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NATURE / OUTDOORS
Here are some nature stories, outdoors tips and photos.
National and local coverage... | |
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 9/18/07
Stoney Run
Anne Arundel County,
MD
(near BWI Airport)
Mark Burchick
Today's Walk in the Swamp
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The rose hips of Swamp Rose,
Rosa palustris (OBL)
We have been doing long-term
research on a Maryland highly
state rare fern, known as bog or
Massachusetts fern that occurs
at several sites along Stony Run
in Anne Arundel County.
Today I had a chance to get out
into some of the wettest
portions of the open swamps, and
here are a few photos.
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Joe-Pye Weed,
Eupatorium sp.
Three species of Joe-Pye-weed
are found in Maryland. Hollow
Joe-Pye-weed (E.
fistulosum) is the
most common species, especially
west of the Chesapeake Bay, and
it is found in moist and upland
open fields and meadows; sweet
Joe-Pye-weed (E.
purpureum) is less
common and is more often found
in moist woodlands, usually
along rivers and streams.
Three-nerved Joe-Pye-weed (E.
dubium) is primarily
a Coastal Plain species, with
limited distribution in the
Piedmont. Because the plants are
so similar, they require a
detailed species description of
distinguishing characteristics
to differentiate them. I
did not photo the leaf parts,
and therefore can not key the
plant to species.
A Bidens species occurs to
the left and pink smartweed in the
background (left) and I was standing
in nearly a foot of water surrounded
by rice-cut grass, Hibiscus and
arrowhead (duck potato). |
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Climbing Hempweed,
Mikania scandens
(FACW+)
This hempweed vine was
draping over a 'host'
winterberry and was hogging
the sunlight.
The open, sunny swamp
also contained wild yam,
ground nut and wild clematis
vine too.
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Winterberry, Ilex
verticillata (FACW+) |
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Winterberry was an aspect
dominant plant out in the open
wetland swamps and dense with
berries. The leaves were
already changing color and were
typically yellow rather than
green, with green leaves more
common in the shade and yellow
more pronounced in the open.
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Mistflower or Wild Ageratum,
Eupatorium coelestinum.
The main reason I
photographed this plant
(with yellow-jacket) was
that I found several in
aggregation, in the head of
a densely shaded spring seep
surrounded by halberd-leaved
tearthumb, a location where
this plant typically would
not occur.
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Silky Dogwood,
Cornus amomum (FACW)
The silky dogwood is the
native stream-side, wetland
dogwood. All of the
silky's look like frost have
hit them and are turning
color, and I'm confidant
that we have not had a frost
yet, which is much more
typical toward the third
week of October. But
you know what . . . with the
cooler evening weather and
shorter day-length, the
plants will begin to shut
down chlorophyll production
in the next week, two or
three, and then take another
two to three weeks to
express autumn color
changes. |
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A close-up of the white fruit,
with bluish fruit (behind) on
the same bush. |
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Arrowwood,
Viburnum recognitum
(FAC)
I'll tell you, if I were a
bird, the berry-fest bird
food in this swamp was
everywhere, and would be
like shopping at your local
Giant or Safeway |
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Rattlesnake Plantain,
Goodyera pubescens
Coming up and out of the swamp
and into bottomland forest, I
came across a rattlesnake
plantain, which is one of
several of our native orchids.
This foliage persists throughout
the winter and is always nice to
see in December or January.
I also saw several wood aster in
flower. |
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Maryland Golden Aster,
Chrysopsis mariana.
I found this plant in a sunny, dry
opening in the woods.
September and October are filled
with many 'composite sunflowers,'
Bidens, Asters and
Coreopsis and remind you that
autumn begins later this week. |
Submitted by Mark Burchick
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