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Fall Fungi and Foliage - September 12

on September 13, 2020

Really great fungi this visit!

The trees aren't turning much yet, but there are some signs of changing color on the forest floor:

Plant Progression: Sessile Bellwort

Sessile-leaved bellwort ( Uvularia sessilifolia ) June 15 edit: this one is in fruit! See the small pod?

Exciting New Finds! - August 1

I identified some new species I've not found at the Witchwood in the past! Narrow-fruited Water-Starwort ( Callitriche palustris ) This American Jumpseed (Persicaria virginiana) isn't recorded as ocurring in Hillsborough County. I'd like to take a herbarium specimen, but I don't want to disrupt the small population. An unidentified bladderwort ( Utricularia sp. ) - carnivorous! And some old friends: Virginia Marsh St. John's-Wort ( Hypericum virginicum ) Whorled Wood Aster ( Oclemena acuminata ) Cardinal Flower ( Lobelia cardinalis ) I'd like to collect a sample of this American Groundnut ( Apios americana ) for a herbarium as it is not recorded on the Hillsborough County checklist. Ideally I'd catch it blooming... Broadleaf Arrowhead ( Sagittaria latifolia ) Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) And some fine-looking creatures: A fishing spider (Dolomedes sp.) - I wonder what's going on with its back right legs

Spring Homecoming - April 23, 2022

It has been far too long since I posted. I'd meant to do some catching up, but that seems to be keeping me from posting at all, so let's just move forward! I visited the Witchwood this Saturday for the first time since fall 2021. It felt SO GOOD to be back! I'd forgotten how much I love this place. Spring is well underway! The golden saxifrage is blanketing the seeps and blooming its heart out: The arbutus and goldthread are budding: And the ferns and painted trillium are emerging The Joy of Rediscovery The big discovery of the visit was re-locating leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata) . I'd only seen it once - my very first spring here in 2019. Leatherleaf is a fairly low-key shrub found (as far as I know) only in the early successional area along the brook. It only really stands out to me in spring when it flowers with little blueberry-like flowers lined up charmingly along the stem: Looking Forward I'm thinking a lot about how to keep up my survey efforts th

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