2016 Catch Up, May and June

Some May 2016 Plants:

One of the first exciting plant species of 2016 was the purple rocket (Iodanthus pinnatifidus). Purple rocket seems to reach its eastern range limit here in western PA.

Purple rocket

Came across this population growing along the foot of a mesic forested slope and wooded floodplain in Washington County. In Pennsylvania, purple rocket is listed as PA state endangered. The first noticeable characteristic of the plant that caught my eye was the large, irregular serrations of the cauline leaves.

Purple rocket irregular leaf serrations

Overall, purple rocket is a very delicate looking plant in my opinion, and  seems to possess so many unique characteristics. For instance, check out the different morphology of the cauline leaves in the photo above and below. The lowest cauline leaves are pinnately lobed, while the upper leaves are not. Even the leaf serrations can vary from regularly to irregularly dentate to serrate.

Purple rocket cauline leaves

There are not many other plants here in south western PA purple rocket can be confused with, especially while in bloom. The only similar plant you may mistake purple rocket for is the non-native Dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis) or maybe an escaped blooming horseradish plant! Purple rocket has much narrower flower petals than Dame’s rocket.

Purple rocket flowers

I couldn’t resist throwing in a few photos of a cool grass and sedge! The first grass here may not be considered rare or endangered in PA, but very cool none the less. Below is a photo of the inflorescence of eastern mannagrass or floating mannagrass (Glyceria septentrionalis).

Floating mannagrass

Eastern manna grass seems to be restricted to growing in inundated wetlands. The panicle of eastern mannagrass is somewhat distinct from many of the other grasses due to the few lateral branches and narrow spikelets.

Floating mannagrass inflorescence

When compared to the other Glyceria species found here in PA, eastern mannagrass is one of 3 mannagrasses that have spikelets longer than 1 centimeter.

A common sedge found here in southwestern PA is the drooping (Carex prasina) as seen in the photo below.

Drooping sedge

Here in Washington County PA, one can usually find drooping sedge in full bloom during May and early June growing within seeps and along the banks of perennial and intermittent streams that flow though mesic forested areas. I usually find this sedge growing in fairly moist to saturated soils, and it seems to be the only ‘drooping inflorescence type sedge’ blooming this early in the season.  

Speaking of ‘drooping inflorescence type sedges’, below is a photo of perigynia taken from 2 of the most common ‘drooping type sedges’ found growing here in western PA. In the photo below you will see peryigynia from fringed sedge (Carex crinata var. crinata) on the left and nodding sedge (Carex gynandra) on the right.


Carex crinata var. crinata left and Carex gynandra right

When contrasting the perigynia of these species, you will notice that the nodding sedge has more of an elliptical shaped perigynium, while the fringed sedge perigynium is more obovate and appear to have ‘shoulders’, or you can say the perigynium is widest above the middle. I would still caution you to look as many perigynia as you can before deciding on the actual shape of the perigynium.

Some June 2016 Plants:

Living here in rural southwestern PA, I am fortunate enough to have many different habitats to explore close to home. One area I try to botanize at least once a year is a 2 or 3 acre emergent wetland situated within a huge 600 acre wooded parcel just a short walk from my front door. I got to explore this wetland in June last year and to my surprise all I noticed in one section of the wetland was an unknown grass species that I never noticed before. I collected a few flower stems and ran it through the key and to my surprise the unknown grass turned out to be swamp oats (Sphenopholis pensylvanica).

Swamp oats population

Though swamp oats is not a rare grass species here in PA, I believe this occurrence was the first documented in Washington County. I would guess swamp oats in possible just an overlooked species, but who knows. The most distinctive feature of swamp oats is the awned lemma.



Swamp oats showing awned lemmas

Probably the second biggest plant find for me during 2016 was smooth rock skullcap (Scutellaria saxatilis).

Smooth rock skullcap

I came across this plant in Allegheny County PA, during a rare plant survey. The area I was searching was within close proximity of a known population of smooth rock skullcap, so my eyes were certainly looking for it. When I first saw smooth rock skullcap in the field, I thought it was heart leaved Meehania (Meehania cordata) until a colleague of mine suggested that it looks more like a skullcap than a mint.

Meehania leaf left and smooth rock skullcap leaf right

The leaves of heart leaved meehania and smooth rock skullcap are very similar, plus both plants have a square stem, irregular flower shape and similar flower color. The habitat of smooth rock skullcap is probably the most unique thing I remember about this experience. To get to the population, you had to scurry down a dense vegetated powerline right of way positioned on a 50 to 60 percent hillslope for about 200 feet. Then once you entered the forested section of the hillslope where the smooth rock skullcap was growing, the area opened up into a heavily shaded young forest with a distinctive cobble layer covering the ground.

Smooth rock skullcap habitat

Very unique habitat to say the least. Smooth rock skullcap seems to be rare over its natural range and is proposed endangered in PA, so this is certainly one plant species I would like to see more of over the years.

Another exciting plant find for me in 2016 was the water bulrush (Schoenoplectus subterminalis). Found this population growing in a large wetland located in Centre County PA, near Philipsburg.

Water bulrush

The population was restricted to a shallow, slow moving stream flowing through the wetland. It was amazing to see the large size of the underwater mats this plant can form from their creeping rhizomes.

Water bulrush inflorescence

When in bloom this plant will catch any curious plant enthusiast by its wiry green culms emerging from the murky stream and curly white styles oozing from the flowers.

Probably one of the most rewarding jobs I was part of in 2016 was one I started in Canaan Valley West Virginia for Hayden’s sedge or cloud sedge (Carex haydenii).

Hayden's sedge habit

Hayden’s sedge closely resembles the tussock sedge (Carex stricta) in habit and habitat, though once you get your eyes on a specimen or two of Hayden’s sedge next to tussock sedge in the field, you begin to see the differences.

Tussock sedge left and Hayden's sedge right

First difference between tussock sedge and Hayden’s sedge is was the wider or more ‘plump’ female spikes of Hayden’s sedge. Taking a closer look at the female spikes you will notice the pistillate scales of Hayden’s sedge are usually much longer that the perigynia beaks, while in tussock sedge the pistillate scales are usually about as long as, to much shorter than the beak. What was so rewarding about this job is that I was part of a transplant project where we removed over 20 Hayden’s sedge individuals from an existing natural gas pipeline right of way and transplanted them to various plots outside the right of way prior to scheduled pipeline repairs.


Transplanting Hayden's sedge tussock

Eventually, some of the Hayden’s sedge individuals we be removed from their plots and transplanted back to various areas along the existing right of way, while others will remain in the plots to be monitored over the next few year.

 

Till Next Time, Keep Botanizing!