April 16th. I started to walk again at Fort Yargo
State Park in Winder, Georgia. One of my favorite walks is from the Group Shelter A to the Old Fort and back.This is a rewarding walk for viewing
wildflowers and I’ve been trying to walk it weekly and document the wildflowers
I see.
It had been raining and it was still cloudy so I had to use artificial light for photographs.
The Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) were in full bloom.
I added photos of this lichen that was fruiting to my
collection of photos to try and identify.
Trees at the first bridge were leafing out nicely; the
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) was no longer the focal point of attention
by the bridge.
I found a patch of Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) to the left of
the trail just before the first bridge. Several were starting to bloom.
The leaves on the Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) had developed
fully.
The rain had enhanced the rich colors of these
Turkey-tail-like bracket fungi on a fallen log.
This same log was hosting some Old Man’s Beard (Usnea
strigosa) lichens.
Flower buds were starting to develop on the
Pipsissewa/Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata). These flowers are
intriguing and I always look forward to seeing them.
The Eastern Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) bushes were
still flowering.
This mushroom was growing on a tree trunk. Judging by the
condition of the gills, it had been there for a while but I hadn’t noticed it.
Eastern Sweetshrub flowers on a bush up near the cliff was
much more intensely colored than those that I had passed earlier.
I found my first Wild Yam (Discorea villosa) of the year.
I’m always intrigued by the symmetry of the leaves. I’ve seen the flowers when
they first bloom but have never followed the development of their seedpods
although I found some dried seed pods nearby. Maybe, this will be the year.
I was surprised that the Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina) trees were still blooming.
The Mountain Azaleas (Rhododendron canescens) at the top of
the cliff were in full bloom. I’m going to try to remember to follow the
development of their seedpods this year.
A couple of the flowers on the Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera
sempervirens) had started to opened.
The flower buds of the Rattlesnakeweed (Hieracium venosum) were still
developing.
Just south of the Fishing Area, I found another tree limb
that had fallen in the recent rains. I had seen the first one at several
locations but the second one was new for me.
And then I arrived at the Pink Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium
acaule) orchids.
I always get carried away when I’m photographing these. It’s
one of the few times that I get my towel out and lie on the ground to
photograph flowers.
After satisfying my need to photograph these flowers, which
are protected in Georgia, I went on into the Fishing Area to continue my walk.
(To be continued…)
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