June 9th, 2012. Whenever we’re in Wilkes County, Georgia, we drive by a couple of swamps along Enoch John Road. This swamp is on a small tributary of Fishing Creek. It’s magical in the late afternoon. And it has a couple of hidden treasures, apart from the turtle on the limb over the water. There is a large area of American lotus (Nelumbo lutea), not in bloom yet. And to the right, hidden behind the vegetation, is a large beaver lodge. It's hard to see at this time of year.Monday, June 11, 2012
Zen: Swamp In The Late Afternoon
June 9th, 2012. Whenever we’re in Wilkes County, Georgia, we drive by a couple of swamps along Enoch John Road. This swamp is on a small tributary of Fishing Creek. It’s magical in the late afternoon. And it has a couple of hidden treasures, apart from the turtle on the limb over the water. There is a large area of American lotus (Nelumbo lutea), not in bloom yet. And to the right, hidden behind the vegetation, is a large beaver lodge. It's hard to see at this time of year.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Yellow Carolina Milkvine: Carnage!
May 18th – June 8th. What is it about members of the Asclepiadaceae that attract the destructive instincts of man? It has to be coincidence but… Late last year, a couple of Asclepias viridiflora plants in the Scull Shoals Experimental Forest (Greene County, Georgia) that had developed seed pods were mowed just prior to the hunting season.
And now, a Yellow Carolina Milkvine (Matelea flavidula) plant in Hancock County has been bulldozed. The plant was growing right at the edge of the road. It was clearly in jeopardy if a bulldozer strayed off the established edge of the road but that didn’t seem too likely to happen. Except for extenuating circumstances. That didn’t seem likely but… There’s always a ‘but.’
We think the ‘but’ in this case was tropical storm Beryl which passed along the coast a week or so ago. The road on which this plant grew is an unpaved rural road in Georgia-clay country and, judging by the tracks gouged in it further north, had received enough rain to require the services of a road crew to restore it. ‘Our plant’ was growing at the edge of a level, and more-sandy, stretch of road that didn’t seem to have suffered water damage. The ‘dozer had carved a new ‘turn out’ to divert the water off the road but, instead of backing up and moving forward along the previously established road edge and deepening the ditch, had literally bulldozed its way forward over everything in front of it. Incidentally, it destroyed the previous roadside ditch in the process and left an unstructured mess that will be even more subject to water erosion. Anyway…
The plant may regrow next year. After all, the Asclepias vridiflora plants in Greene County are happily growing and blooming again this year. The tragedy is that this Yellow Carolina Milkvine, rare in Hancock County, was developing a seedpod which would have contributed many new opportunities to establish this species in the county,
May 18th
We found this seed pod, approximately 1-1/2 inches long, and this…
tiny seed pod – about one-half an inch long, just starting to develop.
May 28th
The larger seed pod had elongated into the typical spinypod shape but…
the tiny seed pod had withered, probably due to the drought.
June 8th
Then, yesterday! Nothing but a thoroughly bulldozed section of road. The plant was growing near the small bushes at the edge of the road. Arrrrgh!
So, while we mourn the loss of one M. flavidula seed pod, the good news is that we found a small seed pod developing on one of the other M. flavidula plants in the area. It looks healthy and, since the area had quite a bit of rain recently, we’re hopeful that it will develop to maturity. Now we just have to keep our fingers crossed that the power company doesn’t come and mow the area in their program to periodically clear under power lines to prevent trees from falling and taking down the power lines.
Click on an image to view a larger image
Identification resources:
Allan Cressler: Matelea flavidula
- Houston county: [Short petal] [Long petal]
- Cook County
Name that Plant. Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Matelea flavidula (Yellow Spinypod)
Distribution
- USDA Plants Database: Matelea flavidula (Yellow Carolina Milkvine)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Matelea flavidula
Related post:
- Hancock County, Georgia: Yellow Carolina Milkvine (Matelea flavidula)
And now, a Yellow Carolina Milkvine (Matelea flavidula) plant in Hancock County has been bulldozed. The plant was growing right at the edge of the road. It was clearly in jeopardy if a bulldozer strayed off the established edge of the road but that didn’t seem too likely to happen. Except for extenuating circumstances. That didn’t seem likely but… There’s always a ‘but.’
We think the ‘but’ in this case was tropical storm Beryl which passed along the coast a week or so ago. The road on which this plant grew is an unpaved rural road in Georgia-clay country and, judging by the tracks gouged in it further north, had received enough rain to require the services of a road crew to restore it. ‘Our plant’ was growing at the edge of a level, and more-sandy, stretch of road that didn’t seem to have suffered water damage. The ‘dozer had carved a new ‘turn out’ to divert the water off the road but, instead of backing up and moving forward along the previously established road edge and deepening the ditch, had literally bulldozed its way forward over everything in front of it. Incidentally, it destroyed the previous roadside ditch in the process and left an unstructured mess that will be even more subject to water erosion. Anyway…
The plant may regrow next year. After all, the Asclepias vridiflora plants in Greene County are happily growing and blooming again this year. The tragedy is that this Yellow Carolina Milkvine, rare in Hancock County, was developing a seedpod which would have contributed many new opportunities to establish this species in the county,
Yellow Carolina Milkvine (Matelea flavidula)
May 18th
We found this seed pod, approximately 1-1/2 inches long, and this…
tiny seed pod – about one-half an inch long, just starting to develop.May 28th
The larger seed pod had elongated into the typical spinypod shape but…
the tiny seed pod had withered, probably due to the drought.June 8th
Then, yesterday! Nothing but a thoroughly bulldozed section of road. The plant was growing near the small bushes at the edge of the road. Arrrrgh!
So, while we mourn the loss of one M. flavidula seed pod, the good news is that we found a small seed pod developing on one of the other M. flavidula plants in the area. It looks healthy and, since the area had quite a bit of rain recently, we’re hopeful that it will develop to maturity. Now we just have to keep our fingers crossed that the power company doesn’t come and mow the area in their program to periodically clear under power lines to prevent trees from falling and taking down the power lines.Click on an image to view a larger image
Identification resources:
Allan Cressler: Matelea flavidula
- Houston county: [Short petal] [Long petal]
- Cook County
Name that Plant. Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Matelea flavidula (Yellow Spinypod)
Distribution
- USDA Plants Database: Matelea flavidula (Yellow Carolina Milkvine)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Matelea flavidula
Related post:
- Hancock County, Georgia: Yellow Carolina Milkvine (Matelea flavidula)
Friday, June 8, 2012
Zen: Orange Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)
Click on the image to view a larger imageIdentification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Hemerocallis fulva (Daylily)
- Missouri Plants: Hemerocallis fulva
Distribution:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Hemerocallis fulva (Orange Daylily)
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata) Seed Pods
April 21st, 2012. Euphorbia corollata is known by the common names Flowering Spurge or Eastern Flowering Spurge. It’s widespread in Georgia. It blooms from Spring through to the Fall.
An individual plant. The plants grow about 18 inches tall in our area. They seems to bloom more profusely in the Fall than in the Spring.
A closer view of the flowers. They are small but quite striking. It’s worth taking a closer look at them. The flowers are about 1/4 inches in diameter but stand out because of their simple. ‘clean’ structure.
A fertilized flower. The ovary is just starting to swell
A closer view. The ovary is developing above the petal-like bracts. It’s visible as a swollen green structure just below the stigmas.
What is unusual about this seed pod is that it develops on a stalk above the flower. I’d never noticed this before.
A small, developing, stalked seed pod.
*****
The seed pods are swelling. When ripe the seed pods explode to catapult the seeds into the surrounding area.
Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge) is native to the eastern United States and Canada. It grows in states including and east of Ontario, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. In Georgia they have been documented in more northern counties. However, I’ve seen them in many counties in the Piedmont area.
I haven’t paid enough attention to these flowers. I’ll have to remedy that in the future.
Click on an image to view a larger image
Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata)
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Euphorbia corollata
- Missouri Plants: Euphorbia corollata
Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Euphorbia corollata
Related posts:
- Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata)
An individual plant. The plants grow about 18 inches tall in our area. They seems to bloom more profusely in the Fall than in the Spring.
A closer view of the flowers. They are small but quite striking. It’s worth taking a closer look at them. The flowers are about 1/4 inches in diameter but stand out because of their simple. ‘clean’ structure.
A fertilized flower. The ovary is just starting to swell
A closer view. The ovary is developing above the petal-like bracts. It’s visible as a swollen green structure just below the stigmas.What is unusual about this seed pod is that it develops on a stalk above the flower. I’d never noticed this before.
A small, developing, stalked seed pod.
*****
The seed pods are swelling. When ripe the seed pods explode to catapult the seeds into the surrounding area. Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge) is native to the eastern United States and Canada. It grows in states including and east of Ontario, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. In Georgia they have been documented in more northern counties. However, I’ve seen them in many counties in the Piedmont area.
I haven’t paid enough attention to these flowers. I’ll have to remedy that in the future.
Click on an image to view a larger image
Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata)
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Euphorbia corollata
- Missouri Plants: Euphorbia corollata
Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Euphorbia corollata
Related posts:
- Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata)
Monday, June 4, 2012
June Blog Carnival
Welcome to the June 4, 2012 edition of nature photography. This blog was started by Kathie Thomas at Dandenong Ranges Nature Photography. I am guest hosting this month.
Dandenong Ranges Nature Photography presents Amanita muscaria , saying, "I’d almost given up on seeing any this year in our garden."
Charity and Amber presents Finding the Alphabet in Ordinary Things posted at SoLoveThat, saying, "I love creating something unique and beautiful out of something ordinary! The idea is to find and take pictures of the letters that are hidden in nature..."
Charity and Amber presents 27 Beach Photo Ideas posted at SoLoveThat, saying, "Here are 27 photos we have taken at different beaches."
I've been following a several plants of fascinating milkvines that belong to the genus Matelea – the Maroon Carolina Milkvine (M. carolinensis), its non-pigmented variant, and the Yellow Carolina Milkvine (M. flavidula). They’re still blooming although the drought has taken its toll on them this year.
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of nature photography using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Share
Technorati tags: nature photography, blog carnival.
Dandenong Ranges Nature Photography presents Amanita muscaria , saying, "I’d almost given up on seeing any this year in our garden."
Charity and Amber presents Finding the Alphabet in Ordinary Things posted at SoLoveThat, saying, "I love creating something unique and beautiful out of something ordinary! The idea is to find and take pictures of the letters that are hidden in nature..."
Charity and Amber presents 27 Beach Photo Ideas posted at SoLoveThat, saying, "Here are 27 photos we have taken at different beaches."
I've been following a several plants of fascinating milkvines that belong to the genus Matelea – the Maroon Carolina Milkvine (M. carolinensis), its non-pigmented variant, and the Yellow Carolina Milkvine (M. flavidula). They’re still blooming although the drought has taken its toll on them this year.
Yellow Carolina Milkvine (Matelea flavidula)
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of nature photography using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Share
Technorati tags: nature photography, blog carnival.
Dragonfly: Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
May 4th, 2012. There is a turn-around at the end of one of the gravel road we frequent in the Scull Shoals Experimental Forest in the Oconee Wildlife Management Area in Greene County, Georgia. We’ve seen a lot of dragonflies along this road this year: Spangled Skimmers (Libellula cyanea), Common Whitetails (Plathemis lydia), Eastern Pondhawks (Erythemis simplicicollis).
We see quite a number of male Blue Dasher dragonflies during the year but very few females. On May 4th, we saw a single, shy female which permitted a couple of shots before she flew off into the woods.
A male Blue Dasher, photographed in Jasper County, Georgia in 2011.
*****
The female Blue Dasher. She was a pretty creature. I wish we saw more of them.
Blue Dashers are one of the more common dragonflies in Georgia, occurring throughout the state between mid-March and mid-November.
Click on an image to view a larger image
Identification resources:
- Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of Georgia: Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
- BugGuide: Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) [Male] [Female]
Related post:
- Blue Dasher: Up Close And Personal
We see quite a number of male Blue Dasher dragonflies during the year but very few females. On May 4th, we saw a single, shy female which permitted a couple of shots before she flew off into the woods.
A male Blue Dasher, photographed in Jasper County, Georgia in 2011.
*****
The female Blue Dasher. She was a pretty creature. I wish we saw more of them.Blue Dashers are one of the more common dragonflies in Georgia, occurring throughout the state between mid-March and mid-November.
Click on an image to view a larger image
Identification resources:
- Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of Georgia: Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
- BugGuide: Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) [Male] [Female]
Related post:
- Blue Dasher: Up Close And Personal
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Dragonfly: Cocoa Clubtail (Gomphus hybridus)
April 28th, 2012. We stopped by Whitetail Lake in the Clybel Wildlife Management Area – Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center to see which dragonflies were out. There were the usual suspects: Common Whitetails (Libellula lydia), Slaty Skimmers (Libellula incesta) and Eastern Amberwings (Perithemis tenera). Then there were a couple of dragonflies that blended into the background of the grass along the edge of the pond. It was difficult to keep track of them but…
They had a couple of favorite places along the pond shore to which they returned repeatedly. Can you see this one? A little to the left of center. It’s pretty clear why it was difficult to keep track of them.
A closer view, in the same location. It looked, at first glimpse, like an Ashy Clubtail (Gomphus lividus). Then I got a couple of good shots when one flew to…
vegetation further along the shore, and then to…
a log where I could get better shots. I finally identified this as a Cocoa Clubtail (Gomphus hybridus).
The markings on the thorax and abdomen of the Ashy and Cocoa clubtails are very similar. The colors of the Cocoa Clubtail are brighter than the Ashy Clubtail. These clubtails also differ in that the abdomen of the Ashy Clubtail taper to the terminal tip whereas the terminal end of the abdomen of the Cocoa Clubtail is swollen. Cocoa Clubtails are not common but found in counties in middle and north Georgia from late March to mid June. The relative rarity of this clubtail may be due, in part, to it not being noticed because it blends into its background so well.
Click on an image to view a larger image
Identification resources:
Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of Georgia
- Cocoa Clubtail (Gomphus hybridus)
- Ashy Clubtail (Gomphus lividus)
BugGuide:
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