Ohio Flora

Rose Pogonia

2011-06-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

Daisy-leaf Moonwort

2011-06-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Ohio's Viola Species

2011-05-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

Viola rostrata - Long-spurred Violet

Viola lanceolata - Lance-leaved Violet

I wanted to pass along the link to my personal nature/botany blog for a recent post I published about the Viola species Ohio has to offer. It's way too large and detailed a post to repeat on here so I figured I'd just go the easy route and link into the Ohio Flora blog. That way this blog has a healthy violet addition! Hope you all check it out and enjoy! There's over 20 species to be had on this post with I.D. characteristics, photographs and life history.

The Natural Treasures of Ohio - The Violets of Ohio Thanks for tuning in!

Viola sagittata - Arrow-leaved Violet

Butterweed, Packera glabella

2011-05-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

Crop field in Delaware County, Ohio

As you drive across Ohio's farmlands, are you seeing acres of yellow right now? If so, you're most likely seeing what I like to call butterweed. It looks like giant golden ragwort, if you're familiar with the genus Packera (formerly our Packeras were in the genus Senecio). This plant is native in the central and southeast U.S., but has rapidly expanded across Ohio in recent decades. Just take a look at the range map for Ohio from USDA Plants:

It's all over central and western Ohio, but by looking at this map, you'd think it was a rarity. It's even showing up in my front yard as a weed! Why has this plant expanded so rapidly? Is it taking advantage of no-till agriculture? Is there something else to the story? I'm not sure, but I bet that it grows in every county in Ohio's corn belt plains, and on this map, it barely registers in a few Ohio counties.

Plants get around- they move, and they can do things that we never expect. And that's why I think they're incredibly cool. Look out Pennsylvania, butterweed may be headed towards you!

Tom

p.s. (I bet it's probably there already)

Crossvine, Bignonia capreolata

2011-05-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Let's try this one again, this time with the pictures!

Let's try this one again, this time with the pictures!

Before this year's Flora-quest, I had only seen crossvine growing on the limestone walls of the Governor's Residence. We had an little extra time at the end of our Flora-quest, and Amy Fitton suggested that we take our group to see it growing in the wild. She didn't know exactly how far down the road it would be, but when I came to a rock outcropping on the right, she explained, that's where it would be. Sure enough, she was spot on, and our group had excellent opportunities to see this native vine that reaches its northern limits in extreme southern Ohio.

Tom

Nodding Mandarin - Prosartes maculata

2011-05-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

Goldenseal - Hydrastis canadensis

2011-05-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

A close examination of the Goldenseal flower shows a complete lack of petals. The bloom consists of a ring of stamens surrounding a central cluster of pistils.

The flower bud is protected by three sepals which are shed as the flower opens. Many people imagine the stamens to be petals and are led astray in their attempts to properly identify this plant.

Flowering plants develop an elongated stem with a pair of alternately placed leaves. The lower leaf is the larger of the two.

A single bloom is located at the top of the stem.

Non-flowering specimens have a single leaf at the top of the stem. People often mistake the non-flowering plants as being May-apples.

Look for this plant in upland woods with deep soils. Many Goldenseal populations have been decimated by people collecting the plant for its supposed medicinal properties. The plant contains a variety of different alkaloids and is considered toxic.

Photos taken on April 30, 2011 in Adams County, Ohio.

Mayapple - Podophyllum peltatum

2011-04-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

Mayapple is probably one of the most recognized of the spring time woodland wildflowers, but few people actually know it by its flower.

Recognition comes from the umbrella-like leaf centered on top of a single stalk. This arrangement typifies the non-flowering plant.

The stalk of a flowering specimen splits midway up, with both stalks developing leaves of a more fan-like shape that attach at the base of the fan. The single flower emerges from the fork in the stem.

Non-flowering plants usually dominate in any population, but plants with flowers should still be present. In tightly packed stands, the flowers are often overlooked because they are hidden beneath the leaf canopy. It’s worth the effort to look around for the blooms the next time you locate a patch of Mayapples.

Photos taken April 25, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

American Columbo - Frasera caroliniensis

2011-04-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

American Columbo, Frasera caroliniensis, has a most amazing bloom. It’s well worth the effort to seek out this spectacular plant.

The American Columbo will exist for several years as a cluster of basal leaves. Look for these basal leaves in the woods now. Remember the location where they are found and check back next month for a chance to see flowering individuals.

When the plant has reached maturity, a thick stalk will ascend 4 to 6 feet and clusters of green blooms will appear. Although they are quite showy when viewed up close, they quickly blend into the dappled sunlight of the woods and can be hard to notice at a distance.

Most years, only a few flowering plants are seen at one site. This is truly a wondrous plant.

Photos taken on May 27, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Carex Flowers are Fun

2011-04-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

Video is available in full 1080hd by clicking where it says 360p

Here's a quick video of the flower head (inflorescence) of a sedge in the genus Carex. This is the genus that really gets us botanists excited. There are representatives of Carex genus in just about any habitat, natural or human created, in Ohio. Although I'm not sure what the exact number of species for Ohio is at the moment, I believe it's upwards of 160.

I believe this is Carex pensylvanica, but I'm going to have to wait a little bit for the fruits to mature. The long, slender white things you see are stigmas of the female flowers. They're on a pollen quest, and the gentle breeze really blows the inflorescences around, which I assume increases the chance that a tiny little pollen grain will land on a stigma and produce a fertile seed.

In this particular inflorescence, the male flowers towards the top end of the plant have not fully opened. The anthers are not yet extended, and therefore they aren't releasing pollen. I'm assuming that having the stigmas fully develop before the same plant's anthers are releasing pollen helps prevent self fertilization.

Many of our early sedge species, mostly those that grow in woods, have already flowered and have mature fruit. But don't worry, one can see different species of sedges flowering in the months of April and May. Many of these flowers are fascinating and truly under-appreciated.

So my challenge to you is, go find a few sedge flowers and point your macro lens at them- I think you'll find them incredibly interesting.

-Tom

Hoary Puccoon - Lithospermum canescens

2011-04-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

Hoary Puccoon is one of the first of the brightly colored blooms of the dry prairie. This is a hemiparasitic species, meaning that it is a parasite on other plants, but also contains chlorophyll and can produce its own energy through photosynthesis.

At the start of the blooming season the landscape can be a carpet of yellow. When the long-lasting blooms begin to wane, dozens of other prairie forbs are pushing forward to take their place.

Hoary Puccoon provides an excellent early nectar source for many insects. A bad year for the puccoon could have a negative effect on much of the prairie fauna.

Photos taken May 20, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Wood Betony - Pedicularis canadensis

2011-04-10T16:11:00.000-07:00

Wood Betony is one of the earliest of the colorful Southern Ohio prairie bloomers. The pink and red of the blooms can be seen for quite a distance. Look for it in prairie openings, especially along a woodland edge.

From above, you can see a lovely pin-wheel pattern.

This is a perennial plant that spreads by way of rhizomes. It can sometimes form large patches.

Photos taken on April 25, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Wild Ginger - Asarum canadense

2011-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here’s a weird little flower that many people overlook. The bloom of the Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense, is typically situated beneath the leaf litter on the forest floor. It usually requires a little leaf removal if you want to get a clear view of the flower. Of course, it’s hard for me to look into the center of the flower without seeing the face of the Creature from the Black Lagoon looking out at me.

It doesn’t make sense for a flower to be hidden beneath the dead leaves, unless that’s where the pollinators are to be found. The list of pollinators for this flower ranges from carrion eating flies to ground dwelling beetles and ants. The common denominator among the various pollinators is their habit of searching for food within the leaf litter on the forest floor.

Most people only notice the pair of deep green, velvety leaves reaching for the sunlight. Even if a flower is uncovered, it’s hard to see from a standing position. In some areas, Wild Ginger becomes the dominant ground cover.

Wild Ginger is another plant that produces a tasty substance attached to the seeds in an attempt to get ants to carry them off and distribute them around the forest. This seed dispersal strategy seems to be shared by many woodland plants.

If you like hairy plants, you really need to get acquainted with Wild Ginger. The plant is almost completely covered in a thick carpet of hairs. The least hairy part of the plant is the upper surface of the leaf. It wouldn’t be a sound survival technique for a plant that gets limited sunlight, to put obstacles between the sun and the sun collecting surface.

Photos taken April 10, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Spring Beauty - Claytonia virginica

2011-04-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

It should be a rule that you always get on hands and knees to view the small, short statured plants. That’s where you will really get to know a flower. I’m sure the person who gave Spring Beauty its name was nose to petal with the lovely bloom when the name came to mind. This plant is at the early end of its blooming season and should not be missed.

Spring Beauty is likely to be found in any shaded area, from wilderness to rural back yard. Its commonness causes many people to pass it by in their pursuit of the rare and unusual, but you should really make it a point to reconnect with this gorgeous bit of eye candy each season.

It’s usually the common species that spur the fire of enthusiasm in the newly proclaimed amateur botanist. If you happen to be guiding such a person, get their face into the bloom of a Spring Beauty and they’ll be hooked on a hobby that will last them a lifetime.

Photos take April 11, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Large-flowered Trillium - Trillium grandiflorum

2011-04-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Large-flowered Trillium, Trillium grandiflorum, is usually found in rich deciduous woodlands.

It can be found as a single blooming plant or as a mass of plants carpeting the woodland floor.

Large-flowered Trilliums have to grow for several years before flowering, so it takes a long time to build up a population.

It’s also a plant that is slow to spread to new areas, because it depends on ants to scatter the seeds. A juicy morsel is attached to the seed that causes the ants to carry the seed back to the colony. After the ants finish their meal, the seed is carried out and discarded. This practice of ants dispersing seeds is fairly common among woodland flowers.

Photos taken April 28, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis

2011-03-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

The Bloodroot in my woods is just beginning to bloom. It’s impossible to miss the white glow of these petals.

I think this is the most abused wildflower in the woods. I’ve been on many nature hikes where our group leader began by lecturing us on the perils of picking wildflowers and later stopped along the trail to yank a Bloodroot from the ground just so we could see the red juices ooze from the root. One leaf and one flower stalk is all this plant produces each year. What a set back if either is lost.

The folded leaf looks as though it is trying to hold the plant in place. I find this to be a remarkable little plant. Photos taken April 2, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Golden-star - Erythronium rostratum

2011-03-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

March 23, 2011 - Adams County, Ohio

This stunning member of the Liliaceae family is the state endangered Golden-star (Erythronium rostratum). It was originally found in Ohio by famous botanist E. Lucy Braun in 1963. Since it's discovery nearly 50 years ago in the valley of Rocky Fork in Scioto County is has never been found anywhere else in the state...until now. Another population was discovered on March 23, 2011 on the Edge of Appalachia Preserve system in Adams County; the first time this plant has been documented outside the forested hillsides of Rocky Fork in the state of Ohio.

March 23, 2011 - Adams County

Very similar and easily confused with its relative, Yellow Trout-lily (Erythronium americanum), this flower can be separated from the two in a couple ways. The tepals (petals) of this species spread out in a star-like fashion on a flat plane while the Yellow Trout-lily's petals reflex (curl) back to fully reveal the stamens and pistil. Another diagnostic characteristic is the bloom of the Golden-star is erect on its peduncle and faces up towards the sky. The similar Yellow Trout-lily's flowers droop over and face the ground. Also the Golden-star blooms on average a couple weeks before any Yellow Trout-lilies bloom.

March 23, 2011 - Adams County

While not entirely a sure thing, most Yellow Trout-lily's stamens are red/orange and their inner section of their petals exhibit a scattering of reddish specks. As seen above, the Golden-star's stamens are golden yellow and lack any spotting on the inner petals. The fruit is the best means of positive identification when comparing them against the other Erythroniums of Ohio. Both the Yellow (E. americanum) and White Trout-lily's (E. albidum) fruit lay prostrate along the ground as they mature while the Golden-star's peduncle is erect up off the ground. The Golden-star's mature capsule also has a "beak" on the end while the other two Erythronium's do not.

March 23, 2011 - Adams County

This species typically blooms in the Rocky Fork region in late March or Early April. It only blooms for a short time so you really have to hit the timing just right to experience this gorgeous flower! The newly discovered Adams County population is very secluded and way off the public path; whether the Edge will open this area up to viewing is currently unknown. I fear with the cold snap and short blooming period these flowers are finished and already in fruit.

If interested in a more detailed account of this discovery feel free to check out my personal nature blog at The Natural Treasures of Ohio. I look forward to contributing to this site often in the future! This is on pace to become a fantastic resource for fellow Ohio botanists and plant appreciators!

Juniper Sedge - Carex juniperorum

2011-03-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

Juniper Sedge is one of those Southern Ohio rarities that often goes unnoticed. The flowers should be developing within the next couple of weeks.

It’s not hard to understand why people overlook this plant. It’s doesn’t get very tall and in larger plants, the growth seems to radiate from a central point in such a way that the plant appears to have been flattened by someone’s boot.

The flowers are soon replaced by the long beaked perigynia.

Juniper Sedge thrives in the same dry conditions so often frequented by Eastern Red Cedar. The presence of cedars doesn’t seem to be a requirement of the sedge, so look for Juniper Sedge in any prairie-like openings.

Photos taken April 25, 2010 in Adams County. Ohio.

Squawroot - Conopholis americana

2011-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here’s something to watch for while you’re out looking for woodland wildflowers. Squawroot, Conopholis americana, is parasitic on oak trees. The bulk of the plant is underground where it bonds with the roots of the tree. It’s one of those odd plants that lacks chlorophyll and takes all of its energy from the host.

The flower buds are hidden behind rough looking scales. The emerging flowers push themselves up over the lip of the scale.

The flower spikes of Squawroot emerge from the ground looking like malformed pine cones. Squawroot is like the person that never seems to fit in. In the middle of a woods full of enchanting and delicate spring flowers, you have this brute of a spike pushing through the leaves, displaying its unhealthy looking browns and pale yellows. It’s not hard to see why some hikers give it a wide berth, as though afraid of contracting whatever disease has ravaged the plant.

Photos taken April 25, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Common Yellow Violet - Viola pubescens

2011-03-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

The Common Yellow Violet will soon add its bright yellow pattern to the floor of the dry woodland. This is one of the brightest of the spring flowers and is impossible to miss when the sun reflects from the lemon yellow petals.

The blooms have not yet appeared, but the leaves are quickly pushing upward. Look for the pubescence beneath the leaves, especially along the veins.

Photos taken on April 10, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Pennsylvania Sedge

2011-03-20T08:32:00.000-07:00


March 20, 2011- Worthington, Ohio

I don't think it's possible to be a botanist and to not love sedges. Here's a tight shot of Carex pensylvanica growing in our backyard. These brown overlapping things are scales- the scales are now concealing the very reduced sedge flowers, which is where all the love happens. I'll try to keep an eye on this spike as it develops and post more pictures to help demystify sedge anatomy. I love spring.

Tom

Dwarf Hawthorn - Crataegus uniflora

2011-03-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

Crataegus uniflora is one of the easiest to identify Hawthorns, but it is also the easiest to overlook. Once you've seen them, the leaves are hard to mistake.

As the name implies, this is a small shrub. In my opinion, it's probably the cutest of the native Ohio shrubs. Height is typically less than 18 inches, with many flowering specimens being less than a foot tall.

I've seen Crataegus uniflora growing in both sun and shade. It is most common on calcareous soils, but I've also seen it growing on low pH shale based soils. Watch for it as you check out the spring wildflowers in Southern Ohio.

Photos taken May 23, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Potato Dandelion - Krigia dandelion

2011-03-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

Potato Dandelion basal leaves begin to emerge in early winter, but are most noticeable at this time of year. At a glance, the leaves resemble young Trout Lily leaves and can easily go unnoticed. It’s hard to predict where you might encounter this rare plant, except to say that it is most likely to be encountered in dry soils. There are very few known occurrences of the plant in Ohio, but it’s liable to grow in any soil type from sand to heavy clay and in sunlight conditions ranging from open field to thick woodland.
Photo taken March 17, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

As the season progresses, the leaves begin to elongate and develop lobes. The amount of sunlight received by the plant seems to influence the lobe development. As sunlight increases, the lobes tend to narrow and elongate.
Photo taken March 24, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

The mature leaves bear little resemblance to the late winter growth.
Photo taken May 5, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

In early May, a single flower will open at the top of a long stalk.
Photo taken May 5, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Carolina Whitlow Grass - Draba reptans

2011-03-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

This winter annual could win ribbons at the fair in the smallness category. This is a mature plant and represents a typical size. Those logs laying beside it are actually small grass stems.

A leafy central stalk is typical for this plant.

It's not unusual for each plant to bear just a single flower . The Draba cuneifolia in the lower center, a tiny plant in its own right, dwarfs the even tinier Draba reptans. These two species are often found growing in the same site.

Draba reptans is currently at the tiny rosette stage, but will be blooming within the next couple of weeks. Watch for it in open rocky sites in Southern Ohio.

Photos taken April 16, 2008 in Adams County, Ohio.

Wedge Leaf Whitlow Grass - Draba cuneifolia

2011-03-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

Leaves of young Draba cuneifolia don’t show the characteristic dentate margins. Unless you have eyes in your knees, you won’t be able to identify these tiny winter annuals from a standing position. Photo taken on 3-12-10 in Adams County, Ohio.

Older plants are more easily identified. Photo taken on 3-16-08 in Adams County, Ohio.

The small flowers are hard to see from above. The best way to find the blooming plants is to get close to the ground and look horizontally across the surface. Photo taken on 4-30-05 in Adams County, Ohio.

Photo taken on 4-19-06 in Adams County, Ohio.

Blooms are very short lived. Seed pods emerge soon after the flower opens. Photo taken on 4-19-06 in Adams County, Ohio.

These plants are typically found on dry, bare soil in areas with abundant sunlight. Photo taken on 3-12-10 in Adams County, Ohio.

Leavenworthia uniflora

2011-03-11T16:22:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year to be searching for the rosettes of the uncommon Leavenworthia uniflora. Look for the tiny plants growing in shallow, calcareous soil in Southern Ohio. Photo taken on February 18, 2011 in Adams County, Ohio.

Plants should begin blooming within the next few weeks. This is a typical full sized plant. Photo taken April 5, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

When growing conditions are perfect, you may find robust specimens such as this. This plant has more than a dozen flower buds clustered in the center of the whorl. Photo taken on March 25, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

Gray Goldenrod - Solidago nemoralis

2010-12-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

GRAY GOLDENROD - Solidago nemoralis

Photos taken on September 9, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Deerberry – Vaccinium stamineum

2010-12-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

DEERBERRY – Vaccinium stamineum

Photos taken May 29, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Bristle-Tipped Sedge - Carex eburnea

2010-12-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

BRISTLE-LEAVED SEDGE – Carex eburnea

Photos taken November 15, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Big Bluestem - Andropogon gerardii

2010-12-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

BIG BLUESTEM – Andropogon gerardii

Photos taken July 25, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Bundleflower - Desmanthus illinoensis

2010-12-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

BUNDLEFLOWER – Desmanthus illinoensis

Photos taken July 11, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

American Aloe - Manfreda virginica

2010-12-01T16:53:00.001-08:00

AMERICAN ALOE – Manfreda virginica

Photos taken July 6, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Hooded Arrowhead

2010-11-20T04:24:00.000-08:00

Hooded or Mississippi Arrowhead (Sagittaria montevidensis ssp. calycina or Lophotocarpus calycinus) is a rare species in Ohio occurring in a couple dozen wetlands throughout the state. In late summer of 2003, I had my first encounter with this species. I found a few plants growing in a shallow pool at Little Cedar Point in Lucas County.

In seasons of high water, no plants may be seen but in years when water levels drop, exposing mudflats, you may see hundreds even thousands of plants.

Hooded arrowhead is distinguished from other Ohio arrowheads by sepals appressed in fruit and its thick, spongy, decumbent flower/fruit stalk. Leaves are variable but look similar to the common arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia).

In E. Lucy Braun's The Monocotyledoneae [of Ohio]: Cattails to Orchids, she reports it from 5 counties. It is now known from 17 counties. Habitats include mudflats of river oxbows, marshes, lakes, and ponds.

James' Clammy-weed

2010-10-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

James' clammy-weed (Polanisia jamesii, Capparaceae) is a rare introduction to the state of Ohio. First discovered in Ohio by Allison Cusick in 1967, he reported it growing in a railroad bed in Summit County. In 1999, I discovered another site in adjacent Portage County in similar habitat. This past summer, I returned to the site and was pleased to see it still there. James' clammy-weed has narrower leaves and fruits than its close relative, clammy-weed (Polanisia dodedandra). A species of the Great Plains, it likely came into Ohio via the railroad and now a rare "weed" in the buckeye state.

Striking Botanical Gold

2010-09-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

An Ohio mega-rarity, Schoenoplectus smithii

Schoenoplectus is prounouced SKEE-no-PLEC-tus

Many of you know that I've spent the last seven years of my life as a botanist for the ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. I didn't start out that way. Initially I thought I knew quite a bit about Ohio's flora, but I was quickly humbled by the knowledge of people like Jim McCormac, Greg Schneider, and Rick Gardner. I really do remember one of the first days out in the field when Greg explained to me the basic differences between a grass and a sedge. I've come a long way.

That brings us to last week, where I had perhaps my best discovery yet. This summer I've been finishing out a grant as an employee of the Division of Wildlife since the demise of Natural Areas and Preserves as a stand-alone division this past June. I decided to head up to Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve to see if I could find the elusive Potentilla paradoxa (state endangered) or perhaps Sagitarria cuneata, (state threatened).

I was skunked with those two species, but on the last mudflat I examined, I struck botanical gold. My partners dropped me off at a small island near the mouth of the marsh. I've visited the mudflat surrounding the island several times, but today, something caught my eye. Like a bit gleaming precious metal, one grass-like plant stood out above the carpet of spikerushes and water purslane.

Mudflat at Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve

Below me was a bulrush, but unlike the much more common and large species like Softstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus taebernaemontani) or common threesquare (Schoenoplectus pungens), this plant was miniature. Its green culms (stems) weren't much longer than a robust blunt spikerush (Eleocharis compressa) but instead of having a terminal inflorescence (flower head), the spikes were lateral, with long bracts above the spikes (a group of sedge flowers).

Immediately I knew this was something REALLY cool. The first instinct of a professional botanist is to pick the plant to examine it in the hand. It's a horrible habit. I've tried to train my brain to stop and think before I pick something that I just found that I'm super excited about. Fortunately, that gear kicked in and I began to look for more plants without any luck. Only one clump! Ugh....what to do? Without a specimen, I wouldn't be able to identify it. I carefully pried loose three culms from the mud, leaving eight intact. I was super excited, not really knowing what I found, but also realizing that it was probably something really cool. I have been studying the flora of the Lake Erie Coast for almost five years, but had never seen anything quite like what I had just collected.

Back at the office, I "Googled" the online edition of Volume 23 of the Flora of North America- the volume that treats the sedge family. Fortunately for me, there are only a handful of Scheonoplectus species in Ohio, so I quickly narrowed down my specimen to one of two things- Pursh's bulrush (Schoenoplectus purshianus) and Smith's bulrush (Schoenoplectus smithii). A look at a seed underneath the dissecting microscope, and the fact that the bract above the inflorescence made me believe this was indeed Smith's bulrush. This state endangered species was last seen along the Lake Erie Coast in 1988 and is known from only one other modern location in Ohio.

I sent a few photos to Rick Gardner and Dan Boone, who had had last observed this plant in Ohio in 2006. Dan called that afternoon and said "Tom, you've got Smithii". But there was only one problem- I only found one plant at Sheldon Marsh. Smith's bulrush is an annual that produces thousands of seeds. The seeds are incorporated into the soil, lying in wait for decades until the right conditions to return once again. I had found only one plant, so my find could just be a meaningless waif. I needed to find more.

So I decided to check out the last place where it had been observed- East Harbor State Park. Dr. Ron Stuckey had documented two plants, yes, only two plants in 1988. Perhaps it had returned to East Harbor this year as well?

After walking the mile and a half to the location where he collected it along a rip-rap wall, I found what I was expecting- the habitat was gone-no mudflats, just the open water of a deep boating channel. I wasn't ready to give up though. There was still one more place I needed to look- a deep water pond and mudlflats of an experimental wetland right near the parking lot. I was expecting to see the state endangered Caribbean spikerush, (Eleocharis geniculata) growing there- I had observed it five years prior, but Smith's bulrush was not there then- would it be now?

After a few stops along the way where we found a few other state listed species, we finally set out to find the experimental wetland. By this time, since I had found some other goodies- I was prepared to find the Caribbean spikerush, get into our nearby vehicle and drive off to our next spot.

When we arrived at the wetland, I saw great mudflats with tons of spikerushes. My attention immediately turned to the rhizomatous red-footed spike-rush (Eleocharis erythropoda) and a really big weird thing that I hadn't seen before. Or at least I thought. Carpeting the mudflats was the healthiest population of Caribbean spikerush I had seen. I had known this species as micro plant with culms not much longer than an inch growing in dried out mud pools of abandoned limestone quarries. But here on these mudflats, with optimal conditions, the clumps were downright huge, probably eight inches across.

It didn't take but a few more steps though, and the shiny botanical gold shined into my eyes once again. A giant clump of Smith's bulrush was right at my feet! COOL! It was such a satisfying moment- I had set out to find more of this plant, and right there at my feet was a robust clump. I looked around with Chris Grimm, my botanical partner-in-crime this past August, and we just kept seeing more clumps- As we walked around the mudflat, no fewer than 75 Smith's bulrush were bursting from the mud. How cool!

This past week has probably been my most satisfying week in seven years of botanizing around Ohio because of the Smith's bulrush find. Only a handful of plants had ever been documented on Lake Erie's shore in the history of Ohio's botanical exploration, and I had found the mother-load. In a week, years of searching for rare and unusual things in northern Ohio paid off right there in a mud puddle at East Harbor State Park. I feel great about the work I've done- the hundreds of specimens that I have collected and processed, the thousands of miles I have driven across northern Ohio. I certainly won't be retiring as a botanist, but this phase of my career will soon be ending. I had the best job that I could ever ask for the past seven years. But like all good things, it must come to an end, and I will look back with only fond memories- especially of a little bulrush named Smithii.

Tom

Zizania Aquatica, Wild Rice

2010-08-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

This morning, I joined a group of esteemed Botanists- Dan Boone, Jim Decker, Brian Riley and Jim McCormac on an exciting expedition near Bellfountaine, Ohio. Along the way, we stopped to see a Zizania aquatica population discovered by my botanical sensei, Rick Gardner, a few years ago. This state threatened grass grows right in the clear water of the silt bottomed Little Darby Creek. I've looked for this plant along the Lake Erie coast for quite some time, but I've never found it. It was once common along the coast, but now it's mostly gone due to anthropogenic changes in the Lake Erie ecosystem. I'm glad that I got to see and photograph it today near Plain City.

A quick note- Clicking on each picture will link you to a much SHARPER image!

Tom

Small, Flat, and Featureless- Notothylas orbicularis -An Unusual Hornwort

2010-08-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Please welcome Dr. Bob Klips to Ohio Flora. Bob writes "Dirty Trees- Bob's Brain on Botany"- without a doubt one of the most interesting sites focusing on plants in the blogsposphere. Bob has that unusual ability, through his photos and words, to make a tiny plant that he describes as "small, flat, and featureless" incredibly interesting.

-Tom

An Unusual Hornwort

Notothylas orbicularis

by Dr. Bob Klips

This promised to be great fun, and it was. A few weeks ago Erik Rothacker, a scientist who studies orchids, invited OSU graduate student Jeff Rose and me to accompany him to see “three birds” orchid at one of his study sites at Dawes Arboretum in Licking County. Seeing the orchid growing right alongside the trail was great, even if it is a mere orchid.

Afterwards we continued hiking through the woods, and saw that the path continued along the edge of the woods bordering a soybean field. Back story: The previous weekend, Jeff and I participated in a bio-blitz where, as usual, that young wippersnapper kept scooping me by spotting cool plants that I had just walked past or even stepped on. Eager to regain a little bot-cred (that’s like “street-cred,” but for bot), I was thrilled to see a wee little moss on the path just where it exited the woods. Hands-and-knees scrutiny revealed the moss to be one of the exciting short-lived annual mosses generally called “fall ephemerals.” This one, Aphanorrhegma serratum (Funariaceae) turned out not to be a county record, but it is nonetheless fairly uncommon, or at least infrequently noticed. I was pumped!

Yes, pumped was I, for about two entire minutes. Jeff’s “plant-dar” was set to “high.” He wandered off toward the soybeans and immediately came back holding a little green-topped dirt ball, innocently asking “Can this be this one of those non-Phaeoceros, non-Anthoceros hornworts that have a tiny sideways sporophyte instead of an upright horn-like one?” The answer, which was “yes,” raised another question: How does he do that? The answer to that latter question might involve comparing the visual acuity of someone born during, say, the Reagan Administration compared with someone born during the Truman one. Thank goodness for hand-lenses!

This is a picture of Jeff’s great find, a hornwort called Notothylas orbicularis. Hornworts comprise one of the three plant divisions that are collectively, but informally, referred to as “bryophytes.” The “bryophyte” designation is informal because it is now generally accepted that they do not have an common ancestor that is not also shared with another plant group. The other “bryophyte” divisions are the mosses (Division Bryophyta with just over 400 species in Ohio), and the liverworts (Division Marchantiophyta with approximately 125 species in Ohio.) Hornworts, Division Anthocerotophyta, are a relatively small group that is mainly tropical. Ohio is home to just three hornwort species.

In the photo below, labels have been added, using the font “Comic Sans” that everybody seems to find annoying. They denote the short spindle-shaped sporophytes, laying sideways in characteristic Notothylas fashion. Actually, what we see here are the cylindrical “involucres,” collar-like tubes on the gametophyte within which the sporophytes are developing, and from which they will soon project, but just a bit. See also two mosses: (1) a “fruiting” (sporophyte-producing) individual of the fall ephemeral Aphanorrhegma serratum (big whoop!) and (2) some species of Amblystegiumn.

Hornworts are awesome. Like all “bryophytes,” (and unlike all other plants) the egg and sperm-producing “gametophyte” stage of the life cycle is the more conspicuous and long-lived of the two life cycle stages. The other stage, the spore-producing “sporophyte,” while genetically distinct from the maternal gametophyte, is permanently attached to the maternal gametophyte that produced it. Hornworts are small, flat, relatively featureless plants that, when lacking sporophytes, are readily mistaken for liverworts. Our hornworts, while infrequently observed, are sometimes abundant and may indeed not be especially rare, but just overlooked. Hornwort habitats are nothing special. Ours are all found on moist disturbed open soil, where they can be almost weedy. They engage in an interesting mutualism, harboring colonies of nitrogen-fixing bacteria within special cavities in their body.

A hornwort more deserving of the name, and the species that is much more frequently encountered in our region, is Phaeoceros laevis. Here’s a picture of Phaeoceros taken in October a few years ago in Hocking County. Note the spike-like capsules that elongate from the base (a very unusual manner of growth for a plant, as plants usually lengthen only by adding cells at the tip) and split at the end, releasing yellow spores.

Sometimes Phaeoceros grows so densely that it looks like a patch of grass. This specimen was photographed last September in Meigs County.

Bob- Wow, I learned so much. Thank you for introducing us to the hornworts!
Don't forget to visit "Dirty Trees: Bob's Brain on Botany" for more fantastic botany articles from Bob.

-Tom

Featured Comment by Dr. Klips-
Late summer and fall are great times to look for hornworts and other "bryophytes." Anyone interested in learning about these plants and meeting a bunch of enthusiastic friendly people eager to share their knowledge about them (and lichens, too!) should look into the Ohio Moss and Lichen Association (OMLA). Information about OMLA, including details of the upcoming Fall Foray to Muskingum County are at www.ohiomosslichen.org.

White Trout Lily, Erythronium albidum

2010-08-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

White Trout Lily, Erythronium albidum April 16, 2008, Franklin County

As you have certainly seen by now, Steve Willson of Blue Jay Barrens has joined me in this Ohio Flora venture, and so has Rick G., who many of you know and love. If you would like to contribute photographs, articles or both to "Ohio Flora", please let us know!

I think many naturalists believe that white trout lily, a spring bloomer typically found along floodplains here in Columbus, is just simply a white morph of the yellow trout lily. But nope, it's an entirely different species. Unfortunately, this population along the Olentangy River at Kenney Park has been decimated only two years after I took these photographs. Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)- a non-native invasive species with yellow flowers that can be seen in some of these photographs, has out-competed this population.

Tom

Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens

2010-08-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

LARGE YELLOW LADY’S SLIPPER – Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens

Photo taken May 7, 2008 in Adams County, Ohio.

Pasture Thistle, Cirsium pumilum

2010-08-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

PASTURE THISTLE – Cirsium pumilum

Photo taken June 9, 2007 in Adams County, Ohio.

Obedient Plant, Physostegia virginiana

2010-08-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

OBEDIENT PLANT – Physostegia virginiana

Photo taken September 12, 2009 in Adams County, Ohio.

Angle-pod, Matelea obliqua

2010-08-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

ANGLE-POD - Matelea obliqua

Photo taken June 2, 2007 in Adams County, Ohio.

Elephant's Foot, Elephantopus carolinianus

2010-08-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

ELEPHANT’S FOOT - Elephantopus carolinianus

Photo taken August 14, 2010 in Adams County, Ohio.

The Basics of Botanizing

2010-08-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

Do you want to learn about native plants? This article should help. I wrote this for the 2007 summer issue of the now defunct Natural Ohio, the newsletter of the ODNR Division of Natural Areas & Preserves.

The Basics of Botanizing

Have you ever walked through a local nature preserve or park and wanted to know more about the plants growing there? Have wildflowers sparked your interest but the number of different plants seems overwhelming? Knowing native plants and wildflowers by name will help you become a better naturalist, as well as give you insight into Ohio’s biodiversity. Ohio has more than 2,500 native and naturalized species and learning to recognize them can be a rewarding and fun experience. Identifying all those plants may seem daunting, but with a little persistence, you can become an expert at identification as well as impress friends and family on your next nature hike.

Start with a good book

A good field guide, such as the classic Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, is a must. This book uses simple plant characteristics, such as leaf type and flower color, to provide quick identification of wildflowers. Field guides focusing on other roups of plants including trees and shrubs are available at your local library
or bookstore. If you are hoping to identify species not included in a field guide, or want specific information about a species’ plant ecology, scientific classification or geographic distribution, you’ll need to turn to a flora.
Used by professional botanists and amateurs alike, a flora is a comprehensive guide to all plants known to grow in a particular area. Floras typically include dichotomous keys which ask simple questions about a plant’s flowers, fruits or leaves. The answer key eventually narrows an unknown plant down to family, genus,
and finally species. The Ohio Academy of Science’s Ohio Flora Project is especially useful in Ohio—several
volumes have been published. If you frequently stray out of state, you’ll want to pick up a copy of Gleason and Cronquist’s Manual of Vascular Plants, which covers all plant species in the northeastern United States.

Document your observations

Write down and draw what you see. Even if you don’t know the name of a plant, describing and sketching the plant in a field notebook will help increase your botanical knowledge. Be sure to note the color and shape of flowers, fruits and the presence of hair, prickles or thorns. Another important tool is a hand lens, which looks like a hand-held magnifying lens. Similar to a jeweler’s loupe, the hand lens lets you identify small features of a plant, such as the number of reproductive parts or the size and shape of leaf hairs. Digital cameras make it easy to take close-up pictures of plants and their flowers. Be sure to turn on your camera’s
macro mode, usually denoted by a flower icon. As you begin to identify more plants, keeping their names in your notebook will help. Sooner than later, you’ll begin to recognize each species like an old friend. Although common names will suffice, all plants have scientific names. Learn those in addition to the common names, and you’re on your way to being an expert.

Don’t go it alone

Learning to identify Ohio’s native plants in the field is a definite challenge, but joining others in the field is a great way to share knowledge and learn more plant names. Attending a Natural Areas Discovery Series event is a great way to meet preserve managers and other botanical staff who are happy to identify plants for visitors. With a little help, you’d be amazed how many plants you can identify in one day.

Know where to go and when to go

Certain habitats and landscapes feature more species than others and they can be spectacular sights when in full bloom. Mature forests are alive with colorful woodland wildflowers in April. The Oak Openings region, west of Toledo, is especially colorful in May. Wetland habitats, such as bogs and fens, are at their botanical peak in June and July. Prairies reach peak bloom in mid-July and early August. Old fields blaze with colorful late wildflowers in September.

Become an expert

Pick a small place—a backyard or local park—and learn the names of all the plants growing there. Start in the spring and document different species as they flower throughout the growing season. If you know the plants in your yard or neighboring park, you’ll quickly learn to spot those in new locations as you explore Ohio. Or, you might consider picking a specific sub-set of plants to study, such as trees. They grow throughout the state in a variety of habitats, and can be identified all year long. Spring wildflowers may
be another excellent choice. Sedges and grasses, often shunned by the beginning botanist, are a fascinating group of plants to study because of their presence in all types of habitats throughout Ohio. Knowing your native plants is a great way to better understand our natural world. It’s a fun and rewarding experience…

now go out and botanize!

-Tom Arbour
Natural Ohio, Summer 2007

Fire Pink, Silene virginica

2010-08-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

Fire Pink, Silene virginica- Look for this one next April and May- look for it woods in the hill country of Southeast Ohio.

Cardinal Flower

2010-08-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Blooming in a wet woods or shore near you!

Welcome to Ohio Flora

2010-08-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

Let's face it- Plants are important- and I don't think there is anybody in this world who could really argue with me on that one. And native plants critical to animal biodiversity- more so than many of us think. But why do so many people have an aversion to botany? Why did my fellow biology students scoff at learning plants?

I have a theory- it comes down to plants are just darn hard to master. Learning the names of native plants and the habitats they frequent is a life time journey. Many people today are looking for the 5 second answer. If you study plants, it's a life time commitment, but the journey is quite a ride, one that I'll hope you consider taking.

Join us here at Ohio Flora, where we'll delve into Ohio's native and naturalized plants. Photographs- writings- trip reports- news- upcoming field trips- I want to feature all this and more. And this blog isn't just for me, it's for anyone interested in Ohio's native and naturalized flora. Do you want in? Would you like to help or contribute? Just drop me a quick e-mail: hiramtom (at) yahoo dot com !

Tom

Wild Geranium

2010-06-12T13:20:00.001-07:00