While performing a wetland delineation today
Ben found a colony of a plant I've never
seen before.
The vine occurred in
the shade of a forested wetland pool and was
prolific.
It keyed to being Lysimachia nummularia,
Creeping Jenny or Moneywort.
It is
an obligate (OBL) herbaceous perennial,
native to Europe and Asia and potentially
invasive.
The plant is found along
streambanks, bottoms, ditches and can create
large mats if left unchecked.
The plant seldom flowers and is called
Creeping Jenny due to its prostrate, fast
growing, prolific, matting nature and
Moneywort because the opposite leaves are
shaped like roundish coins, about the size
of a dime or nickel. The botanist
who gave the plant it's common name must
have had a bad relationship with Jenny.
I'd go with "Jenny is creeping me out!"
Like mile-a-minute, Japanese stiltgrass and
other nuisance, non-native invasives,
this plant may become a big-player in the
years to come.
We might as well
start adding it to our wetland nomenclature. |
Invasive
Plant Species
