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Botany Ramblings:
Mostly from
1 Oct., to 31 Dec., 2002
James P. Goltz
Reprinted from the N.B. Naturalist
FUNGI
At Fredericton, Margo Sheppard discovered many Shaggy Manes (Coprinus comatus) on October 7 and kindly brought me some for dinner.
A spectacular 12.3 kg. specimen of Giant Puffball (Calvatia gigantea), measuring 33 by 42 by 31 cm., was found at Tide Head on October 22 (Alan Madden), and a smaller specimen weighing in at 5.4 kg. was reported at Dalhousie Junction earlier in October (fide Alan Madden).
Although a search for the Downy Rattlesnake-plantain (Goodyera pubescens) orchid at Odell Park in Fredericton (last seen and photographed there about 20 years ago) was unsuccessful, the cool wet day of October 27 proved to be ideal for wood-loving fungi. Highlights included a spectacular clump of a comb tooth fungus (Hericium americanum), some Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), Orange Jelly (Dacryomyces palmatus) and an as yet unidentified uncoloured, nearly transparent jelly fungus (Michael and Anne Burzynski, JPG).
BRYOPHYTES
An interesting moss, found fruiting on the trunks of Silver Maple trees in a floodplain forest along the Keswick River on October 20 (JPG, Margo Sheppard), was identified by Bruce Bagnell as Leskea polycarpa (thanks, Bruce!). According to Bruce, this species is typically found in areas with seasonal flooding and hardwood stands with higher humidity, and has distinctive long slender capsules.
VASCULAR PLANTS
Unlike the past few years, when mild weather and the blooms of many species of non-native wildflowers continued well into December, the first heavy snowfall in the autumn of 2002 came early (November 1) and cold weather discouraged late flowering.
Kenilworth-ivy (Cymbalaria muralis) and New York Aster (Aster novae-angliae) were in bloom at St. Andrews on October 6 (JPG, James Walde).
Many plants of Greater Purple Bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea) were found at Snowshoe Lake near St. Andrews on October 14 (JPG, Carl Duivenvoorden).
On October 19, Ron Arsenault discovered a single plant of Brass-buttons (Cotula coronopifolia) in bloom along the Memramcook River behind the Saint Joseph sewage lagoon.
A few Rugel's Plantain (Plantago rugelii) were found at Mouth of Keswick on October 20 (JPG, Margo Sheppard).
Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) was in peak bloom at Cotter Hollow near Sussex on October 26 (Gart Bishop). According to Gart, "It is such a bizarre plant …. you have to love it for just being so obstinate to flower when everything else has given up for the year".
Ron Wilson was impressed by the varied and colourful display of leaves of American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) at Odell Park in Fredericton on October 29. From the bottom to the tops of the Beech trees, there was a transition of leaf colour ranging from yellow green, through bright yellow, through yellow brown, to burnt brown.
Fall Dandelion (Leontodon autumnalis) was still in bloom at Mactaquac Dam on November 2 (Don Gibson and JPG) and at Jemseg on November 10 (Shirley Sloat and JPG).
Two Common Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) were still in full bloom in a field at Second North River on November 10 (Bob Blake) and over a dozen were seen in bloom at Fredericton on November 11 (James Walde, JPG).
2002 Vascular Plant Reports from A.J. (Tony) Erskine*
The clump of white-flowered Rhodora (Rhododendron canadense f. albiflorum) was still extant at Mt. View and was in bloom there on June 2. The unusual variant of Scentless Chamomile (Matricaria maritima) with no disc florets was seen in bloom at Sackville on 27 July, the earliest date ever.
Notable finds included American Germander (Teucrium canadense) near Johnston's Point and Yellow Chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) at Ann's Acres, as well as new stations for a number of species that are uncommon to rare in southeastern New Brunswick, e.g., Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), Nodding Trillium (Trillium cernuum), Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata), Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Sweet Coltsfoot (Petasites palmatus).
Tony devoted nearly 35 hours to work on his plant atlas project on the Cape Tormentine peninsula, sampling 6 new squares and checking 4 other squares for early-appearing species that might have been missed in previous surveys. The numbers of species per square ranged from 129 to 181.
Tony noted that the flowering of some species, such as New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii) and Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis) "seemed notably retarded", perhaps as a result of a cool early summer. The higher levels of summer rain compared to most recent years may have been responsible for "above average" crops of Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.), Wild Apples (Pyrus malus), Blackberry (Rubus cf. allegheniensis) and Low Sweet Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium).
*Thanks very much to Tony Erskine for providing these reports.
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