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| May 1, 2011 - Adams County |
This is Nodding Mandarin (
Prosartes maculata), a gorgeous spring blooming wildflower of extreme southern Ohio. It is a state threatened species and is only currently known from Adams and Scioto counties in our state. A species with a more southerly distribution, it barely makes it across the Ohio River into Ohio where it is restricted to the mature, mesic forests on the lower slopes and ravines.
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| May 1, 2011 - Adams County |
Nodding Mandarin has a very similar species that can commonly be found growing in the same area called Yellow Mandarin (
Prosartes lanuginosa). They look almost identical when in their vegetative state but Yellow Mandarin's flowers are a green-yellow color and rather inconspicuous; while Nodding Mandarin's blooms are a very unique and distinct snow white color speckled with an array of purple dots.
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| May 1, 2011 - Adams County |
The three-petaled/sepals blooms contain six long, thread-like filaments each adorned with a large, pale gold anther. The blooms hang in terminal clusters (1-4 flowers) on slender peduncles just below the last set of leaves at the end of the plant. The fruit ripens in late July/early August and when mature is a triangular, 3-lobed capsule that is a pale straw color and rather pubescent.
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| May 1, 2011 - Adams County |
There is nothing else like this plant out there when in bloom. Their blooming time is very short and during a time where it's easy to overlook due to how much other wildflower activity is going on. If you ever get the chance to lay eyes on this plants flower consider yourself very lucky due to its rarity, local distribution and the beautiful show it puts on in mid to late April.
Thanks Andrew! Yes, if one goes to Flora-quest and learns spotted mandarin, you're likely to think it grows all over Ohio when you see yellow mandarin vegetatively. So I saw you for literally about a second a flora-quest...where were you hiding? :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I was all over the place! I did see you for a fleeting moment but didn't get the chance to drop in for a conversation. I stayed at our cabin on our property about 30 minutes from Shawnee so I wasn't around the lodge much. Did get to see a lot of what I was aiming for and more! I plan on doing a few more posts about my favorite species seen last weekend.
ReplyDeleteHopefully I'll get the chance to do some botanizing out in the field with you soon!
Theres seems to be alot of "nodding" going on lately! Never seen the N.Mandarin before,very cool!
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