Logo Brasstown Bald (Enotah) 2021
Botanizing on Georgia's highest peak...
All Text & Images:
Copyright (2021)

1 - May 2021

Due to the altitude of Georgia's highest prominence, a number of rare
plants, more commonly found in northern climes, can be found here.

Both Bluebead Lily (Clintonia borealis) and Rosy Twisted Stalk (Streptopus
lanceolatus) are quite rare in Georgia, being at the extreme southern limits
of their ranges.   So it was a special treat to find them growing together!


Streptopus-Clintonia
Rosy Twisted Stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus) and Bluebead Lily (Clintonia borealis)


Clintonia
Bluebead Lily (Clintonia borealis) flowers


Clintonia
Bluebead Lily (Clintonia borealis) flowers


Streptopus
Rosy Twisted Stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus) flowers


Streptopus
Rosy Twisted Stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus) flowers, from another cluster


Boulderfield
Huge moss-covered rock in a Brasstown boulder-field


Big_Birch
A lot of huge old-growth birch trees are seen high on the mountain.


Canada_Mayflower
Canada Mayflower   (Maianthemum canadense)


Cardamine_angustata
I saw some huge Cardamine angustata flowers growing here.


Cardamine_clematis
Also prominent was the uncommon Cardamine clematis


Jack_in_the_Pulpit
Jack in the Pulpit   (Arisaema triphyllum?)


Birch_roots
Interesting roots on a birch tree...



2 - A few days later...

My friend Max, one of Georgia's premier botanists, wanted to see the Clintonia borealis population, so I returned with him and our DNR friend Nate.   On my first visit, I had failed to positively ID another rare plant that grows here, the Long-stalk Holly (Ilex collina). I had seen a number of plants that I suspected might be it, but didn't see any in flower, so I wasn't sure.   As it turned out, I was looking at the right plant, and we saw many in flower today.   Even though the species is globally rare, we saw an abundance of these plants here.


Ilex_collina
Long-stalk Holly (Ilex collina) flowers


Ilex_collina_flowers
Long-stalk Holly (Ilex collina) - pistillate flowers
This species has male and female flowers; these are female.



Nate_Max
Nate and Max



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