Western Carolina Botanical Club

Big Ridge Loop – August 13, 2021

Posted on August 16, 2021 by WCBC

We just beat the worst of the rain, although we heard a lot of thunder! Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Richard Holzman, Penny Longhurst, Joe Standaert, & Randy Richardson. Click on any picture to zoom.

Appalachian Bunchflower (Veratrum parviflorum) [Liliaceae] Fruit

Brown Panopoda Moth (Panopoda carneicosta)

Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) [Asteraceae]

Small Wood Sunflower (Helianthus microcephalus)

Spikenard (Aralia racemosa) [Araliaceae]

Ox-eye; False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Sparse-lobed Grape Fern (Botrychium biternatum)

That Rock is Covered With All Kinds of Plants

Virginia Ground Cherry (Physalis virginiana)

Wild Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) [Asteraceae; Cichoroideae]

Naked-flowered Tick Trefoil (Desmodium nudiflorum) Leaves

Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea canadensis)

Jumpseed; Virginia Knotweed (Persicaria virginiana) [Polygonaceae]

Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata) Cream form

Southern Nodding Trillium (Trillium rugelii) Fruit

Hollow-stem Joe-Pye-Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum)

Toothed White-topped Aster (Sericocarpus asteroides)

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) [Berberidaceae] Fruit

Yellow Mandarin; Fairy Bells (Prosartes lanuginosa) [Liliaceae]

Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) & Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus)

Tall White Lettuce; Tall Rattlesnake Root (Prenanthes altissima)

Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) Leaf

Appalachian Bunchflower (Veratrum parviflorum)

Virginia Ground Cherry (Physalis virginiana) [Solanaceae]

Dwarf St. John's-wort (Hypericum mutilum)

Northern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)

Silvery Glade Fern (Deparia acrostichoides) [Dryopteridaceae]

Silvery Glade Fern (Deparia acrostichoides)

Ox-eye; False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) [Asteraceae]

Northern Leatherflower (Clematis viorna)

How Many Bumps Are There on That Cohosh?

Jumpseed; Virginia Knotweed (Persicaria virginiana)

Obedient Plant; False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana) [Lamiaceae]

Southern Harebell (Campanula divaricata) [Campanulaceae]

Maryland Golden Aster (Chrysopsis mariana)

Naked-flowered Tick Trefoil (Desmodium nudiflorum)

Obedient Plant; False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana)

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum montanum) [Lamiaceae]

Indian Pipes; Ghost Flower (Monotropa uniflora)

Great Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum v. commutatum)

Zigzag Spiderwort (Tradescantia subaspera)

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

Bear Pen Gap to Wet Camp Gap – August 6, 2021

Posted on August 9, 2021 by WCBC

Another perfect day and the meadow was glorious! Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Penny Longhurst, Randy Richardson, & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom.

The movie of the Snowberry Clearwing Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris diffinis) was taken at Wolf Mountain Overlook on the way home.

Doll's Eyes; White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) Fruit

Carolina Phlox (Phlox carolina) [Polemoniaceae] Leaves

Green-headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) [Convolvulaceae]

American Lovage (Ligusticum canadense) Plant

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens)

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) with 5 Leaves

Rough Sunflower (Helianthus hirsutus) [Asteraceae]

Rose Twisted Stalk; Rose Mandarin (Streptopus lanceolatus v. roseus)

Small Green Wood Orchid (Platanthera clavellata)

Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis) [Urticaceae] Fruit

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum montanum) with Friend

American Lovage (Ligusticum canadense) Leaves

Appalachia False Bindweed (Calystegia sepium ssp. Appalachiana)

American Lovage (Ligusticum canadense) Stem

Smooth Southern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia)

Hairy Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum pubescens) [Liliaceae] Underside of Leaf

Wine-leaved Cinquefoil (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata) [Rosaceae]

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Fruit

Entire-leaved False Foxglove (Aureolaria laevigata)

Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum pubescens) Fruit

Starry Campion (Silene stellata) [Caryophyllaceae]

Bluebead Lily (Clintonia borealis) Fruit

May Apple; Mandrake (Podophyllum peltatum Apple

Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum) [Hydrophyllaceae]

Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium)

Slender Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes lacera) [Orchidaceae]

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

Frying Pan Trail – July 30, 2021

Posted on August 2, 2021 by WCBC

Our third field trip of the year! We were fortunate to have cloudy skies and temperatures in the 70’s on a day with a forecasted high of 90! Some of the plants shown were seen along the Blue Ridge Parkway between the Pisgah Inn and the trailhead. Photography by Penny Longhurst. Click on any picture to zoom and enter the slide show.

Solomon's Plume (Maianthemum racemosum) Fruit

Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)

Northern Leatherflower (Clematis viorna) & Appalachia False Bindweed (Calystegia sepium ssp. Appalachiana) Grouping

Great Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum v. commutatum) Fruit

Wild or Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) [Hydrangeaceae]

Broadtooth Hedge Nettle (Stachys latidens)

Common Timothy Grass (Phleum pratense*) [Poaceae]

Wild Raisin (Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides) Fruit

Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium) [Asteraceae]

Indian Cucumber Root (Medeola virginiana) Fruit

Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum) Fruit

Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)

Admiring the Spreading Dogbane Hedge (Apocynum androsaemifolium)

Smooth Azalea (Rhododendron arborescens)

Red Spruce (Picea rubens) [Pinaceae] Cones

Clammy or Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum)

Carrion Flower (Smilax herbacea) Fruit 20210730_121320

Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) Hazelnuts

Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata)

Wavy-leaved Aster (Symphyotrichum undulatum)

Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Purple-flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus)

Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name.

Posted in Field Trips | Tagged Blue Ridge Parkway, Hiking, North Carolina, WCBC, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Sky Valley Road – July 22, 2021

Posted on July 28, 2021 by WCBC

Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Richard Holzman, & 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.

Hairy Wood Sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens)

Hairy Wood Sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens) Leaves and Stem

Purple-headed Sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum) [Asteraceae]

Lanceleaf Loosestrife (Lysimachia lanceolata)

Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata) [Campanulaceae]

Hardhack; Steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa)

Grass-leaved Golden Aster (Pityopsis graminifolia)

Wild Quinine; American Feverfew (Parthenium integrifolium)

Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata) [Euphorbiaceae]

Self Heal; Heal All (Prunella vulgaris) [Lamiaceae]

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) [Lauraceae] Fruit

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) [Ericaceae]

Greater Tickseed (Coreopsis major) [Asteraceae]

Toothed White-topped Aster (Sericocarpus asteroides) [Asteraceae]

Hoary Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) [Lamiaceae]

Pinweed (Lechea racemulosa) [Cistaceae] extreme enlargement

Kidney-leaf Rosinweed (Silphium compositum) [Asteraceae]

Hairy Wood Sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens) Stem

Straggling St. Andrew’s Cross (Hypericum hypericoides ssp. multicaule) [Hypericaceae]

Yellow Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)

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

Posted in Field Trips | Tagged DuPont State Forest, Hiking, Trees, WCBC, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Shut-In Trail – July 16, 2021

Posted on July 19, 2021 by WCBC

Our first field trip since 2019 and 22 members had a glorious day for it! Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, & Joe Standaert.

(Click on any picture to zoom)