Posted by wilde on June 28th, 2007 — Posted in Animal, Vegetable
A couple weeks have passed since we first saw this family of ducks. So far, only one of the ducklings has disappeared, but we’re hoping the rest will make it through the summer.
Family of ducks taking a rest in a field of clover.
Reading about the varieties of wood sorrel in my field guides I came across a picture of a tall yellow-flowering kind that I had not seen before, so I made a mental note of it. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised to see a Great Wood Sorrel plant on my berry walk this morning down the lane. Growing in the shade next to the lane, this Oxalis grandis specimen is about 16 inches tall.
Small clusters of flowers arise from the leaf axils and the leaves are held out quite straight and horizontally.
With the number of times we’ve walked up and down the lane we don’t expect to find any new plants. We were quite surprised to see this pretty flower – a weed, really, hiding in the shade of the oak trees.
The light green to cream colored flower of thimbleweed has five sepals and numerous stamens.
The central leaflet is wedge-shaped and has curved sides, a feature that distinguishes the plant from other anemone species.
Thimbleweed flowerbuds, blossoms and fruit rise above the three- or five-parted leaves.
This member of the buttercup family, Anemone virginiana, has an interesting fruit which obviously lent the plant its name – Thimbleweed, also known as Tall Anemone.
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Posted by wilde on June 25th, 2007 — Posted in Vegetable
Up and down the lane and along the edges of the farmer’s field there are lots of berries. Most are not quite ripe for picking yet, but it won’t be long before we have stained hands from collecting them.
There appears to be two varieties growing here and in several areas they are adjacent to each other. Looking up Rubus spp. in Gleason and Cronquist’s Manual of Vascular Plants, I see there are well over 200 species and hybrids. No wonder the wildflower field guides state that identification is best left to experts!
At the risk of being labeled an amateur I won’t be identifying the berry plants to species. What I do think we have are blackberry and black raspberry plants.
One of the berry plants has lighter foliage with elongated leaves. The berries are more rounded than those on the other type of berry plant – I think these are the blackberry plants. The blackberries held in a cluster at the end of the stems are ripening one at a time. Delicious, they are!
Blackberry fruit ripening on the vine.
Get in my belly!
The second type of berry plant is more plentiful and has more berries which are of an elongated shape. I think these are the black raspberry plants. The green fruit will get bigger before ripening.
Some of the black raspberries arise singly in the leaf axils.
Black raspberries more often occur in clusters along the main stem.
Clusters of the black raspberries are plentiful this year.
It’s like a dream come true to have wild raspberries growing on our property. I have fond memories of collecting them at camp as a child. Knowing that berries are a great health food makes me enjoy them even more as an adult.
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Posted by wilde on June 25th, 2007 — Posted in Vegetable
Native plants blooming along our lane include pokeweed, spotted touch-me-not, enchanter’s nightshade and elderberry.
Even though its an alien plant or a garden escape the Asiatic Dayflower is one of my favorites. Too bad its flowers last for only one day.
Looking down on the flower of an Asiatic Dayflower.
Notice the stemless leaves that clasp the main stem and the “pouch” from which the flower erupts (on the right).
A hover fly visits the dayflower for a little sip of nectar.
A third lower petal is barely visible here as a white patch behind the two blue petals.
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