Dicentra cucullaria and Dicentra canadensis

Like bloodroot, also blooming now, the genus Dicentra belongs to the poppy family (Papaveraceae).  However, these species have highly modified flowers that look rather like a pair of pants hanging on a clothesline, especially in D. cucullaria, commonly known as Dutchman's breeches.  Both species can be found locally in rich woods.  D. cucullaria has more broadly spreading petals than D. canadensis, which tends to bloom earlier.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Taxus baccata

Yews are shrubs that are extremely common on the Wabash College campus. They are grown primarily for their soft evergreen foliage and the red "berries" produced in the fall.  This species is dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants--the females produce seeds with a bright red fleshy coating (an aril), while the males produce a multitude of tiny pollen-bearing cones in early spring (see the photo above).  On a windy day you can see large plumes of pale-yellow pollen bursting out of the cones.  It's quite impressive!  These plants produce so much pollen because they rely on the wind, a very imprecise transportation system, to deliver these sperm-bearing packets to the female reproductive structures.  Producing lots of pollen is the best way to increase the odds of actually fertilizing an egg.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 08:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chelidonium majus

Celandine is a species native to Europe that has been widely introduced in North America.  This member of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) is notable for its striking saffron-colored latex.  Tear a leaf or break a stem, and the bright yellow sap will immediately ooze out.  The latex has some traditional medicinal uses, particularly in treating eye and skin disorders, but don't try this at home!

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 08:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Claytonia virginica--Spring Beauty

Claytonia virginica is just beginning its relatively long blooming season in the Wabash College arboretum.  Like most spring ephemerals, C. virginica emerges early in the growing season before the tree canopy shades out the forest floor and will complete its life cycle by early summer. Chromosomal oddities are well-known in this group, with diploid chromosome numbers ranging from 2n=12 to 2n=72!  Plants have an amazing tolerance for chromosomal variation, unlike humans--in our species, a single extra chromosome can have large and often lethal effects on growth and development.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Erigenia bulbosa--Harbinger of Spring

Spring has sprung!  Erigenia bulbosa, one of our earliest spring wildflowers, is in its full glory in the campus arboretum and in local forests.  This diminutive member of the carrot family (Apiaceae) is the only species in its genus and is distributed throughout the eastern half of North America.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)