The official 2010 Spring wildflowers thread...

[JohnL]

Isn't it amazing what's out there, even on the roadsides, when we raise our awareness?

Rick, you are absolutley right. Three of the five flowers in my last photo post were taken within 6 feet of the pavement which is visible behind the Touch-me-nots. While driving I find myself slowing down or, worse, staring at the flowers along the roadsides. Like Yogi said, "You can observe a lot just by watching."

JohnL

 

[1HappyHiker]

My apologies if this has already been posted and discussed. I did a quick search of VFTT threads, and found nothing. But, it's entirely possible I simply overlooked it.

Anyway, from looking at images on the Internet, it appears to me that the snapshots below are of a Purple Pitcher Plant. However, I'm confused since there are other images on the Internet of flowers that are also identified as Purple Pitcher Plants, but they do NOT resemble the flower shown below. Is this a case where there are several subspecies of Purple Pitcher Plants, or what??

The snapshots below show close-ups of the front and the back of the flower, and the last image shows the entire plant. These plants were seen on 02-July-2010 at Duck Pond (just a bit south of Norcross Pond).

FRONT

BACK

ENTIRE PLANT

 

[JohnL]

Wildflowers were wilting in the heat (me too!) and blowing in the wind this weekend.

After further review, I have changed my identification of this plant.
Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata)

Bittersweet Nightshade

Unknown. Need some help.
Flower is very small (about 1/8" wide). Plant would be categorized as a creeper.

JohnL

 

[audrey]

John,
That looks like a sand spurrey (Spergularia rubra). If the leaves are very fleshy and it's growing by the sea, it could be a sea spurrey (S. marina). I have found S. marina by roadsides too, presumably due to road salt.

 

[JohnL]

S. rubra it is. They were at the road's edge in my neighborhood. The inner surface of the sepals gave it away. I checked here http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/caryophyllaceae/spergularia-rubra.htm and it confirms your ID. Thanks.

JohnL

 

[1HappyHiker]

Although the image below isn't sharp & crisp, nonetheless here it is!

As always, please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is Wood Sorrel (oxalis acetosella). It was seen on 08-July-2010 in the general vicinity of Lowe's Path at about 1800 feet elevation.

 

[nartreb]

Oxalis is correct (not to be confused with other unrelated "sorrel"s). The leaves make a nice lemony-tasting garnish.

 

[JohnL]

Found a few more before the rains fell this morning.

Lance-leaved Coreopsis

Wild Lettuce

Common Mullein

A couple of unknowns. Both with small (<1/4") flowers and close to the ground.

JohnL

 

[Jason Berard]

No picture, but an observation, and a question...
I saw early coralroot (corallorhiza trifida) today ( I think). Am I right in thinking that is somewhat uncommon in NH/VT?

 

[arghman]

A couple of unknowns. Both with small (<1/4") flowers and close to the ground.

both are Hypericum sp. (St. John's wort), the left one probably H. mutilum because of the elliptical leaves, the right one probably H. canadense because of lance-shaped leaves (ref = Newcomb's Guide)

 

[JohnL]

Jason, thanks so much for the ID assistance.

Spotted Knapweed

Brown Knapweed

In Post #113 I misidentified Squarrose Knapweed as Brown Knapweed. I've fixed that.

JohnL

 

[blaze]

the humble queen ann's lace, and a resident.

There are habitats all around us - and each has its predators!

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[JohnL]

Blaze,
Very nice perspective and a nice feel to the flower images. Nice shot of the local resident as well.

JohnL

 

[Elizabeth]

Mountain Sandwort, I believe

I'm happy to see the "Spring Wildflowers" stretching into summer.

This appears to be mountain sandwort. Found on the summit of Garfield. Quite prolific in the cracks in the granite.

 

[blaze]

Blaze,
Very nice perspective and a nice feel to the flower images. Nice shot of the local resident as well.

JohnL

Thank you John. There are some fantastic photographs on this thread, and the collective knowledge on display here is amazing!

Here are few more humble common plants, with residents or visitors...

American Milkweed. The clusters of flowers are called "umbels."

one of its more well known residents - Monarch caterpillar.

Red Milkweed Beetle.

I suspect there's a more proper name than "daddy long legs," but I do not know it.

I think this is the fruit of the Bittersweet Nightshade, referred to earlier on this thread. Wow! Eye-catching juxtaposition of purple and green!

A bee hurrying among the few remaining blossoms.

Here my limited knowledge of wildflowers fails me. Anybody know what it is? Low-growing, and the flower clusters are just a bit larger than a quarter in diameter.

...and with a visitor.

Jonathan

 

[JohnL]

Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculata)

 

[DougPaul]

I suspect there's a more proper name than "daddy long legs," but I do not know it.

Harvestman.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opiliones

Doug

 

[RickB.]

Woodland orchids are coming out in the Belknaps. Lousy photo of Rattlesnake Plantain, deer flies on photographer's every appendage...

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Outstanding!

I hadn't checked on this thread in awhile but just wanted to say, "Wow!" great pictures by everyone and especially to JohnL and Blaze for some superior photos! Great job by everyone getting their shots, and thanks to Jason, Rick, Audrey and others for the great detective work in IDing all these great finds.

Every year this thread gets better!

KDT

 

[JohnL]

Wild Lettuce gone to seed

Asiatic Dayflower

JohnL