Starting with the Obvious in 2016

Here in southwestern PA the winter of 2015/2016 was very mild. From 50 to 65 Fahrenheit days in December to only a hand full of below zero days in January 2016. Snow was on the ground for a few weeks in January, yet by the end of February winter seemed it was on its way out.

Field work was slow this past winter, but I did spend some time in West Virginia, Ohio, and even north central PA. Northwestern West Virginia and southeastern Ohio is certainly a  beautiful natural area. With the extensive scenic ridges and steep forested valleys, one can only image the natural forces that formed this area over the past million years. I often wonder what this area looked like during the pre-settlement era around the 1500’s to 1600’s.

Below is a typical scene from Wetzel County West Virginia during January 2016 field work.

Wetzel County West Virginia

Januarys field work in West Virginia and Ohio consisted of re-flagging wetland boundaries that were delineated the past spring. Reflagging is done to ensure a visual identification of the wetland boundaries prior to tree clearing or other construction activities within various work sites. No  experience is better for learning about wetland delineations than visiting the same wetland during multiple seasons.

From my understanding, northern West Virginia has not been botanized enough over the years.  Many botanists tell me, "if you want to find botanical treasures, start looking in the hills of northern West Virginia. " 

Below is a typical scene from Monroe County Ohio. This photo was taken during late January 2016 field work.





Monroe County Ohio



When it comes to plants, nothing too exciting these first 2 months of 2016. I was moving pretty quick during field work so I really never had time to 'go out of the way' and botanize too much. One thing is certain, botanizing in the middle of winter can be challenging. 

Every field botanist has their personal list of favorite reference or identification books and my favorite winter twig identification guide is 'Woody Plants in Winter' by Core and Ammons.  Though not the best, it has been very useful over the past years for woody winter plant identification.

I'm going to share two very common canopy trees one would notice often  in southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia during the wither months. Both of these trees have very unique characteristics that make them easy to identify during winter months. The photography equipment I have in the field with me these days is not the best, so please excuse the quality of my photos sometimes.

The tulip popular (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a very common tree here in southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia and found in most, if not all states east of the Mississippi. During winter field season the most obvious characters one will notice about the tulip popular is the unique bark and the fruit.

When you think of winter woody plant identification you have to think of 3 things: BARK, BUDS, and FRUIT! I am by not an expert in identifying trees by their bark, but the tulip tree is one that can easily be recognized by its deeply furrowed bark and powdery-white ‘valleys’ as seen in the photo below.

Furrows and powdery-white 'valleys' observed on a Liriodendron tulipifera trunk



If you look high up in the crown of a tulip popular in winter you will notice the dried fruit, which consists of a spirally arranged cluster of samaras. In the photo below you can see the very last remnants of the aggregate fruit with the elongated receptacle poking out the top.

Remnants of the Liriodendron tulipifera fruit

The terminal bud of the tulip popular is also very unique. You will notice the terminal bud of tulip popular consists of 2 elongated clasping (not overlapping), scales which is termed ‘valvate’. The terminal bud of the tulip popular reminds me of a duck bill.

Liriodendron tulipifera terminal bud



The next common canopy tree is probably one of the first trees you may have learned when starting winter twig identification. Below is a photo of the terminal bud of bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis). 






Carya cordiformis terminal bud

Bitternut hickory has one of the most uniquely colored buds of any native canopy tree you will observe here in western Pennsylvania. The sulfur-yellow colored terminal bud of bitternut hickory is also valvate as the tulip popular. Here in western Pennsylvania, bitternut hickory is the only hickory to have a yellow, valvate terminal bud. When considering the remaining hickories found here in western PA, if you find a hickory with a terminal bud less than 1 centimeter long and glabrous twigs (could be scaly) you may be looking at Carya glabra. If your hickory has a terminal bud greater than 1 centimeter long, with pubescent twigs and lacks ‘shaggy’ or exfoliating bark, you may be looking at Carya tomentosa.

The last 2 hickory species found here in western Pennsylvania that has a terminal bud longer than 1 centimeter, with pubescent twigs and has ‘shaggy’, exfoliating bark are Carya ovata and Carya laciniosa. Can’t say I know a way to tell the C. ovata and C. lacinosa apart 100 percent of the time during the winter. Some will focus on the degree of pubescence of the twigs but don't see C. lacinosa enough to comment. Most of the time though C. lacinosa will be found growing in bottomlands and floodplains and C. ovata on more dry habitats. BUT REMEMEBER, PLANTS ALWAYS BREAK THE RULES. Sure we all have all seen C. ovata growing on floodplains also!

Two common ‘woody’ vines I was seeing during the winter months here in western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia is greenbrier (Smilax spp.) The most common greenbrier is probably Smilax rotundifolia, hence the vernacular name ‘common greenbrier’.  In the photo below you will notice some winter field characteristics of Smilax rotundifolia. 

Smilax rotundifolia

First of all, the common greenbrier is one of 3 ‘woody’ greenbrier species found growing here in western Pennsylvania. Smilax glauca, Smilax hispidula and Smilax rotundifolia all produce woody stems which means the above ground stem produces secondary growth and remains alive after the growing season.

As you can see in the above photo, common greenbrier produces a green, somewhat angled woody stem that develops broad stout prickles. The prickles of common greenbrier are the largest of the 3 woody greenbriers, usually reaching 10 to 12 millimeters. During the winter months, the common greenbrier usually loses all its’ leaves, though every now and then you will notice the dark bluish-black glaucous berries. If you are able to observe the leaves of the common greenbrier in winter you will notice they are green on both the upper and lower leaf surface.

Another smilax species I came observed a lot this winter is cat-greenbrier (Smilax glauca). This is a very easy greenbrier to identify when the leaves are still visible due to the silver to grayish (glaucous) leaf underside (abaxial) as you can see in the photo below.

 

Abaxial leaf surface of Smilax glauca

Though not visible in the photo above, cat-greenbrier also produces a green, woody stem with prickles. Cat-greenbrier has more of a rounded stem and thinner to smaller prickles (usually less than 7 millimeters) than common greenbrier.

To complete this January-February blog I thought I would share a very often overlooked plant, or at least the remnants of a plant. Below is a photo of the stem and fruits of possibly common dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) on wingstem (Verbesina alternofolia).

Cuscuta spp. on Wingstem

Cuscuta spp. are annual, parasitic plants that are non-photosynthetic and sometimes called  'spaghetti plant' due to the golden-yellow color of the stem-mass that is sometimes found covering vegetation during the summer months.

Not sure of the specific field characteristics used to identify dodder during winter, all I notice are the brown to tan colored senesced stems and cluster of rounded capsules found twined around host plant species. I honestly do not know any specific vegetative or reproductive features that Cuscuta spp. retain on their senesced parts through the winter that would aid in specific identification. Possible habitat would help narrow species down but any additional information would be appreciated!

There you are, just a quick overview of a few common plants that I frequently came across this January and February 2016. There were a hundred more species that I wanted to share here but there is only so much time in the day.

"Until Next Time, Keep Botanizing!"

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