Mandarin Cove and Vicinity Southern Nantahala Wilderness - Late April 2019 |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2019) |
Almost two weeks after my earlier visit, I made another trek up to this area, further exploring the cliffs and steep boulder fields above the rich coves. |
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By now, the Catesby's Trilliums (Trillium catesbaei) were in full bloom. |
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A light pink Catesby's Trillium. |
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Another Catesby's, showing the variation in flower color in this species |
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The Trillium cuneatum were mostly on the way out at this point. |
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Although some of the yellow form were still blooming. |
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The yellow T. cuneatums here tend to bloom a little later than the typical maroon form. |
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I saw lots of Flame Azaleas in bloom as I marched up the mountain side. |
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Showy Orchis was at peak bloom. Here are just a few examples of these orchids that I saw: |
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Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis) |
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There were lots of Vasey's Trillium blooming. |
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Vasey's Trillium (Trillium vaseyi) |
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False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), and an ant. |
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Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) |
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Blue Cohosh flowers - detail |
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There was still some Large-Flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) in bloom, but nothing like I'd seen two weeks earlier. |
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Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata) |
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Golden Alexander (Zizi aurea) |
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Canada Violet (Viola canadensis) |
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Cliff Saxifrage, aka Michaux's Saxifrage (Micranthes petiolaris) |
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A pair of Micranthes petiolaris flowers |
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Hooked Buttercup (Ranunculus recurvatus) |
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Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum sp.) |
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The Spotted Mandarin was on its way out... |
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Spotted Mandarin, aka Fairy Bells (Prosartes maculata) |
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The Yellow Mandarin (Prosartes lanuginosa), however, was at peak bloom. |
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Yellow Mandarin |
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Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) |
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Columbine in habitat |
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Flower of Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) |
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Columbine flowers |
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Columbine flower |
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Flowers of the Umbrella Leaf (Diphylleia cymosa) |
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There are several spots where the cream and the red forms of Trillium Erectum grow together. |
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Trillium erectum - cream-colored flower |
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Trillium erectum - red flower |
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Red Trillium erectum |
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Broadleaf Toothwort (Cardamine diphylla) |
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Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) |
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Bear Corn (Conopholis americana) |
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White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) |
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Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) |