Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

The Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) gets a bad rap. ‘In the country’ we can ignore the stigma associated with having dandelions in our fields and enjoy the bright yellow color they share on a cloudy or rainy day. They will bloom year round if the winter is mild. In a cold winter, as we have just had, they take a while to get started. In cool weather in late winter-early spring, they will bloom on short stalks. As the weather warms, they bloom on longer stalks and each plant may bear multiple blooms simultaneously.

A number of flowers – members of the family Asteraceae - resemble the Common Dandelion; these include Krigia species, Sonchus asper, and Pyrrhopappus carolinianus. Flower color and leaf shape are useful to differentiate one from another.

A flower in late winter-early spring. This photo shows the characteristic leaf shape of the Common Dandelion.

A flower in full bloom

A seed head

A seed head that has ‘lost’ some of its seeds. This photo shows the characteristic shape of the seeds.

Even the empty seed head is quite striking if you can ignore that fact that this is a weed.

The Common Dandelion is native to Eurasia but is found worldwide. It occurs in all states and provinces in the United States and Canada, respectively.
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Distribution map:
- USDA Plants Database: Taraxacum officinale (Common Dandelion)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
- Schede di botanica: Taraxacum officinale
- Wikipedia: Taraxacum officinale

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower

Low Hop Clover (Trifolium campestre)

In full sun, Low Hop Clover forms a carpet of yellow flowers. In partial sun, in which these flowers grew, the flowers are more sparse. Each ‘flower’ is a flower head composed of 20 to 30 individual flowerlets.

A ‘bud;' 20-30 buds.

A flower head viewed from directly above; some flowerlets are open while others are still buds.

All flowerlets have opened.

Opened flowerlets in profile. They look like delicate artificial silk flowers.

Trifolium campestre is commonly called Field Clover, Low Hop Clover or Hop Trefoil. Low Hop Clover is native to Europe and western Asia; it grows in most states in the United States and Canada.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Trifolium campestre (Field Clover)

Identification resources:
- Shede di botani: Hop Trefoil (Trifolium campestre)
-Southeastern Flora: Low Hop Clover (Trifolium campestre)
- Wikipedia: Trifolium campestre

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower

Sticky Chickweed (Cerastium glomeratum)

Sticky Chickweed is somewhat similar to Chickweed. Sticky Chickweed grows upright and leaves are clearly separated on the stem in contrast to Chickweed which is more ‘bushy’ and thick.

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Its flowers are exquisite. Flowers occur in clusters. Petals are ‘arranged’ in pairs in contrast to Chickweed which has evenly spaced petals.

Leaves are opposite

The seedheads

Sticky Chickweed may be Eurasian in origin, grows widely in Europe and in most states in the United States.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Cerastium glomeratum (Sticky Chickweed)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Sticky Chickweed (Cerastium glomeratum)
- Schedi di botanica: Cerastium glomeratum
- Wikipedia: Cerastium glomeratum

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower
- Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) – Part 2

This post picks up from the earlier post that followed the flower development.

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A week later, on March 20th, the seeds are visible. They are tender and ribbed.

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On March 27th, they’re a little larger and the leaf bud is just developing.

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On April 2nd, the seeds are larger and the leaves are emerging

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On April 12th, the seeds are well developed

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By April 17th, the seeds have fallen

The Red Maple is native to the Eastern United States. We have them on our place and they are common at Fort Yargo State Park.
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Distribution Maps:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Acer rubrum (Red Maple)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
- Vanderbilt University Bioimages: Acer rubrum
- Wikipedia: Acer rubrum

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower
- Red Maple (Acer rubrum) – Part 1

Oriental False Hawksbeard (Youngia japonica)

Oriental False Hawkbeard (Youngia japonica) appears first as a rosette about 7-8 inches in diameter although it may be much larger if the plant is growing in partial shade. Its leaves are somewhat similar to a dandelion or thistle.

The flower stem grows quite suddenly. Flowers are arranged in heads. Deer will nibble on the flower heads.

The leaves on the stem are somewhat reminiscent of a thistle leaf. Flowers are also developing in the leaf axil.

The individual flowers are quite pretty

As the flowers age, they expand to be lanky.

Oriental False Hawksbeard is found in the maritime states from Pennsylvania to Texas and in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas; it is also found in Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Youngia japonica (Oriental False Hawksbeard)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Oriental False Hawksbeard (Youngia japonica)

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower

Heartwing Dock (Rumex hastatulus)

This is not a plant that grabs your attention at first.

The flower buds

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The flowers just opening

The flowers in full bloom

Fields are red when the flowers are in full bloom - although this photo really doesn't do justice to just how red these fields are.

The characteristic pink and green heartwing seedpods develop. They gradually fade to a light brown as the seeds ripen.

Heartwing Dock is native to the United States from New York/Connecticut south to Florida and west to New Mexico, and including Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Rumex hastatulus (Heartwing Sorrel)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Heartwing Dock (Rumex hastatulus)

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower

Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)

Gelsemium sempervirens is a vine that has several common names: Carolina Jessamine, Evening Trumpetflower, or Yellow Jessamine. This vine flowers profusely in full sun. It flowers sparcely in the shade, as it does at our place, and is easy to overlook unless you’re looking for it. I almost missed it last year when it was growing high in a pine tree. This year, it was flowering at shoulder height, making it easy to reach.

The vine at a distance…

And up closer

The leaves are long and slender and opposite

The flower buds

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The flower. Flowers are relatively short-lived.

Carolina Jessamine is native to the southeastern United States from Virginia to Florida and west to Arkansas and Texas.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Gelsemium sempervirens (Evening Trumpetflower)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
- Alabama Plants: Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower

Bee Fly (Bombylius sp.)

While I was photographing the Chokeberry flowers, the strangest little creature flew up, fed on the flower for a few seconds and then flew off. It looked like an alien insect - brown and furry – with a long proboscis. I was fascinated but managed a couple of quick shots before it took off. It made a moderately loud buzzing sound so I was able to follow it even though I could barely see it. It flew down the shore line a little way and then circled back for a second go at the flower I was photographing.

Here it is…
I didn’t have the faintest idea what it was but searched Google Images using ‘flying insect long proboscis’ with not much hope of finding it. But, there on the first page were two images that resembled it. It appears to be a bee fly, Sparnopolius confuses. I only got a good look from the front and, although I had a reasonable idea of what it looked like, I couldn’t get a photograph of the entire insect. It left a second time and didn’t return.

I didn’t expect to see another one. But I was standing in a weed patch at home photographing butterflies when I saw another one. Talk about a nervous and deliberate insect. This fly approached the dead goldenrod over my shoulder and, like a helicopter, hovered for the longest time, trying to decide whether to land. It aborted its landing and flew around in a circle and approached a landing again and again and again and… Finally it would land but only stay for a few seconds before it repeated the whole process again and again and again. I stood there for about 30 minutes waiting to get a photograph. I’d decide to leave but then wait just in case… It seemed really nervous. Even refocusing the camera was enough to startle it into another flight and approach.

Surprisingly it landed on the foliage on the ground and I managed to get a photograph that shows the pigment pattern on its wings.

I searched Bug Guide. There are two genera that contain species that resemble this insect; Sparnopolius and Lordotus. The insects color resembles Sparnopolius confuses.None of the photographs in Bug Guide show this pigment pattern on the wings. Allison Hazen’s photograph has identified ‘her’ insect as Sparnopolium confuses and does indicate a similar pigment pattern on its wings.

Any thoughts on this identification?

Many thanks to Zombieroach for correcting my identification. Bombylius sp. do exhibit the pigment pattern on the wings.
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Identification resources:
- Bug Guide:
- Bee Fly (Sparnopolius confusus)
- Bee Fly (Bombylius sp.)
- Allison Hazen. Best of (Macro Photography) (Set): Bee Fly (Sparnopolius confusus)

Chokeberry (Photinia pyrifolia)

The undeveloped shoreline at Fort Yargo State Park is lined with a variety of shrubs. Alders are the most common, followed by Elliott’s Blueberry. Some Chokeberry (Photinia pyrifolia) bushes grow along segment 2. I've seen them when I've been rowing but couldn't get close enough to photograph them while the water level was at its normal level. Although most of these were cut down to provide natural fish attractors in the lake, one remained.

Buds

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Fully opened flowers The Chokeberry is native to the eastern United States and Canada.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Photinia pyrifolia (Red Chokeberry)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Chokeberry (Photinia pyrifolia)

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower