Western Carolina Botanical Club

Frying Pan Gap Loop Scout – August 4, 2020

Posted on August 7, 2020 by WCBC

Hiked Frying Pan Gap Trail from the gate to the campground and then returned along the Parkway. Photography by Penny Longhurst. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium) Plant

Green-headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) [Dioscoreaceae] Male Flowers

Appalachia False Bindweed (Calystegia sepium ssp. Appalachiana)

Featherbells (Stenanthium gramineum) [Liliaceae]

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio philenor) & a Joe-Pye-Weed (Eutrochium sp.)

Lungwort Lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) [Lobariaceae]

Indian Cucumber Root (Medeola virginiana)

Filmy Angelica (Angelica triquinata) Leaves

Solomon's Plume (Maianthemum racemosum) Fruit

Alternate-leaved Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Fruit

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

Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana) & Pale Jewel Weed (Impatiens pallida)

Hoary Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum incanum)

Hoary Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) [Lamiaceae]

Northern Leatherflower (Clematis viorna) & Basil Balm (Monarda clinopodia)

Wild or Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)

Wild or Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Leaf

Michaux's Saxifrage (Micranthes petiolaris)

Swamp Thistle (Cirsium muticum) [Asteraceae; Cardueae] Plant

Lance-leaved or English Plantain (Plantago lanceolata*) [Plantaginaceae]

Houstonia longifolia (Long-leaved Houstonia)

Smooth Azalea (Rhododendron arborescens)

Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) [Asclepiadaceae]

Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Southern Harebell (Campanula divaricata) with Bee

Greater Tickseed (Coreopsis major) & Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata)

Wild Quinine; American Feverfew (Parthenium integrifolium)

Rosebay; Great Laurel (Rhododendron maximum)

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) - Female Flowers & Fruit

Purple Giant Hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia)

Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium)

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

Posted in Scouting Trip | Tagged Blue Ridge Parkway, Butterflies, Hiking, Lichens, North Carolina, Views, WCBC, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Native Flora of Henderson County Walkways – June 21 – July 25, 2020

Posted on August 1, 2020 by WCBC

With time on his hands, Ken and his faithful dog, Annie, have been documenting the flora of Henderson County walkways. Their walkies have taken them to the Oklawaha Greenway, Fletcher Park, Park Ridge Nature Trail, & the Park at Flat Rock. Much more to come at a later date! Photography by Ken Borgfeldt. (Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show).

Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix var. hystrix) Bloom

Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix var. hystrix) Leaves

Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix var. hystrix) [Poaceae] Plant

Fragrant Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata) [Nymphaeaceae]

Fragrant Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata) Leaf

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) Plant

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) Leaf

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) Bloom

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) [Asteraceae] Leaf

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) [Asteraceae] Bloom

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) [Asclepiadaceae]

Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium) Plant

Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) Bloom

Water Hemlock; Spotted Cowbane (Cicuta maculata ) [Apiaceae]

Water Hemlock; Spotted Cowbane (Cicuta maculata)

Water Hemlock; Spotted Cowbane (Cicuta maculata) Leaves

Water Hemlock; Spotted Cowbane (Cicuta maculata ) Stem [Apiaceae]

Calliopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) [Asteraceae]

Calliopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) [Asteraceae] Leaves

Pale Spike Lobelia (Lobelia spicata) [Campanulaceae]

Pale Spike Lobelia (Lobelia spicata) [Campanulaceae] Leaves

Pale Spike Lobelia (Lobelia spicata) [Campanulaceae] Plant

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) Leaves

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) [Bignoniaceae]

Bur-reed (Sparganium americanum) [Sparganiaceae]

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) [Lamiaceae] Bloom

A Batch of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) [Lamiaceae]

Narrow-leaved Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) [Lamiaceae] Bloom

Narrow-leaved Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) [Lamiaceae] Leaves

Smaller Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) Plant

Smaller Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) Leaf

Smaller Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) Flowers

Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) Bloom

Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) Plant

Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) [Fabaceae] Leaf

Hoary Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) Blooms

Horse Nettle (Solanum carolinense) Flowers

Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) Bloom

Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) Leaf

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

Pickerel Weed; Wampee (Pontederia cordata) [Pontederiaceae] Plant

Pickerel Weed; Wampee (Pontederia cordata) [Pontederiaceae] Bloom

Slender Wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus) [Poaceae] Plant

Slender Rye Grass (Elymus trachycaulus) Leaf

Slender Wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus) [Poaceae] Bloom

Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea*) [Convolvulaceae] Bloom

Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea*) [Convolvulaceae] Leaf

Strawcolored Flatsedge (Cyperus strigosus) [Cyperaceae]

Monkey Flower (Mimulus ringens) [Scrophulariaceae] Bloom

Monkey Flower (Mimulus ringens) [Scrophulariaceae] Leaf

Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) [Verbenaceae] Stem

Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) [Verbenaceae] Blooms

Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) [Verbenaceae]

Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) Plant

Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) Leaves

Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) [Asteraceae] Bloom

Spotted St. John's-wort (Hypericum punctatum) Blooms

Spotted St. John's-wort (Hypericum punctatum) Stem

Spotted St. John's-wort (Hypericum punctatum) Leaf

Large Buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) Leaf

Shortleaf Spikesedge (Kyllinga brevifolia) [Cyperaceae] Bloom

Shortleaf Spikesedge (Kyllinga brevifolia) Leaf

Purple-headed Sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum) Bloom

Purple-headed Sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum) [Asteraceae]

Purple-headed Sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum) [Asteraceae] Leaf and Stem

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) [Asteraceae] Leaf and Stem

White Vervain (Verbena urticifolia) [Verbenaceae] Blooms

White Vervain (Verbena urticifolia) Leaf

White Vervain (Verbena urticifolia) Stem

White Vervain (Verbena urticifolia) Plant

Spotted Jewel Weed (Impatiens capensis) Leaf

Spotted Jewel Weed (Impatiens capensis) Bloom

Hop Sedge (Carex lupulina) [Cyperaceae] Plant

Hop Sedge (Carex lupulina) [Cyperaceae] Leaves

Hop Sedge (Carex lupulina) [Cyperaceae] Bloom

Longleaf Ground Cherry (Physalis longifolia) Leaf

Longleaf Ground Cherry (Physalis longifolia) [Solanaceae] Bloom

Longleaf Ground Cherry (Physalis longifolia) [Solanaceae] Plant

Posted in Scouting Trip | Tagged Henderson County, Hendersonville, Hiking, North Carolina, Oklawaha Greenway, Plant Identification, WCBC, Wildflowers | 3 Comments

Big Ridge & Shut-In Trails Scout – July 27, 2020

Posted on July 28, 2020 by WCBC

Charlie & Alice suggested these spots. Great idea! Hiked from Big Ridge Overlook north to the Parkway & then back along the road, and then from Mills River Overlook north. Joe & Mary stopped off at Mills River Overlook on July 28. Photography by Penny Longhurst & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom and enter the slide show.

Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus*)

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) [Ericaceae]

Flock of Turk's Cap Lily (Lilium superbum)

Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea canadensis)

Peruvian Daisy; Quickweed (Galinsoga quadriradiata*)

Appalachian Bunchflower (Veratrum parviflorum)

Figwort; Carpenter's Square (Scrophularia marilandica) [Scrophulariaceae]

Northern Leatherflower (Clematis viorna)

Wild Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) Stem & Leaves

View of Looking Glass Rock from Blue Ridge Parkway

Figwort; Carpenter's Square (Scrophularia marilandica)

Obedient Plant; False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana)

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens)

False Goatsbeard (Astilbe biternata) [Saxifragaceae]

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

Wild Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) [Asteraceae; Cichoroideae]

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 Scouting Trip | Tagged Blue Ridge Parkway, Hiking, North Carolina, Views, WCBC, Wildflowers | 2 Comments

Parkway South Scout – July 20, 2020

Posted on July 24, 2020 by WCBC

BAD NEWS! The mowers have taken out the large Turk’s Cap Lily seen near Wolf Mountain Overlook on July 13 (hard to believe they couldn’t see it!), as well as loads of other unique plants and left deep, wet, muddy ruts for several hundred yards along the Parkway. What a shame!

Joe and Mary drove down the Parkway making stops between the Frying Pan Mountain trailhead and Wolf Mountain Overlook. Jim stopped at Sam Knob Meadow and Wolf Mountain Overlook. Penny hiked a short distance on Bear Pen Gap trail, stopping at Wolfie on the way to the trailhead.

Photography by Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom.

Mower Damage - Barely missed the Canadian Burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis) & Sticky Asphodel (Triantha glutinosa)

Canadian Burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis)

Maleberry (Lyonia ligustrina) [Ericaceae]

Southern Sundrops; Narrowleaf Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa ssp. fruticosa)

Sticky Asphodel (Triantha glutinosa) and Mountain Cynthia (Krigia montana)

Sticky Asphodel (Triantha glutinosa) [Liliaceae]

Tassel Rue; False Bugbane (Trautvetteria caroliniensis)

Appalachian St. John's-wort (Hypericum buckleyi)

Mountain St. John's-wort (Hypericum graveolens)

Bushy St. John's-wort (Hypericum densiflorum)

Mountain Cynthia (Krigia montana) [Asteraceae; Cichoroideae]

Small Green Wood Orchid (Platanthera clavellata)

Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia asarifolia)

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Smooth Southern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia)

Long-leaved Houstonia (Houstonia longifolia)

Broadtooth Hedge Nettle (Stachys latidens)

Hairy Bush Pea; Blue Ridge Golden Banner (Thermopsis villosa)

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium ssp. circumvagum) [Onagraceae]

Three Birds Orchid; Nodding Pogonia (Triphora trianthophoros) [Orchidaceae]

Small Green Wood Orchid (Platanthera clavellata; Gymnadeniopsis clavellata)

Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare*) [Asteraceae]

Lanceleaf Loosestrife (Lysimachia lanceolata)

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

Posted in Scouting Trip | Tagged Blue Ridge Parkway, Hiking, North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest, WCBC, Wildflowers, Wolf Mountain Overlook | Leave a comment

Hemphill Bald & Heintooga Ridge Road Scout – July 14, 2020

Posted on July 19, 2020 by WCBC

Joe and Mary drove up the Heintooga Ridge Road to the end of the paved section and then hiked the Hemphill Bald trail from Polls Gap. Photography by Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to enter the slide show.