文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月26日
Description: This plant is a summer annual about 3-9' tall. It is unbranched or little branched. The stout central stem is light green; where new growth occurs, this stem is more or less pubescent, but it becomes less hairy with age. The lower leaves are often opposite, while the upper leaves are alternate. These leaves are palmately compound with 3-9 leaflets (usually there are 5-7 leaflets). On large plants, these leaves can span up to 10" long and across (excluding the petioles), but they are half this size on smaller plants. While the lower leaves have long slender petioles, the upper leaves are nearly sessile. These petioles are more or less pubescent and occasionally reddish green. Each leaflet is narrowly ovate and coarsely serrated along the margins; the middle leaflets are larger in size than the lateral leaflets. The upper surface of each leaflet is dark green and sparsely pubescent.
Hemp is dioecious with both male and female plants. The male plants produce both axillary and terminal panicles of male flowers. These panicles are up to 1' long; they have small leafy bracts and pubescent stalks. Each male flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across, consisting of 5 sepals, 5 stamens with large anthers, and no petals. The oblong or lanceolate sepals are initially green, but they become cream or pale yellow with maturity. After these flowers have shed their pollen, the foliage of the male plant soon turns yellow and withers away. The female plants produce short axillary spikes of female flowers; these spikes are about 1" long and covered with glandular hairs. Each female flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) long, consisting of a single sepal, an ovary with two styles, and no petals. The sepal wraps around the ovary, forming a beak at its apex; the 2 styles are exerted from this beak. The surface of the sepal is green and covered with glandular hairs that exude a characteristic odor when they are rubbed. At the base of each female flower, there is a single green bract that is lanceolate and longer than the flower. There are small leaves and other bracts along the spike as well.
The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about 1-2 months. Pollination is by agency of the wind. Upon maturity, the female flowers turn brown, but the foliage of female plants remains green until the fall. Each female flower is replaced by an achene containing a single large seed. The root system consists of a branched taproot. This plant often forms colonies at favorable sites.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, moist conditions, and a fertile loamy soil. Mesic conditions and other kinds of soil are also tolerated, but the size of plants will be smaller. Hemp is little bothered by pests and disease. It tolerates occasional flooding.
Range & Habitat: Hemp occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, while in the southern portion of the state it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Hemp is native to central Asia and it was introduced to the United States for agricultural purposes. Habitats include borders of floodplain woodlands, borders of low-lying fields, weedy meadows along rivers, fence rows, and roadside ditches. Occasionally, it is cultivated illegally in backyards and fields. This plant is found primarily in disturbed habitats.
Faunal Associations: There is little information about floral-faunal relationships for Hemp. The wind-pollinated flowers don't attract many insect pollinators. Mammalian herbivores avoid browsing on hemp when other plants are available.
Photographic Location: A roadside ditch in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: Hemp has been cultivated in the United States since colonial times. The fibers of the central stem are quite strong; they have been used in making rope, paper, clothing, and other products. The foliage, flowers, and seeds of female plants contain chemicals with medicinal and recreational properties. However, since World War II, it has been illegal in Illinois and other areas of the United States to cultivate hemp. The industrial form of this plant is Cannabis sativa sativa (Hemp), while the medicinal and recreational form is Cannabis sativa indica (Marijuana). It is usually the industrial form of this plant that is encountered in the wild; it has a more robust habit of growth and contains lower levels of chemicals with medicinal and recreational properties. Hemp has a unique appearance and is easy to distinguish from other species of plants. A small specimen of Hemp superficially resembles some Potentilla spp. (Cinquefoils), especially Potentilla recta (Sulfur Cinquefoil), because of the similarity of their palmate leaves. However, the leaflets of Hemp are more elongated and tapered at their tips than Sulfur Cinquefoil. Furthermore, the flowers of Cinquefoils have 5 conspicuous petals that are white or yellow, like many other members of the Rose family, while the flowers of Hemp are devoid of petals.
Hemp is dioecious with both male and female plants. The male plants produce both axillary and terminal panicles of male flowers. These panicles are up to 1' long; they have small leafy bracts and pubescent stalks. Each male flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) across, consisting of 5 sepals, 5 stamens with large anthers, and no petals. The oblong or lanceolate sepals are initially green, but they become cream or pale yellow with maturity. After these flowers have shed their pollen, the foliage of the male plant soon turns yellow and withers away. The female plants produce short axillary spikes of female flowers; these spikes are about 1" long and covered with glandular hairs. Each female flower is about 1/8" (3 mm.) long, consisting of a single sepal, an ovary with two styles, and no petals. The sepal wraps around the ovary, forming a beak at its apex; the 2 styles are exerted from this beak. The surface of the sepal is green and covered with glandular hairs that exude a characteristic odor when they are rubbed. At the base of each female flower, there is a single green bract that is lanceolate and longer than the flower. There are small leaves and other bracts along the spike as well.
The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about 1-2 months. Pollination is by agency of the wind. Upon maturity, the female flowers turn brown, but the foliage of female plants remains green until the fall. Each female flower is replaced by an achene containing a single large seed. The root system consists of a branched taproot. This plant often forms colonies at favorable sites.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, moist conditions, and a fertile loamy soil. Mesic conditions and other kinds of soil are also tolerated, but the size of plants will be smaller. Hemp is little bothered by pests and disease. It tolerates occasional flooding.
Range & Habitat: Hemp occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, while in the southern portion of the state it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Hemp is native to central Asia and it was introduced to the United States for agricultural purposes. Habitats include borders of floodplain woodlands, borders of low-lying fields, weedy meadows along rivers, fence rows, and roadside ditches. Occasionally, it is cultivated illegally in backyards and fields. This plant is found primarily in disturbed habitats.
Faunal Associations: There is little information about floral-faunal relationships for Hemp. The wind-pollinated flowers don't attract many insect pollinators. Mammalian herbivores avoid browsing on hemp when other plants are available.
Photographic Location: A roadside ditch in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: Hemp has been cultivated in the United States since colonial times. The fibers of the central stem are quite strong; they have been used in making rope, paper, clothing, and other products. The foliage, flowers, and seeds of female plants contain chemicals with medicinal and recreational properties. However, since World War II, it has been illegal in Illinois and other areas of the United States to cultivate hemp. The industrial form of this plant is Cannabis sativa sativa (Hemp), while the medicinal and recreational form is Cannabis sativa indica (Marijuana). It is usually the industrial form of this plant that is encountered in the wild; it has a more robust habit of growth and contains lower levels of chemicals with medicinal and recreational properties. Hemp has a unique appearance and is easy to distinguish from other species of plants. A small specimen of Hemp superficially resembles some Potentilla spp. (Cinquefoils), especially Potentilla recta (Sulfur Cinquefoil), because of the similarity of their palmate leaves. However, the leaflets of Hemp are more elongated and tapered at their tips than Sulfur Cinquefoil. Furthermore, the flowers of Cinquefoils have 5 conspicuous petals that are white or yellow, like many other members of the Rose family, while the flowers of Hemp are devoid of petals.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月26日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 1½–3' tall and little branched. The central stem is light green to reddish brown, glabrous to slightly hairy, and terete or angular. The alternate leaves are up to 5" long, 2" across, and variable in shape; the lowest leaves are often cordate-oval, while the middle and upper leaves are ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate. All of these leaves have crenate or serrated margins; their upper surfaces are medium to dark green, while their lower surfaces are light green and short-hairy along the veins. The lower and middle leaves have slender petioles, while the upper leaves are more likely to be sessile. Sometimes short leafy stalks develop from the axils of the leaves on the central stem.
The central stem terminates in an elongated raceme of flowers up to 1' long. The flowers tend to nod downward along one side of the raceme on short pedicels. At the base of each pedicel, there is a small leafy bract that is linear-lanceolate in shape. Sometimes nodding flowers are produced from the axils of the upper leaves on longer pedicels. Each flower has a bell-shaped blue-violet corolla, 5 green sepals, 5 stamens, and an exerted style with 3 curled stigmas. The corolla is 1–1½" long and half as much across; it has 5 pointed lobes that are recurved. The sepals are linear-lanceolate in shape, widely spreading to recurved, and much smaller in size than the corolla. The style is white or pale purple. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about a month. Each flower is replaced by a globoid seed capsule that contains several small seeds. The root system is rhizomatous. Occasionally, small colonies of plants are produced from the long rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, more or less mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil.
Range & Habitat: Creeping Bellflower naturalizes occasionally in northern Illinois and uncommonly in central Illinois; it is apparently rare or absent in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). This species was introduced into North America from Europe as an ornamental plant. Habitats include open woodlands, savannas, thickets, fence rows, edges of yards, roadsides, and waste areas. Creeping Bellflower is often cultivated in gardens because of its showy flowers.
Faunal Associations: According to Müller (1873/1883), the flowers of Creeping Bellflower produce both nectar and pollen. Müller observed honeybees, bumblebees, Halictid bees, and other bees visiting the flowers for nectar or pollen in Germany; he also observed a Syrphid fly with a long proboscis (Rhingia sp.) sucking nectar from the flowers. Aside from these observations, further information about floral-faunal relationships for this species are unavailable.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a flower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Creeping Bellflower has very showy flowers. Among the Eurasian bellflowers that are cultivated, this is the species that most often escapes — in part because it is more commonly cultivated. A species that has naturalized less often in Illinois, Campanula glomerata (Clustered Bellflower), has more erect flowers that are clustered together at the apex each central stem. The flowers of this species have sepals that are longer and wider than those of Creeping Bellflower. The circumboreal Campanula rotundifolia (Harebells) and native Campanulastrum americanum (American Bellflower) are quite distinct from Creeping Bellflower. Harebells has linear leaves along its stems and its bell-shaped flowers are smaller in size (usually less than 1" in length) than those of creeping Bellflower. The flowers of American Bellflower have shallow corollas that are star-shaped with widely spreading lobes; the older scientific name of this latter species is Campanula americana.
The central stem terminates in an elongated raceme of flowers up to 1' long. The flowers tend to nod downward along one side of the raceme on short pedicels. At the base of each pedicel, there is a small leafy bract that is linear-lanceolate in shape. Sometimes nodding flowers are produced from the axils of the upper leaves on longer pedicels. Each flower has a bell-shaped blue-violet corolla, 5 green sepals, 5 stamens, and an exerted style with 3 curled stigmas. The corolla is 1–1½" long and half as much across; it has 5 pointed lobes that are recurved. The sepals are linear-lanceolate in shape, widely spreading to recurved, and much smaller in size than the corolla. The style is white or pale purple. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about a month. Each flower is replaced by a globoid seed capsule that contains several small seeds. The root system is rhizomatous. Occasionally, small colonies of plants are produced from the long rhizomes.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun, more or less mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil.
Range & Habitat: Creeping Bellflower naturalizes occasionally in northern Illinois and uncommonly in central Illinois; it is apparently rare or absent in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). This species was introduced into North America from Europe as an ornamental plant. Habitats include open woodlands, savannas, thickets, fence rows, edges of yards, roadsides, and waste areas. Creeping Bellflower is often cultivated in gardens because of its showy flowers.
Faunal Associations: According to Müller (1873/1883), the flowers of Creeping Bellflower produce both nectar and pollen. Müller observed honeybees, bumblebees, Halictid bees, and other bees visiting the flowers for nectar or pollen in Germany; he also observed a Syrphid fly with a long proboscis (Rhingia sp.) sucking nectar from the flowers. Aside from these observations, further information about floral-faunal relationships for this species are unavailable.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a flower garden in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Creeping Bellflower has very showy flowers. Among the Eurasian bellflowers that are cultivated, this is the species that most often escapes — in part because it is more commonly cultivated. A species that has naturalized less often in Illinois, Campanula glomerata (Clustered Bellflower), has more erect flowers that are clustered together at the apex each central stem. The flowers of this species have sepals that are longer and wider than those of Creeping Bellflower. The circumboreal Campanula rotundifolia (Harebells) and native Campanulastrum americanum (American Bellflower) are quite distinct from Creeping Bellflower. Harebells has linear leaves along its stems and its bell-shaped flowers are smaller in size (usually less than 1" in length) than those of creeping Bellflower. The flowers of American Bellflower have shallow corollas that are star-shaped with widely spreading lobes; the older scientific name of this latter species is Campanula americana.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月26日
Description: This plant is an annual or biennial about 1-3' tall. Small plants are branched sparingly, while large plants branch abundantly in the upper half. The stems are gray-green or gray-blue, terete, glabrous, and glaucous. Plants that begin growth during the fall will overwinter as low rosettes with basal leaves, while plants that begin growth during the spring bolt upward almost immediately. Both the basal and lower leaves are up to 10" long and 2" across, but they are usually smaller than this. They are oblanceolate in overall shape and strongly pinnatifid with undulate or bluntly dentate margins; their terminal lobes are the largest in size. Both types of leaves have stout petioles. In contrast, the middle to upper leaves are smaller in size, lanceolate-oblong in shape, with margins that are smooth or bluntly dentate. These latter leaves have bases that usually clasp their stems, although some of them may be sessile. Like the stems, these various leaves are grey-green or blue-green, glaucous, and usually glabrous – occasionally the basal leaves have short bristly hairs. The lower, middle, and upper leaves are alternate.
The upper stems terminate in racemes of bright yellow flowers. The flowers bloom toward the apex of each raceme, while the seedpods develop below. Each flower is 1/3–1/2" (8-12 mm.) across, consisting of 4 yellow petals, 4 green to yellow sepals, several stamens, and a pistil with a single style. The sepals are narrowly lanceolate and hairless. The blooming period can occur anytime between late spring to early fall; it usually lasts about 1 month for a small colony of plants. Each flower is replaced by an ascending cylindrical seedpod (silique) that is 1¼–2¼" long at maturity and hairless. Each seedpod terminates in a seedless beak that is about one-fourth its entire length. At the base of each seedpod, there is a stout hairless pedicel about ½" long that is widely spreading to ascending. Each seedpod divides into 2 valves to release its small globoid seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: Rape Mustard prefers full sunlight, moist to dry conditions, and a neutral to alkaline soil containing loam, clay-loam, or gravelly material. The size of individual plants varies greatly according to moisture conditions and soil fertility.
Range & Habitat: Rape Mustard is occasional in most areas of Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is native to Eurasia. Typical habitats include cropland, weedy fields, roadsides, gravelly areas along railroads, and waste areas. This plant is usually found in areas with a history of disturbance where there is scant ground vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts small bees and White butterflies (Pieridae); some bees may collect pollen from the flowers as well. The caterpillars of the butterflies Pieris napi (Mustard White), Pieris rapae (Cabbage White), and Pontia protodice (Checkered White) feed on Brassica spp. (Mustards), as do the caterpillars of the moths Evergestis pallidata (Purple-Backed Cabbageworm) and Plutella xylostella (Diamondback Moth). Several species of flea beetles (primarily Phyllotreta spp.), Murgantia histrionica (Harlequin Bug), and Adelphocoris superbus (Meadow Plant Bug) also feed on the foliage of these plants. The oily seeds of Rape Mustard and similar species are eaten by the Mourning Dove and Ring-Necked Pheasant, and the mild-tasting foliage can be eaten in limited amounts by livestock and other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A gravelly area along a railroad in Savoy, Illinois.
Comments: This is another weedy mustard species from Eurasia. It should not be confused with the agricultural crop, Oilseed Rape (or Canola), which is Brassica napus oleifera, or one of the cultivated vegetables. Rape Mustard has several common names, including Field Mustard and Birdseed Rape. In general, Rape Mustard can be distinguished from other Brassica spp. (Mustards) by its glaucous gray-blue or gray-green foliage and its clasping alternate leaves. A similar species, Brassica oleracea (Wild Cabbage), shares these characteristics, but this latter species has larger flowers (exceeding ½" across) and it is quite rare in Illinois. Oilseed Rape has foliage that is more green than either Rape Mustard or Wild Cabbage, and its foliage isn't glaucous.
The upper stems terminate in racemes of bright yellow flowers. The flowers bloom toward the apex of each raceme, while the seedpods develop below. Each flower is 1/3–1/2" (8-12 mm.) across, consisting of 4 yellow petals, 4 green to yellow sepals, several stamens, and a pistil with a single style. The sepals are narrowly lanceolate and hairless. The blooming period can occur anytime between late spring to early fall; it usually lasts about 1 month for a small colony of plants. Each flower is replaced by an ascending cylindrical seedpod (silique) that is 1¼–2¼" long at maturity and hairless. Each seedpod terminates in a seedless beak that is about one-fourth its entire length. At the base of each seedpod, there is a stout hairless pedicel about ½" long that is widely spreading to ascending. Each seedpod divides into 2 valves to release its small globoid seeds. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: Rape Mustard prefers full sunlight, moist to dry conditions, and a neutral to alkaline soil containing loam, clay-loam, or gravelly material. The size of individual plants varies greatly according to moisture conditions and soil fertility.
Range & Habitat: Rape Mustard is occasional in most areas of Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is native to Eurasia. Typical habitats include cropland, weedy fields, roadsides, gravelly areas along railroads, and waste areas. This plant is usually found in areas with a history of disturbance where there is scant ground vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts small bees and White butterflies (Pieridae); some bees may collect pollen from the flowers as well. The caterpillars of the butterflies Pieris napi (Mustard White), Pieris rapae (Cabbage White), and Pontia protodice (Checkered White) feed on Brassica spp. (Mustards), as do the caterpillars of the moths Evergestis pallidata (Purple-Backed Cabbageworm) and Plutella xylostella (Diamondback Moth). Several species of flea beetles (primarily Phyllotreta spp.), Murgantia histrionica (Harlequin Bug), and Adelphocoris superbus (Meadow Plant Bug) also feed on the foliage of these plants. The oily seeds of Rape Mustard and similar species are eaten by the Mourning Dove and Ring-Necked Pheasant, and the mild-tasting foliage can be eaten in limited amounts by livestock and other mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: A gravelly area along a railroad in Savoy, Illinois.
Comments: This is another weedy mustard species from Eurasia. It should not be confused with the agricultural crop, Oilseed Rape (or Canola), which is Brassica napus oleifera, or one of the cultivated vegetables. Rape Mustard has several common names, including Field Mustard and Birdseed Rape. In general, Rape Mustard can be distinguished from other Brassica spp. (Mustards) by its glaucous gray-blue or gray-green foliage and its clasping alternate leaves. A similar species, Brassica oleracea (Wild Cabbage), shares these characteristics, but this latter species has larger flowers (exceeding ½" across) and it is quite rare in Illinois. Oilseed Rape has foliage that is more green than either Rape Mustard or Wild Cabbage, and its foliage isn't glaucous.
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Miss Chen
2018年07月25日
Description: This annual wildflower is 1½–2½' tall, branching occasionally. The stems are light to medium green, terete, hollow, and densely covered with stiff white hairs. Alternate leaves along these stems are 2-6" long and about one-third as much across; they are ovate, obovate, or oblanceolate in shape with margins that are smooth and slightly undulate. The upper leaf surface is dark green, wrinkled from indented veins, and covered with sparse appressed hairs. The lower leaf surface is light to medium green and hairy primarily along the undersides of the veins.
Upper stems terminate in scorpioid cymes of nodding flowers. Individual flowers are ¾-1" across, consisting of 5 lanceolate blue petals (rarely white or pink), 5 green sepals, 5 dark blue to black anthers that merge together to form a central beak, and an ovary with a single style. The linear sepals are covered with stiff white hairs along their outer surfaces; they are about the same length or a little shorter than the petals. Like the stems and sepals, the branches of each inflorescence are covered with stiff white hairs; they are green to dark red. In Illinois, the blooming period occurs from mid-summer into the fall, lasting about 1½-3 months. Each flower is replaced by 4 dark brown nutlets. The root system consists of a taproot. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is a sunny position, mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil.
Range & Habitat: Borage has naturalized in only a few counties in Illinois (see Distribution Map). Naturalized populations rarely persist for more than a few years. Borage was introduced into North America from Europe as an herbal and ornamental plant; it is native to the Mediterranean area. Habitats consist of areas near buildings, rubbish heaps consisting of organic material, and waste areas. Borage is still cultivated in gardens.
Faunal Associations: According to Muëller (1873/1883), the nectar and pollen of the flowers attract bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, other long-tongued bees, and Halictid bees. It is unclear to what extent mammalian herbivores in North America feed on the foliage of Borage, which is mildly toxic from the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Similarly, there is lack of information about the consumption of seeds by birds and rodents.
Photographic Location: An herbal garden at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The most striking aspect of this plant are the star-shaped flowers; the petals have a shade of genuine blue that is uncommon among flowering plants. The flowers are reportedly edible with a sweet taste. The leaves are also eaten in salads and other dishes; they have a cucumber-like flavor. However, because of their potential toxicity, the leaves should be eaten in only small amounts. Because of its unique blue flowers, Borage is easy to identify. Other species in the Borage family have flowers with more conventional corollas.
Upper stems terminate in scorpioid cymes of nodding flowers. Individual flowers are ¾-1" across, consisting of 5 lanceolate blue petals (rarely white or pink), 5 green sepals, 5 dark blue to black anthers that merge together to form a central beak, and an ovary with a single style. The linear sepals are covered with stiff white hairs along their outer surfaces; they are about the same length or a little shorter than the petals. Like the stems and sepals, the branches of each inflorescence are covered with stiff white hairs; they are green to dark red. In Illinois, the blooming period occurs from mid-summer into the fall, lasting about 1½-3 months. Each flower is replaced by 4 dark brown nutlets. The root system consists of a taproot. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is a sunny position, mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil.
Range & Habitat: Borage has naturalized in only a few counties in Illinois (see Distribution Map). Naturalized populations rarely persist for more than a few years. Borage was introduced into North America from Europe as an herbal and ornamental plant; it is native to the Mediterranean area. Habitats consist of areas near buildings, rubbish heaps consisting of organic material, and waste areas. Borage is still cultivated in gardens.
Faunal Associations: According to Muëller (1873/1883), the nectar and pollen of the flowers attract bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, other long-tongued bees, and Halictid bees. It is unclear to what extent mammalian herbivores in North America feed on the foliage of Borage, which is mildly toxic from the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Similarly, there is lack of information about the consumption of seeds by birds and rodents.
Photographic Location: An herbal garden at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: The most striking aspect of this plant are the star-shaped flowers; the petals have a shade of genuine blue that is uncommon among flowering plants. The flowers are reportedly edible with a sweet taste. The leaves are also eaten in salads and other dishes; they have a cucumber-like flavor. However, because of their potential toxicity, the leaves should be eaten in only small amounts. Because of its unique blue flowers, Borage is easy to identify. Other species in the Borage family have flowers with more conventional corollas.
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Miss Chen
2018年07月25日
Description: This plant is a summer annual about 2-5' tall; it is more or less erect and branches occasionally. The stems are green or reddish green, angular, strongly veined, and hairless (or nearly so). The leaves are mostly opposite; their blades are up to 8" long and 4" across, while their petioles are up to 2" long. The leaf blades are double- or triple-pinnate, medium green, and hairless (or nearly so). The segments of the blades are ovate, lanceolate, or oblanceolate with blunt tips and wedge-shaped bottoms; the margins of these segments are irregularly cleft or dentate. Overall, the leaf blades have a fern-like appearance. The upper stems terminate in individual flowerheads on long peduncles. Each flowerhead is about ½" long and ¼" across; it has numerous disk florets in the center and 0-5 ray florets along its upper margin. The disk florets have corollas that are golden yellow and tubular in shape; each corolla has 5 tiny lobes along its upper rim. The yellow ray florets are petal-like; they are about 1/8" (3 mm.) long and oval to oblong in shape. Some flowerheads may lack petal-like extensions of the ray florets altogether. The base of the flowerhead is surrounded by green bracts; the linear inner bracts are much longer (about 1/3" or 8 mm. in length) than the outer bracts. The blooming period occurs during the late summer or early fall. Each flowerhead is replaced by a seedhead that is globoid in shape and spans about 1" across. The long narrow seeds (achenes) spread outward from the center in all directions. Each mature seed is linear in shape, 4-angled, and dark brown; it has 2-4 short awns at its tip. Each tiny awn has downward-pointed barbs. The root system consists of a branching taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: Partial or dappled sunlight, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil are preferred. However, this robust plant can adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions. The size of individual plants varies significantly, depending on moisture levels and soil fertility.
Range & Habitat: The native Spanish Needles is occasional to locally common in southern and central Illinois; it is mostly absent in the northern section of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include open woodlands, woodland borders, savannas, thickets, rocky glades, riverbanks, weedy meadows, vacant lots, partially shaded areas along buildings, areas along railroads and roadsides, abandoned fields, and waste areas. Habitats with a history of disturbance are preferred. In Illinois, Spanish Needles is more often found in drier habitats than other species in the genus.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract bees: these include honeybees, leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp., Coelioxys sayi, & Heriades leavitti), and Halictid bees (including green metallic bees). Other insect visitors of the flowers include Syrphid flies and the butterfly Pieris rapae (Cabbage White). Rather then visiting the flowers, other insects feed on the foliage and other parts of Bidens spp. These species include the caterpillars of the moths Cirrhophanus triangulifer (Goldenrod Stowaway), Condica confederata (The Confederate), Epiblema otiosana (Bidens Borer Moth), Palthis asopialis (Fainted-Spotted Palthis), Platysenta mobilis (Mobile Groundling), and Synchlora aerata (Wavy-Lined Emerald). The leaf beetles Calligrapha bidenticola and Calligrapha californica feed on the leaves of Bidens spp., while the aphid Aphis coreopsidis sucks juices from the flowering stalks. Many of these insects feed on similar plants in the Aster family. Seeds of Bidens spp. are eaten to a minor extent by various birds, including the Ring-Necked Pheasant, Bobwhite, Wood Duck, Purple Finch, and Common Redpoll. The foliage is sometimes eaten by the Cottontail Rabbit. The barbed awns of the seeds can cling to the fur of passing animals and the clothing of humans; in this manner, the seeds are distributed far and wide.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a small grove of trees along a railroad in Champaign, Illinois, and a vacant lot in Urbana, Illinois. In one photograph, a green metallic bee is visiting a flowerhead. Underneath this flowerhead, there are some greenish aphids sucking juices from the stalk, although they are difficult to see.
Comments: The arrangement of the trident-shaped seeds into globoid seedheads is very striking. The common name derives from the appearance of these seeds. Among the many Bidens spp. in Illinois, Spanish Needles is the oddball of the group. The seeds of Spanish Needles are longer and usually more slender than those of other Bidens spp. Spanish Needles also has differently shaped leaves – they are more pinnately divided into smaller leaf segments than the leaves of other Bidens spp. (which are sometimes simple, rather than compound). Finally, Spanish Needles seems to prefer drier habitats; other Bidens spp. are more likely to be found in various wetland habitats.
Cultivation: Partial or dappled sunlight, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil are preferred. However, this robust plant can adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions. The size of individual plants varies significantly, depending on moisture levels and soil fertility.
Range & Habitat: The native Spanish Needles is occasional to locally common in southern and central Illinois; it is mostly absent in the northern section of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include open woodlands, woodland borders, savannas, thickets, rocky glades, riverbanks, weedy meadows, vacant lots, partially shaded areas along buildings, areas along railroads and roadsides, abandoned fields, and waste areas. Habitats with a history of disturbance are preferred. In Illinois, Spanish Needles is more often found in drier habitats than other species in the genus.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract bees: these include honeybees, leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp., Coelioxys sayi, & Heriades leavitti), and Halictid bees (including green metallic bees). Other insect visitors of the flowers include Syrphid flies and the butterfly Pieris rapae (Cabbage White). Rather then visiting the flowers, other insects feed on the foliage and other parts of Bidens spp. These species include the caterpillars of the moths Cirrhophanus triangulifer (Goldenrod Stowaway), Condica confederata (The Confederate), Epiblema otiosana (Bidens Borer Moth), Palthis asopialis (Fainted-Spotted Palthis), Platysenta mobilis (Mobile Groundling), and Synchlora aerata (Wavy-Lined Emerald). The leaf beetles Calligrapha bidenticola and Calligrapha californica feed on the leaves of Bidens spp., while the aphid Aphis coreopsidis sucks juices from the flowering stalks. Many of these insects feed on similar plants in the Aster family. Seeds of Bidens spp. are eaten to a minor extent by various birds, including the Ring-Necked Pheasant, Bobwhite, Wood Duck, Purple Finch, and Common Redpoll. The foliage is sometimes eaten by the Cottontail Rabbit. The barbed awns of the seeds can cling to the fur of passing animals and the clothing of humans; in this manner, the seeds are distributed far and wide.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at a small grove of trees along a railroad in Champaign, Illinois, and a vacant lot in Urbana, Illinois. In one photograph, a green metallic bee is visiting a flowerhead. Underneath this flowerhead, there are some greenish aphids sucking juices from the stalk, although they are difficult to see.
Comments: The arrangement of the trident-shaped seeds into globoid seedheads is very striking. The common name derives from the appearance of these seeds. Among the many Bidens spp. in Illinois, Spanish Needles is the oddball of the group. The seeds of Spanish Needles are longer and usually more slender than those of other Bidens spp. Spanish Needles also has differently shaped leaves – they are more pinnately divided into smaller leaf segments than the leaves of other Bidens spp. (which are sometimes simple, rather than compound). Finally, Spanish Needles seems to prefer drier habitats; other Bidens spp. are more likely to be found in various wetland habitats.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月25日
Description: This perennial plant has sword-shaped alternate leaves about ¾–2' long; they originate primarily toward the bottom of the flowering stalk. These leaves are often grouped together into the shape of a fan; they are green to grey-blue, linear in shape, glabrous, and glaucous. Their margins are smooth, while their veins are parallel. The erect central stalk is 2–3½' tall and either branched or unbranched; it is terete, fairly stout, glabrous, glaucous, and pale green. This stalk terminates in a cyme or compound cyme of flowers. There are pairs of small linear-lanceolate bracts at each fork of the stalk; these bracts are slightly membranous and tend to wither away. Each flower spans about 1¼–2" across, consisting of 6 spreading tepals, 3 distinct stamens, a style with a tripartite stigma, and an inferior ovary. The tepals are orange with purple dots and elliptic-oblong in shape, while the ovary is green, glabrous, and narrowly ovoid. Each cyme usually produces several flowers. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late summer and lasts about 1-2 months. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by an oblongoid seed capsule about 1" long; the 3 sides of this capsule become strongly recurved, revealing a mass of shiny black seeds that resembles a blackberry. The root system consists of a thickened crown at the base of the plant, which has fibrous roots underneath; spreading rhizomes are also produced. Both the crown and rhizomes have an orange interior. This plant can spread by either rhizomes or seeds.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and soil that is loamy, rocky, or sandy. The flowers and foliage are rarely bothered by disease or insect pests.
Range & Habitat: Blackberry Lily has naturalized throughout Illinois in widely scattered locations (see Distribution Map). In the wild, it is uncommon, although its population within the state may be increasing. Habitats include thin woodlands, rocky bluffs, hillsides, fallow fields, roadsides, and sites of old homesteads. Blackberry Lily was introduced from East Asia as an ornamental plant and it is often cultivated in gardens because of the attractive foliage and flowers.
Faunal Associations: Very little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this introduced plant. The flowers offer nectar and pollen to insects and other floral visitors, but it unclear who these visitors are. There are anecdotal reports that the seeds are eaten by birds.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at the Arboretum of the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This remarkable plant has the leaves of an iris (Iris sp.), the flowers of a lily (Lilium sp.), and a fruit that resembles a blackberry (Rubus sp.). There is nothing that quite resembles it. The flower of Blackberry Lily has only 3 stamens, while the flower of a lily has 6 stamens. The Blackberry Lily differs from other members of the Iris family in having 3 distinct stamens that are not petal-like in appearance. It is still unclear whether the Blackberry Lily will become invasive. Another common name of this species is the Leopard Lily.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and soil that is loamy, rocky, or sandy. The flowers and foliage are rarely bothered by disease or insect pests.
Range & Habitat: Blackberry Lily has naturalized throughout Illinois in widely scattered locations (see Distribution Map). In the wild, it is uncommon, although its population within the state may be increasing. Habitats include thin woodlands, rocky bluffs, hillsides, fallow fields, roadsides, and sites of old homesteads. Blackberry Lily was introduced from East Asia as an ornamental plant and it is often cultivated in gardens because of the attractive foliage and flowers.
Faunal Associations: Very little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this introduced plant. The flowers offer nectar and pollen to insects and other floral visitors, but it unclear who these visitors are. There are anecdotal reports that the seeds are eaten by birds.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at the Arboretum of the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This remarkable plant has the leaves of an iris (Iris sp.), the flowers of a lily (Lilium sp.), and a fruit that resembles a blackberry (Rubus sp.). There is nothing that quite resembles it. The flower of Blackberry Lily has only 3 stamens, while the flower of a lily has 6 stamens. The Blackberry Lily differs from other members of the Iris family in having 3 distinct stamens that are not petal-like in appearance. It is still unclear whether the Blackberry Lily will become invasive. Another common name of this species is the Leopard Lily.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月24日
Description: This plant is a summer annual about 1½–3' long; it branches occasionally, especially near the base. The stems are erect, ascending, or sprawling (often the latter); they are light green, more or less white-mealy, and terete or angular. The larger stems often have white longitudinal veins. The lowest leaves are opposite, while the remaining leaves are alternate; they have slender petioles up to 1" long. The leaf blades are up to 3½" long and ¾" across, becoming gradually smaller as they ascend the stems; they are green, flat, and either smooth or slightly undulate along their margins. The leaf blades have different shapes, but they are usually lanceolate-ovate, lanceolate, or oblong-linear; some leaves may have 1 or 2 lobes toward the base of their blades. The upper surface of each blade is hairless or glabrous, while the lower surface is often white-mealy.
The upper stems terminate in spikes or spike-like panicles of flowers; axillary spikes also develop from some of the upper leaves. The flowers are arranged in sessile clusters along the spikes or the branches of the panicles. Common Orach is monoecious with separate male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers on the same plant. Each male flower has 5 sepals and 5 stamens; it is whitish green and about 1/8" (3 mm.) across. Each female flower has an ovary with 2 styles and a pair of small bracts at its base; it is green and about 1/8" (3 mm.) across. The male flowers lack petals, while the female flowers have neither petals nor sepals. The flowers and branches of each inflorescence are white-mealy. The blooming period occurs during late summer into the fall. Pollination is by wind. The bracts of the female flowers enlarge in size, becoming triangular-hastate in shape and about 1/5" (5 mm.) in length; they form a flattened fruit that encloses the developing seed. Mature seeds are flattened, circular, and shiny black; each seed is covered by a thin rough membrane that is difficult to remove. The root system consists of a branching taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil. Toleration of salty alkaline conditions is quite good, although in Illinois this species is usually found in ordinary garden soil.
Range & Habitat: The adventive Common Orach occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, while in the southern part of the state it is uncommon (see Distribution Map). This species is native to Eurasia and northern Africa. Habitats include woodland borders, gardens, edges of yards, unmowed areas around telephone poles and tree stumps, areas along railroads and roadsides, dumps, and waste areas. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred. In Illinois, this species is not invasive of natural habitats.
Faunal Associations: Insects that feed primarily on the leaves of Atriplex spp., including Common Orach (Atriplex patula), are larvae of a fly, Pegomya hyoscyami (Spinach Leafminer); larvae of Emmelina monodactyla (Morning Glory Plume Moth), Chrysoesthia drurella (Goosefoot Leafminer Moth), and Chrysoesthia lingulacella (Flamboyent Twirler Moth); adults of Chaetocnema concinna (Brassy Flea Beetle); and Hayhurstia atriplicis (Chenopodium Aphid). Because the foliage and seeds of herbaceous Atriplex spp. are similar to those of Chenopodium spp., they may have similar floral-faunal relationships in the eastern United States. In particular, granivorous songbirds (e.g., various sparrows) probably eat the seeds.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken near a vegetable garden in Urbana, Illinois, and along the edge of a wooded area in Champaign County, Illinois.
Comments: This plant has unusual arrowhead-shaped fruits. While other Atriplex spp. have such fruits, there are usually more lobes and other irregularities along the margins of their fruits. The foliage of Common Orach is very similar to the foliage of some Chenopodium spp. (Goosefoots). However, the latter have button-shaped fruits with 5 folded sepals. Because of the variability of its leaves, different varieties of Common Orach have been described. The typical variety (described here) has lanceolate leaves, while var. littoralis has linear leaves and var. hastata has triangular-hastate leaves. Some authorities consider these varieties to be different species (see Mohlenbrock, 2001). Common Orach should not be confused with Atriplex hortensis (Garden Orach), which is occasionally grown in gardens as either a potherb or ornamental plant. This latter species has fruits with nearly orbicular bracts that are conspicuously veined. In dry areas of the Western states, there are woody to semi-woody Atriplex spp. that are quite distinct. These are referred to as 'Saltbushes.'
The upper stems terminate in spikes or spike-like panicles of flowers; axillary spikes also develop from some of the upper leaves. The flowers are arranged in sessile clusters along the spikes or the branches of the panicles. Common Orach is monoecious with separate male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers on the same plant. Each male flower has 5 sepals and 5 stamens; it is whitish green and about 1/8" (3 mm.) across. Each female flower has an ovary with 2 styles and a pair of small bracts at its base; it is green and about 1/8" (3 mm.) across. The male flowers lack petals, while the female flowers have neither petals nor sepals. The flowers and branches of each inflorescence are white-mealy. The blooming period occurs during late summer into the fall. Pollination is by wind. The bracts of the female flowers enlarge in size, becoming triangular-hastate in shape and about 1/5" (5 mm.) in length; they form a flattened fruit that encloses the developing seed. Mature seeds are flattened, circular, and shiny black; each seed is covered by a thin rough membrane that is difficult to remove. The root system consists of a branching taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loamy soil. Toleration of salty alkaline conditions is quite good, although in Illinois this species is usually found in ordinary garden soil.
Range & Habitat: The adventive Common Orach occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, while in the southern part of the state it is uncommon (see Distribution Map). This species is native to Eurasia and northern Africa. Habitats include woodland borders, gardens, edges of yards, unmowed areas around telephone poles and tree stumps, areas along railroads and roadsides, dumps, and waste areas. Areas with a history of disturbance are preferred. In Illinois, this species is not invasive of natural habitats.
Faunal Associations: Insects that feed primarily on the leaves of Atriplex spp., including Common Orach (Atriplex patula), are larvae of a fly, Pegomya hyoscyami (Spinach Leafminer); larvae of Emmelina monodactyla (Morning Glory Plume Moth), Chrysoesthia drurella (Goosefoot Leafminer Moth), and Chrysoesthia lingulacella (Flamboyent Twirler Moth); adults of Chaetocnema concinna (Brassy Flea Beetle); and Hayhurstia atriplicis (Chenopodium Aphid). Because the foliage and seeds of herbaceous Atriplex spp. are similar to those of Chenopodium spp., they may have similar floral-faunal relationships in the eastern United States. In particular, granivorous songbirds (e.g., various sparrows) probably eat the seeds.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken near a vegetable garden in Urbana, Illinois, and along the edge of a wooded area in Champaign County, Illinois.
Comments: This plant has unusual arrowhead-shaped fruits. While other Atriplex spp. have such fruits, there are usually more lobes and other irregularities along the margins of their fruits. The foliage of Common Orach is very similar to the foliage of some Chenopodium spp. (Goosefoots). However, the latter have button-shaped fruits with 5 folded sepals. Because of the variability of its leaves, different varieties of Common Orach have been described. The typical variety (described here) has lanceolate leaves, while var. littoralis has linear leaves and var. hastata has triangular-hastate leaves. Some authorities consider these varieties to be different species (see Mohlenbrock, 2001). Common Orach should not be confused with Atriplex hortensis (Garden Orach), which is occasionally grown in gardens as either a potherb or ornamental plant. This latter species has fruits with nearly orbicular bracts that are conspicuously veined. In dry areas of the Western states, there are woody to semi-woody Atriplex spp. that are quite distinct. These are referred to as 'Saltbushes.'
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月24日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 2-6' tall and unbranched, except sometimes toward the apex, where the flowers occur. The central stem is relative stout, pale green, terete, and usually short-pubescent (less often glabrous). The opposite leaves are up to 8" long and 3½" wide, broadly oblong in shape, and smooth along their margins. The upper leaf surface is pale-medium to dark green and hairless above, while the lower leaf surface is densely covered with woolly hairs that are very short. There is a prominent central vein along the length of each leaf, and finer side veins that radiate outward toward the smooth margins. When either the central stem or leaves are torn, a milky sap oozes out that has variable toxicity in the form of cardiac glycosides.
Umbels of flowers, each about 2½-4" across, emerge from the axils of the upper leaves. These flowers are quite fragrant, with a scent resembling violets or pansies, and they range in color from faded light pink to reddish purple. Each flower is about ¼" across, consisting of 5 reflexed petals and 5 raised hoods with curved horns. The hoods are more light-colored than the petals. The pedicels of the flowers are light green to pale red and hairy. The blooming period lasts about 1-1½ months from early to mid-summer. The seedpods (follicles) are 3-4" long, broadly lanceoloid, and covered with soft prickles and short woolly hairs. At maturity, each seedpod split along one side to release numerous seeds that have large tufts of white hair. Dispersion of seed is by wind. The root system has long creeping rhizomes, promoting the vegetative spread of this plant.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, rich loamy soil, and mesic conditions, but this robust plant can tolerate a variety of situations, including partial sun and a high clay or sand content in the soil. Under ideal conditions, Common Milkweed can become 6' tall and spread aggressively, but it is more typically about 3-4' tall. This plant is very easy to grow once it becomes established.
Range & Habitat: The native Common Milkweed occurs in every county of Illinois and it is quite common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, sand dunes along lake shores, thickets, woodland borders, fields and pastures, abandoned fields, vacant lots, fence rows, and areas along railroads and roadsides. This plant is a colonizer of disturbed areas in both natural and developed habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are very popular with many kinds of insects, especially long-tongued bees, wasps, flies, skippers, and butterflies, which seek nectar. Other insect visitors include short-tongued bees, various milkweed plant bugs, and moths, including Sphinx moths. Among these, the larger butterflies, predatory wasps, and long-tongued bees are more likely to remove the pollinia from the flowers. Some of the smaller insects can have their legs entrapped by the flowers and die. Common Milkweed doesn't produce fertile seeds without cross-pollination. The caterpillars of Danaus plexippes (Monarch Butterfly) feed on the foliage, as do the caterpillars of a few moths, including Enchaetes egle (Milkweed Tiger Moth), Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia), and Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia). Less common insects feeding on this plant include Neacoryphus bicrucis (Seed Bug sp.) and Gymnetron tetrum (Weevil sp.); see Insect Table for other insect feeders). Many of these insects are brightly colored – a warning to potential predators of the toxicity that they acquired from feeding on milkweed. Mammalian herbivores don't eat this plant because of the bitterness of the leaves and their toxic properties.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, and along a roadside ditch in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: Depending on the local ecotype, Common Milkweed is highly variable in appearance. The color of the flowers may be highly attractive, or faded and dingy-looking. This plant is often regarded as a weed to be destroyed, but its flowers and foliage provide food for many kinds of insects. Common Milkweed can be distinguished from other milkweeds by its prickly follicles (seedpods) – other Asclepias spp. within Illinois have follicles that are smooth, or nearly so.
Umbels of flowers, each about 2½-4" across, emerge from the axils of the upper leaves. These flowers are quite fragrant, with a scent resembling violets or pansies, and they range in color from faded light pink to reddish purple. Each flower is about ¼" across, consisting of 5 reflexed petals and 5 raised hoods with curved horns. The hoods are more light-colored than the petals. The pedicels of the flowers are light green to pale red and hairy. The blooming period lasts about 1-1½ months from early to mid-summer. The seedpods (follicles) are 3-4" long, broadly lanceoloid, and covered with soft prickles and short woolly hairs. At maturity, each seedpod split along one side to release numerous seeds that have large tufts of white hair. Dispersion of seed is by wind. The root system has long creeping rhizomes, promoting the vegetative spread of this plant.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, rich loamy soil, and mesic conditions, but this robust plant can tolerate a variety of situations, including partial sun and a high clay or sand content in the soil. Under ideal conditions, Common Milkweed can become 6' tall and spread aggressively, but it is more typically about 3-4' tall. This plant is very easy to grow once it becomes established.
Range & Habitat: The native Common Milkweed occurs in every county of Illinois and it is quite common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, sand dunes along lake shores, thickets, woodland borders, fields and pastures, abandoned fields, vacant lots, fence rows, and areas along railroads and roadsides. This plant is a colonizer of disturbed areas in both natural and developed habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are very popular with many kinds of insects, especially long-tongued bees, wasps, flies, skippers, and butterflies, which seek nectar. Other insect visitors include short-tongued bees, various milkweed plant bugs, and moths, including Sphinx moths. Among these, the larger butterflies, predatory wasps, and long-tongued bees are more likely to remove the pollinia from the flowers. Some of the smaller insects can have their legs entrapped by the flowers and die. Common Milkweed doesn't produce fertile seeds without cross-pollination. The caterpillars of Danaus plexippes (Monarch Butterfly) feed on the foliage, as do the caterpillars of a few moths, including Enchaetes egle (Milkweed Tiger Moth), Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia), and Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia). Less common insects feeding on this plant include Neacoryphus bicrucis (Seed Bug sp.) and Gymnetron tetrum (Weevil sp.); see Insect Table for other insect feeders). Many of these insects are brightly colored – a warning to potential predators of the toxicity that they acquired from feeding on milkweed. Mammalian herbivores don't eat this plant because of the bitterness of the leaves and their toxic properties.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois, and along a roadside ditch in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: Depending on the local ecotype, Common Milkweed is highly variable in appearance. The color of the flowers may be highly attractive, or faded and dingy-looking. This plant is often regarded as a weed to be destroyed, but its flowers and foliage provide food for many kinds of insects. Common Milkweed can be distinguished from other milkweeds by its prickly follicles (seedpods) – other Asclepias spp. within Illinois have follicles that are smooth, or nearly so.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月24日
Description: This plant is a summer annual about 3-6' tall; it is more or less erect and branches regularly. The light green stems are angular-terete, ridged, and hairless; the secondary stems are ascending or spreading. The alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 4" across, becoming smaller as they ascend the stems. They are green and hairless. Each leaf is pinnately divided (double or triple) into slender lobes that are narrowly lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate; some of these lobes are cleft or toothed along their margins. The lower leaves have petioles, while the upper leaves are sessile.
The upper stems terminate in floral panicles up to 1½' long and half as much across. The panicles are abundantly branched, each branch consisting of a raceme of small drooping flowerheads. about 1-2 mm. across (1/8" or less). Each flowerhead is about 2 mm. across (1/8" or less); it has many tiny disk florets. At the base of each flowerhead, there are 6 oblong bracts that are dark green. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall. There is no floral scent, although the foliage has a sweet fruity fragrance. Pollination is by wind. Upon maturity, each floret is replaced by a single achene. These achenes are small enough to be carried aloft by the wind, even though they lack tufts of hair. The root system consists of a branching taproot. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and fertile loamy soil with high nitrogen content. This plant also adapts to gravelly and sandy soil.
Range & Habitat: Annual Wormwood is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). It was introduced from Eurasia as a medicinal herb. Escaped plants usually don't persist in a given location. Habitats include woodland borders, low-lying areas along rivers and ponds, fields, vacant lots, edges of yards, fence rows, gardens, back alleys in older cities, and areas along railroads and roadsides. Disturbed habitats are preferred. Annual Wormwood is still cultivated occasionally in gardens.
Faunal Associations: The wind-pollinated florets attract few insects, while the seeds are too small to be of much value to birds. Mammalian herbivores usually avoid consumption of Artemisia spp. (Wormwoods) because of the bitter compounds and mild to moderate toxicity of their foliage.
Photographic Location: Along a fence row in Urbana, Illinois. The flowerheads in the upper photograph are still in the bud stage.
Comments: Another common name for this plant is 'Sweet Annie.' Annual Wormwood is a non-woody summer annual that has hairless foliage with a sweet fruity fragrance. Other Artemisia spp. (Wormwoods) are often herbaceous biennials or woody perennials with hairy foliage (at least on the underside of their leaves). Many of these species have foliage with a smoky fragrance that resembles the seasoning 'Sage.' Annual Wormwood differs from a similar species, Artemisia biennis (Biennial Wormwood), by its double or triple pinnate leaves and spreading floral panicles. The latter species has simple pinnate leaves and a more spike-like inflorescence. The foliage of Annual Wormwood contains a chemical that is useful in the treatment of malaria.
The upper stems terminate in floral panicles up to 1½' long and half as much across. The panicles are abundantly branched, each branch consisting of a raceme of small drooping flowerheads. about 1-2 mm. across (1/8" or less). Each flowerhead is about 2 mm. across (1/8" or less); it has many tiny disk florets. At the base of each flowerhead, there are 6 oblong bracts that are dark green. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall. There is no floral scent, although the foliage has a sweet fruity fragrance. Pollination is by wind. Upon maturity, each floret is replaced by a single achene. These achenes are small enough to be carried aloft by the wind, even though they lack tufts of hair. The root system consists of a branching taproot. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and fertile loamy soil with high nitrogen content. This plant also adapts to gravelly and sandy soil.
Range & Habitat: Annual Wormwood is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map). It was introduced from Eurasia as a medicinal herb. Escaped plants usually don't persist in a given location. Habitats include woodland borders, low-lying areas along rivers and ponds, fields, vacant lots, edges of yards, fence rows, gardens, back alleys in older cities, and areas along railroads and roadsides. Disturbed habitats are preferred. Annual Wormwood is still cultivated occasionally in gardens.
Faunal Associations: The wind-pollinated florets attract few insects, while the seeds are too small to be of much value to birds. Mammalian herbivores usually avoid consumption of Artemisia spp. (Wormwoods) because of the bitter compounds and mild to moderate toxicity of their foliage.
Photographic Location: Along a fence row in Urbana, Illinois. The flowerheads in the upper photograph are still in the bud stage.
Comments: Another common name for this plant is 'Sweet Annie.' Annual Wormwood is a non-woody summer annual that has hairless foliage with a sweet fruity fragrance. Other Artemisia spp. (Wormwoods) are often herbaceous biennials or woody perennials with hairy foliage (at least on the underside of their leaves). Many of these species have foliage with a smoky fragrance that resembles the seasoning 'Sage.' Annual Wormwood differs from a similar species, Artemisia biennis (Biennial Wormwood), by its double or triple pinnate leaves and spreading floral panicles. The latter species has simple pinnate leaves and a more spike-like inflorescence. The foliage of Annual Wormwood contains a chemical that is useful in the treatment of malaria.
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libbybuie912@yahoo.com
2018年07月23日
My plant looks awful, I repotted the whole arrangement and the tall (used to be beautiful), green spiny plant is dying and I don’t know what I did wrong. Please help me
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月21日
At the young, green stage, black-eyed peas are removed from their plump pods, cooked and served as a hearty green vegetable side dish. Dry black-eyed peas are a cream-colored bean-like legume with distinctive dark-colored markings. Also known as cowpeas, they are soaked, then cooked for about two hours and served as a main dish, in soups or as a filling cold salad. Whether you have an abundance of fresh green cowpeas from the garden or leftovers from a dinner featuring cooked dry black-eyed peas, preserve them in the freezer for a quick start to a nutritious meal in the future.
Step 1
Pop open the black-eyed pea pods with your fingers and scoop the small green peas out into a colander.
Step 2
Rinse the shelled peas under cool running water. Pick out any debris and pod pieces that may have fallen into the peas.
Step 3
Fill a large cooking pot two-thirds full of water. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
Step 4
Dump the black-eyed peas into the boiling water and cook them for two full minutes.
Step 5
Pour the cooked peas back into the colander to drain out the hot water.
Step 6
Place the drained black-eyed peas immediately into a large bowl filled with water and ice cubes. Swirl the peas around for a minute or two until they are completely cooled, then pour them into the colander to drain.
Step 7
Spoon the cooled peas into pint-sized plastic containers, cover tightly with a lid and place the container into the freezer. If you prefer freezing in plastic bags, use the type specifically designed for use in freezers and press as much air out of the filled bag as possible before sealing.
Dried Black-Eyed Peas
Step 1
Place 1 or more cups of dry black-eyed peas in a large cooking pot. Cover them with 5 cups of water per cup of peas and put a lid on the pot.
Step 2
Set the pot on a burner turned to its highest setting. When the water comes to a boil, allow the peas to cook for two full minutes.
Step 3
Remove the pot from the stove and take off the lid. Let the peas sit undisturbed for at least two hours, then pour them into a colander to strain away the water.
Step 4
Dump the drained black-eyed peas back into the water. Pour the same amount of water over the peas that you used when you originally soaked them. If you started with 1 cup of dried peas, for example, add 5 cups of water, even though the peas have expanded in volume through the soaking process.
Step 5
Cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium, or lower if necessary, to keep the liquid at a lightly bubbling simmer. Cook the peas for two hours or until they are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 6
Pour the cooked peas into a colander and run cold water over them for three to four minutes to start the cooling process. Let the colander sit for five to 10 minutes, shaking it several times, to allow excess water to drain completely.
Step 7
Turn the black-eyed peas out into one or more large baking pans, spreading the peas out in a layer no deeper than 3 inches to facilitate faster cooling. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or until the peas are completely cooled.
Step 8
Package the cooled black-eyed peas in pint- or quart-sized containers, whichever is most convenient for your cooking style. Cover the containers with lids that seal tightly. Use plastic bags specifically designed for freezer use if you want to flatten the filled bags to conserve space in your freezer.
Step 1
Pop open the black-eyed pea pods with your fingers and scoop the small green peas out into a colander.
Step 2
Rinse the shelled peas under cool running water. Pick out any debris and pod pieces that may have fallen into the peas.
Step 3
Fill a large cooking pot two-thirds full of water. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
Step 4
Dump the black-eyed peas into the boiling water and cook them for two full minutes.
Step 5
Pour the cooked peas back into the colander to drain out the hot water.
Step 6
Place the drained black-eyed peas immediately into a large bowl filled with water and ice cubes. Swirl the peas around for a minute or two until they are completely cooled, then pour them into the colander to drain.
Step 7
Spoon the cooled peas into pint-sized plastic containers, cover tightly with a lid and place the container into the freezer. If you prefer freezing in plastic bags, use the type specifically designed for use in freezers and press as much air out of the filled bag as possible before sealing.
Dried Black-Eyed Peas
Step 1
Place 1 or more cups of dry black-eyed peas in a large cooking pot. Cover them with 5 cups of water per cup of peas and put a lid on the pot.
Step 2
Set the pot on a burner turned to its highest setting. When the water comes to a boil, allow the peas to cook for two full minutes.
Step 3
Remove the pot from the stove and take off the lid. Let the peas sit undisturbed for at least two hours, then pour them into a colander to strain away the water.
Step 4
Dump the drained black-eyed peas back into the water. Pour the same amount of water over the peas that you used when you originally soaked them. If you started with 1 cup of dried peas, for example, add 5 cups of water, even though the peas have expanded in volume through the soaking process.
Step 5
Cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium, or lower if necessary, to keep the liquid at a lightly bubbling simmer. Cook the peas for two hours or until they are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 6
Pour the cooked peas into a colander and run cold water over them for three to four minutes to start the cooling process. Let the colander sit for five to 10 minutes, shaking it several times, to allow excess water to drain completely.
Step 7
Turn the black-eyed peas out into one or more large baking pans, spreading the peas out in a layer no deeper than 3 inches to facilitate faster cooling. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or until the peas are completely cooled.
Step 8
Package the cooled black-eyed peas in pint- or quart-sized containers, whichever is most convenient for your cooking style. Cover the containers with lids that seal tightly. Use plastic bags specifically designed for freezer use if you want to flatten the filled bags to conserve space in your freezer.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月19日
Zucchini is one of the most popular varieties of summer squash because it grows quickly and easily in many climates. Although they're traditionally dark green, zucchini can also be yellow, striped, speckled or even nearly white. Gardeners plant zucchini seeds in full sun, one-inch deep directly in well-drained, fertile soil once after the danger of frost has passed. Single seeds should be planted 24 to 36 inches apart or four to five seeds to a hill, with hills spaced 48 inches apart. Seed packets provide spacing instructions for specific zucchini varieties. Seeds can be planted from early spring to mid-summer to produce zucchinis from late summer to fall.
Planting
Growth
The plants will take four to nine days to emerge from seed, depending on the soil temperature. Vines will develop rapidly and spread across a wide area. The plant will sprout blossoms, male and female, after about six weeks. Only female blossoms bear fruit, but male blossoms are necessary for pollination. Bees carry pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers. If small fruit forms but withers and falls off the vine, pollination has not occurred. Planting flowers near the squash plants encourages bee to pollinate the plants.
Harvest
Once blossoms appear and pollination takes place, zucchini will grow quickly in the warm weather and may be ready to pick in as few as four days or up to a week. Harvest zucchini when it is about 2 inches in diameter and about 6 to 8 inches long. Don't allow the squash to get too big or overripe, or it will be tough and seedy. For more delicate texture, zucchini can be harvested when it is even smaller. The blossoms can also be used in gourmet dishes. Zucchini should be ready to pick about two months after it is planted. Once you've started harvesting, continuing to pick the squash encourages the plant to produce more. Cutting the zucchini off with a knife prevents damage to the plant. Zucchini can be stored for up to two weeks. By late summer, many gardeners find they have so much zucchini they can't give it away fast enough. There's even a national day in celebration of the phenomenon: August 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night.
Planting
Growth
The plants will take four to nine days to emerge from seed, depending on the soil temperature. Vines will develop rapidly and spread across a wide area. The plant will sprout blossoms, male and female, after about six weeks. Only female blossoms bear fruit, but male blossoms are necessary for pollination. Bees carry pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers. If small fruit forms but withers and falls off the vine, pollination has not occurred. Planting flowers near the squash plants encourages bee to pollinate the plants.
Harvest
Once blossoms appear and pollination takes place, zucchini will grow quickly in the warm weather and may be ready to pick in as few as four days or up to a week. Harvest zucchini when it is about 2 inches in diameter and about 6 to 8 inches long. Don't allow the squash to get too big or overripe, or it will be tough and seedy. For more delicate texture, zucchini can be harvested when it is even smaller. The blossoms can also be used in gourmet dishes. Zucchini should be ready to pick about two months after it is planted. Once you've started harvesting, continuing to pick the squash encourages the plant to produce more. Cutting the zucchini off with a knife prevents damage to the plant. Zucchini can be stored for up to two weeks. By late summer, many gardeners find they have so much zucchini they can't give it away fast enough. There's even a national day in celebration of the phenomenon: August 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night.
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