Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take Two (Part 3)

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April 13th, 2013. It was clear from our trip to  Boggs Creek Recreation Area in the Chestatee Wildlife Management in Lumpkin County on March 30^th that this would be an interesting place to follow through the Spring wildflower season. Particularly, a couple of developing wildflowers – a trillium and a plant with fern-like leaves – had piqued our interest and we wanted to identify them. From our first stop at the trilliums and the creekside, we drove up to the end of the road again.

Bracket fungus

We found an impressive display of bracket fungi on a fallen log beside the road. Rarely to we find so many fine specimens.

A closer view of the largest from the side, and…

above.

One bracket had been knocked off the log and allowed an easy photograph of its identity as a polypore.

Stellaria pubera (Star Chickweed, Giant Chickweed, Great Chickweed)

This species is found mainly in the Piedmont counties in Georgia.

We found a carpet of plants at the base of a tree. (This was the only place that we saw such a thick growth of these plants. In other locations, we saw only individual plants that certainly didn’t grab our attention in the way that this patch did.)
 

A closer view of the patch.

Opposite leaves…

Calyces, and…

Close views of the flowers.

Erigeron pulchellus (Robin’s Plantain)

This species is found mainly in the Piedmont counties in Georgia. As we drove north, we began to see…

 

patches of ‘daisies’ beside the road (Taken on April 26th). They made striking displays. We found some patches at Boggs Creek.

Individual plants were only about 9 to 10 inches tall with a small rosette of leaves at the base, thick stems and clusters of flowers.

A cluster of flowers

A closer view of the leaves and stem  
 

The characteristic calyces

A simple, elegant flower.

Until next time at Boggs Creek…

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

Southeastern Flora

- Stellaria pubera (Giant Chickweed) 

- Erigeron pulchellus (Robin’s Plantain)

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia:

- Stellaria pubera (Giant Chickweed, Star Chickweed, Great Chickweed)

- Erigeron pulchellus (Robin’s Plantain)

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:

- Stellaria pubera (Star Chickweed)

- Erigeron pulchellus (Robin’s Plantain)

Related post:

- Early Spring Wildflowers At Boggs Creek Recreation Area

- Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take Two (Part 1) 

- Wildflowers at Boggs CreekRecreation Area: Take Two (Part 2)

Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster or Stiff Aster (Ionactis linariifolius)

October 19th, 2012. In the WarwomanWildlife Management Area, along Sarah’s Creek Road from where we found the Showy Gentian (Gentiana decora), we found some asters. .It’s easy to over look asters after a while but we stopped and photographed them. A little research suggests that these were Flaxleaf White Top or Stiff Aster (Ionactis linariifolius).

The flowers, and…

 leaves

Ionactis linariifolius (Flaxleaf Whittop Aster, Stiff Aster, Flaxleaf Aster, Stiff-leaf Aster) is native to the United States where its found from Maine west to Minnesota and south to Texas and Florida. In Georgia, its been documented in counties throughout the state, including Rabun County.

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Identification Resources:

Southeastern Flora: Ionactis linarifolia (Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster) 

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Ionsctis linariifolius (Stiff-leaf Axter, Flaxleaf Aster, Stiff Aster)

Illinois Wildflowers: Flax-Leaved Aster (Ionactis linariifolium)

Jeffrey Pippin, Duke University: Ionactis linariifolius (Stiff Aster, Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster)

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Ionactis linarifolia (Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster)

Related posts:

- Warwoman Wildlife Management Area: Showy or Appalachian Gentian (Gentiana decora)

Appalachian Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) and Friend

September 22nd, 2012. A few Applachian Blazing Star plants were growing at the top of an embankment on US-76 east of Popcorn Road.

 

The plants

Blooms with a friend. A bumblebee was feeding on the flowers

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Identification Resources:

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Liatris squarrulosa (Southern Blazing Star)

J. Pippen, Duke University: Liatris squarrulosa (Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl’s Blazing Star)

Missouri Plants: Liatris squarrulosa

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:

- Liatris squarrulosa (Appalachian Blazing Star)

Related post:

- Appalachian or Southern Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa)?

White Goldenrod or Silverrod (Solidago bicolor)

September 15th, 2012. We drove over Patterson Gap Road from Betty’s Creek Road to Persimmon Road. Patterson Gap lies on the Tennessee Valley Divide in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The road is graveled and water erosion has produced some rough sections.

 

Our first find was Lobelia siphilitca (Great Blue Lobelia). Further up the road – at about 2,900 ft asl - we started to see gentians. We spotted Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian) and Gentianella quinquefolia (Stiff Gentian) further up the road. Near the top of the pass, we found a blazing star that we’ve tentatively identified as Liatris squarrulosa (Southern Blazing Star) and Prenanthes altissima (Tall Rattlesnakeroot) growing at the top of the pass.

A little further along the road we came across a spring. I was going to call it a seep but, when I think about it, the water was almost pouring out of the rocks. A little way back up the road, there were a couple of unusual goldenrod plants. They stood our from the surrounding goldenrod plants in that their flowers were distinctly lighter in color: Solidago bicolor (White Goldenrod, Silverrod).

The top of the flower stem

The leaves

A closer view of the top of the flower stem.

Close up of an individual flower.

Solidago bicolor (White Goldenrod, Silverrod) is native to the United States where its found from Maine west to Wisconsin and south to Louisiana and Georgia; it’s not been documented in Florida. In Georgia, its been documented in Union and Dawson counties in North Georgia.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

Southeastern Flora: Solidago bicolor (White Goldenrod)

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Solidago bicolor (Silverrod, White Goldenrod)

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Solidago bicolor (White Goldenrod)

Related posts:

- Appalachian or Southern Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa)?

- Tall Rattlesnakeroot (Prenanthes altissima) 

- Agueweed or Stiff Gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia)

- Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)

Tall Rattlesnakeroot (Prenanthes altissima)

September 15th, 2012. We drove over Patterson Gap Road from Betty’s Creek Road to Persimmon Road. Patterson Gap lies on the Tennessee Valley Divide in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The road is graveled and water erosion has produced some rough sections.

Our first find was Lobelia siphilitca (Great Blue Lobelia). Further up the road – at about 2,900 ft asl - we started to see gentians. We spotted Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian) and Gentiana quinquefolia (Stiff Gentian) further up the road. Near the top of the pass, we found a blazing star that we’ve tentatively identified as Liatris squarrulosa (Southern Blazing Star).

I walked along the road a little further and found this Prenanthes species that I’ve tentatively identified as Prenanthes trifoliata (Gsll of the Earth) based on the deeply indented leaves. Otherwise I would have identified it as Prenanthes altissima (Tall Rattlesnakeroot).
Note: Thanks to A. L. Gibson at 'The Natural Treasures of Ohio' for correcting my identification and identifying this as Prenanthes altissima (Tall Rattlesnakeroot). Thanks Andrew!

A cluster of flowers

Still closer views of the flowers

The leaves. Not the clearest but showing deeply indented leaves

Prenanthes altissima (Tall Rattlesnakeroot, Tall White Lettuce) is native to the United States  where it’s found in from Maine to Illinois and southwest to Texas and south to Georgia. In Georgia, it’s only been documented only in a few counties in the Piedmont.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia:
- Prenanthes altissima (Tall White Lettuce, Tall Rattlesnake-root)-  Prenanthes trifoliata (Gall-of-the-Earth)

- J. Pippen, Duke University: Gall of the Earth (Prenanthes trifoliata)

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: 
- Prenanthes altissima (Tall Rattlesnakeroot)
-  Prenanthes trifoliata (Gall of the Earth)

Related posts:

- Black Rock Mountain State Park, Rabun County, Georgia: Wildflowers 

- Agueweed or Stiff Gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia)

- Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)

Appalachian or Southern Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa)?

September 15th, 2012. We drove over Patterson Gap Road from Betty’s Creek Road to Persimmon Road. Patterson Gap lies on the Tennessee Valley Divide in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The road is graveled and water erosion has produced some rough sections.

Our first find was Lobelia siphilitca (Great Blue Lobelia). Further up the road – at about 2,900 ft asl - we started to see gentians. We spotted Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian) and Gentiana quinquefolia (Stiff Gentian) further up the road. Near the top of the pass, we found a blazing star that we’ve tentatively identified as Liatris squarrulosa (Southern Blazing Star).

The top of the stem

The leaves

Close-up views of the flowers from different angles.

Liatris squarrulosa (Appalachian Blazing Star, Southern Blazing Star, Earl’s Blazing Star) is native to the UnitedStates where it’s found in from Ohio to Illinois southwest to Texas and southeast in Virginia to Florida. In Georgia, it’s only been documented only in a few counties, in the Piedmont.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Liatris squarrulosa (Southern Blazing Star)

- J. Pippen, Duke University: Liatris squarrulosa (SouthernBlazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl’s Blazing Star)

- Missouri Plants: Liatris squarrulosa

 

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Liatris squarrulosa (Appalachian Blazing Star)

 

Related posts:

- Agueweed or Stiff Gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia)

- Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)