Sunday, October 18, 2015

Summer At Fort Yargo State Park: Shelter A To The Old Fort, August 18th, 2015 (Part 1)


August 18th. 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.


The route, which I described here, here, and here.
The early spring wildflowers have finished blooming; it’s time to watch the developing fruit. Summer wildflowers were still blooming but it was time to turn attention to the fungi in the woods.

It had been raining and not the best day for photographing. The rain did, however, brighten the colors of some of the…


small bracket fungi on fallen logs in the first open section of woods.


Flowering Spurges (Euphorbia corollata) were still blooming and a bright spot in the wet, gloomy day.


After seeing some pink color on the Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus) fruit the previous week, I had been hopeful that they would be showing more color on this walk, but they were just the same.


I’d been following the developing fruit on the Hazel Alders (Alnus serrulata) at the Fishing Area but the bushes had been cut back. I found some more just beyond the Strawberry Bush.


The Virginia Meadowbeauty (Rhexia virginica) was also still blooming by the water’s edge.


I was surprised to see a Starry Rosinweed (Silphium astericus) flower after they seemed to have finished for the season.


Small Wood Sunflower (Helianthus microcephalis) plants were still blooming along the trail.


A few Hairy Elephantfoot (Elephantopus tomentosus) and…


A few St. Andrew’s Cross (Hypericum hypericioides) plants were also blooming in the shade.


The Leatherleaf Clematis (Clematis terniflora) vines were still blooming in the open area under the power line, as were the…


Groundnut (Apios americana) vines.


Both the Pigeonwings (Clitoria mariana) and…


Spurred Butterflypea (Centrosema virginianum) vines were also blooming in this area.


In spite of the misty weather, the woods were enticing.


The berries on the Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) plant, in the woods just before the first bridge, were just the same as they had been the previous week.


The Pipsissewa (Chimaphila maculata) seed capsules were still green; they showed no sign of ripening yet.


I found another small bracket fungus on a fallen log just beyond the first bridge. 

I crossed the bridge and continued along the trail.


The fruit on the ‘first’ Eastern Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) had turned completely black. I wondered how long it would remain attached to the bush before it fell; I’ve read that they can hang on into winter.


The seed capsules of the Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) was also unchanged.


The seed capsules on the witchhazel bush (Hamamelis sp.) still showed no sign of ripening; the…


the flower buds developing for this season also remained unchanged from the previous week


The fruit on the second Eastern Sweetshrub was still yellow; it wasn’t showing any signs of turning brown. 

From here, I walked on down to the Fishing Area. 
(To be continued…)

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