Western Carolina Botanical Club

This winter we’re categorizing plants in our database by family. This week’s post is plants in the Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle), Caryophyllaceae (Pinks), Celastraceae (Staff-vine or Bittersweet), Cistaceae (Rock Roses), Cladoniaceae (Lichen-forming Fungi),  Clavariaceae (Fungi), & Clethraceae (White Alder) families. Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Daudie Colson, David Heavner, Richard Holzman, Mary Knierim, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, Lucy Prim, Randy Richardson, & Joe Standaert. Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

This winter we’re categorizing plants in our database by family. This week’s post is plants in the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae or Mustards), Bryaceae (a family of mosses), Buxaceae (Box), Cactaceae (Cacti), Calostomataceae (a family of fungi), Calycanthaceae (Sweetshrubs or Spicebushes), & Campanulaceae (Bellflowers) families.

Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Charlie Brice, Daudie Colson, Alice Greko, David Heavner, Richard Holzman, Betty Jones, Mary Knierim, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, Randy Richardson, & Joe Standaert. Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

This winter we’re categorizing plants in our database by family. Finally, we move beyond Asteraceae. This week’s post is plants in the Astraeaceae (a family of fungi),  Baeomycetaceae (an order of mostly lichen-forming fungi), Balsaminaceae (Balsam or Touch-me-not), Bartramiaceae (a family of mosses), Berberidaceae (Barberry), Betulaceae (Birch), Bignoniaceae (Bignonia or Trumpet Vines), Blechnaceae (Chain Ferns), &  Boraginaceae (Borage or Forget-me-not) families. 

Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Charlie Brice, Daudie Colson, David Heavner, Richard Holzman, Betty Jones, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, Randy Richardson, & Joe Standaert. Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

This winter we’re categorizing plants in our database by family. This week’s post continues with the remaining plants in the Asteraceae (Daisy or Sunflower) family, the second largest flowering plant family in the world after the Orchidaceae family. Asteraceae are also known as composites because their flowerheads are composed of multiple flowers. Asteraceae plants may have one or both of two types of flowers, disk & ray. Ray (petal-like) flowers are what we typically notice when we look at a plant. Disk flowers are formed from 5 tiny petals fused to produce tubes.  The Daisies shown here have radiate flowerheads containing disk flowers located in the center of the flowerhead surrounded by ray flowers. Our previous posts covered the Asteraceae tribes Cardueae (Thistles with only disk flowers) & Cichoroideae (Chicories, Dandelions, & Lettuces with only ray flowers).

Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Daudie Colson,  David Heavner, Richard Holzman,  Mary Knierim, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, Randy Richardson, & Joe Standaert. Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

This winter we’re categorizing plants in our database by family. This week’s post continues with more plants in the Asteraceae (Daisy or Sunflower) family, the second largest flowering plant family in the world after the Orchidaceae family. Asteraceae are also known as composites because their flowerheads are composed of multiple flowers. Asteraceae plants may have one or both of two types of flowers, disk & ray. Ray (petal-like) flowers are what we typically notice when we look at a plant. Disk flowers are formed from 5 tiny petals fused to produce tubes.  The Daisies shown here have radiate flowerheads containing disk flowers located in the center of the flowerhead surrounded by ray flowers. Our previous posts covered the Asteraceae tribes Cardueae (Thistles with only disk flowers) & Cichoroideae (Chicories, Dandelions, & Lettuces with only ray flowers).

Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Charlie Brice, Daudie Colson, Alice Greko, David Heavner, Richard Holzman, Janice Irwin, Mary Knierim, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, Randy Richardson, & Joe Standaert. Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.