by a slender cylindrical silique up to 2½" long. The siliques are held upright close to stalk of the raceme. Each silique contains 1 or 2 rows of slightly flattened ovoid seeds. These small seeds have narrowly winged margins and they are dispersed to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of a stout taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, mesic to dry conditions, and loam, clay-loam, or rocky soil. This plant also tolerates soil containing sand or hardpan clay. It is fairly easy to grow from seed.
Range & Habitat: The native Tower Mustard occurs occasionally in the northern half of Illinois, but it is uncommon in the southern half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include various kinds of prairies (sand, gravel, black soil, or clay), rocky open woodlands, barren savannas, limestone glades, rocky bluffs, and abandoned fields. In Illinois, Tower Mustard has low fidelity to any particular habitat. It also occurs in Eurasia.
Faunal Associations: Mostly small bees and flower flies visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. Occasionally various species of White butterflies (Pieridae) visit the flowers for nectar. The caterpillars of two Pierid butterflies, Anthocharis midea (Falcate Orangetip) and Euchloe olympia (Olympia Marble), prefer Arabis spp. (Rock Cresses) as a food source, particularly those Rock Cresses that are typically found in sunny habitats. The caterpillars of another Pierid butterfly, Pieris napi (Mustard White), reportedly feed on Rock Cresses, although this butterfly species hasn't been observed in Illinois since the 19th century. Little information appears to be available about the desirability of Tower Mustard as a food source for mammalian herbivores. However, the foliage is not particularly bitter nor peppery.
Photographic Location: The webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Among the various Rock Cresses (Arabis spp. and related genera), Tower Mustard is mostly likely to be found in black soil prairies, although it also occurs in other kinds of habitats. The tower-like inflorescence gives this plant an odd appearance that is rather striking, especially when it becomes 3-4' tall. Because Tower Mustard is not difficult to grow and seems rather robust, it is rather surprising that this species is not more common. There are several Rock Cresses in Illinois, which can be found in either sunny or shady habitats, depending on the species. Some species have erect siliques that are appressed against the stalk of the raceme, while other species have siliques that are spreading or drooping. Tower Mustard belongs to the first group. Its appearance is similar to a very rare species, Arabis drummondii (Drummond's Rock Cress). This latter species has flattened siliques containing 2 rows of seeds and the style of its flowers is more slender than the style of Tower Mustard. Another species, Arabis hirsuta (Hairy Rock Cress), has hairs along at least the lower half of its flowering stalks, and it has flattened siliques containing a single row of seeds. The siliques of Tower Mustard are terete (round in cross-section). A scientific synonym of this plant is Arabis glabra.
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