Asplenium rhizophyllum (walking fern)

A. rhizophyllum can be found locally growing on very shallow soils forming on rock outcrops, especially on limestone.  The cool thing about this species is that it can reproduce clonally by sending out its long, tapered leaves.  The tips of these leaves can "touch down" and produce a new plant!  Roots develop when the tip lands, and a new meristem can differentiate to produce a new plant.  This population was seen out at Allee Woods last week--a habitat shot is below.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lindera benzoin (spicebush)

Spicebush is a relative of the bay leaf and is in full bloom in the Crawfordsville area.  The flowers (the small yellow tufts in the photo above) appear before the leaves on this small shrub of rich woods, and are interesting because their anthers have what is called "valvate dehiscence"--small flaps open to release the pollen, which you can see on the photo below.  As the name suggests (and as is common in most members of this plant family), these shrubs produce some wonderful aromatic oils and can be a source for teas or even a handy toothbrush!

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hepatica acutiloba (hepatica)

Hepatica, so named because of its three-lobed leaves that look like livers (trust me), is blooming now.  This plant produces a number of toxins, but it is known for traditional medicinal uses, thanks to the Doctrine of Signatures (the idea that morphological features of plants indicate what ailments they might cure).

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Allium tricoccum (ramps; wild leek)

Hungry for some fresh vegetables?  Then find a friend who owns some property with rich, moist woods and go foraging for ramps!  These wonderful members of the onion family have delightful garlic-flavored bulbs and leaves and are in their prime (by which I mean that the flavor is still delicate enough that you won't repulse everyone within a one-mile radius if you eat them) in the Crawfordsville area right now.    These plants do have a very strong flavor--I've heard that there are old laws on the books in West Virginia that people who have recently eaten ramps aren't allowed in the court house!  

As with all wild foods, make sure you have properly identified the plant before you eat it--there are similar-looking species in the woods right now that are quite toxic.  Also, respect the plant populations--excessive harvesting can mean no ramps in future years.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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 03:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cardamine concatenata (toothwort)

This member of the mustard family is blooming now in central Indiana in rich, moist wooded areas.  This plant used to be in the genus Dentaria--it was so named either because its leaves are "toothed" (have serrated margins) or because its flower petals look like teeth!

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot is a delightful spring ephemeral blooming locally.  This member of the poppy family produces a striking red latex in its stems in leaves, hence the common name "bloodroot".  This species produces some toxic alkaloids that have been used medicinally as emetics.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 02:32 PM | 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 development.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Erigenia bulbosa--Harbinger of Spring

Spring has sprung!  Erigenia bulbosa, one of our earliest spring wildflowers, is blooming 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.  Take a few minutes out of your day and look for it in Petty's Patch, our campus' excellent wildflower garden northeast of Detchon Hall adjacent to the sidewalk that goes to the intersection of Grant St and Wabash Ave.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 02:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poplar--Populus

Like many wind-pollinated trees, poplars bloom early in the spring before their leaves emerge.  Poplars and their cousins the willows are dioecious--they have separate male and female plants.  They also produce many flowers in the dangling structures depicted above called catkins.  These structures can be seen on a female poplar tree across the street from the FIJI house that is in full bloom now.

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Carex picta--painted sedge

Carex picta is one of the area's earliest-blooming spring woodland plants.  This species is more common in the southern part of Indiana, but a thriving population can be found at Allee Woods, a nature preserve owned by the College.  C. picta is notable for having separate male and female plants; as of today, only female flowers were evident at Allee Woods, but I bet the boys will be along soon!

Posted by Amanda Ingram at 02:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)