Logo Turkey Mtn Vicinity - Autumn 2022
FSR 163 & DBBA, Chattahoochee Natl Forest, Rabun Co., GA
All Text & Images:
Copyright (2022)

1 - Late September 2022
Returning from a botanical survey in the Upper Tallulah River area, I stopped
by a site where I've found Appalachian Gentians for several years now:


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Appalachian Gentian, aka Showy Gentian   (Gentiana decora)


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I was a bit early for this species, and only found a few flowers in bloom.



2 - Mid October 2022
Postponing our prior plan to photograph some N.A. rock art sites,
I met up with Alan C and Noah Y for some late fall botanizing.   We
decided to check out the Appalachian Gentian site first:

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There are two Gentian locations here, about a mile apart.
We drove to the farthest one first...



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The more we looked, the nicer the flower clusters we found...


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Appalachian Gentians   (Gentiana decora)


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Gentiana decora


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Colorful Maple leaves


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Exploring the second area, we found yet more beautiful blooms.


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Gentiana decora


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Gentiana decora


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We all thought these were the nicest specimens of this species that we had ever seen.



3 - Dickenson Branch Botanical Area
Next we visited this ultramafic dunite barrens
and woodlands to look for a rare fern
:

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Dunite barrens...


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You can see that the Forest Service conducts regular burns in this area.


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Quite a few unusual plants grow in this ultramafic habitat.


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I was surprised to see flowers of Nodding
Onion (Allium cernuum) still in bloom.



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Alabama Grapefern, aka Dixie Grapefern   (Sceptridium jenmanii)


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This fern species is extremely rare in Georgia,
and this is likely the only population in the state.



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The fertile spore-bearing stalk of this specimen is just maturing.


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Cut-leaf Grapefern   (Sceptridium dissectum)
A number of this more common fern were also present.




Turkey Mtn (US 76) Index Dickenson Branch Index
Swallow Crk - Tray Mtn Index NE GA - NC Index