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Botany Ramblings:
Mid April, to 30 June, 2003
James P. Goltz
Reprinted from the N.B. Naturalist
VASCULAR PLANTS
New Species
Gart Bishop found Hairy Oat Grass (Helictotrichon pubescens) at Martello Tower in Saint John in early June. This European grass had not previously been reported from the province.
Woody Plants
A single bush of Speckled Alder (Alnus incana) was shedding pollen at Rosevale on 14 April, despite the 15 cm of freshly fallen snow (AW). By 24 April, many more alders were shedding pollen there (AW).
The spidery red-purple female flowers of Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta) were reported at Rosevale on 24 April and many plants of this species were flowering there by 4 May (AW).
Buds of Red Maple (Acer rubrum) were close to opening at Rosevale by 4 May (AW).
Sweet Gale (Myrica gale) was in full bloom near the beach at Marys Point on 17 May (DSC).
Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.) began to bloom at Rosevale on 18 May, and many were in flower there by the following day (AW). Serviceberry was starting to burst into bloom at Harvey, Albert County by 23 May (MNCNIL).
In early June, Becky Whittam found some white-flowered Rhodora (Rhododendron canadense forma albiflorum) near her home at Sackville.
Early Bloomers
The first spring flowers, though for some species behind schedule by up to 2 to 4 weeks compared to most years, were especially welcome this year following the long, hard winter.
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) was in bloom at McLarens Beach at Saint John on 17 April (DSC), at Rosevale on 20 April (AW), at Grey Brook Marsh near Hillsborough on 22 April (MLB, MG, SLB), in the Penniac area by 9 May (BD), and in the area of St. Basile and Rivière Verte on 11 May (RLP). Coltsfoot was "at its peak" at Rosevale by 4 May (AW).
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) was flowering at Lutz St. in Moncton on 22 April (MLB, MG, SLB), and was blooming "in everybody's yard" in the Shediac Bridge area by 16 May (NP).
Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) buds were swelling and showing white at Marys Point by 19 April (DSC). Only "a few small flower buttons" of Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) were showing at Rosevale by 20 April (AW) but 75% of the flowers there were already in bloom by 2 May (AW). Trailing Arbutus was in bloom at Penniac by 9 May (BD, DD).
Numerous Dutchman's-breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) were in bloom at Taymouth on 1 May, and many were still in full bloom there by 15 May, although some were past their prime by that date (JS). Ajo Wissink's favourite patch of Dutchman's-breeches was showing leaves by 4 May but had completely vanished by 19 May, likely having been eaten by some animal.
At Rosevale, leaves of Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) were over 5 cm long by 24 April, flowers of this species were almost open by 2 May, and "quite a few" flowers were in evidence by 4 May, but only in the most protected places. In windy spots, the flower buds were not even showing there by 4 May (AW). A single hardy plant of Trout Lily was in bloom at Taymouth on 1 May, at a time when none of the others there showed any sign of buds (JS). Trout Lily leaves were seen at Penniac by 9 May (BD). Trout Lily was in full bloom at Taymouth by 15 May (JS) and was in flower at Marys Point on 17 May (DSC).
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) was beginning to bloom at Penniac by 9 May (BD) and was in full bloom at Taymouth by 15 May, when a few plants of this species already had seed heads (JS).
Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) were found in bloom during a foray to St. Basile and Rivière Verte on 11 May (RLP).
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) was in bud at Taymouth on 15 May (JS). New locations for this species were found along the Nashwaak River near Penniac on 10 June (BD, DD, JPG, JJW) and near Durham Bridge on 18 June (JPG, JJW).
Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) was in bud at Taymouth by 15 May, and Little Merry Bells (also called Wild Oats, Uvularia sessilifolia) had pushed out of the ground there by that date (JS).
An early Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) already had several fronds fully open at Taymouth by 15 May, when "most plants of this species hadn't even sent up their stalks yet!"(JS)
One plant of Toothwort (Cardamine diphylla) had large flower buds at Taymouth by 16 May, before other plants of this species showed any sign of buds (JS).
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) was in flower at Taymouth on 16 May (JS) and at Marys Point on 17 May (DSC).
Much Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) was flowering at Cape Enrage on 17 May (DSC).
A single bloom of Red Trillium (Trillium erectum) was seen at Taymouth on 15 May, along with many other plants of this species in bud (JS). Unusual colour forms of Red Trillium were seen and photographed in hardwoods about 9 km NNE of Notre Dame de Lourdes in late May by Roy LaPointe and in hardwoods on the Renous Highway on 29 May by Nelson Poirier. The Trillium flowers near Notre Dame de Lourdes varied from pale yellow, through pale pink to typical burgundy colour, and variegated blossoms with both burgundy and pale yellow were found at both sites. A few blooms of Red Trillium persisted at Rockwood Park on 31 May (KMI).
A few flowers of Painted Trilliums (Trillium undulatum) were found near Anthony Lake on 17 May (JPG, JJW), many plants of this species were in bloom along the Dobson Trail between the Levy Road and Berryton on 31 May (AW), and blooms of this species were abundant in some areas at Rockwood Park, in the Long Lake to Owens Lake area, on 31 May (KMI).
Nodding Trillium (Trillium cernuum) was seen at Mapleton Nature Park at Moncton on the weekend of 17-18 May (TMC).
Northern Blue Violet (now lumped with Wooly Blue Violet, Viola sororia) was beginning to bloom at Marys Point on 18 May (DSC).
A single bloom of Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) was found at Taymouth on 20 May (JS). Many Goldthread were found in bloom along the Dobson Trail between the Levy Road and Berryton on 31 May (AW).
Brian Dalzell reported that Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis), an early-flowering Eurasian grass that superficially resembles Timothy, has become abundant in places around North Head, Grand Manan Island, where it continues to spread along roadsides and in fields. This species was "ready to bloom" there by 25 May.
Plants found in bloom by the Saint John Naturalists' Club during a 25 May foray to the St. George area included Dewberry (Rubus pubescens), Wood Anemone, Wild Strawberry, Dandelion and an unspecified species of Purple Violet (NN).
A few Hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides) and the first Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) flowers were in bloom along the Dobson Trail between the Levy Road and Berryton on 31 May, when Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) and Clintonia (Clintonia borealis) were still in bud there (AW). A carpet of Bunchberry and Canada Mayflower was seen at the UNB Woodlot in Fredericton on 15 June (RW).
The single plant of Early Coralroot (Corallorhiza trifida) seen at Rockwood Park on 31 May had been trampled (KMI).
A single white-flowered Moccasin Flower (Cypripedium acaule forma albiflorum) was seen at Rockwood Park on 31 May (KMI). Moccasin Flower in both its white and pink colour forms was in bloom at Penniac on 9 June (BD, DD, JPG, JJW), near Hampton on 11 June (MEB), at the UNB Woodlot in Fredericton on 15 June (RW) and at Blanchette Mountain near Edmundston on 23 June (RLP).
Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis) was in flower at Russell Woods in Woodstock on 1 June (NP), when many flowers of this species were still in bud there.
Heart-leaved Twayblade (Listera cordata) was in bloom at Andersonville on 8 June (MP).
Bogbean or Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) was at the height of its bloom at Saint John on 4 June (EP, RAM, JW, RP).
Native plants found during a Moncton Naturalists' Club outing to Irishtown Nature Park on 7 June included Painted Trillium, Moccasin Flower, Starflower (Trientalis borealis), Clintonia and an unidentified Violet (GB).
Blue Flag (Iris versicolor) was in flower along the St.-Anselme trail and on the Crawley Farm Road at Moncton on 16 June (GB).
Fourteen plants of Southern Twayblade (Listera australis), all but one in bloom, were seen at Kouchibouguac National Park on 22 June (JPG, DV). Last year, only 6 plants of this species were seen there.
FUNGI
Black Morel (Morchella elata) was seen at Keswick Ridge on 24 May (JPG, DG) and in hardwoods on the Renous Highway on May 29 (NP).
ABBREVIATIONS
AW Ajo Wissink, BD Bonnie Deveau, DD Daniel Deveau, DG Don Gibson, DSC David Christie, DV Don Vail, EP Eileen Pike, GB Gilles Bourque, JJW James Walde, JPG James Goltz, JS Julie Singleton, JW Janet Whitehead, KMI Ken MacIntosh, MEB Maureen Bourque, MG Maria Gauvin, MLB Mike LeBlanc, MNCNIL Moncton Naturalists' Club Nature Information Line, MP Mary Pugh, NN Ngaire Nelson, NP Nelson Poirier, RAM Rose-Alma Mallet, RLP Roy LaPointe, RP Roy Pike, RW Ron Wilson, SLB Stella LeBlanc, TMC Theresa McCready, UNB University of New Brunswick
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