Western Carolina Botanical Club

Ashmore Heritage Preserve – May 23, 2023

Posted on May 30, 2023 by WCBC

Loads of our favorite plants blooming today. Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Richard Holzman, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, & Joe Standaert (Click on any picture to zoom).

Bowman's Root (Porteranthustrifoliantus)

Maroon Carolina Milkvine (Matelea carolinensis) Bloom

Rose Pogonia; Snake Mouth Orchid (Pogonia ophioglossoides) [Orchidaceae]

Bearsfoot; Yellow Leafcup (Smallanthus uvedalia) Plant

Grass Pink (Calopogon tuberosus) [Orchidaceae]

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) [Ericaceae] Fruit

White Milkweed (Asclepias variegata) [Asclepiadaceae]

Possum Haw (Viburnum nudum) Bloom and Leaves

Variable-leaf Heartleaf (Hexastylis heterophylla) Plant

Mountain Sweet Pitcherplant (Sarracenia jonesii)

Racemed Milkwort (Polygala polygama) [Polygalaceae] Bloom

Colic-root; White Star Grass (Aletris farinosa) [Liliaceae]

Mountain Bellwort (Uvularia puberula) [Liliaceae] Fruit

White Milkweed (Asclepias variegata) Blooms

Ruth's Little Brown Jugs (Hexastylis arifolia v. ruthii)

Rose Pogonia; Snake Mouth Orchid (Pogonia ophioglossoides)

Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) [Primulaceae] Bloom

Mountain Sweet Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia jonesii) [Sarraceniaceae]

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta)

Wooly Elephant's Foot (Elephantopus tomentosus) [Asteraceae]

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) Bloom

Ruth's Little Brown Jugs (Hexastylis arifolia v. ruthii) Plant

Prostrate Tick Trefoil; Dollarleaf (Desmodium rotundifolium) [Fabaceae]

Long-leaved Houstonia (Houstonia longifolia) Leaves

Indian Cucumber Root (Medeola virginiana)

Prostrate Tick Trefoil; Dollarleaf (Desmodium rotundifolium)

Loose-flowered Goat's Rue (Tephrosia spicata) [Fabaceae]

Maroon Carolina Milkvine (Matelea carolinensis) [Asclepiadaceae]

Variable-leaf Heartleaf (Hexastylis heterophylla)

Sparkleberry; Farkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum) [Ericaceae]

Smooth Azalea (Rhododendron arborescens)

Southern Bog Clubmoss (Lycopodiella appressa) [Lycopodiaceae] Upright Growth

Mountain Sweet Pitcherplant (Sarracenia jonesii) Pitcher

Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens) Blooms

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) showing 0.5 mm seeds

Colic-root; White Star Grass (Aletris farinosa)

Hairy Phlox (Phlox amoena) [Polemoniaceae]

Arrow-leaved Tearthumb (Persicaria sagittata) [Polygonaceae]

Maroon Carolina Milkvine (Matelea carolinensis)

Long-leaved Houstonia (Houstonia longifolia) Bloom

I Wish I Was Taller or the Bush Was Lower

Virginia Willow (Itea virginica) [Iteaceae]

Posted in Field Trips | Tagged Ferns, Hiking, Mountain Bridge State Natural Area, South Carolina, Trees, WCBC, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Holmes Educational State Forest, Upper Loop (Demonstration Trail) – May 19, 2023

Posted on May 26, 2023 by WCBC

Holmes Trail Map

Plants (especially mosses) always look happier after rain! And Ken found a new plant. Photography by Ken Borgfeldt & Penny Longhurst. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Click on any picture to zoom and view the slide show.

Mountain or Brook Lettuce (Micranthes micranthidifolia)

Bowman's Root; Fawn's Breath (Gillenia trifoliata)

Interrupted Fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana; Osmunda claytoniana) [Osmundaceae] Bare Armpits

Broad Beech Fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera) [Thelypteridaceae]

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) Plant r

Fairy Wand (Chamaelirium luteum) Female Flowers

Yellow Pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima ) [Apiaceae] Blooms

Mountain False Indigo (Amorpha glabra) [Fabaceae]

Buffalo Nut (Pyrularia pubera) Early Fruit

Downy False Foxglove (Aureolaria virginica) Leaves & Stem

Purple Bluets (Houstonia purpurea) Blooms and Leaves

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

Yellow Star Grass (Hypoxis hirsuta) [Hypoxidaceae]

a Little Bit of Windswept Moss (Dicranum sp.)

Mountain Golden-Alexanders (Zizia trifoliata) Blooms

Primrose-leaved Violet (Viola primulifolia) [Violaceae] Bloom

Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) Plant

Fairy Wand (Chamaelirium luteum) Male Flowers

Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) Hairy Armpits

Perfoliate Bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata) Fruit

Yellow Pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima) Plant

Downy False Foxglove (Aureolaria virginica) [Scrophulariaceae]

Yellow Pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima) Leaves

Maple-leaved Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) [Adoxaceae]

American Holly (Ilex opaca) [Aquifoliaceae] Male Flowers

Primrose-leaved Violet (Viola primulifolia) Plant

Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) [Anacardiaceae]

Mountain Meadow Rue; Lady Rue (Thalictrum clavatum)

Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) Bloom

Horse Sugar; Sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria)

Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum) Galls

Mountain False Indigo (Amorpha glabra) Leaves and Blooms

Buffalo Nut (Pyrularia pubera) Early Fruit On End

Hairy Angelica (Angelica venenosa) Leaves

Indian Cucumber Root (Medeola virginiana) Bloom

Mountain Golden-Alexanders (Zizia trifoliata) Leaves

Posted in Field Trips | Tagged Ferns, Henderson County, Hiking, North Carolina, Trees, WCBC, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Coontree Trail – May 15, 2023

Posted on May 22, 2023 by WCBC

There was a recent controlled burn done adjacent to the Coontree Trail. We were interested to see what effect it would have on the plants growing there. Fortunately, most of them seem to coming back. Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Penny Longhurst, & Randy Richardson. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicted by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Click on any picture to zoom and access the slide show.

Rattlesnake Fern (Botrypus virginianus; Botrychium virginianum) [Ophioglossaceae]

Hearts-a-bustin'; Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus)) Blooms

Silvery Glade Fern (Deparia acrostichoides)

Carolina Elephant's Foot (Elephantopus carolinianus)

Southern Nodding Trillium (Trillium rugelii)

Puttyroot; Adam-and-Eve (Aplectrum hyemale) [Orchidaceae]

Purple Meadow Parsnip (Thaspium trifoliatum)

Orange-fruited Horse Gentian (Triosteum aurantiacum) [Caprifoliaceae]

New York Fern (Amauropelta noveboracensis) [Thelypteridaceae]

Clustered Snakeroot (Sanicula odorata) [Apiaceae]

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) [Dryopteridaceae]

Broad Beech Fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera)

Zigzag Spiderwort (Tradescantia subaspera)

Purple Meadow Parsnip (Thaspium trifoliatum) [Apiaceae]

Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla)

Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) Leaves

Canada Violet (Viola canadensis) [Violaceae]

One-flowered Cancer Root (Orobanche uniflora)

Seersucker Sedge (Carex plantaginea) Plant

Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) Bloom

Orange-fruited Horse Gentian (Triosteum aurantiacum) Plant

Northern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)

Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum)

Foamflower; False Miterwort (Tiarella cordifolia) [Saxifragaceae]

Purple Bluets (Houstonia purpurea) Blooms

Jumpseed; Virginia Knotweed (Persicaria virginiana)

One-flowered Cancer Root (Orobanche uniflora) Bloom

Large Wood Sorrel (Oxalis grandis) [Oxalidaceae] Leaf with Black Edge

Posted in Field Trips | Tagged Ferns, Hiking, North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest, WCBC, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Big Ridge Loop – May 12, 2023

Posted on May 18, 2023 by WCBC

As usual on this walk, we almost got drenched! Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Daudie Colson, Penny Longhurst, & Jim Poling. Click on any picture to zoom.

White-colored Wake Robin (Trillium erectum) Trillium

Spikenard (Aralia racemosa) [Araliaceae]

Hooked Buttercup (Ranunculus recurvatus) Plant

Lyre-leaved Sage (Salvia lyrata) [Lamiaceae]

Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium)

Appalachian Bunchflower (Veratrum parviflorum) Plant

Gray Beardtongue (Penstemon canescens) Blooms

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) [Liliaceae]

Large-flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) Plant

Narrow-leaf Blue-eyed Grass; Stout Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)

Early Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dioicum) [Ranunculaceae] Male Flowers

Gray Beardtongue (Penstemon canescens) Plant

Mountain False Indigo (Amorpha glabra) Plant

Solomon's Plume (Maianthemum racemosum) Bloom and Leaves

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) Bud

Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) [Brassicaceae]

Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis) Plant

Indian Cucumber Root (Medeola virginiana) [Liliaceae] Plant

Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella*) [Polygonaceae]

Hispid Buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus) [Ranunculaceae] Bloom and Leaves

Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum) [Geraniaceae] Leaves

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) [Berberidaceae] Blooms

Venus' Looking Glass (Triodanis perfoliata)

Nodding Mandarin (Prosartes maculata) Blooms

Wild Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis var. montana) Plant

Clustered Snakeroot (Sanicula odorata) Plant

Yellow Mandarin (Prosartes lanuginosa) Leaves

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) Old Seed Pods

Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum pubescens) Buds

Gray Beardtongue (Penstemon canescens) [Scrophulariaceae]

Wild Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis var. montana) [Liliaceae] Blooms

Mountain Fetterbush (Eubotrys recurva) Fruit

Puttyroot; Adam-and-Eve (Aplectrum hyemale) Blooms

Clinton's Lily, White Clintonia (Clintonia umbellulata)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Early Buds

Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

Biltmore Carrion Flower; Upright Smilax (Smilax biltmoreana) Blooms

Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium) Leaf Underside

Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum) [Geraniaceae]

Perfoliate Bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata) Plant

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Leaves

Daddy Longlegs on a Southern Nodding Trillium (Trillium rugelii)

Nodding Mandarin (Prosartes maculata) [Liliaceae] Plant

Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) [Rosaceae]

Great Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum reniforme)

Southern Nodding Trillium (Trillium rugelii) Leaves

Mountain False Indigo (Amorpha glabra) [Fabaceae] Fruit

Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) Early Plant

Appalachian Rock Cap Fern (Polypodium appalachianum) [Polypodiaceae]

Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum pubescens) [Ranunculaceae] Leaves

Mountain Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra acuminata) [Clethraceae] Leaves

Posted in Field Trips | Tagged Blue Ridge Parkway, Ferns, Hiking, North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest, Views, WCBC, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Blue Ridge Parkway Ridgeline Trail – May 8, 2023

Posted on May 14, 2023 by WCBC

The Blue Ridge Parkway Ridgeline Trail (better known to many of us as the Painted Trillium trail, although some suggested it should be renamed the Pinkshell Trail, as you can tell from the pictures). Photography by Penny Longhurst, Lucy Prim, & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom and enter the slide show. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name.