What Wildflower Begins Blooming This Week? (August week 4)

This week, I’m featuring Flat-topped Goldentop (Euthamia graminifolia) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.

Due to the similarity in its inflorescence, this plant was once considered a Goldenrod and another common name is Grass-leaved Goldenrod.  In 1818, Thomas Nuttall proposed Euthamia as a subspecies of Solidago, but in 1840 declared it as a distinct species.  This separation was largely based on morphological differences, such as the arrangement of the flower heads in the inflorescence and the presence of glands on the leaves.  Subsequently, DNA evidence further revealed that these genera are closely related, but should be separate.

Identification Tips:

This herbaceous perennial plant is 2-3½’ tall.  Stems are unbranched on the lower stem, but typically have few to many erect, leafy branches in the upper plant, creating a bushy crown.  The slender stems usually have lines of fine white hairs.

The alternate leaves are linear and have smooth margins.  The larger leaves have 3 conspicuous veins, although the smaller ones usually have only a single conspicuous vein.  They are up to 4″ long and 3/8″ across, or slightly wider.  Sometimes there are a few white hairs near the base of the leaves and along the central vein on the underside.

There are clusters of small composite flowers at the top of the plant and many of the upper side stems.  The clusters are about 1¼″ wide and have of 20 to 35 mostly stalkless flower heads.  Together they form a broad inflorescence up to 11″ wide that usually appears flat topped.

Flat-topped Goldentop

Each composite flower is yellow, consisting of about 21-35 disk florets and ray florets; it is only about 1/8″ across.  The color of the blossoms is a lighter canary yellow rather than the darker, more golden color of a true Goldenrod.  These compound flowers often bloom gradually, rather than simultaneously, with older flowers turning brown while younger flowers are still in the bud stage.  Sometimes there is a mild floral scent.

The tiny seed (~0.5 mm long) is a hard, pubescent, one-seeded, white nutlet.  The seed is attached to hair-like bristles (pappus).

Flat-topped Goldentop

Culinary and Medicinal Uses:

Flat-topped Goldentop, and as with all Goldenrods, may be used in herbal teas (also called tisanes).

An infusion of the dried powdered herb can be used as an antiseptic.  A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of chest pains and lung problems.  An infusion of the blossoms has been used in the treatment of some types of fevers.

Wildlife Value:

The small flowers attract many kinds of insects, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles.  Various wasps and a few beetle species, such as Goldenrod Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus) and Black Blister Beetle (Epicauta pensylvanica), seem to be especially attracted to the flowers.  The European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), and Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica) are frequent visitors of the flower.

The seeds are eaten by the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) and Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) to a limited extent, while the foliage is occasionally consumed in limited amounts by the Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) and White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

Where Found Locally:

• 100 Acre Wood
• Anchor Diamond Park at Hawkwood
• Balsam Way Natural Area
• Community Connector Trail
• Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve
• Fox Preserve
• Garnsey Park
• Historic Champlain Canalway Trail
• North Woods Nature Preserve
• Peter Desrochers Memorial Country Knolls Trails
• Settlers Hill Natural Area
• Stillwater Multi-Use Trail
• Summer Hill Natural Area
• Veterans Bike Path
• Veterans Memorial Park
• West Sky Natural Area
• Zim Smith Trail

What Wildflower Begins Blooming This Week? (August week 4)

This week, I’m featuring Beechdrops (Epifagus virginiana) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.

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Beechdrops belong to a small group of parasitic plants in the Broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). All plants in this family attach to their host via haustoria, the portion of the parasitic plant’s root that penetrates the host’s tissue and draws nutrients from it. Because of this, most of the species within the Broomrape family, like the Beechdrop, lack an extensive lateral root system.   Instead, there is a swollen mass of short, bulky roots or one big swollen haustorial organ, called the terminal or primary haustoria (see photo below).

Photo credit: https://www.seashoretoforestfloor.com/beechdrops-epifagus-virginiana/

SOURCE:

“BEECHDROPS (EPIFAGUS VIRGINIANA),” Seashore to Forest Floor, October 23, 2016

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Beechdrops are used to monitor forest health because of their dependence on their host and its sensitivity to its environment. The presence of American Beech is used to predict when Beechdrops will arrive in an area.  The lack of its presence is a sign that the health of a beech forest is declining.

Photo credit: http://blog.delawarenaturesociety.org/2017/11/20/autumn-among-the-beeches/

Identification Tips:

This herbaceous parasitic plant is 4-18″ tall.  Small plants are often unbranched, but large plants are branched with stiff ascending stems.  These stems are initially cream, tan, or purple-striped, but they turn brown with age.  The surface of each stem is mostly smooth, but sometimes it is slightly hairy.  The leaves are reduced to insignificant scales; they cling to the stem and are located underneath some of the flowers.

Along the length of the stems are alternate flowers; the lower stems have cleistogamous (self-fertile) flowers, while the upper stems have chasmogamous flowers that require pollination, but are often sterile.

Photo credit: https://wcbotanicalclub.org/beech-drops-epifagus-virginiana-upper-sterile-flowers-rk/

Photo credit: https://wcbotanicalclub.org/beech-drops-epifagus-virginiana-lower-fertile-flowers-jp-201709222983/

The cleistogamous flowers are small and bud-like in shape, while the chasmogamous flowers have tubular corollas that are about 1/3″ in length, cream- and purple-colored, with 4 short lobes along its outer rim.  These flowers have no noticeable floral scent, but do produce nectar that attracts some insects, but pollination probably does not occur.  The self-fertilizing flowers on the lower stems produce small ovoid seed capsules (each ~¼”) containing abundant seeds.

The dried plant stem of Beechdrops will persist throughout the winter, aiding in its identification.

Beechdrops

Culinary and Medicinal Uses:

American Indians brewed dried plants to make a bitter, pungent tea which they used to treat mouth sores, diarrhea, and dysentery.

Wildlife Value:

The chasmogamous flowers of Beechdrops are principally pollinated by Winter Ant (Prenolepis imparis), resulting in cross pollinated seeds.  These flowers may also be visited occasionally by long-tongued bees.

Where Found Locally:

• Ann Lee Pond Nature and Historic Preserve
• Ashford Glen Preserve
• Bauer Environmental Park
• North Woods Nature Preserve
• Summer Hill Natural Area
• Ushers Road State Forest
• Veterans Memorial Park
• Woodcock Preserve

What Wildflower Begins Blooming This Week? (August week 2)

This week, I’m featuring Blue Curls (Trichostema dichotomum) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.

Identification Tips:

Blue Curls is an annual herbaceous forb with opposite, narrowly elliptical bluish-green leaves, and square, erect, hairy stems that bear dainty yet distinctive bluish-purple blooms.  While generally ~6” tall, the plant may grow up to 2 feet.  The small, low plants are covered with tiny hairs with glands that make sticky, scented oil.

Individual flowers are ½ to ¾ inch long and half as wide, with five petals.  The lower petal is tongue-like and cupped while four upper petals are shorter, broadly rounded, and slightly pointed.  Upper petals are a uniform blue while the lower petal often has white shading with prominent dark spots, or occasionally the lower petal may be the same color as the other petals.  The long, curled stamens characterize this dainty little plant.  Each flower is short-lived, opening only in the morning and dropping petals and stamens by mid-day.  Any given plant may produce many flowers and will often continue to do so into autumn.

Photo credit: E.R. Miller, https://elizaberryblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/20160830-_dsc0128.jpg

The spotted lower petal provides a landing pad for insect pollinators, which then get dusted with pollen from the curving stamens.

Photo credit: https://gramho.com/explore-hashtag/beestagram

Fruits are borne as a cluster of four tiny nutlets.

Photo credit: https://nhgardensolutions.wordpress.com/tag/forked-blue-curl-seeds/

In autumn, the plants display a vibrant red fall color.

Photo credit: Bettina Darveaux, https://plants.ncwildflower.org/plant_galleries/details/trichostema-dichotomum

Culinary and Medicinal Uses:

There are no known uses of this plant for food or medicine.

Wildlife Value:

Some botanists believe that blue is the high end of evolutionary progression of floral coloring (begins with green, then white and yellow, then reds, and finally bright blue).  Blue attracts bees best, which are among the most highly evolved of the insects.  Short-tongued bees, including Halictid bees, Lasioglossum sweat bees, and Small Carpenter Bees, are particularly attracted to Blue Curls in search of nectar.

Although plentiful, the seeds are too small to be of much food value to birds.

Where Found Locally:

• 100 Acre Wood

What Wildflower Begins Blooming This Week? (August week 1)

This week, I’m featuring Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.

Identification Tips:

View a brief video that summarizes its distinguishing features.

Buttonbush is a multi-stemmed shrub which typically grows 6-12’ tall.  The lower branches become woody and brown, while new growth is green or red.  Buttonbush is one of the last native shrubs to leaf-out in the spring.  The leaves are usually opposite, although sometimes they occur in whorls of 3.  They are up to 6″ long and 2½” across, ovate or ovate-oblong in shape, and have slender stems, smooth margins, and a glossy upper surface.

From 1-3 gumball- to golf ball-sized floral spheres occur on a flowering stalk that branches when more than a single flowerhead occurs.  Some of the upper branches may terminate with these flowerheads, or a flowering stalk may occur from the axils of the leaves.  Each flowerhead is comprised of many scented, creamy-white tubular flowers packed closely together.  Each flower head has about 200 individual flowers.  The long styles (slender stalks that join the stigma at its tip, which receives pollen produced by anthers, with the ovary at the bottom, which produces the seed) extend above the four anthers make it look like a pincushion.  Each flower has 4 small spreading lobes.  The long-lasting flowers are sweetly fragrant.

Photo credit: E.R. Miller, https://elizaberryblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/20170718-_dsc0020.jpg

Afterwards, the flowerheads are replaced by spherical masses of multiple tiny two-seeded nutlets that turn red and eventually dark brown at maturity that persist through the winter.

Photo credit: https://www.prairiemoon.com/cephalanthus-occidentalis-buttonbush-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Photo credit: Steve Hurst, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

This shrub can form extensive colonies.

Photo credit: https://www.gardenia.net/plant/cephalanthus-occidentalis

Folklore:

The plant has a folk reputation for relieving malaria.

Culinary and Medicinal Uses:

WARNING:  Common buttonbush contains the bitter glycoside cephalothin, which is poisonous.  Ingestion of any part of the plant may cause vomiting, paralysis, and convulsions.

Native Americans used Buttonbush medicinally.  Decoctions of the bark were used as washes for sore eyes, antidiarrheal agents, anti-inflammation and rheumatism medications, skin astringents, headache and fever relievers, and venereal disease remedies. The bark was also chewed to relieve toothaches. Roots were used for muscle inflammation and as blood medicines.

A tea made from the bark is astringent, emetic (induces vomiting), and febrifuge (used to reduce fever).  A strong decoction has been used to treat diarrhea and dysentery, stomach complaints, and hemorrhages.  It has also been used as a wash for eye inflammations.  The leaves are astringent, diaphoretic (inducing perspiration), and diuretic (increases production of urine).  A tea has been used to check menstrual flow and to treat fevers, kidney stones, and pleurisy.  The inner bark has been chewed in the treatment of toothaches.

It is little used in modern herbalism.

Wildlife Value:

Photo credit: https://www.carolinanature.com/trees/ceoc2.html

The blossoms produce an abundance of nectar and pollen that attract bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp.), Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), green metallic bees (Agapostemon spp.), honeybees, leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), longhorn beetles, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Syrphid flies, thick-headed flies (Conopidae), and various wasps.  In addition, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) sometimes visits the flowers for nectar.  This is the host plant for caterpillars of the Hydrangea Sphinx (Darapsa versicolor) and Titan Sphinx (Aellopos titan) moths.  No butterfly larvae are known to feed on Buttonbush.

Photo credit: Mary Keim, https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-cephalanthus-occidentalis/

Photo credit: https://nativebeeology.com/2018/08/18/buttonbush-a-midseason-favorite/#jp-carousel-1728

During fall migration, waterfowl eat the seeds of Buttonbush, including:  American Wigeon (Anas americana), Black Duck (Anas rubripes), Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors), Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), Gadwall (Anas streperus), Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata), Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris), Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), and Wood Duck (Aix sponsa).  Other birds also feed on the seeds, including American Robin (Turdus migratorius).

Mammals usually avoid browsing on Buttonbush because it is bitter and poisonous.

Where Found Locally:

• Ann Lee Pond Nature and Historic Preserve
• Ballston Creek Preserve
• Community Connector Trail
• Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve
• Town Park Nature Trail
• Veterans Bike Path
• Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve
• Woodcock Preserve
• Zim Smith Trail

Participate in the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey

Photo Credits:
(top, left to right: Red-shouldered Pine Borer (Stictoleptura canadensis, Matthew D. Schlesinger), Azalea Sphinx Moth (Darapsa choerilus, Stephen Diehl and Vici Zaremba), Logo Artist: Anna Droege, Transverse flower fly (Eristalis transversa, Stephen Diehl and Vici Zaremba), Tri-colored Bumble Bee (Bombus ternarius, Larry Master);
bottom, left to right: Alpine Meadow, Mount Skylight (Tim Howard), Open Peatland, Bloomingdale Bog (Matthew Schlesinger), Late-Successional Forest, Windfall Mountain (Tim Howard), Dunes, Sunken Meadow State Park (Andrea Chaloux), Barrens, Brookhaven State Park (Andrea Chaloux).

Are you a frequent visitor to New York State Parks? Often find yourself photographing butterflies, bees, or wildflowers (or, if not, would you)?

If “yes” to both questions, then the New York State Parks invite you to participate in the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey! They are seeking submission of photos of what pollinators you’ve observed; photo submissions are due by September 30. To learn more, please view their blog post. For more background info regarding the ESNPS, please read about this four-year study.

Have fun!