tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30458069093055882752024-02-22T11:08:26.738-05:00Wild BurlingtonWild Burlington is run by <b><a href="http://www.crowspath.org">Crow's Path</a></b>. Our contributors are friends, students, and others interested in studying nature and figuring out its infinite puzzles. In each post you will find photographs alongside writing that muses, speculates, and explores the stories behind each photo. If interested in contributing to the blog please contact Teage at <b><a href="mailto:info@crowspath.org">info@crowspath.org</a></b>Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-91718513249449022912017-05-18T11:53:00.002-04:002017-05-18T11:53:43.467-04:00New blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Soooo, it's been a super long time since I've posted regularly. I've been working a variety of other projects and am just now getting back into the swing of things. As part of the move I'm moving the blog off of the Blogger platform and over to wordpress. The new blog will feature all the same great natural history, ecology, philosophizing, and photography, but will also emphasize my interest in barefoot running.<br />
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You can find the new blog here:<br />
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<b><a href="http://phyllotaxy.com/blog">http://phyllotaxy.com/blog</a></b></div>
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There's a link to subscribe to the new blog site if you'd like. </div>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-66800678090700003752016-08-09T21:23:00.003-04:002016-08-09T21:27:44.674-04:00A close callToads, for me, are like the perennial underdog, the bad news bears of the amphibian world. They're goofy and clumsy on land, often tumbling down rocks or embankments as they pronk around. Much of Burlington is on sandy deltaic sediments from the Champlain Sea. It drains well and there are scant wetlands, save along the Winooski River, flood zones along the lake, or retention ponds built to handle run off. I live near the latter most habitat and from my windows can hear toads trilling on the first warm (50+ degree) nights of spring. After 8 years of seeing toads in my garden and wishing they had a breeding habitat, I finally got around to building a pond. I got toad eggs and raised them to mature tadpoles before releasing them into the pond. After about 2 days of filling the pond with water we already had a couple of competing males trilling away.<br />
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I've been seeing more and more toadlets (tiny, ~1/2") popping around, so looks like my first parenting project was a success! But not all is well in the land of toads. Today while out at Derf Beach (Fred's Beach to many, at the north end of North Beach), I was pulling poison ivy when all of a sudden I was spooked by a strange two-headed, two-legged beast. I yelled and jumped simultaneously. And then I realized what I was looking at!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, that leg. Not sure how the snake got both legs into its mouth. But it did. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A yellow jacket showed up and curiously buzzed around the toad for a while<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ezy0WWBV6OQ/V6qAsNcB5jI/AAAAAAAAJJM/dRCcjIwTsiE6IU-DaeHs78pDZiBUHa28gCLcB/s1600/rock-point%2B09-08-2016%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ezy0WWBV6OQ/V6qAsNcB5jI/AAAAAAAAJJM/dRCcjIwTsiE6IU-DaeHs78pDZiBUHa28gCLcB/s640/rock-point%2B09-08-2016%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eventually the snake wormed its way backward and over the green ash roots. Perhaps in response to us, trying to covet its meal. Each animal seemed to move in bursts followed by small movements trying to gain leverage. </td></tr>
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Oh, how my heart went out to that poor toad. And what a beast of a toad, easily one of the largest toads I've ever seen. We surmised that it was puffing out its chest to make it difficult for the garter snake to swallow it any further. We watched the struggle unfold for about 10 minutes before we had to leave. Perhaps the most striking realization that I had was that toads don't have facial expressions, a simple observation but so dramatic when I realized that this toad was having perhaps the most dramatic and terrifying experience of its life and it's face was totally stoic, or rather unchanged. As we were leaving someone called us back for the culmination of the struggle. The snake had decided it had bit off more than it could chew and released the toad from its grasp. A sad day for snake enthusiasts, a great day for toad-a-philes, and a fascinating, but morally neutral day for ecologists :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the toad post-battle.</td></tr>
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-21399148853229091352016-08-02T08:25:00.000-04:002016-08-02T08:25:00.829-04:00The many moods of Lake ChamplainJust wanted to share a few images I've taken of Mink Bay at Rock Point over the past few weeks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the more intense storms of the summer. Sudden gusts up to 40mph brought in sheets of rain for about 30 minutes. This was about 5 minutes before it hit</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calm and delightful sunset at Mink Bay</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paddling out past Lone Rock.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fair weather cloud</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gap between Lone Rock and the Secret Cave</td></tr>
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-8524621236513282722016-07-28T07:29:00.000-04:002016-07-28T07:29:00.991-04:00Poison Ivy ID Quiz<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=mtyxmdu4oqfyyq" target="_blank">Take the Poison Ivy Quiz!</a></b></span><br />
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Test your identification knowledge to see if you can tell the difference between PI and other common look alikes</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="700" id="proprofs" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="proprofs" src="https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=mtyxmdu4oqfyyq&id=1610320&ew=630" width="650"></iframe><br />
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">
<a href="https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=mtyxmdu4oqfyyq" target="_blank" title="Poison Ivy - ProProfs">Poison Ivy - ProProfs</a></div>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-16936879834173271872016-07-24T08:00:00.000-04:002016-07-26T07:34:18.133-04:00Identifying Poison Ivy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poison ivy leaf shape. Two mittens on the sides giving a thumbs down with bilateral symmetry on middle leaflet.</td></tr>
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I've posted in the past about poison ivy (<a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2012/08/jewelweed.html" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2013/05/poison-ivy-yet-again.html" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2012/05/jewelweed-poison-ivy.html" target="_blank">3</a>), but thought I'd post again, this time with an eye to identification. My goal with kiddos at Crow's Path programs is to get them to be able to subconsciously identify poison ivy while running around playing games. This definitely takes practice - lots of dirt time looking, drawing, studying - but once you create a search image and lock it into your brain you no longer have to think to activate that process. Awareness, to a certain degree, becomes a passive, embedded process.<br />
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My <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2012/08/jewelweed.html" target="_blank">original post</a> on poison ivy from so many years ago focused on the diversity of poison ivy, but also the general form. It's amazing to me that we can identify a species from a thousand different angles under a thousand different lightings. No two poison ivy plants are the same size, shape, color, texture. But the patterns are distinct enough that our brain can readily generalize a specific form and lump it in with other similar forms and parse it out from dissimilar forms.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Poison ivy with damage from a leaf miner</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/science/ducklings-intelligence.html" target="_blank">Researchers recently found</a> the same process happens with ducklings, which immediately after hatching are able to imprint onto a mother figure. Imprinting isn't about recognizing a static form, like a circle or star, but rather a complex moving creature that will guide them to safety. The guide may be sneaking through tall grass, flapping their wings, or swimming across the surface of the water. Whatever their varied shape, a duckling's survival depends on its ability to recognize their alpha. So to do humans share an ability to recognize and lump, though as the ultimate generalist omnivores fortunately we lack the lazer like focus on a specific entity and instead have a far less specific and infinitely more powerful ID skillset. Being able to recognize many different forms translates to us being able to recognize and consume some 600 different genera in any one location (Carol Yoon describes this odd upper limit of 600 forms in her book on taxonomy <i>Naming Nature</i>, referring to a person's ability to name a max of about 600 different species, bands, products, etc from memory).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWXQTLW5bKrsoIm0Ehr8KvVjGXkuuWqRZ96uXWnhjoDmGNHsOo4oBmmfjdDZj8h25pdZMr03vPnlJ4cLb-g_10SC-OpQZzx-8prxUWDB1LC5DuiiDnXge-6N6TJSbJfQdhY31vrj99cE/s1600/IMG_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWXQTLW5bKrsoIm0Ehr8KvVjGXkuuWqRZ96uXWnhjoDmGNHsOo4oBmmfjdDZj8h25pdZMr03vPnlJ4cLb-g_10SC-OpQZzx-8prxUWDB1LC5DuiiDnXge-6N6TJSbJfQdhY31vrj99cE/s640/IMG_0319.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Forging a search image requires spending time looking closely (or I guess just subconsciously assimilating small bits of information over long periods of time works too as I don't ever remember learning to identify dandelion or pigeons or Katy Perry, but here I am capable of recognizing her almost instantly on a poster at Staples). As much as this can work, looking closely is more fun, more transferable, and more interesting. So, looking closely at poison ivy might reveal:<br />
<br />
<b>Stem</b><br />
<ul>
<li>A woody stem</li>
<li>Each aerial stem typically has only 1-2 leaves emerging from it</li>
<li>Alternate branched leaves</li>
<li>Poison ivy that has taken to vining, at least in our region, is very uncommon</li>
<li>When it does vine it uses aerial/adventitious roots to attach to tree (not tendrils, spiraling, or hooks)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Leaves</b></div>
<ul>
<li>The 3 leaves are actually 3 leaflets that together form one leaf. </li>
<li>Smooth (not waxy or hairy)</li>
<li>Leaves often show signs of damage from leaf miners</li>
<li>Form a T-shape, with two on side having short petioles (leaf attachments) than the middle leaflet</li>
<li>Side leaflets are asymmetrical, middle one is bilaterally symmetrical</li>
<li>Two side leaflets often look like they're given a thumbs down</li>
<li><br />
</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Flowers/fruits</b></div>
<ul>
<li>The fruits are like little whitish yellow pumpkins and readily pop off the stem</li>
<li>They're often hidden beneath the leaves so difficult to find</li>
<li>I've observed deer and catbirds eating them</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Roots</b></div>
<ul>
<li>Reproduce mostly via runners (I've hand pulled poison ivy and if you get a runner you can pull up a few feet of horizontal roots!!)</li>
<li>Roots are dark brown and around an 1/8"-1/4" in diameter at most. </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-18940741556178896752016-07-18T10:29:00.000-04:002016-07-19T09:26:16.370-04:00Queen Anne's Lace<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yT83tRSmCYo/V44puWkcZzI/AAAAAAAAIMI/9zIg6y3_k5IJORDLuUZtp1vO5M0UH4JWwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yT83tRSmCYo/V44puWkcZzI/AAAAAAAAIMI/9zIg6y3_k5IJORDLuUZtp1vO5M0UH4JWwCLcB/s640/IMG_0150.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen Anne's Lace flower in full bloom. Note purple, almost black flower, in center of umbel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I first learned to identify wild carrot, or <i>Daucus carota</i>, I was eagerly followed its name like a blinking road sign down to the earth. I dug up its root, letting its earthy mint scent wash over my nose. I gently patted the sand from the white carrot pinched delicately between my fingers, nipped off the leaves, and popped the little treat in my mouth. Yum. Domestic carrots often lack the richness of flavor of their wild ancestor, though make up for it, I suppose, in size.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k0cnXXR7v_I/V44puR4TDXI/AAAAAAAAIMA/qp6JouBd3N0E1yiJ7E-eDbTwJCQDUp86QCLcB/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k0cnXXR7v_I/V44puR4TDXI/AAAAAAAAIMA/qp6JouBd3N0E1yiJ7E-eDbTwJCQDUp86QCLcB/s640/IMG_0154.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side view, showing umbel-ness of inflorescence. All flowers originate from single point</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I harvested a bunch of the little carrots that summer, but somehow spent surprisingly little time with the plant. It wasn't until the following summer, when I got bees, that I really paid much attention to the above ground part of the plant. I noticed my bees particular zeal for the flat splay of delicate white flowers. Each umbel (a clumb of short-stalked flowers all emerging from a central point) is marked centrally with a deep purple whose purpose, I read, is to guide bees and other pollinators in. More than guide the insect to the inflorescence as a whole, it guides the insect towards the center of the umbel, ensuring that it will come in contact with as many florets as possible before visiting the next plant. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izXAPtCFEpU/V4pBNm7VjhI/AAAAAAAAILs/-r-yNobGY6stRGGNa-5itIPGw8Oce-2KgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izXAPtCFEpU/V4pBNm7VjhI/AAAAAAAAILs/-r-yNobGY6stRGGNa-5itIPGw8Oce-2KgCLcB/s640/IMG_0105.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The mythology of the plant's other name, Queen Anne's Lace, refers to one of several different Queen Annes, who pricked herself while making her lace. A lone drop of blood fell forth from her fingers, tarnishing the otherwise perfect lace. One odd thing about the <b>sanguine flower is that it is sterile</b>, a sacrificial flower to draw in pollinators! Felix, a kiddo in our Whittler's Wharf camp at Crow's Path brought me the above specimen. As we were looking at the flowers I noticed that one of the clusters actually had a second sterile purple flower at the margin of the umbel in addition to the one located at the center (this is visible as a dark, upside down heart on the top left of the above image).<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hujGqn5FHXQ/V44puh81BII/AAAAAAAAIME/R28YOlHcYvYIzIBEn_BtewxqGrpEjYSCwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hujGqn5FHXQ/V44puh81BII/AAAAAAAAIME/R28YOlHcYvYIzIBEn_BtewxqGrpEjYSCwCLcB/s640/IMG_0157.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Queen Anne's Lace, oddly enough, doesn't have the sterile central flower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Af9YMoVOwQ4/V44pvMgnuJI/AAAAAAAAIMM/bCHEozzuHw4qwNWBD0JGIQwnftgcjaJSQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Af9YMoVOwQ4/V44pvMgnuJI/AAAAAAAAIMM/bCHEozzuHw4qwNWBD0JGIQwnftgcjaJSQCLcB/s640/IMG_0160.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And just a bonus shot showing a developing inflorescence </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-83545316747059523222016-07-15T07:51:00.001-04:002016-07-16T09:58:02.830-04:00More blue green algae photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c90nqus2LNI/V4o9KNhtl0I/AAAAAAAAILc/om_JqXaghDgKYichKLhxQikMUbAaLVClgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c90nqus2LNI/V4o9KNhtl0I/AAAAAAAAILc/om_JqXaghDgKYichKLhxQikMUbAaLVClgCLcB/s640/IMG_0141.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Luckily a big afternoon storm rolled through on Wednesday afternoon, bringing with it intense winds and fresh rain. By Thursday much of the blue green algae had cleared out from what we at Crow's Path call Derf Beach (Fred's Beach to Rock Pointers) and most of the closed beaches were clear enough to swim in. I thought I'd post a few more photos, these from Wednesday before it cleared out.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nj5zj32QPi4/V4jNd877jzI/AAAAAAAAILE/rFQjs3Vc4Ek_pvtX9RPk_nj40Ol3Fs1-gCLcB/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nj5zj32QPi4/V4jNd877jzI/AAAAAAAAILE/rFQjs3Vc4Ek_pvtX9RPk_nj40Ol3Fs1-gCLcB/s640/IMG_0052.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
The image below shows how a small sandbar created a windbreak, which created perfect conditions for the cyanobacteria to grow to high and potentially dangerous conditions. The waves seen just past the sand bar and already broken up much of the grosser pea soup swirls along North Beach before Wednesday's afternoon storm.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_NCswPrluE/V4jNdwJYjQI/AAAAAAAAILA/PU75inEnKR0K9UwZV9L-jc_5Etugzfc5ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_NCswPrluE/V4jNdwJYjQI/AAAAAAAAILA/PU75inEnKR0K9UwZV9L-jc_5Etugzfc5ACLcB/s640/IMG_0053.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgZkjFgjegegFZFCMnJEBw6IF-lLYi01C595_m2z6bthiB8taGkj29BkzaMhz9_PhnvX21nbrVUvoQVHz87WgaOvEOD0PQIS1uIwDl_nmQvm5BUS0q702KIX3Kgzarw4we8Ft4i2zsrQ/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgZkjFgjegegFZFCMnJEBw6IF-lLYi01C595_m2z6bthiB8taGkj29BkzaMhz9_PhnvX21nbrVUvoQVHz87WgaOvEOD0PQIS1uIwDl_nmQvm5BUS0q702KIX3Kgzarw4we8Ft4i2zsrQ/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgZkjFgjegegFZFCMnJEBw6IF-lLYi01C595_m2z6bthiB8taGkj29BkzaMhz9_PhnvX21nbrVUvoQVHz87WgaOvEOD0PQIS1uIwDl_nmQvm5BUS0q702KIX3Kgzarw4we8Ft4i2zsrQ/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgZkjFgjegegFZFCMnJEBw6IF-lLYi01C595_m2z6bthiB8taGkj29BkzaMhz9_PhnvX21nbrVUvoQVHz87WgaOvEOD0PQIS1uIwDl_nmQvm5BUS0q702KIX3Kgzarw4we8Ft4i2zsrQ/s640/IMG_0095.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-27600300817954860952016-07-12T20:29:00.002-04:002016-07-12T20:34:31.656-04:00Blue-Green AlgaeFeels like it's been forever since I posted here, and while I've been inspired to research many of the questions I've come across in recent months, this is the first time I've decided to follow up and write about it! So without further ado, <b>blue green algae</b>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeLrN6W47yezVs_fpmMMFykwOx2y-Vo-vPzgtdQOmuitSnGPsuI9FkPAVCrgKa23Ml2YK-2U0wQGy1xZlqv9auDC5UXX57BJYzH9Lx9QFxLq20WDMo-Iw0WaG-cvU1QV3s5lGr8B6JpA/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeLrN6W47yezVs_fpmMMFykwOx2y-Vo-vPzgtdQOmuitSnGPsuI9FkPAVCrgKa23Ml2YK-2U0wQGy1xZlqv9auDC5UXX57BJYzH9Lx9QFxLq20WDMo-Iw0WaG-cvU1QV3s5lGr8B6JpA/s640/IMG_0029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Today while out at Rock Point for Crow's Path summer camps, our efforts to find respite from the summer heat were thwarted by a nasty sludge lapping against the shoreline. When we got to the beach, life guards from North Beach were walking up and down the beach taking photos, likely as part of the state's blue green algae tracking efforts (see <a href="https://apps.health.vermont.gov/vttracking/bluegreenalgae/2016/d/" target="_blank">link</a> for current reports from around the state). North Beach is a near perfect recipe for blue green algae blooms. It has a large shallow sandy beach that extends far out into the lake, with full exposure all day. It's also sheltered from winds out of the north, south, and west by Rock Point, winds that would otherwise bring in cooler water, which would slow down reproductive rates of the cyanobacteria, or disperse the blue green algae.<br />
<br />
We've had air temperatures consistently above 70 since the middle of May. The water temperature is currently above 70(!!) and with the absence of wind, the conditions are perfect for blooms. The forecast is hot hot hot tomorrow with no wind. The rains could bring wind, which would shake things up, but they could also bring in more nutrients to the lake which would feed the cyanobacteria's growth.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xoewfcPhW78/V4WKrhygA9I/AAAAAAAAIKs/lW01YKxqX7EYJJNkvKQoufVATYPUsUkqwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xoewfcPhW78/V4WKrhygA9I/AAAAAAAAIKs/lW01YKxqX7EYJJNkvKQoufVATYPUsUkqwCLcB/s640/IMG_0030.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>How do you identify it?</b><br />
<ul>
<li>It'll look like a greenish paste towards the surface, much like pea soup</li>
<li>When it gets super intense you'll see what looks like bluish or greenish swaths of paint on the surface</li>
<li>Before it gets to these concentrations, the water will take a greenish hint and you can see little green dots floating in the water. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>So if I see it in the water, what should I do?</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Well, probably don't go in the water. According to the Vermont Dept of Health there are no known cases of the blooms causing human illness, but I'd rather not take the risk as associated symptoms may include: </li>
<ul>
<li>Skin rashes</li>
<li>Vomiting, diarrhea</li>
<li>Allergic-like reactions if water droplets inhaled</li>
</ul>
<li>Don't let your pet go in the water. Pets won't know the difference and can drink the water and get ill</li>
<li>If you're on the fence about whether or not to go in the water, definitely check with whoever maintains the beach or check the state's <a href="https://apps.health.vermont.gov/vttracking/bluegreenalgae/2016/d/" target="_blank">blue green algae tracker</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Taxonomy</b><br />
Oh, and a note about taxonomy...or maybe a warning. Michigan botanists Edward Voss said, "Common names are for common people." Common names lead to lots of confusion about the organisms we're talking about. Blue green algae is a perfect example. While it is bluish green, it's not an algae. Algae alone is difficult enough. For a good exercise in frustration, try boning up on your algae taxonomy. Algae's not a plant (no roots, no leaves), but neighter is it a true bacteria (they're eukaryotes). Blue green algae is a bacteria, or more specifically cyanobacteria, a branch of photosynthetic bacteria. Being bacteria, they are simple organisms and super super tiny. We only get to see them when their populations get out of control.<br />
<br />Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-55826644246594758212016-01-19T13:21:00.000-05:002016-01-23T14:09:57.166-05:00Field Trip: Proctor<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sXgoizeVr0Y/Vpk6qT0H3tI/AAAAAAAAICQ/WkYBs6fww3g/s1600/proctor%2B22-12-15%2B%252825%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sXgoizeVr0Y/Vpk6qT0H3tI/AAAAAAAAICQ/WkYBs6fww3g/s640/proctor%2B22-12-15%2B%252825%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Just before Christmas, Mo and I headed down to the old quarry town of Proctor, located in the Vermont Valley just outside Rutland. While the heyday has come and gone, the quiet town is now home to the Vermont Marble Museum. Old abandoned quarries and an amazing mill next to the dam. It's part of a line of limestone/marble quarries that runs, well pretty much down the east cost down into the great caving belt in Kentucky. Mo's done a lot of cave exploration and I recently have been to a few, all in limestone. A lot of excavations - whether as a quarry or road cut - exposed old cavernous fractures in rock, slowly etched away by acidic rain water. These hidden caverns are called karst topography, which I <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2014/01/icicles-abound.html" target="_blank">wrote about previously</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lm2mUyr5EjY/Vpk-zDR1yKI/AAAAAAAAICk/0VBP-mHYB3s/s1600/proctor%2B22-12-15%2B%252867%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lm2mUyr5EjY/Vpk-zDR1yKI/AAAAAAAAICk/0VBP-mHYB3s/s640/proctor%2B22-12-15%2B%252867%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Because the substrate - rock and cement here as there's basically no soil - is so rich in nutrients from the limestone, moss readily grows on the concrete slabs and inside of the old mill, which is empty of its former occupation and currently used as storage for RVs and boats.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OYvc-nK_Usl5XcL47PVUaX3DIAvcvbaZt_UlE4lKFp4sG6PL76caGj9pIIeh3NdjajoRimXKNsFVRdaEPX4NYN07f4xswZl-b1-agsK4oNe7sg-ncfMZPb9_cXnYdnfOiYUY0cKme9E/s1600/proctor+22-12-15+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OYvc-nK_Usl5XcL47PVUaX3DIAvcvbaZt_UlE4lKFp4sG6PL76caGj9pIIeh3NdjajoRimXKNsFVRdaEPX4NYN07f4xswZl-b1-agsK4oNe7sg-ncfMZPb9_cXnYdnfOiYUY0cKme9E/s640/proctor+22-12-15+%25289%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The water weaves intricate patterns on concrete structures. The acidity of the rain draws out calcareous elements, slowly depositing them in fissures and grooves, and along the bottoms of tiny ledges.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdu-J3_WLKI/Vpk-zO13T0I/AAAAAAAAICw/0M0mQHd8skQ/s1600/proctor%2B22-12-15%2B%252871%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdu-J3_WLKI/Vpk-zO13T0I/AAAAAAAAICw/0M0mQHd8skQ/s400/proctor%2B22-12-15%2B%252871%2529.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble floor tiles with a paper birch emerging from the ruins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is one of the strangest places I've ever been. The town was swimming in marble. And the built everything out of it. Even in the crappy little office in the image above the floor tiles were decadently made out of marble. As with the moss, the calcium rich substrate allows trees to grow in odd places and deal more readily with shade that would otherwise stress them too much to allow them to grow. In the above photos there's a birch tree growing between tiles and we found them growing throughout the building and on the roof.<br />
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The bedrock geology map below shows the town of Proctor composed of and surrounded mostly by north-south running bands of dolostone and marbles. These are the same rocks that jut out along the cliffy edge of Lake Champlain.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1I3pnnEMk3k/VppAzgGMyEI/AAAAAAAAIDQ/70qZZHiZX8k/s1600/proctor%2Bgeology.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="608" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1I3pnnEMk3k/VppAzgGMyEI/AAAAAAAAIDQ/70qZZHiZX8k/s640/proctor%2Bgeology.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-59985297498001634252016-01-15T13:10:00.003-05:002016-01-15T13:10:53.384-05:00Field Trip: Mud Pond in Williston<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EsmFG56Sme0/Vpkt7j3U3LI/AAAAAAAAIAo/HWUf9FuOJ7w/s1600/mudpond%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EsmFG56Sme0/Vpkt7j3U3LI/AAAAAAAAIAo/HWUf9FuOJ7w/s640/mudpond%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grumpy old cattail herma</td></tr>
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Mud Pond has been on my bucket list for a few years now, since I heard about the microburst damage there. Last week I finally made the trek out there with my sister, and wow was it totally worth it. We hopped off the trail after about a 100 yards following a set of gray squirrel tracks. It broke out of the hemlocks into the open of a red maple swamp. We quickly switched to a gray fox trail, which crossed fisher, mink, long tailed weasel, and red fox! The tracking was totally amazing with a ton of different habitats woven together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8dye9ZfxXj_ojQzAmyEX_iLCxxPWd6C5S6Y4sOeXjqXoFCXRIEUN_ni4_WS0SkwPwckDIuqumGVowNbnC8Mqq2kz69cTwiUWDqkKnp-aeV6sU4Ms2oLwrtf_2GWOetZGUWq_gTBIxdc/s1600/mudpond+2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8dye9ZfxXj_ojQzAmyEX_iLCxxPWd6C5S6Y4sOeXjqXoFCXRIEUN_ni4_WS0SkwPwckDIuqumGVowNbnC8Mqq2kz69cTwiUWDqkKnp-aeV6sU4Ms2oLwrtf_2GWOetZGUWq_gTBIxdc/s640/mudpond+2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The fox lead us down to a creek which ultimately drained into Mud Pond proper. There's a great mix of American elms and green ash in with the red maples. The ice on the creek was gorgeous and we spent a while photographing it before heading out on the dam to explore the old, abandoned beaver lodge. The mud caking the outside had largely washed away and we could poke our heads in to see the feeding platform. It's not often you get to look inside an old lodge, so that was wonderful. The rim of the pond is a dense tangle of cattails and sedges that as the land slopes up grades into an even denser tangle of alders and then maples.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l56tfSVXuzw/Vpk0F2k6IpI/AAAAAAAAIBU/DAP_FWtq5_Q/s1600/mudpond%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l56tfSVXuzw/Vpk0F2k6IpI/AAAAAAAAIBU/DAP_FWtq5_Q/s640/mudpond%2B4.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oJ8wd96e8-s/Vpk0F5fYUnI/AAAAAAAAIBM/xZtc7Nt7bsI/s1600/mudpond%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oJ8wd96e8-s/Vpk0F5fYUnI/AAAAAAAAIBM/xZtc7Nt7bsI/s640/mudpond%2B3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possibly a goldfinch nest in a speckled alder</td></tr>
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The highlight was towards the end where I saw a long swoop carved gently into the snow. It started in a little patch between hemlocks about 4 feet before ending in a flurry of little squirrely tracks. These circled around themselves for awhile before disappearing up a tree. I've never seen definitive flying squirrel tracks, so it made the whole day worth it. Plus there were several bird splatterings on the snow filled with snow fleas (a type of springtail)! We wound up getting completely and utterly turned around for some reason, but eventually made our way back to the car.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibku8xkPjH6w_cql9hRA8zuTX3M7sd-YjJ-N4xgoXGQU9MxAwbHnG5o36-n_pBhr3stRyRX1Jbd2v36oJSav3NC0yJqiwZE6KrCkF04zZErssxEBBY7tPVYfEZGi-GGjWTwsZqH-TeO8s/s1600/mudpond+5.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibku8xkPjH6w_cql9hRA8zuTX3M7sd-YjJ-N4xgoXGQU9MxAwbHnG5o36-n_pBhr3stRyRX1Jbd2v36oJSav3NC0yJqiwZE6KrCkF04zZErssxEBBY7tPVYfEZGi-GGjWTwsZqH-TeO8s/s640/mudpond+5.jpg" width="640" /></a>Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-82897006795567683932015-10-28T12:11:00.001-04:002015-10-28T12:11:21.468-04:00A study in growth<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkjtX2vlvc0/VjDypEgJTTI/AAAAAAAAH6M/7Q-UXHX5Nz0/s1600/backyard%2B28-10-2015%2B%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkjtX2vlvc0/VjDypEgJTTI/AAAAAAAAH6M/7Q-UXHX5Nz0/s640/backyard%2B28-10-2015%2B%25286%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Striped maple (<i>Acer pennsylvanicum</i>) - the top of this year's growth</td></tr>
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Looking out my window at the striped maple Sam & I transplanted last year made me want to start a long-term documentation project. The shrub caught my attention because it seems to be turning colors from the top down; this is the opposite of virtually everything else, which tends to turn from the top and outside working in and down. Maybe being a small shrub with a single stem of leaves makes this pattern so different? Maybe being in super low light conditions? </div>
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Anyways, I've started various projects in the past, but this one will be easy - each year around Nov 1 (even marked it on my calendar) I'll take a quick photo of the striped maple to track its growth and branching pattern. I guess I probably should have put the marker just below the terminal bud, but below the first set of lateral buds will do. The other thing that will be neat to see is how the tape affects the color of the bark. Striped maple has photosynthetic bark, and my assumption is that it will drop its chlorophyll content and shift to a deeper red/purple color (as the older bark is). Though the tape isn't totally opaque, so we'll see about that too.</div>
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-25871534924212839622015-09-13T13:14:00.003-04:002015-09-13T13:14:49.057-04:00Ancient ruins in the deep<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UhfloeN86ls/VfWtnIaYUFI/AAAAAAAAH28/WwnT7QYw4rU/s1600/IMG_0799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UhfloeN86ls/VfWtnIaYUFI/AAAAAAAAH28/WwnT7QYw4rU/s640/IMG_0799.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heiligenschein (German for 'holy light'), that halo of light around radiating out from my head's shadow</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out towards the causeway </td></tr>
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Been awhile since I posted anything here. I went canoeing a couple weeks ago and spotted a bizarre underwater formation just off the cliffs of the northwest edge of Marble Island in Colchester. It was undoubtedly construct by someone - a square shape with rounded edges about 12' in diameter, with a break in the rocks - an opening? - facing out from shore west towards the bay. It was constructed of dolostone boulders each about the size of a basketball.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IYslIg3vyCw/VfWtnJHEX3I/AAAAAAAAH24/go_XagRmkeg/s1600/IMG_0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IYslIg3vyCw/VfWtnJHEX3I/AAAAAAAAH24/go_XagRmkeg/s320/IMG_0804.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">A closer look at the object</td></tr>
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The water level is already near its annual low (declines throughout summer into the fall, then begins to climb as leaves fall and evapotranspiration shuts down. Of course trends are also contingent on lake freezing over, precipitation, and warm winter days) and even with the lake at record low levels, the person would have had to have been about 7 feet under water. An impressive feat. The question of why they built it is another matter. Not really sure, it's just below and awesome rock that stands above the water by quite a bit. There were a few fishing hooks/line around on the shore so maybe this was built as bait to lure fish in? Maybe just for fun? Maybe a solar sculpture? Not really sure. It's totally inaccessible other than to a couple of private landowners and boats.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMdRHpbqogPlw44ArRG9-W0fMTG-IZLIx2E1GZv4qcMu36mZ_hGsZiIcO3aeSDpOzLgZXrS1g138YFK3VA3HWbnorvPY13aH9UhadcUZnBEgA4lPldyuIUn-FikCkh-eawhVM91Zo4Wo/s1600/lake2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMdRHpbqogPlw44ArRG9-W0fMTG-IZLIx2E1GZv4qcMu36mZ_hGsZiIcO3aeSDpOzLgZXrS1g138YFK3VA3HWbnorvPY13aH9UhadcUZnBEgA4lPldyuIUn-FikCkh-eawhVM91Zo4Wo/s400/lake2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>LAKE DATA FROM 2012</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>LAKE DATA FROM 2013</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DuhMS0X3laI/VfWp-q5bwmI/AAAAAAAAH2U/k8cNWACc27U/s1600/lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DuhMS0X3laI/VfWp-q5bwmI/AAAAAAAAH2U/k8cNWACc27U/s400/lake.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lake data from 2014</b></td></tr>
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<br />Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-36347432667464148622015-05-27T17:17:00.002-04:002015-05-27T17:17:31.225-04:00Rock Point inventory: Brick's Brook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTnOZkgWi_-6tDKrYDM3zrcRZkWbjPVU1M3MEJ8aR_N_-WnF13H3kML6IIf66f3Q4Xgyk0ZY-FAUs_wDrrz6t-Tky4mEmt2S81QTHDLFEeb-jswmCU0p_xhqU6oRXXrX6Uo6LdkiyCXw/s1600/brook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTnOZkgWi_-6tDKrYDM3zrcRZkWbjPVU1M3MEJ8aR_N_-WnF13H3kML6IIf66f3Q4Xgyk0ZY-FAUs_wDrrz6t-Tky4mEmt2S81QTHDLFEeb-jswmCU0p_xhqU6oRXXrX6Uo6LdkiyCXw/s640/brook.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next stop: Brick's Brook. Much of the sediment deposited atop the calcareous bedrock is lacustrine in origin (from a lake), deposited 11,000 years ago when the glaciers were retreating - melting - but still blocking drainage of the fresh water to the north through the St Lawrence seaway. Water pooled up in the Champlain Valley, the only outlet being the Hudson River valley to the south. The drainage point here is about 600', so Lake Champlain, which was known as Glacial Lake Vermont, was about 500' above where it is today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UgCZB_FvkWw/VWYzNvLJ7XI/AAAAAAAAHxY/If9zuoYbjVw/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UgCZB_FvkWw/VWYzNvLJ7XI/AAAAAAAAHxY/If9zuoYbjVw/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-016.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wet meadow, this is the "headwaters" of Brick's Brook</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2kGd-YPV_Y/VWYzNtm3zUI/AAAAAAAAHxc/06dgBwwNPzk/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2kGd-YPV_Y/VWYzNtm3zUI/AAAAAAAAHxc/06dgBwwNPzk/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-017.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the edge of the meadow, it starts to cut into the soils</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoFPH1C6STCfQ326DtjL7bMf_oHnlAqA5wNCybNPCs1Tx0wDPRiXkJsiLZUMF4giEJapR52ExcbNAsDrEIiEuX8SYBqDkwl0-qRRQwO-8P1zEztMuRth7nDQ7IRupnvI2U1xMLpeMbsM/s1600/rock+point+27-05-018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoFPH1C6STCfQ326DtjL7bMf_oHnlAqA5wNCybNPCs1Tx0wDPRiXkJsiLZUMF4giEJapR52ExcbNAsDrEIiEuX8SYBqDkwl0-qRRQwO-8P1zEztMuRth7nDQ7IRupnvI2U1xMLpeMbsM/s640/rock+point+27-05-018.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About 25 down from previous photo, excessive erosion exposing roots of white pine <br />(which once upon a time was a fence line as witnessed by the barbed wire embedded in it)</td></tr>
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The melt water draining off the mountains into the lake via the Winooski, Mississquoi, Lamoille, etc. would have been a muddy mess with glacial sediments. So Rock Point, which is adjacent to the lake, would have been a deep water environment, buried in alternating layers of silts and clays each year when the lake froze over. These silts and clays drain very poorly, accounting for the wet meadows and depressions found scattered over the land.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6USHjOPSrhI/VWYzONZ537I/AAAAAAAAHxg/hMCYzeZ1R-0/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6USHjOPSrhI/VWYzONZ537I/AAAAAAAAHxg/hMCYzeZ1R-0/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-024.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Further still downstream. Slopes of banks still steep. </td></tr>
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Once the glaciers retreated far enough to the north, finally opening up the St Lawrence seaway, water exploded out of the Champlain Valley, draining in a matter of hours or days down to an elevation of 300'. At that point, because the glaciers were so heavy, their weight had actually depressed the entire northern part of the continent - much like a large putting all your passengers at the stern of a flexible boat - by about 300' in this area. The glacial lake gradually grew saltier and saltier as water from the ocean filtered into Champlain Valley. The rivers continued flowing into the body of water; the Winooski River delta's edge terminated at Rock Point, depositing patchy layers of sand atop the lacustrine silts and clays.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-crA9pumpgHo/VWWo1kOUOQI/AAAAAAAAHw4/blJADzFJDV4/s1600/soils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-crA9pumpgHo/VWWo1kOUOQI/AAAAAAAAHw4/blJADzFJDV4/s640/soils.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soil map generated by Web Soil Survey: http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx</td></tr>
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This sandier stuff erodes rather easily. Brick's Brook, which is only about 600m in length, starts as a trickle in the Old Pasture. A small bridge passes over the small notch carved into the clay soils. At the edge of the meadow, soils are much sandier and within 50m, the notch is a deep valley with steep slopes. Eventually the stream eroded down below the sandier soils, exposing silts and clays. Because these smaller soil particles are more difficult to erode, the valley widens rather than cutting further down. Towards the lower end of the stream the slope of stream is much gentler, water does not drain as well, and the course of the stream begins to meander, with water pooling up much more. In this section there are often green frogs and wood frogs.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g3QWxgbm8bI/VWYzOP-WhgI/AAAAAAAAHxk/7LioO_zcsg8/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g3QWxgbm8bI/VWYzOP-WhgI/AAAAAAAAHxk/7LioO_zcsg8/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-025.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Near the bottom, mellow grade to the brook and shallow slope to the banks due to erosion over time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4tmhHJ7tJqE/VWYzObgzteI/AAAAAAAAHxs/uC9Joo2HQZU/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4tmhHJ7tJqE/VWYzObgzteI/AAAAAAAAHxs/uC9Joo2HQZU/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B27-05-026.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">High water table wreaking havoc on the hemlcoks and yellow birches<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Species list is not complete (there are 5 different plants I need flowers to key out):<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="160"></col><col width="160"></col><col width="11"></col><col width="190"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-formula="=query(Woody!R[0]C[0]:C[7], "select A, B, C, D where upper(H)='X'",0)" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Maple, red"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Maple, red</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Acer rubrum"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Acer rubrum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aceraceae (Maple)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Aceraceae (Maple)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Maple, sugar"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Maple, sugar</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Acer saccharum"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Acer saccharum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aceraceae (Maple)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Aceraceae (Maple)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ivy, poison"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ivy, poison</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Toxicodendron radicans"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Toxicodendron radicans</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Anacardiaceae (Cashew)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Anacardiaceae (Cashew)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Birch, yellow"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Birch, yellow</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Betula allegheniensis"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Betula allegheniensis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Betulaceae (Birch)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Betulaceae (Birch)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Viburnum, maple-leaf"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Viburnum, maple-leaf</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Viburnum acerifolium"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Viburnum acerifolium</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Honeysuckle, ??"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Honeysuckle, ??</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lonicera ??"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Lonicera ??</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bittersweet, oriental"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bittersweet, oriental</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Celastrus ????"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Celastrus ????</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Celastraceae (Bittersweet)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Celastraceae (Bittersweet)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dogwood, red-osier"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dogwood, red-osier</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cornus sericea"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cornus sericea</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cornaceae (Dogwood)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cornaceae (Dogwood)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Witch-hazel, American"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Witch-hazel, American</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Hamamelis virginiana"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hamamelis virginiana</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Hamamelidaceae (Witch-hazel)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hamamelidaceae (Witch-hazel)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Basswood, American"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Basswood, American</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Tilia americana"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Tilia americana</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Malvaceae (Mallow)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Malvaceae (Mallow)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ash, green"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ash, green</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fraxinus pennsylvanica"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fraxinus pennsylvanica</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Oleaceae (Olive)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Oleaceae (Olive)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Hemlock, Eastern"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hemlock, Eastern</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Tsuga canadensis"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Tsuga canadensis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Pinaceae (Pine)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Pinaceae (Pine)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Buckthorn, common"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Buckthorn, common</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rhamnus cathartica"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rhamnus cathartica</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Buckthorn, glossy"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Buckthorn, glossy</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Frangula alnifolia"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Frangula alnifolia</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Blackberry, common"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Blackberry, common</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rubus allegheniensis"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rubus allegheniensis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosaceae (Rose)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosaceae (Rose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cherry, black"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cherry, black</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Prunus serotina"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Prunus serotina</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosaceae (Rose)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosaceae (Rose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Raspberry, black"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Raspberry, black</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rubus occidentalis"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rubus occidentalis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosaceae (Rose)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosaceae (Rose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rose, multi-flora"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rose, multi-flora</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosa multiflora"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosa multiflora</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosaceae (Rose)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosaceae (Rose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Thimbleberry"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Thimbleberry</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rubus odoratus"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rubus odoratus</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosaceae (Rose)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosaceae (Rose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aspen, quaking"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Aspen, quaking</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Populus tremuloides"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Populus tremuloides</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Salicaceae (Willow)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Salicaceae (Willow)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"GRAPE sp."]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">GRAPE sp.</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Vitaceae (Grape)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Vitaceae (Grape)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Virginia creeper"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Virginia creeper</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Parthenocissus quinquefolia"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Parthenocissus quinquefolia</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Vitaceae (Grape)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Vitaceae (Grape)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="160"></col><col width="160"></col><col width="11"></col><col width="190"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-formula="=query(Flowers!R[0]C[-5]:C[2], "select A, B, C, D where upper(H)='X'",0)" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Jack-in-the-pulpit"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jack-in-the-pulpit</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arisaema sp."]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Arisaema sp.</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Araceae (Arum)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Araceae (Arum)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Jewelweed, spotted"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jewelweed, spotted</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Impatiens capensis"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Impatiens capensis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-not)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-not)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Solomon's seal, false"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Solomon's seal, false</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Smilacina racemosa"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Smilacina racemosa</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Crowfoot, small flower"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Crowfoot, small flower</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ranunculus abortivus"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ranunculus abortivus</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lily, trout"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Lily, trout</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Erythronium americanum"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Erythronium americanum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Skunk cabbage"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Skunk cabbage</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Symplocarpus foetidus"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Symplocarpus foetidus</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Araceae (Arum)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Araceae (Arum)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dandelion"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dandelion</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Taraxacum officinalis"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Taraxacum officinalis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Asteraceae (Aster)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Asteraceae (Aster)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Meadow rue, early"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Meadow rue, early</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Thalictrum dioicum"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Thalictrum dioicum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Baneberry, red"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Baneberry, red</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Actaea rubra"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Actaea rubra</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Nightshade, enchanters"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Nightshade, enchanters</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Circaea sp"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Circaea sp</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Onagraceae (Evening primrose)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Onagraceae (Evening primrose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Miterwort"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Miterwort</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mitella diphylla"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mitella diphylla</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Nettle, wood"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Nettle, wood</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Laportea canadensis"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Laportea canadensis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Urticaceae (Nettles)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Urticaceae (Nettles)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Nightshade, deadly"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Nightshade, deadly</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Solanum dulcamara"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Solanum dulcamara</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Solanaceae"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Solanaceae</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Speedwell"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Speedwell</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Veronica sp"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Veronica sp</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Scrophulariaceae (Figwort)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Scrophulariaceae (Figwort)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="160"></col><col width="160"></col><col width="11"></col><col width="190"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-formula="=query(Ferns!R[0]C[-10]:C[-4], "select A, B, C, D where upper(G)='X'",0)" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, lady"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, lady</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Athyrium filix-femina"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Athyrium filix-femina</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Athyriaceae"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Athyriaceae</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, bracken"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, bracken</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Pteridium aquilinum"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Pteridium aquilinum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dennstaedtiaceae (Bracken)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dennstaedtiaceae (Bracken)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Wood fern, spinulose"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Wood fern, spinulose</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteris carthusiana"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteris carthusiana</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Wood fern, intermediate"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Wood fern, intermediate</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteris intermedia"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteris intermedia</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Horsetail, wood"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Horsetail, wood</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Equisetum sylvaticum"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Equisetum sylvaticum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Equisetaceae (Horsetail)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Equisetaceae (Horsetail)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Horsetail, meadow"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Horsetail, meadow</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Equisetum pratense"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Equisetum pratense</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Equisetaceae (Horsetail)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Equisetaceae (Horsetail)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, sensitive"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, sensitive</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Onoclea sensibilis"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Onoclea sensibilis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Onocleaceae (Sensitive Fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Onocleaceae (Sensitive Fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, ostrich"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, ostrich</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Matteuccia struthiopteris"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Matteuccia struthiopteris</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Onocleaceae (Sensitive Fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Onocleaceae (Sensitive Fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, cinnamon"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, cinnamon</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Osmunda cinnamomea"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Osmunda cinnamomea</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Osmundaceae (Royal fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Osmundaceae (Royal fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, interrupted"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, interrupted</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Osmunda interrupta"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Osmunda interrupta</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Osmundaceae (Royal fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Osmundaceae (Royal fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, maiden hair"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, maiden hair</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Adiantum pedatum"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Adiantum pedatum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Pteridaceae (Maidenhair)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Pteridaceae (Maidenhair)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, New York"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, New York</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Thelypteris noveboracensis"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Thelypteris noveboracensis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Thelypteridaceae (Marsh)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Thelypteridaceae (Marsh)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-8692297392320486482015-05-25T18:54:00.001-04:002015-05-27T07:55:42.673-04:00Rock Point Inventory - Hem of the Woods<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioa56HTyCGhwKUQlzF3Dk76v-qDbKUxc2NR8T_QrILjQQ_CO2lbcmWxuorPFO0t65JLW51YBznY0WuPDkLluL9r8NQGiLM5Uz271BPLxN47B5RCw_P6T1PcWJYOtX5qBE0GdQpeB6XfhM/s1600/rock+point+25-05-15+%252826%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioa56HTyCGhwKUQlzF3Dk76v-qDbKUxc2NR8T_QrILjQQ_CO2lbcmWxuorPFO0t65JLW51YBznY0WuPDkLluL9r8NQGiLM5Uz271BPLxN47B5RCw_P6T1PcWJYOtX5qBE0GdQpeB6XfhM/s640/rock+point+25-05-15+%252826%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stand of hemlock, patches of moss indicating exposed bedrock (Dunham dolomite)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So it begins, my documenting of the plants of Rock Point, that is. Realizing I'd miss the early spring ephemerals, I thought I'd just start with the patches with lowest diversity and the ones that I'm most familiar with, before covering the rest of the property. I hope to finish these other patches by next summer. I spent a couple of hours this morning wandering around in my first area, which we call<b> Hem of the Woods SW</b>. Hem of the Woods is almost entirely hemlock in the overstory with very sparse cover in the understory. It is bordered to the NE by an artifical slope excavated out for the Island Line - now the bike path, the lake to the W, and a mature sugarbush along its southern border. Much of the diversity of plant life here is found at the borders or in breaks in the canopy. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xryjq28W5v8/VWOm0GPWuyI/AAAAAAAAHwE/PRbawU2J2ck/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B25-05-024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xryjq28W5v8/VWOm0GPWuyI/AAAAAAAAHwE/PRbawU2J2ck/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B25-05-024.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stand of wild sarsaparilla in foreground, growing in shade of a couple recently <br />
downed hemlocks (one massive). Birch is relic of older logging</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In one such sunny spot at the intersection of two trails where a few trees were cleared out (stumps remain as evidence), flowering plants thrive. In Hemlock Forests (yes capital H and F, see Wetland Woodland Wildland for the reference), flowering plants are incredibly uncommon. The anomalously high number of flowering plants in the understory can be attributed to the small size of the patch. In most cases, the understory vegetation is represented by small clumps of a single species, most of which can spread rhizomatically (e.g. posion ivy, rock polypody, false Solomon's seal, Canada mayflower). The seedlings are represented by an abundance of black cherry, a single basswood, occasional sugar maples, and several Norway maples, surprisingly. Shrubs were not abundant, and include glossy buckthorn, honeysuckle and red elderberry.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLVlMt7dBgplzYZrVQrmaCWAALzDkXJWjKwsp4F0XTCYbDXTawF13Fst3-ge4quHHrg_kyzNsuqry_xY6_poqqQr1Lu72K4in3UTnj6rOoth7G3UsX_Cws6q5VKWYUPjSeZqbN9nKhm8/s1600/dolls+eyes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLVlMt7dBgplzYZrVQrmaCWAALzDkXJWjKwsp4F0XTCYbDXTawF13Fst3-ge4quHHrg_kyzNsuqry_xY6_poqqQr1Lu72K4in3UTnj6rOoth7G3UsX_Cws6q5VKWYUPjSeZqbN9nKhm8/s640/dolls+eyes.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doll's eyes flower stalk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The two main limiting factor at this site are sunlight and shallow soils on calcareous bedrock. Lack of sunlight is controlled by the existing canopy in addition to a northern aspect. Where the deltaic sandy soils from the Champlain Sea era have eroded away with the occasionally flooding of the intermittent stream, Brick's Brook, the canopy is still composed of hemlock.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsNle8f_v1VjWik_w_oYktjMsYIt6zCmUzMw_d6iS_LpzjTUeba1zsTPlLrUcTeJuLhcj0XeKscgwi2ysZgqAEFtpx9keYBIGUm4RVkD6-aEEWlqMgaqmBqyOVdyjWKLBE2PV2BiKlAA/s1600/red+baneberry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsNle8f_v1VjWik_w_oYktjMsYIt6zCmUzMw_d6iS_LpzjTUeba1zsTPlLrUcTeJuLhcj0XeKscgwi2ysZgqAEFtpx9keYBIGUm4RVkD6-aEEWlqMgaqmBqyOVdyjWKLBE2PV2BiKlAA/s640/red+baneberry.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red baneberry growing adjacent to doll's eyes. Note the much thinner stalks that the flowers grow from</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Below is a complete list of all the vascular plants I saw, except for the ferns (* = non-native).<br />
<br />
<b>Trees + Shrubs</b><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="160"></col><col width="160"></col><col width="11"></col><col width="190"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Hemlock, Eastern"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hemlock, Eastern</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Tsuga canadensis"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Tsuga canadensis</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Pinaceae (Pine)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Pinaceae (Pine)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Maple, sugar"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Maple, sugar</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Acer saccharum"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Acer saccharum</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aceraceae (Maple)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Aceraceae (Maple)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Birch, white"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Birch, white</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Betula papyrifera"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Betula papyrifera</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Betulaceae (Birch)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Betulaceae (Birch)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Basswood, American"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Basswood, American</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Tilia americana"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Tilia americana</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Malvaceae (Mallow)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Malvaceae (Mallow)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Hophornbeam"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hophornbeam</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ostrya virginiana"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ostrya virginiana</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Betulaceae (Birch)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Betulaceae (Birch)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Buckthorn, common"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Buckthorn, common</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rhamnus cathartica"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rhamnus cathartica</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Thimbleberry"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Thimbleberry</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rubus odoratus"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rubus odoratus</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosaceae (Rose)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosaceae (Rose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cherry, black"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cherry, black</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Prunus serotina"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Prunus serotina</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosaceae (Rose)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosaceae (Rose)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Maple, Norway"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Maple, Norway</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Acer platanoides"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Acer platanoides</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"*"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">*</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aceraceae (Maple)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Aceraceae (Maple)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dogwood, alternate-leaf"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dogwood, alternate-leaf</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cornus alternifolia"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cornus alternifolia</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cornaceae (Dogwood)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cornaceae (Dogwood)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ivy, poison"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ivy, poison</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Toxicodendron radicans"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Toxicodendron radicans</td><td style="background-color: #f9cb9c; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Anacardiaceae (Cashew)"]" style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Anacardiaceae (Cashew)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Flowers</b><br />
<div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="160"></col><col width="160"></col><col width="11"></col><col width="190"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mayflower, Canada"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mayflower, Canada</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Maianthemum canadense"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Maianthemum canadense</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Hepatica, round-leaf"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hepatica, round-leaf</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Hepatica americana"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hepatica americana</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Jack-in-the-pulpit"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jack-in-the-pulpit</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arisaema sp."]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Arisaema sp.</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Araceae (Arum)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Araceae (Arum)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Wild sarsaparilla"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Wild sarsaparilla</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aralia nudicalis"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Aralia nudicalis</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Araliaceae (Ginseng)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Araliaceae (Ginseng)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Jewelweed, spotted"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jewelweed, spotted</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Impatiens capensis"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Impatiens capensis</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-not)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-not)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Solomon's seal, false"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Solomon's seal, false</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Smilacina racemosa"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Smilacina racemosa</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Twisted stalk"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Twisted stalk</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Streptopus lanceolatus"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Streptopus lanceolatus</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Stinking Benjamin"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Stinking Benjamin</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Trillium erectum"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Trillium erectum</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Trillium, large-flowered"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Trillium, large-flowered</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Trillium grandiflorum"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Trillium grandiflorum</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bellwort, sessile-leaved"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bellwort, sessile-leaved</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Uvularia sessilifolia"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Uvularia sessilifolia</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bellwort, large flowered"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bellwort, large flowered</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Uvularia grandiflora"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Uvularia grandiflora</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Liliaceae (Lily)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Liliaceae (Lily)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Crowfoot, small flower"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Crowfoot, small flower</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ranunculus abortivus"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ranunculus abortivus</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Violet, downy yellow"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Violet, downy yellow</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Viola pubescens"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Viola pubescens</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Violaceae (Violet)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Violaceae (Violet)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Spikenard"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Spikenard</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aralia racemosa"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Aralia racemosa</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Araliaceae (Ginseng)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Araliaceae (Ginseng)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mystery mint"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mystery mint</td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lamiaceae (Mint)"]" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Lamiaceae (Mint)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<b>Ferns</b></div>
<div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="160"></col><col width="160"></col><col width="11"></col><col width="190"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-formula="=query(Ferns!R[0]C[-10]:C[-4], "select A, B, C, D where upper(F)='X'",0)" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, christmas"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, christmas</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Polystichum acrostichoides"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Polystichum acrostichoides</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Oak-fern"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Oak-fern</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Gymnocarpium dryopteris"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Gymnocarpium dryopteris</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Wood fern, intermediate"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Wood fern, intermediate</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteris intermedia"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteris intermedia</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dryopteridaceae (Wood fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Fern, sensitive"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Fern, sensitive</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Onoclea sensibilis"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Onoclea sensibilis</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Onocleaceae (Sensitive Fern)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Onocleaceae (Sensitive Fern)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Polypody, rock"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Polypody, rock</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Polypodium virginianum"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Polypodium virginianum</td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,""]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-ischild="" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Polypodiaceae (Polypody)"]" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Polypodiaceae (Polypody)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-24182660235174808192015-05-19T14:22:00.000-04:002015-05-19T14:22:31.126-04:00Rock Point species inventory<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2AIBZdlW8H8/VVt1VWtJG4I/AAAAAAAAHvQ/AX5VtCCLVB4/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252866%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2AIBZdlW8H8/VVt1VWtJG4I/AAAAAAAAHvQ/AX5VtCCLVB4/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252866%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gill-over-the-ground, Ground Ivy, Creeping Charlie, super common lawn plant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So my amphibian project didn't work out as well as I had hoped, at least in a formal way due to travel and end of semester madness. I did, however, get out to visit a bunch of new breeding spots. Now that it's green in the forest and I have a bit more time on my hands I've decided to return to a project I started a number of years ago, documenting all (well most of) the plants at Rock Point. I'll focus first on wildflowers and as spring progresses, fill in the blanks on ferns, then shrubs and trees in the fall and winter. Photographs are of "type specimens" the first that I observed. Notably absent will be the grasses, mosses, and other of the more esoteric taxonomic groups.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AmI2mqyXHEM/VVt1U1sDN6I/AAAAAAAAHvI/fKHeKbgWy9A/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252856%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AmI2mqyXHEM/VVt1U1sDN6I/AAAAAAAAHvI/fKHeKbgWy9A/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252856%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Wild columbine (on calcium rich outcroppings)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jIL2nlhJBSc/VVt1U0t7keI/AAAAAAAAHu8/be1Ncy9gG4c/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252855%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jIL2nlhJBSc/VVt1U0t7keI/AAAAAAAAHu8/be1Ncy9gG4c/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252855%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Fringed polygala, not very abundant, but supposedly common across its range<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDW0tE_2z70/VVt1U1sHFTI/AAAAAAAAHvA/cl8kuclc6UU/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252864%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDW0tE_2z70/VVt1U1sHFTI/AAAAAAAAHvA/cl8kuclc6UU/s640/rock%2Bpoint%2B18-05-2015%2B%252864%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large-flowered trillium, prefers oak/maple and younger forests</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Over the next few months I'll highlight many of these species in posts here. For each species, I'll track which patches of land at Rock Point they're found in using the map. It isn't completely finished yet, but will be in the next few weeks as I wanted to get a more accurate delineation on some of the forest types before finalizing. I'll be keeping a spreadsheet of all the plants and where each can be found for cross-referencing, which I'll post later.<br />
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<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=zFTg1juux_zM.kUcjRCFzro2c" width="640"></iframe>Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-13431266850787560542015-04-20T06:28:00.003-04:002015-04-20T06:28:38.524-04:00Amphibian Project (I): From twigs to amphibians<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dxQiXjmyD0M/VS5qOt0i0II/AAAAAAAAHgM/T2rqx3bkLPY/s1600/cent-woods%2B17-april-2012%2B(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dxQiXjmyD0M/VS5qOt0i0II/AAAAAAAAHgM/T2rqx3bkLPY/s1600/cent-woods%2B17-april-2012%2B(2).JPG" height="422" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wood frog (<i>Lithobates sylvaticus</i>)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The exercise of studying winter twigs over the last few weeks was very rewarding and as the first leaves begin I wanted to begin another mini project. With a late start to spring this year, the amphibian season is just getting started. Only in the last week have vernal pools begun to fill up with the froggy croaks of wood frogs and the high pitch peeps of spring peepers. It seemed a good fit to focus in on amphibians and to start recording my observations of amphibian breeding locations in Burlington </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">on a more systematic basis</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1zL31RDxLP0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1zL31RDxLP0?feature=player_embedded" width="600"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Video above is from May, 2012</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To do so, over the next few weeks I'll be somewhat systematically traveling to different sites around Burlington where I expect there to be breeding amphibians (and hopefully find places where I don't while exploring those). If anyone knows any good places, feel free to email more or leave a comment below. I've decided to use iNaturalist.org's project interface to start recording where these different breeding sites/courtship locations are. This also means that anyone else can contribute to the data set. Citizen science! I would love your help, so please feel welcome to contribute to the project by submitting observations through <a href="http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/amphibians-of-burlington" target="_blank">the project page</a>. You may also pass along the link to your friends, neighbors, or Front Porch Forum communities. If teachers would like to be involved that would be great too. I planning on returning to this map annually. I'd like the project to fill in as much of the map as possible, so submit away, naturalists. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some good resources for amphibian identification and information can be found here:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://community.middlebury.edu/~herpatlas/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Vermont Herp Atlas</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">North Branch Nature Center's <a href="http://www.northbranchnaturecenter.org/AMP.htm" target="_blank">Amphibian Monitoring Program</a> </span></li>
</ul>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-37547211211384306922015-04-15T12:04:00.001-04:002015-04-15T12:04:00.056-04:00Dichotomous key (VII.d) - The world of internodes cont'd (Adornment)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Adornment - thorny parts</b></div>
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A twig at its most basic form, is rather helpless against predators. Fortunately, trees do not leave them unaided. For example, sap can contain a range of chemical defenses (like the toxic orange sap of staghorn sumac) - this is particularly prominent later in spring when the sap gets, as they say in the sugaring world, buddy; I've written about that <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2013/02/beyond-maple-syrup.html" target="_blank">previously</a>. Many plants, however, have figured out clever solutions by remolding different parts to serve a more spiky purpose; we only have a scant few trees in our area that have these spikes along their stems - though there are a number of delightfully delicious plants that have thorns (e.g. raspberry, blackberry, roses). These sharp projections derive from three different parts of the plant, the stem, leaves, or epidermis. Also good to remember that the terms below are botanical terms and are vernacularly often used interchangeably.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Chickadee flies from buckthorn branch</td></tr>
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<b>Spines</b> are projections that form from the stem of the tree, arising from buds. In buckthorn, as shown above, they form at the tips of branches, or rather these spines<i> are </i>the tips of the branch. Hawthorn has very prevalent spines, as do honey locust and osage orange.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQnapajyVsp_A1eYu7S_VYn_y2bdDw5z-hw2CXV2h_lNUHKJ0IwbCgIhjv5W_RYrxVa-VJAYmINcz3-0ITTto83j6kpBJ0KSULMI62VSpnzQlngLu3CYXAcT7R89TmabyJwsRxIpjxpk/s1600/twigs+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQnapajyVsp_A1eYu7S_VYn_y2bdDw5z-hw2CXV2h_lNUHKJ0IwbCgIhjv5W_RYrxVa-VJAYmINcz3-0ITTto83j6kpBJ0KSULMI62VSpnzQlngLu3CYXAcT7R89TmabyJwsRxIpjxpk/s1600/twigs+(5).JPG" height="452" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Thorns </b>are modified stipules or leaves. The sharp projects on barberry and black locust, for example, are thorns. Above are the paired thorns of black locust, or pointed ears of Marrowzodufia Blugly the Dwarf, as you'll remember from my posting on <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2015/03/dichotomous-key-v-bud-scars.html" target="_blank">bud scars</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multi-flora rose thorn</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_SRdmKvO7Sc/VR9Or3Og3oI/AAAAAAAAHbA/SF_wmtpPqdA/s1600/DSC_0955-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_SRdmKvO7Sc/VR9Or3Og3oI/AAAAAAAAHbA/SF_wmtpPqdA/s1600/DSC_0955-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackberry thorn with a scar just above it from where another thorn fell off</td></tr>
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<b>Prickles </b>derive from the epidermis and are not vascularized (hence the can be popped off quite easily). Roses, raspberries, and blackberries all have prickles. Tracing the stem of a blackberry, rose, or raspberry, it is easy to find a number of scars dotting the stem from where thorns have fallen (or been ripped) off.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_C9k-Jl_-M/VR9Oru15ipI/AAAAAAAAHbE/Tnv_I7bKJ8I/s1600/DSC_0948-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_C9k-Jl_-M/VR9Oru15ipI/AAAAAAAAHbE/Tnv_I7bKJ8I/s1600/DSC_0948-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tendril anchoring a grape vine to another twig. </td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zzzsXafhywQxsyZMNAm6X0l-cejOBkyUOAjmdMoBYy269KFiMl0bOlkXuQEwoXFkHJGXAt2HfkJkNUt_jNlBdGKmDr6EpMOxxKlwni1rGxTA5FCK0iP5_ydXvm6Mmu6Z6zVds3FzorA/s1600/rock+point+06-04-015+(14).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zzzsXafhywQxsyZMNAm6X0l-cejOBkyUOAjmdMoBYy269KFiMl0bOlkXuQEwoXFkHJGXAt2HfkJkNUt_jNlBdGKmDr6EpMOxxKlwni1rGxTA5FCK0iP5_ydXvm6Mmu6Z6zVds3FzorA/s1600/rock+point+06-04-015+(14).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Showing adhesive pads on the ends of Virginia creeper</td></tr>
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<b>Adornment - clasping parts</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Since vines put very little investment into their stem for structural support, and therefore need some mechanism by which they can cling to other objects as they wend their way up to the top of the canopy. Grape vines and Virginia creeper (both in the grape family, Vitaceae), have tendrils, which are highly specialized anatomical features for vining, originating from the stem. Virginia creeper, which is in the grape family Vitaceae, even has adhesive pads at the tips of the tendrils. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXMQfUSWkU9HOJvyQ6DVaqbe8rDF9FRFHsJOrck6uwdEVO2Eluqrq-lpZE5mjrvoQFxJwlbNBEuNs-ruBFOsb1TbhyphenhyphenZNJgOee_9mhf0q5XI-s1boqdDY2kAnBjX1np2QK9RpLUPPpxdg/s1600/rock+point+06-04-017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXMQfUSWkU9HOJvyQ6DVaqbe8rDF9FRFHsJOrck6uwdEVO2Eluqrq-lpZE5mjrvoQFxJwlbNBEuNs-ruBFOsb1TbhyphenhyphenZNJgOee_9mhf0q5XI-s1boqdDY2kAnBjX1np2QK9RpLUPPpxdg/s1600/rock+point+06-04-017.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Zoomed in view of a sharp and grippy bud of a bittersweet vine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-welxP0B19x4/VSJsqT0mO_I/AAAAAAAAHek/Z_VdiNblaDU/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B06-04-016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-welxP0B19x4/VSJsqT0mO_I/AAAAAAAAHek/Z_VdiNblaDU/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B06-04-016.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bittersweet climbing a sugar maple sapling</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AYcLStvPK8g/VSJsqcryZCI/AAAAAAAAHes/8HXWzq1dC90/s1600/DSC_0953-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AYcLStvPK8g/VSJsqcryZCI/AAAAAAAAHes/8HXWzq1dC90/s1600/DSC_0953-001.JPG" height="640" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tumurous growth of a sugar maple in response to a bittersweet vine</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Other vines, like hardy kiwis and oriental bittersweet, accomplish this task with pointy buds that anchor the vine as it spirals and wraps around a substrate, often strangling and killing its unwilling host over several years. The constricting force around the stem of the tree being strangled cuts of circulation in new conductive tissue, effectively cutting off the host's supply chain. </span>We also have a number of perennial herbaceous vines that encircle the substrate as they climb up it (e.g. deadly nightshade, morning glory, bindweeds, hops).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJykagZabN1wGW-P_HnmNR0OsaOuVwnKVcxTPYqiQhCNfVjxcYg9vX_4dUh4hTa8BRKp3aPWQxPFoWR5hyukbvkA65yGdfeS-OLVuiT1wrplt8hr6whK6BjNndn2-2NvU6MaTgku1dlI/s1600/cent-woods+11-may-2012+(34).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJykagZabN1wGW-P_HnmNR0OsaOuVwnKVcxTPYqiQhCNfVjxcYg9vX_4dUh4hTa8BRKp3aPWQxPFoWR5hyukbvkA65yGdfeS-OLVuiT1wrplt8hr6whK6BjNndn2-2NvU6MaTgku1dlI/s1600/cent-woods+11-may-2012+(34).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poison ivy vine attached to white pine trunk. Image is from <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2012/08/jewelweed.html" target="_blank">August 2012</a></td></tr>
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Poison ivy vines have thousands of root hairs that anchor the stem to a surface. No other vine in our woods have this. <a href="http://www.amjbot.org/content/96/7/1205.short" target="_blank">This paper</a> provides a good synthesis of different strategies of vining plants and unanswered questions concerning vines.Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-36131739542968639112015-04-13T12:04:00.000-04:002015-04-13T12:04:00.256-04:00Dichotomous key (VII.c) - The world of internodes cont'd (Color)<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLYMk3XK3NelYHy5lSUWJ7jX8gFdHXxltv2srEZ9VBi8Fi0jlA0b9deUTk2m2OZyDc1Vh2uXifgsRWWHD6ieL4IEPNP2aGuWQ3NVLWjuxZJMmzNU61uVS4Byw6VFlEl2V4fIRrBwusVg/s1600/DSC_1044-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLYMk3XK3NelYHy5lSUWJ7jX8gFdHXxltv2srEZ9VBi8Fi0jlA0b9deUTk2m2OZyDc1Vh2uXifgsRWWHD6ieL4IEPNP2aGuWQ3NVLWjuxZJMmzNU61uVS4Byw6VFlEl2V4fIRrBwusVg/s1600/DSC_1044-001.JPG" height="202" width="640" /></a><br />
<b>Color - </b>To start, everyone should read through <a href="http://www.slow-colours.com/Colours_of_the_Seasons.pdf" target="_blank"><b>this beautiful portrait</b></a> of colors through the seasons. This time of year can come with color changes nearly as drastic (though not as abundant) as in the fall. The bark of aspens begins to take a strong green hue, red-osier dogwood bark deepens in red, and the boxelder twigs have taken on a stronger purple. The primary reason for the color change is photosynthesis. This early into spring, it's still a bit risky to produce leaves for fear of a hard frost. This is particularly true for species with compound leaves, which have a lot more energy invested in a single leaf than trees with simple leaves (and indeed ash is one of the last to leaf out).</div>
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<b>Color change</b> - While color can be important in distinguishing one species from another, it can also be helpful in determining the age of a section of branch. The two photos immediately above show this color change over time in sugar maple. At the bottom of each section you can see the terminal bud scale scars that wrap completely around the branch (they kind of look like Jane Fonda's bunched up socks). In total, the whole branch was 6 years old, the brownest on the left was the youngest and progressively getting older to the right. The photo above it is the branch before I cut it. The color changes as the bark<span style="background-color: white;"> thickens and cork is added. As the bark thickens on a branch or stem, photosynthesis is inhibit and that section of the plant may no longer exhibit the dramatic shift in color in the spring.</span></div>
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In some species this color change indicates response to ecological conditions. The photo at the very top is a shrub willow, which I unfortunately do not know which species. Each of the sections is from just a single year's growth - the stem was about four and a half feet! The stem greens as photosynthesis in the bark ramps up (the green is due to the production of chlorophyll). The response of the plant that results in the gradation to red is from the production of anthocyanins in the bark. These accessory pigments, which give red maple and many other leaves their red or purple fall colors, act as protection from the sun (see below for more details). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photosynthetic, greenish bark of quaking aspen with a snow flea! (first warm day of the year, 65deg)</td></tr>
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- <i>Green: </i>I always remind my students that when you see green on a plant it means photosynthesis is happening there. More precisely it indicates the presence of chloroplasts, which are the site of photosynthesis. Regardless the important thing to remember is that where you see green, that part of the plant is harnessing sunlight to make sugars. So whether it's a ripening green banana photosynthesizing energy to help itself grow rather than siphon all its energy budget from the leaf production or a vibrant green twig of boxelder photosynthesizing in the early spring before leaf out, the color is always due to the presence of chlorophyll. Above is the yellowish green bark of a mature quaking aspen. It maintains thin bark to continue photosynthesis along the stem for many years by having the bark turn to powder. If you rub the bark you're hands will feel soapy and you can see the white of the bark on your hands. This can actually be used as sunscreen!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White pine twig. When wet shows more dramatically the yellowish hue of its bark</td></tr>
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Plants with dramatically green bark include:<br />
<ul>
<li>boxelder</li>
<li>aspens, cottonwoods, willows</li>
<li>striped maple (at maturity, twigs are purplish)</li>
<li>white pine</li>
</ul>
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- <i>Red:</i> There are many other colors besides green. Some plants on red all the way around and up and down the stem, as in red-osier dogwood, while others are facultatively red, as in the reddish pigment in raspberry branches. On raspberries, you'll often see a stark contrast from the red color on the top (exposed to the sun) surface versus the green color on the bottom, shaded part of the stem. I have a hunch that in dogwoods the red is also a warning to would-be predators of the toxicity of the plant. Since, as shrubs, their stems are always within munching range of most herbivores mouths, it would behoove them to have strong defenses and strong warnings.<br />
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Plants with vibrant red bark:<br />
<ul>
<li>Red-osier dogwood</li>
<li>Silky dogwood (above)</li>
<li>Raspberry</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alt-leaf dogwood showing controst between the lighter bottom of the stem and the darker, exposed portion. </td></tr>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Purple in trees is caused by the same process as reds, though in purples there is a higher concentration of chlorophyll. The following plants have a purplish tint.<br />
<ul>
<li>boxelder (kind of gets a lot of dramatic color)</li>
<li>alternate-leaf dogwood (pictured above and below)</li>
<li>striped maple</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CNCwrdExjCI/VR9IG2tGjYI/AAAAAAAAHZ4/_MpRnDl3zUA/s1600/DSC_0995-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CNCwrdExjCI/VR9IG2tGjYI/AAAAAAAAHZ4/_MpRnDl3zUA/s1600/DSC_0995-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
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- <i>Yellow: </i>The dead twigs of alternate-leaf dogwood (<i>Cornus alternifolia</i>) turn yellow. I haven't been able to find any corroborating evidence of this, but I would assume that the branches of alternate-leaf dogwood, which are a deep purple when alive, are rich in carotenoids, accessory pigments that allow a plant to capture a wider range of wavelengths of light. When the twig dies for whatever reason, the cholorophyll dies too and is it breaks down reveals the beautiful hidden palette of oranges and yellows. </div>
</div>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-82875632463895168032015-04-09T07:09:00.000-04:002015-04-09T07:09:00.109-04:00Dichotomous key (VII.b) - The world of internodes cont'd (surface texture)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_A3ZKKCG_pt04n0mAtX0RYKFLikgWlYioylp7Dlpdqu3Wvqb7LIMv9HC71yyWZKjS0kPo9O4Jxq1lSQ0k0IymNvhsHpqAciM5cv5xKKOO02U6lwEVuxXc4rVpEqtDz6X8Gghyphenhyphen0eBjXSA/s1600/DSC_0952-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_A3ZKKCG_pt04n0mAtX0RYKFLikgWlYioylp7Dlpdqu3Wvqb7LIMv9HC71yyWZKjS0kPo9O4Jxq1lSQ0k0IymNvhsHpqAciM5cv5xKKOO02U6lwEVuxXc4rVpEqtDz6X8Gghyphenhyphen0eBjXSA/s1600/DSC_0952-001.JPG" height="412" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aging bark on speckled alder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: justify;"><b>Surface texture</b></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">Surface texture is highly variable between twigs, though some features are common not between taxa, but rather due to convergent evolution. Most forest dwelling twigs are rather bland in terms of texture on the surface. Sugar maple, American beech, and red oak are all generally glabrous and without epicuticular wax (though red oak does have a light sheen to it). Beyond the boring twigs, a tree can have a papery filament coating its surface, a thin white bloom (boxelder, aspen), or it can be fuzzy to furry (as in speckled alder, staghorn sumac, and slippery elm).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">The species that do have specialized features coating their epidermis (bark will protect species later in life, but when young the twig needs a boost from the epidermis to do the protecting), are trying to solve the problem of protection against harsh desiccating winds, insect predators, harsh UV radiation (the wax on succulents like dudleyas are known to be have the highest reflectivity of UV radiation of any biological substance), or material that might build up and clog pores or block photosynthesis (see my <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2012/08/jewelweed-species-profile.html" target="_blank">post on jewelweed</a>). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9Y-O26INsInBd0N3RwkeKz-aqXNE4mAhIjqhSruWZ4BBt065_3pORTKXO_fV8Z_fffMQpXP2HUnCtdxuI2jJH234m-pbbbAtGz-LpC7AyxrTHXqnKlW4B2bQNcUmzxhyphenhyphens-iN50PiU_I/s1600/centennial+woods+07-03-15+(12).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9Y-O26INsInBd0N3RwkeKz-aqXNE4mAhIjqhSruWZ4BBt065_3pORTKXO_fV8Z_fffMQpXP2HUnCtdxuI2jJH234m-pbbbAtGz-LpC7AyxrTHXqnKlW4B2bQNcUmzxhyphenhyphens-iN50PiU_I/s1600/centennial+woods+07-03-15+(12).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDofP9uZQTMYk7iLfx-uCk4v9ugJyHk93U99d5R2S0ZpPMyWQWNWNKwONHSQfinQ13oC7iB6lP1JyrIpbDwch8sK3THXMTxEa-uVnj5GPqzfzxEvakR4UF1cyWJvcxgu3N6Bv4BH5WmpQ/s1600/DSC_0986-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDofP9uZQTMYk7iLfx-uCk4v9ugJyHk93U99d5R2S0ZpPMyWQWNWNKwONHSQfinQ13oC7iB6lP1JyrIpbDwch8sK3THXMTxEa-uVnj5GPqzfzxEvakR4UF1cyWJvcxgu3N6Bv4BH5WmpQ/s1600/DSC_0986-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forsythia twig</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="text-align: justify;">Epicuticular wax</b><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">Forsythia twigs have a whitish hard sheet that encrusts the bark of twigs and younger branches. As it ages, it cracks and sloughs off in flakes. Most of the twigs show a sharp contrast of between the surface exposed to the sun and the shaded surfaces, with the exposed surface being coated in the protective white layer. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Boxelder has a similar adaptive strategy, but the white bloom is much more of a waxy coating. On a side note, I've often noticed when burning boxelder twigs that oils seem to surface and the heated twigs become glossy and oily to the touch. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mo9EcTyU9yg/VR9RRGooeVI/AAAAAAAAHbs/-EQE8OrcWSk/s1600/DSC_0949-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mo9EcTyU9yg/VR9RRGooeVI/AAAAAAAAHbs/-EQE8OrcWSk/s1600/DSC_0949-001.JPG" height="194" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fuzzy twig of speckled alder (c.f. top image of maturing speckled alder bark)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iStdP3V81NE/VR9RROg3dBI/AAAAAAAAHbw/PJvI1zqPGdY/s1600/DSC_0968-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iStdP3V81NE/VR9RROg3dBI/AAAAAAAAHbw/PJvI1zqPGdY/s1600/DSC_0968-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fuzzy of staghorn sumac twig, which is absent by 3rd year of growth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="text-align: justify;">Fuzz:</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> A twig can be either glabrous (smooth) or pubescent (fuzzy). As with most things, there is more than one way to skin a cat. I've mentioned the boundary layer before (</span><a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2013/05/spring-ephemeral-day-hepatica.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="text-align: justify;">), and it comes into play again while talking about a twig's fuzziness. In order to prevent drying out, one way to solve the problem is to prevent drying via convective cooling. If you lick your finger and hold it up to the wind, it feels cold on the side the wind is blowing from. The wind evaporates the liquid, drawing away heat. Now say you licked your finger, put on thin gloves and then held it up to the wind. It would take much longer for the saliva to evaporate - longer still the thicker the glove. The tiny (or large on sumac) hairs prevent wind from wicking away moisture for lenticels. </span>Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-90792271162965019632015-04-06T07:19:00.000-04:002015-04-06T07:19:30.781-04:00Dichotomous key (VII.a) - The world of internodes (Lenticels)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs10cLfc9V9CSNKMkfDzy3bXBo0FmawjtmdN5EUMY68EkcBVUB8ifPT-HjoudKV9oi_7eq96aBJ8Efd5tV5cfUGf-6KxW4bSv62eoPplxHVAsS3A-IbGrFxsy3EvtURUPVRbZP38dLOpE/s1600/DSC_0998-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs10cLfc9V9CSNKMkfDzy3bXBo0FmawjtmdN5EUMY68EkcBVUB8ifPT-HjoudKV9oi_7eq96aBJ8Efd5tV5cfUGf-6KxW4bSv62eoPplxHVAsS3A-IbGrFxsy3EvtURUPVRbZP38dLOpE/s1600/DSC_0998-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Older lenticels on sugar maple (with gouge from squirrel), kind of looks like a monkey face</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This along with the next 3 posts will be heavy on the photographs, a way of representing the variation in morphology of lenticels, textures, "accessories", and color. Enjoy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0O9xQkHcJqU/VR9fbSMraHI/AAAAAAAAHdI/DH_eddkuu9s/s1600/DSC_1000-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0O9xQkHcJqU/VR9fbSMraHI/AAAAAAAAHdI/DH_eddkuu9s/s1600/DSC_1000-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Velvet mite on bizarre ridges of hackberry. Lenticells are a yellowish color and rather non-descript as they age</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In his 1921 book, <i><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=SvEnAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank">Trees of New York State</a></i>, Harry Philip Brown writes that lenticels are "of minor value in identification." I would agree, sort of. In twigs many species have small whitish lenticels that all kind of look the same. But when we look closely, particularly at older branches, we find them adeptly telling us a great deal. Because bark is impervious to both water and gas, no exchange can happen through this part of the tree's body. Lenticels, like the stomata of a leaf, are the mouth holes, pores, or excrescences that erupt through a tree's bark, allowing the exchange of water and gas (especially oxygen). Without oxygen, the living cells of the bark would die.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3-oOHoIpc4_KmCZhHfzW-eNCSOJ_bnlHX5ScI9LpWCBb5XhXvUpC3oPln4g-qvOxFyTo_ZJ5XgOBuIDa2EOert3CfNqWPRjEo_7Gm5g3MiaghRzkcooI3vXggAUPq6t9BNMzcVO-31Q/s1600/DSC_1007-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3-oOHoIpc4_KmCZhHfzW-eNCSOJ_bnlHX5ScI9LpWCBb5XhXvUpC3oPln4g-qvOxFyTo_ZJ5XgOBuIDa2EOert3CfNqWPRjEo_7Gm5g3MiaghRzkcooI3vXggAUPq6t9BNMzcVO-31Q/s1600/DSC_1007-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond shaped lenticels of quaking aspen bark, looks like a punk's <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=punk+studded+belt&num=20&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=k7wfVc3QO8WGsAWO0YHgBA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1301&bih=707" target="_blank">studded belt</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have a hypothesis that primary succession species should have a total surface area of lenticels per node than more shade tolerant species to fuel the rapid growth of cells. While I found several research papers that document shifts within a species over different growing conditions (like <a href="http://www.eeb.uconn.edu/people/les/Manuscript_Files/Mich_Acad.pdf" target="_blank">this one</a>, which shows that red-osier dogwoods growing in wet conditions have more lenticels than those growing on drier sites), I haven't found any research pointing to a corresponding link between lenticel abundance on a species and photosynthetic rates, growth rates, or shade tolerance. The red-osier paper makes me wonder if perhaps a greater abundance of lenticels is allied more with wetland species that with speed of growth. The paper states that lenticels are able to provide roots with oxygen to a certain degree in anoxic conditions.<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sXBNYfueo0I/VR9fa5tkZDI/AAAAAAAAHcc/zGQiZJg9yNw/s1600/DSC_0988-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sXBNYfueo0I/VR9fa5tkZDI/AAAAAAAAHcc/zGQiZJg9yNw/s1600/DSC_0988-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orbiculate lenticels of staghorn sumac bark</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ax1L8n-w0Nc/VR9fbBcXk-I/AAAAAAAAHcg/EbY7ZtLc1lI/s1600/DSC_0965-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ax1L8n-w0Nc/VR9fbBcXk-I/AAAAAAAAHcg/EbY7ZtLc1lI/s1600/DSC_0965-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertical orientation of lenticels on Glossy Buckthorn twig</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: auto; padding: 6px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MjqH-VC1-bU/VR--YbBjmOI/AAAAAAAAHds/2k1i5OpOCoc/s1600/DSC_1012-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MjqH-VC1-bU/VR--YbBjmOI/AAAAAAAAHds/2k1i5OpOCoc/s1600/DSC_1012-001.JPG" height="640" style="cursor: move;" width="424" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
Punctate lenticels on red oak</div>
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Variation in lenticels from one species to another fall into the following categories:<br />
<ul>
<li>The <b>shape</b> of the lenticels can be spotted or punctate (most species), rounded or orbiculate (boxelder, sumac) or linear/elongate (cherry, birch, glossy buckthorn)</li>
<li>Their <b>orientation</b> either vertically or horizontally (transverse or perpendicular) to the branch. In thinner barked species, the lenticels will remain active over a longer period of time. As the tree's trunk/branch thickens, the lenticels expand and on something like paper birch, the lenticels can be quite long.</li>
<li>The <b>color</b> of the lenticels can be in sharp contrast to the twig or roughly the same hue; they can be white, yellow, orange, brown, red, or black (the vast majority are in the white range)</li>
<li>The <b>texture</b> can be fuzzy, or powdery and break apart when rubbed.</li>
<li>Lenticel <b>abundance</b> can be great or small </li>
<li><b>Placement</b> can be distributed evenly over the bark or concentrated on the underside of the twig or nearest the nodes.</li>
<li>As a tree ages, lenticels become distorted in different ways. </li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_bXQWLK1Duk/VR9IGysaPtI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/xjguB_ZJ5TQ/s1600/DSC_0996-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_bXQWLK1Duk/VR9IGysaPtI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/xjguB_ZJ5TQ/s1600/DSC_0996-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Far fewer lenticels were on the underside (left) of alternate-leaf dogwood than on upper surface (right)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5EpKOTZiKGY/VR--YhvUNQI/AAAAAAAAHdo/B2Q8CEBVhvk/s1600/DSC_1004-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5EpKOTZiKGY/VR--YhvUNQI/AAAAAAAAHdo/B2Q8CEBVhvk/s1600/DSC_1004-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The enormous elongate, horizontal lenticels on paper birch, with my thumb for scale</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-22Vcwvt4FFY/VSJriWGClEI/AAAAAAAAHeU/oqa9VAOgdzk/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B06-04-15%2B(14).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-22Vcwvt4FFY/VSJriWGClEI/AAAAAAAAHeU/oqa9VAOgdzk/s1600/rock%2Bpoint%2B06-04-15%2B(14).jpg" height="326" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twig and mature bark of glossy buckthorn, showing distortion of aged lenticels from vertical to horizontal orientation</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8IJ_WDMZ8iA/VR9fb2oVGhI/AAAAAAAAHc0/eiLzRDQEnak/s1600/DSC_1013-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9VoyzzFhg6g/VR9frTz_6II/AAAAAAAAHdU/bWGsuXYcH8E/s1600/DSC_1014-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9VoyzzFhg6g/VR9frTz_6II/AAAAAAAAHdU/bWGsuXYcH8E/s1600/DSC_1014-001.JPG" width="290" /></a><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8IJ_WDMZ8iA/VR9fb2oVGhI/AAAAAAAAHc0/eiLzRDQEnak/s1600/DSC_1013-001.JPG" width="290" /></div>
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In black cherry the lenticels elongate horizontally as the tree matures. As the bark thickens the lenticels eventually close off. Over time the plates (people describe them as potato chip-esque) fall off. The exposed surfaces are a deep burnt orange before fading to a darker gray, and lack any visible sign of lenticels. The image to the right is of the backside of the "lenticeled" plate on the left. It lacks any sign of the horizontal lines. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrl5jEeIoxhCzwzLgmU09cDCCw5AyG66FWVoYHLlKOFlmrzHvQtrcdieY46IdBnOOA0lm4DMIkUKE7fAnkSRvkwFHEivObLIZd1sKzpMw51SxGRdbsNkLXZmfnoFB1nSbiEknViP4EAA/s1600/DSC_1006-001.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrl5jEeIoxhCzwzLgmU09cDCCw5AyG66FWVoYHLlKOFlmrzHvQtrcdieY46IdBnOOA0lm4DMIkUKE7fAnkSRvkwFHEivObLIZd1sKzpMw51SxGRdbsNkLXZmfnoFB1nSbiEknViP4EAA/s1600/DSC_1006-001.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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Contrast this with paper birch bark. The lenticels continue to elongate as the tree ages and the bark thickens. Rather than having a thicker, corky bark, paper birch sheds barks in sheets (each layer of bark represents one year of growth). In the image above you can see the lenticels marking the inner bark beneath a relatively thin outer bark. The tree was about 16" in diameter.</div>
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-92103052601303290972015-04-03T07:00:00.000-04:002015-04-04T07:11:46.099-04:00Dichotomous key (VI) - A nod to nodes before moving on to the space between<div style="text-align: justify;">
So when not looking at the buds themselves, there's a lot that a branch can tell us both in terms of what we're looking at and the ecology of the plant. A node is a point at which a bud (and subsequent leaves, fruits, branches) emerge from a twig. Depending on the branching pattern of the twig (phyllotaxy describes arrangements of leaves on a stalk) there can either be one, two, or a whorl of buds, etc. emerging from a given node. If thar be one, tis alternate, but if a pair as in two, then opposite, and any mar it be a-whorled with branches (as in many conifers and catalpa). </div>
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The space along the branch or twig between each node is called the internode. Rather than an empty desert stretching the gap between our beautifully relevant little buds, who are oh so helpful in identification, the internode is rich repository of information about the twig and the ecology of the tree. This post started as just one, but quickly became three.<br />
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I <a href="http://wildburlington.blogspot.com/2015/03/dichotomous-key-ii-opposite-and-sub.html" target="_blank">wrote earlier</a> about sub-opposite branching patterns, the forth option to bud arrangement at a node. One of the things I had read in Peter Thomas's <i>Trees: their natural history</i>, which I can't recommend enough, is that in opposite branched trees the faster that tree is growing the more likely its buds are to be slightly offset from one another. This is often readily apparent in common buckthorn branches, where two buds are slightly offset from one another followed by a much wider gap before the next pair of offset buds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White ash, typically opposite, showing distinctly alternate branching at the tips of its rapid growth</td></tr>
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In an open field at Rock Point, one which receives regular hair cuts every few years, there are a number of white ash saplings growing. The trees probably grow for several years, get cut back, and then sprout up again from the same root stock. With an abundance of stored energy, the new growth is extremely vigorous. I found the above seemingly alternate branched twig on one such sapling. Pretty impressive that the growth was fast enough to result in opposite buds offset enough from one another that this distance was equal to the distance between the nodes!<br />
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When thinking about ultimate causes of branching patterns, it is a tricky nut to crack. Researchers studying phyllotaxy - or the spatial arrangement of leaves - of rice, wrote in their paper: "the mechanism responsible for this extremely regular pattern is one of the most fascinating enigmas in plant biology." So while we may not fully know what controls phyllotaxy, observing patterns of conditions that result in changes to a plants norm is beginning to illuminate what factors impact phyllotaxy (Here's another <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0060323" target="_blank">really fascinating article</a> about auxin's role in controlling growth patterns in plants, not just with branching).</div>
Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-8562520377199217302015-03-30T22:29:00.002-04:002015-03-30T22:31:18.464-04:00Bald eagles!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got your Spring showers right here, chump</td></tr>
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My favorite fact about that capricious whistlepig, Punxsutawney Phil is that, as with most progrnosticating animals, he is wrong over half the time. And that's with a 50/50 shot of being right. Today my mom and I spotted this beefy white-chinned woodchuck fiercely defending its cozy little drain pipe.<br />
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On my way home from CCV today I decided to drop in at Salmon Hole and see what avifauna all that open water might have brought out. And boy was I delighted! After watching the gulls hunting fish, I spotted a mature eagle hanging out on the ice down stream. I went home to get my camera and convince my mom to come out and join us. When we got back to Salmon Hole the eagle had left already. In its stead was a beautiful assortment of water loving birds. <b>Bonus challenge:</b> Spot (and name) all four species in the photo below?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spot four different species in the above photo?</td></tr>
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After hanging out for about 20 minutes, the gulls just went berserk and all those standing around chittering with each other burst up into flight. Sure enough, flying straight towards them from downstream was the eagle! The gulls scattered and circle around until the eagle disappeared in the distance (it flew over My Web Grocer towards St Mikes). </div>
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<br />Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-76958522707349883012015-03-30T07:53:00.000-04:002015-03-30T07:53:23.036-04:00(Dichotomous key interlude) Time lapse of cherry blossom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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About 3 weeks ago I pruned some of the fruit trees in my backyard. I took branches from peach, cherry, and plum inside to force. The first cherry blossoms opened as soon as I got to DC! I set out a camera to try and catch a time lapse of the second set of flower buds opening. The branch had three sets of flower buds on it and they opened in sequence from outer most (distal) to the buds closest to the trunk (proximal).<br />
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Here's what I learned from my first attempt at capturing a time lapse of a flower opening:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Get your framing right</b>! I should have left space on either side of the flower and then used a batch edit to crop all the photos. Instead the bottom flower opened and exited the frame!</li>
<li><b>Use an artificial light source</b> and block outside light as much as possible. The street lights kept going on and off and altering the lighting on the flower. Also, as the sun came up it threw off the lighting even more. </li>
<li><b>Use the manual aperture and shutter speed settings</b> on the camera to get the exposure constant. The flickering in the video was from minor adjustments because the light meter kept vacillating at f11 between 1/20 and1/25.</li>
<li><b>Time intervals</b>. I set the camera to take images at 5 minute intervals and that seemed to work just fine. I used Microsoft Movie Maker to piece them together and set the image timing at 1/10 second. </li>
<li><b>Use a tripod</b>. I didn't bring mine with me so I wound up having to jerryrig one out of an old olive oil container. It shifted slightly and had I needed to replace the batteries it would have thrown the framing off. </li>
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-60128655847021597552015-03-26T08:48:00.000-04:002015-03-26T09:05:38.034-04:00Dichotomous key (V) - Bud scars<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Leaf scars have personality. No doubt about it. With a nice little bonnet, top hat, or beehive hair do to cap off a gnomish face, each monster marches a terrifying procession along the length of their twigs. These tiny monsters grin out at the unsuspecting world. And lo, a peripatetic naturalist pauses to discover their intricate world. Sam and I spent some time asking these trees what their names were and boy were we discovered. Each face is a leaf scar, the outline of where the stalk of a leaf connects to twig. The dots and features that give the face its facey-ness collectively form the vascular bundles, which are composed of xylem and phloem (imagine cutting a celery stalk in cross section). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yCp75oT6JJvogzTX8w0rv_dm8apmxoU6XNaGgw-GxMr7wUW8Kk3GT2jd-FTU2LLEqHJVyFQDhdh2AppFNtu6cLkXWMkxUEaYcoy6l47pXfOO8o-EJrn440SOuzN-jttFcrdYiWccow0/s1600/twigs+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yCp75oT6JJvogzTX8w0rv_dm8apmxoU6XNaGgw-GxMr7wUW8Kk3GT2jd-FTU2LLEqHJVyFQDhdh2AppFNtu6cLkXWMkxUEaYcoy6l47pXfOO8o-EJrn440SOuzN-jttFcrdYiWccow0/s1600/twigs+(5).JPG" height="452" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Black locust) Marrowzodufia Blugly the Dwarf</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Butternut) Pompuzador the bonnet keeper of spiggetiezi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h2UwTaaGqcY/VQ776vTW5EI/AAAAAAAAHPY/1eR37wKMPgM/s1600/twigs%2B(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h2UwTaaGqcY/VQ776vTW5EI/AAAAAAAAHPY/1eR37wKMPgM/s1600/twigs%2B(9).JPG" height="640" width="566" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Yellow birch) Joy Doom Happy Stacks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xsg6MD50E98/VQ774N25g4I/AAAAAAAAHOs/HEfY2x4b6aw/s1600/twigs%2B(25).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xsg6MD50E98/VQ774N25g4I/AAAAAAAAHOs/HEfY2x4b6aw/s1600/twigs%2B(25).JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Cottonwood) Mark Buntly of the Broofing Haws</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkhvAyysP6-BeFGpu-NEj9jCMpAAyj9gEha3SWxAi2O9NhpAWjgkKZnPp5vrciv-sUNxGESe-lDjof0dtrneKEy32VwBmMMopApQXCVc6C3zr8YjJQtOWjRDDgPcG19ok_UHuYa4C9Tc/s1600/twigs+(27).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkhvAyysP6-BeFGpu-NEj9jCMpAAyj9gEha3SWxAi2O9NhpAWjgkKZnPp5vrciv-sUNxGESe-lDjof0dtrneKEy32VwBmMMopApQXCVc6C3zr8YjJQtOWjRDDgPcG19ok_UHuYa4C9Tc/s1600/twigs+(27).JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Common buckthorn) Ronald the Masked Parasitic Jubilee</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LpRxvYlCmg/VQ774IX-FvI/AAAAAAAAHOw/ZgeJYU0AmQI/s1600/twigs%2B(32).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LpRxvYlCmg/VQ774IX-FvI/AAAAAAAAHOw/ZgeJYU0AmQI/s1600/twigs%2B(32).JPG" height="640" width="490" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Slippery elm) Squirky Bunkles</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c2kAgbkReag/VQ774grzWcI/AAAAAAAAHP4/HmIFum533gs/s1600/twigs%2B(35).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c2kAgbkReag/VQ774grzWcI/AAAAAAAAHP4/HmIFum533gs/s1600/twigs%2B(35).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Staghorn sumac) Salwall Dimlar the Jay Slorper</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VxSiJzyFMKg/VQ774-U1rlI/AAAAAAAAHO0/spRFgEvhu48/s1600/twigs%2B(39).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VxSiJzyFMKg/VQ774-U1rlI/AAAAAAAAHO0/spRFgEvhu48/s1600/twigs%2B(39).JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Sugar maple) Starky Cusperbun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYBakOIkETdtGaZ2UC8U-q7JcqDZVYkmHoYfESy_17rUOVme_Cpto7UJ86eClkT6lzLf6mT1OZYe9-_57vw1DtLvg7ncYreFiYV5kblzW6SEFpP-nO1hTtDOgO4RWh6D_bMk_OflaKVQ/s1600/twigs+(44).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYBakOIkETdtGaZ2UC8U-q7JcqDZVYkmHoYfESy_17rUOVme_Cpto7UJ86eClkT6lzLf6mT1OZYe9-_57vw1DtLvg7ncYreFiYV5kblzW6SEFpP-nO1hTtDOgO4RWh6D_bMk_OflaKVQ/s1600/twigs+(44).JPG" height="640" width="536" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Lilac) Ralphez the woggly-eyed lime top</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gnub7Z7KMTQ/VQ8GfiH8PDI/AAAAAAAAHQQ/ZMfnORF6zHQ/s1600/twigs%2B(15).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gnub7Z7KMTQ/VQ8GfiH8PDI/AAAAAAAAHQQ/ZMfnORF6zHQ/s1600/twigs%2B(15).JPG" height="640" width="438" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Black cherry) ZanKiffle Waffletragedy, aka ZK Waffles in the forests of Burlington</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1K0NNnVowEI/VQ8GfgKWIPI/AAAAAAAAHQI/ci62PVQLJFk/s1600/twigs%2B(16).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1K0NNnVowEI/VQ8GfgKWIPI/AAAAAAAAHQI/ci62PVQLJFk/s1600/twigs%2B(16).JPG" height="402" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(American beech) Qwayzar Dalooskie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMMDZwvmJjEfeV6uW1QHpVZMrxMkM0fwV56GNWLPSu7ec0hNR5u1qxOO5QzN7dtuVFYR125EHyf2k1x9ODnQSSN4nWXfxhUcckfxLXSK1sIiIcaXrHTSWjFlH_xWXgbse-2iOHASbOlw/s1600/twigs+(19).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMMDZwvmJjEfeV6uW1QHpVZMrxMkM0fwV56GNWLPSu7ec0hNR5u1qxOO5QzN7dtuVFYR125EHyf2k1x9ODnQSSN4nWXfxhUcckfxLXSK1sIiIcaXrHTSWjFlH_xWXgbse-2iOHASbOlw/s1600/twigs+(19).JPG" height="566" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Bitternut hickory) Ahab Dilbous-Bannister, Purveyor of Simple Fun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsfn4uaVl29Bl4PL9AeT9DkeBpAGwzoFQNEjnQKbFcPm63vL6_SiUmYiYny0xVSLgEAq1rNOVDcN_xsXcBhMVfxO1MCgBQ-JLWd3mBve7VpQ871OkoqMoW24WLh_CoXZ3BPOgrtzAlUA/s1600/twigs+(21).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsfn4uaVl29Bl4PL9AeT9DkeBpAGwzoFQNEjnQKbFcPm63vL6_SiUmYiYny0xVSLgEAq1rNOVDcN_xsXcBhMVfxO1MCgBQ-JLWd3mBve7VpQ871OkoqMoW24WLh_CoXZ3BPOgrtzAlUA/s1600/twigs+(21).JPG" height="510" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Quaking aspen) Emperor Mewslies of Nostralias</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdqaIorYa5y5WVmDlOa70aK_6WYvStRccmDXLwm4qdZyoZZTtZ13Y7mIk2cSLl6wpuYsAaiGYoLh6ROwgcOM8a74hu8Lvypks5YCly4fDM2kzr6xBozUXqBzI-D6xCxZ3LqwS7jfuN6Q/s1600/twigs+(46).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdqaIorYa5y5WVmDlOa70aK_6WYvStRccmDXLwm4qdZyoZZTtZ13Y7mIk2cSLl6wpuYsAaiGYoLh6ROwgcOM8a74hu8Lvypks5YCly4fDM2kzr6xBozUXqBzI-D6xCxZ3LqwS7jfuN6Q/s1600/twigs+(46).JPG" height="640" width="434" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">(White ash) The Honorable Wide Collared Professor Kitten Anderson</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TqmvfojveRnMJKWXdA8TooqBcwiEzlTWKK0U2LlwEnQl4grJmP4-Xo-96QYS5eAACM0tmyMpJ4MwrvE33IWi20gBFjWzvjacxTsl2xa4sxIy5he2rwUvgU1RaPk6r65GDitcLCWoEBM/s1600/twigs+(53).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TqmvfojveRnMJKWXdA8TooqBcwiEzlTWKK0U2LlwEnQl4grJmP4-Xo-96QYS5eAACM0tmyMpJ4MwrvE33IWi20gBFjWzvjacxTsl2xa4sxIy5he2rwUvgU1RaPk6r65GDitcLCWoEBM/s1600/twigs+(53).JPG" height="392" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Witch-hazel) Slippy Ghoul Grin aka Barbara Butterfields aka Babs Buttfiel</td></tr>
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Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3045806909305588275.post-86091292258346720932015-03-23T08:00:00.000-04:002015-04-04T07:11:12.992-04:00Dichotomous key (IV) - Pith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjkNYB1gSp-COl3dB2AYOyVodUlzAFfcT_rZihE0r6hMK8k7qpyqPK4nbVnQyeqXfm9Pn2r_UCpKfhRvwUCDpMIj5jSa-e3oSJm3zKQvZnX5kEqA3VirCoxapVXdGvoQR0P2zv99NpeU/s1600/backyard+22-03-15+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjkNYB1gSp-COl3dB2AYOyVodUlzAFfcT_rZihE0r6hMK8k7qpyqPK4nbVnQyeqXfm9Pn2r_UCpKfhRvwUCDpMIj5jSa-e3oSJm3zKQvZnX5kEqA3VirCoxapVXdGvoQR0P2zv99NpeU/s1600/backyard+22-03-15+(1).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pith is one of my favorite things for some reason. I think its substance remained elusive to me for a long time - I couldn't seem to track down a good answer as to what it was and why it looks the way it does for different species. Over the years, primarily through carving, I've become much more acquainted with pith. Pith is essentially the undifferentiated, highly moldable ingredient of new growth. Also called medulla (which means middle), it also stores starches and water.<br />
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Classification of plant cells narrowing down to pith (I didn't subdivide alternate branches of the classification)<br />
<ul>
<li>Vascular tissue (transport water, nutrients)</li>
<li>Dermal tissue (protection, prevent water loss)</li>
<li>Ground tissue (photosynthesis, food storage, growth/regeneration, structure, protection)</li>
<ul>
<li>Sclerenchyma (main structural support of plants)</li>
<li>Collenchyma (structural, provides extra strength in areas of new growth - think, the long fibrous strands in celery)</li>
<li>Parenchyma (play a large role in synthesized food and water storage)</li>
<ul>
<li>Chlorenchyma (photosynthesis, home of chloroplasts)</li>
<li>Aerenchyma (large intercellular spaces that hold air for buoyancy and respiration)</li>
<li>Prosenchyma, or Palisade parenchyma</li>
<li>Vascular parenchyma (forms either the xylem or phloem)</li>
<li>Medullary or ray parenchyma</li>
<li>Conjunctive parenchyma (root parenchyma)</li>
<li><b>PITH!</b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOHxYCRw47kmVTlDTst6A9DvmpYFqsbhQRdXc0jX7td3SjwRIBOQCG9SX6YmMfqZmcw_RH0CG5oCaBiqUi43noiiPcvLzxvb77UdjodtM6_ULK877378o2U_tyHEGqnadFkRQE5wukf0/s1600/backyard+22-03-15+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOHxYCRw47kmVTlDTst6A9DvmpYFqsbhQRdXc0jX7td3SjwRIBOQCG9SX6YmMfqZmcw_RH0CG5oCaBiqUi43noiiPcvLzxvb77UdjodtM6_ULK877378o2U_tyHEGqnadFkRQE5wukf0/s1600/backyard+22-03-15+(6).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Color</b><br />
Pith changes in a variety of ways over time, the most obvious of which is color. Most pith starts as whitish in color and changes as it dies and ages to a yellowish or brown. The above photo shows this years growth of staghorn sumac on the left. Note the single growth ring of white adjacent to the egg yolk yellow spongy pith. On the right, below the bundle scars from the previous year, is a two year old section of the branch showing the darker brown aged pith. Note here the white ring of sap wood and the previous year of woody growth in the single ring of yellowish wood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mbKtNO1x1G8/VQ7IPyISUVI/AAAAAAAAHNo/Hgw8hDc1YhQ/s1600/backyard%2B22-03-15%2B(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mbKtNO1x1G8/VQ7IPyISUVI/AAAAAAAAHNo/Hgw8hDc1YhQ/s1600/backyard%2B22-03-15%2B(10).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turtle-like pattern of poplars</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ijyDOtzxOr8/VQ7O6gltEGI/AAAAAAAAHOY/zS-WOBumZxw/s1600/DSC_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ijyDOtzxOr8/VQ7O6gltEGI/AAAAAAAAHOY/zS-WOBumZxw/s1600/DSC_0836.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cottonwood showing fluted ridges that correspond to the vascular bundles connecting to the leaves</td></tr>
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<b>Shape</b><br />
Pith doesn't have a ton of variability in terms of shape in cross-section, so this isn't often a helpful tool for identifying the species. But some are beautifully non-circular. The <i>Populus </i>genus has five-pointed stars in cross section. The above photo shows a cottonwood (<i>Populus tremuloides</i>) twig in cross-section. The five-pointedness of the pith on cottonwoods corresponds quite nicely to the five ridges running parallel lines on outside of the twig.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3YCUAFjbPRM/VQ7IQBnUMXI/AAAAAAAAHOA/y5xTRa3kKws/s1600/backyard%2B22-03-15%2B(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3YCUAFjbPRM/VQ7IQBnUMXI/AAAAAAAAHOA/y5xTRa3kKws/s1600/backyard%2B22-03-15%2B(9).JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chambered pith of white walnut - or butternut (<i>Juglans cinerea</i>) above and black walnut (<i>Juglans nigra</i>) below</td></tr>
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<b>Texture</b><br />
The walnuts have perhaps my favorite pith. Above is both black and white walnut pith side by side. For others the pith disintegrates completely (one way to distinguish between native and non-native honeysuckles is to crack open a twig; non-native honeysuckles are hollow, as shown in the photo at the top of the posting).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TmJuv7C2m4o/VQ7LMOCsi_I/AAAAAAAAHOM/-bLU-3xWTFQ/s1600/DSC_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TmJuv7C2m4o/VQ7LMOCsi_I/AAAAAAAAHOM/-bLU-3xWTFQ/s1600/DSC_0833.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From top to bottom, Staghorn sumac, catalpa, elderberry, white ash</td></tr>
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<b>Size</b><br />
Some species have fantastically huge pith. Particularly great examples of these include elderberry, ash, staghorn sumac, catalpa, boxelder are among these species. Other species have nearly invisible pith.Teage O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07425205138695719509noreply@blogger.com0