 |
Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens Fall 2022 Visits |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2022) |
|
Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens Fall 2022 Visits |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2022) |
| 1 - Mid September 2022 I visited the barrens to see how the Gentians and Parnassia were coming along. I was a little early for the Gentianopsis and Gentiana. |
|
 |
|
| I noticed this "different" Liatris species Not the more common Liatris spicata that I typically see here. |
|
 |
|
| Slender Gerardia (Agalinis tenuifolia) |
|
 |
|
| Agalinis tenuifolia, flower detail |
|
 |
|
| Goldenrod (Solidago species) was growing everywhere. |
|
 |
|
| Large-leafed Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia grandifolia) with a small Crab Spider |
|
 |
|
| Trio of Parnassia grandifolia |
|
 |
|
| Parnassia grandifolia |
|
 |
|
| Parnassia grandifolia |
|
 |
|
| Curtiss' Milkwort (Polygala curtissii) |
|
 |
|
| Canada Burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis) |
|
 |
|
| Rattlesnake-Root (Nabalus serpentarius) |
|
 |
|
| I'm not sure what this fungi is, growing on a tree... |
|
 |
|
| One of the Russula mushrooms, I believe.
|
|
 |
|
| Nodding Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes cernua) I was too early for these; only saw this one plant just starting to bloom. |
|
 |
|
| Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) on Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) |
|
| 2 - A revisit 18 days later, at the end of September... I had better luck this time finding the Gentians in bloom. Unfortunately, the Fringed Gentians were not faring much better than those in Georgia. Where there were once hundreds of multi-flowered plants in this one area, today I only saw a few dozen. These plants are biennials, and the area underwent a prescribed burn this spring. Past studies (with limited data) suggest that, while many species thrive from fire, the Fringed Gentian populations may decline. We'll see what it looks like next year... |
|
 |
|
| Nodding Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes cernua) This may be the same plant I photographed just starting to bloom in my earlier visit. |
|
 |
|
| Fringed Gentians (Gentianopsis crinita) One of only a few large clusters of flowers that I saw here this year... |
|
 |
|
| Crab Spider on Fringed Gentian |
|
 |
|
| View inside a Fringed Gentian flower |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| A pretty pair of Gentianopsis flowers... |
|
 |
|
| Nice clump of Fringed Gentian flowers. |
|
 |
|
| There were still some Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea) in flower! |
|
 |
|
| Trentepohlia aurea, a filamentous terrestrial green algae. |
|
 |
|
| The Big-leaf Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia grandifolia) was on the way out, but there were still a few decent blooms. |
|
 |
|
| Soapwort Gentians (Gentiana saponaria) This is one of my favorite spots for this species. |
|
 |
|
| It's unusual to find this species with flowers so opened. |
|
 |
|
| Soapwort Gentians (Gentiana saponaria) |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Soapwort Gentians |
|
 |
|
| This small pond has been slowly turning into a bog. It is usually one of the first places to start seeing fall color, although I was a little early. I usually try to photograph the fall colors here every year. |