Biodiversity survey on 1/4 acre

[Lanier_Lurker]

Here is the tally so far for Lanier_Lurker's biodiversity survey picture essay:

1. hazel alder              (Alnus serrulata)
2. rattlesnake weed      (Hieracium venosum)
3. wild ginger              (Asarum canadensis)
4. wild yam/air potato  (Dioscorea villosa)
5. Solomon’s seal        (Polygonatum commutatum)
6.
7.
8. Fringetree               (Chionanthus virginius)
9. Poison-ivy              (Toxicodendron radicans)
10. wild yam/air potato   (Dioscorea villosa)
11. <pending>           (either Polygonum pensylvanicum OR Polygonum persicaria)
12. Sweetshrub           (Calycanthus floridus)

[Lanier_Lurker]

Here are some more pictures of unknown plant #7.

This thing seems to have us all stumped.

[Dodgy Loner]

LL, No.3 is Heartleaf (Hexastylis virginica), not wild ginger.  The two are closely related, however.

[Lanier_Lurker]

LL, No.3 is Heartleaf (Hexastylis virginica), not wild ginger.  The two are closely related, however.

I missed that one when I was scanning the previous responses.  Here is the revised list.


1. hazel alder                (Alnus serrulata)
2. rattlesnake weed       (Hieracium venosum)
3. heartleaf                  (Hexastylis virginica)
4. wild yam/air potato   (Dioscorea villosa)
5. Solomon’s seal         (Polygonatum commutatum)
6.
7.
8. fringetree                 (Chionanthus virginius)
9. poison-ivy                (Toxicodendron radicans)
10. wild yam/air potato   (Dioscorea villosa)
11. <pending>              (either Polygonum pensylvanicum OR Polygonum persicaria)
12. Sweetshrub           (Calycanthus floridus)

[Lanier_Lurker]

Here is another one.


Unknown Plant #13
This is a small tree.

[Dodgy Loner]

Basswood.  There's some confusion among botanists as to the division of American Tilias, but I think they intergrade to the point where it's appropriate to classify them as a single species, American basswood (Tilia americana).  A 'splitter' would classify that as a white basswood (Tilia heterophylla)

[WDH]

LL, No.3 is Heartleaf (Hexastylis virginica), not wild ginger.  The two are closely related, however.

http://botany.cs.tamu.edu/FLORA/dcs420/mi05/mi05020.jpg

Hexastylis arnifolia may be a closer match.

[Dodgy Loner]

It appears you are correct.  Hexastylis arnifolia is my final answer .

[SwampDonkey]

I still say Prenanthes for 6 and 7. 

The one shown in the most recent photo is Prenanthes trifoliolata (Cass.) Fernald, common name: gall of the earth or threeleaf rattlesnakeroot

Be aware, that you won't find another plant that looks identical.

[Lanier_Lurker]

Before I do the next summary checkpoint on where we stand, I'll throw in another one.


Unknown Plant #14
This plant is competing nicely with the English ivy in some areas as a ground cover.  I much prefer it to the ivy since it is not as aggressive and certainly does not climb trees and the house like the ivy does.  I'm very interested to know if this is an alien or native species.

[beenthere]

Looks like what my wife is encouraging in some of our flower beds here. Will check on a name. 

[SwampDonkey]

Looks like periwinkle Vinca minor

Introduced.

[WDH]

I don't believe that it is a native plant.

[Dodgy Loner]

SD nailed it.  Not quite as noxious as English ivy, but still considered invasive.

[Lanier_Lurker]

Noxious is a good word to describe English ivy.  Only kudzu is worse - at least in this part of the country.  Oh that I could find the fool that planted the stuff here over 20 years ago.     

This periwinkle (Vinca minor) seems to be much easier to tame than the ivy - and my wife likes the cute little blooms.  While I am not surprised to hear that it is alien, I am surprised to hear it is considered invasive.

[SwampDonkey]

Anyone seen any American groundnut Apios americana in your travels? It grows in NB, but I have never came across it. Prefers good sun and it's a vine in the pea family that produces edible tubers and seeds. When cultivated it can produce up to 5 pounds of tubers over a two year period. I'm trying to source some seeds to germinate from the northeast. They say the slugs are hard on the seedlings and we have a lot of slugs in our woods on rainy days. They crawl on everything.

[Furby]

I deliver thousands of flats of Vinca Minor each year.
It is faaaaar easier to keep under control than English (and other) Ivy.
It can be kept in check easily by "prunning" with a weed wacker.
It is also a fair replacement for grass and don't need to be mowed.
With gas prices up, more folks are planting ground covers such as this to reduce their lawn space.
Vinca Minor 'Ralph Shugert' Shugert's Variegated Myrtle is one I really like.
Vinca minor 'Blue & Gold'/ 'Blue and Gold' Myrtle is cool as well.

[Dodgy Loner]

I've been doing some brush clearing and I found have a few more species to add to the list:

Clematis virginiana (Virginia clematis)
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle)
Maclura pomifera (osage-orange)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia-creeper)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison-ivy)

That brings the total to 43 woody species on 1/4 acre.

Now I just need to start identifying the herbaceous stuff.

[SwampDonkey]

Hey, I have some Virginia Creeper to. I keep cutting and mowing it off. Hopefully will keep it from seeding because birds like to spread that stuff. 


I also have some Virgin's Bower I believe it is called. I just call it Clematis. Here it grows in wet places with alder, balm and/or willow. Sometimes it grows in old wet fields or line fences with shrubs like chokecherry, high bush cranberry, dogwoods and hawthorn.

Also have two kinds of honeysuckle, bush and fly. One has red berries, the other has a capsule.

[Dodgy Loner]

Ironically, all of the plants I listed today got a strong dose of triclopyr and 2,4-D yesterday, so hopefully they will no longer be on the list within a couple weeks

Probably will take more than one application to knock them all out, though.