Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take Four

April 26th, 2013. We had visited Boggs Creek Recreation Area in the Chestatee Wildlife Management in Lumpkin County on March 30^th, April 13^th and April 20^th. This was our fourth visit…


Trillium vaseyi (Sweet Wakerobin, Vasey's Trillium, Sweet Trillium, Sweet Beth)

We stopped to photograph these flowers yet again.

This flower had been blown above the leaves by the windy conditions. Most flowers were still hiding under the leaves out of sight.

Some were still in excellent condition. The lower of these two flowers was on the largest plant in the patch; this flower was 3” to 4” in diameter.

Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin, Catesby's Trillium, Rosy Wake-robin, Bashful Trillium, Rose Trillium)
We found many of these along the road, most in excellent condition. Most of the flowers we had seen previously were a very light pink. Here, we spotted a flower that was…

almost pure white.
 

Many were light pink, to…

Medium pink, and a few were…

a deep pink.

Tiarella cordifolia (Heartleaf Foamflower, Foamflower, Mountain Foamflower, False Miterwort)

 

 

Foamflowers were still flourishing. 

Cardamine diphylla (Broadleaf Toothwort, Crinkleroot, Pepperroot)
This species has been documented only in counties in far north Georgia. We had found a few plants here on our previous visit but didn’t get photos. This time we were successful.

The plant

Closer views of the leaves

Closer views of the flowers.

Calycanthus floridus var. glaucus (Eastern Sweetshrub, Smooth Sweetshrub, Carolina Allspice)  
This species has been documented in many counties in the northern half of Georgia.

Flowers and leaves in filtered sunlight

Close views of individual flowers.  It will be interesting to see if these flowers develop seedpods.

Under normal conditions, we would have gone over to Dicks Creek again. However, we were travelling in a vehicle that probably would not have handled the rougher road very well, we headed over to Sosebee Cover – our first visit to this site – to see what was blooming…

Click on an image to view a larger image 

Identification Resources:
Southeastern Flora

- Trillium vasayi (Sweet Wakerobin) 

- Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin)
- Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower)

- Cardamine diphylla (Crinkleroot)
- Calycanthus floridus (Eastern Sweetshrub)

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia:  

- Trillium vaseyi (Vasey's Trillium, Sweet Trillium, Sweet Beth)

- Trillium catesbaei (Catesby's Trillium, Rosy Wake-robin, Bashfull Trillium, Rose Trillium) 
- Tiarella cordifolia (Mountain Foamflower, False Miterwort)
- Cardamine diphylla (Broadleaf Toothwort, Crinkleroot, Pepperroot)
- Calycanthus floridus (Smooth Sweetshrub, Carolina Allspice)

Distribution:
United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:
- Trillium vaseyi (Sweet Wakerobin)
- Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin)
- Tiarella cordifolia (Heartleaf Foamflower)
- Cardamine diphylla (Crinkleroot)
- Calycanthus floridus (Eastern Sweetshrub)

Related post:
- Early Spring Wildflowers At Boggs Creek Recreation Area
- Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take Two (Part 1)
- Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take Two (Part 2)
- Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take Two (Part 3)
- Spring Wildflowers at Dicks Creek (Part 2) 
- Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take 3 – Trilliums
- Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take Three - Other Wildflowers
 

Wildflowers at Boggs Creek Recreation Area: Take 3 - Trilliums

April 20th, 2013. Our third trip to Boggs Creek Recreation Area. The trilliums were still a focus of interest. Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy, Purple Toadshade, Whippoorwill Flower) had finished blooming but Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin, Catesby’s Trillium, Rosy Wake-robin, Rose Trillium) were still blooming and the mystery trillium had yet to be identified.

On our previous trips to  Boggs Creek Recreation Area in the Chestatee Wildlife Management in Lumpkin County, we had found a new (for us) trillium that had set buds which were curling under the leaves as they developed. Now the question would be… ‘What color is the flower’. I was placing bets with myself as to which trillium they would be. A white flower would be the Illscented Wakerobin (Trillium rugelii) and a maroon flower would be the Sweet Wakerobin (Trillium vaseyi). Which would it be? I was betting it would be a white trillium…

When we pulled into the parking spot, we couldn’t see any color at all. Disappointment. But then we spotted a flash of color… Maroon! The flower was maroon. Trillium vaseyi (Sweet Wakerobin, Vasey's Trillium, Sweet Trillium, Sweet Beth).

It was breezy that day but I found a solitary plant at the base of a tree in the shade some distance from the main patch.

From a distance, and…

up close.

The calyces

The flower, photographed under a cloudy sky, and…

in bright sunlight.

Closer views of the center of the flower.

With this mystery solved, we looked around for flowers of the Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin, Catesby's Trillium, Rosy Wake-robin, Bashful Trillium, RoseTrillium) that we had seen scattered in the woods near the Trillium vaseyi plants. The Trillium catesbaei plants were scattered not only here but along the roadside to the end of the road that is still open. We found ourselves stopping repeatedly to take ‘just one more’ photograph. Really, just one more…  

The name ‘Bashful Wakerobin’ seems apt as the flowers ‘hide’ beneath the leaves, peeking out. A couple of flowers exposed more than normal by the breezy conditions…

A closer view

The calyces

The flowers are white when they first open but gradually turn pink as they age.

An ‘almost white’ flower

A much pinker flower

Close ups of the center of the flower

Images of flowers in the sun on an embankment beside the road.

We never tire of photographing trilliums.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

Southeastern Flora

- Trillium vaseyi (Sweet Wakerobin)

- Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin)

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: 

- Trillium vaseyi (Vasey's Trillium, Sweet Trillium, Sweet Beth)  
- Trillium catesbaei (Catesby's Trillium, Rosy Wake-robin, Bashful Trillium, Rose Trillium)

 

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:

- Trillium vaseyi (Sweet Wakerobin)

- Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin)

 Related post:

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

- Early Spring Wildflowers At Boggs Creek Recreation Area

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

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.

 

Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

We started in the area where we had found Little Sweet Betsy trilliums (Trillium cuneatum) on our previous visit. These flowers were still present.

Unidentified trillium

At first glance, we couldn’t see any buds on these plants,

Still none visible. We were a little disappointed since we’d seen buds on several plants, but then…

looking closer, evidence of a flower stalk.

Up close. The flowers on this one hang below the leaves.

We did find one plant with the bud still above the leaves, but

Most buds had dropped below the leaves. Now the question would be… ‘What color is the flower’. A white flower would be the Illscented Wakerobin (Trillium rugelii) and a maroon flower would be the Sweet Wakerobin (Trillium vaseyi). Which would it be?

  

As we wandered further around this area, we found yet a third trillium…

Trillium catesbaei (Catesby's Trillium, Rosy Wake-robin, Bashful Trillium, Rose Trillium)

These plants were scattered a little further away from the Little Sweet Betsy and the unidentified trillium plants. A few had set buds and some were beginning to open.

A couple of plants…

with buds, and…

and beginning to open.

Violas

The area was carpeted with violas… purple and white violas

A purple viola, probably Viola soraria (Dooryard Violet, Common Wild Violet,Common Blue Violet, Confederate Violet), and   

A white viola, probably the Sweet White Violet (Viola blanda) 

Actaea pachypoda (White Baneberry, Doll's-eyes, White Cohosh)

White Baneberry plants were scattered in the shade under the pine trees. Buds were developing or…

Just beginning to open.

Ophioglossum vulgatum (Southern Adderstongue, SouthernAdder’s-tongue)

This was a most unexpected find and I was fortunate to see them since they were in a very shady area.

 

A convocation of three ferns in a semicircle in front of a rock.

A closer view, and a

Close up of an individual plant.

Then we crossed to the other side of the road where we had seen the Viola hastata plants in bloom during our initial visit…

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

Southeastern Flora

- Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

- Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin)

- Viola soraria (Common Blue Violet)

- Viola blanda (Sweet White Violet)

- Actaea pachypoda (Baneberry)

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia:

- Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy, Purple Toadshade, Whippoorwill Flower)

- Trillium catesbaei (Catesby's Trillium, Rosy Wake-robin, Bashful Trillium, Rose Trillium)

- Viola soraria (Dooryard Violet, Common Wild Violet, Common Blue Violet,Confederate Violet)

- Viola blanda (Sweet White Violet)

- Actaea pachypoda (Doll's-eyes, White Baneberry, White Cohosh)

- Ophioglossum vulgatum (Southern Adder’s-tongue)

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:

- Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

- Trillium catesbaei (Bashful Wakerobin)

- Viola soraria (Common Blue Violet)

- Viola blanda (Sweet White Violet)

- Actaea pachypoda (White Baneberry) 

- Ophioglossum vulgatum (Southern Adderstongue)

  

Related post:

- Early Spring WildflowersAt Boggs Creek Recreation Area