Leader for today’s Ramble, Linda
 

Link to Don’s Facebook album for this Ramble. All the photos that appear in this report, unless otherwise credited, were taken by Don Hunter.

Today’s emphasis:  Today, we Rambled at Sandy Creek Park, seeking what we found on the White Trail, heading west and north from the boat launch area on the Lakeside Trail.

Ramblers today: 22

Announcements:

”       Gary told us that some of the River Cane at the Botanical Garden has bloomed, something that only occurs after many years of growth, as much as 50 – 100 years. River Cane is monocarpic, a term that describes plants that flower and set seeds only once in their lives, and then die. Since River Cane is clonal, forming patches of many genetically identical stems that are essentially one plant, an entire clone of several to many stems flowers at one time then dies. In this case only a small clone within this particular River Cane stand bloomed, so most of the stems in that part of the Garden will remain alive. The patch probably comprises several clones. It is not known what triggers a particular clone to flower and set seed, though fire or other disturbance is one likely possibility.

”       Emily announced Georgia Museum of Natural History events:  May 20-22 there will be a trip to Broxton Rocks; and, on May 7, the annual meeting for the Friends of the GMNH will be held at the museum annex across Jimmy Daniels Road from the Sam’s Store.

”       Roger announced that the Athens/Clarke Green Lights Awards Festival will be held at the Terrapin Brewery on April 22, beginning at 4 pm. The Oconee River Land Trust and Friends of Sandy Creek Nature Center will both have booths set up.  At 6 pm, the awards ceremony will be held. Pat Nielsen will get an award for her volunteer work at the Botanical Garden.

Reading:  Robert recited a recent nature poem, the epilogue to his in-progress manuscript, “A Dream of Reading Bartram.” [link]

Show-and-Tell:

Cramp Balls (AKA Carbon Balls)

o       Richard brought a piece of decaying wood, bearing a patch of “cramp balls,” a fungus in the genus Annulohypoxylon that breaks down organic matter in order to extract nutrients.  The balls are semi-shiny, black spheres, with tiny perforations on top of each sphere from which spores are released.

Today’s Route:   We left the boat launch area, taking the white-blazed Lakeside Trail west and north, staying close to the lake for the entire route.  We walked for almost two hours and returned back to the vehicles.

LIST OF OBSERVATIONS:

Pussytoes flowers

Pussytoes leaves

o       A small patch of Pussytoes is flowering near the trail head. There were four or five flower stems, each topped with several fuzzy flower heads, the eponymous “toes.” Pussytoes are on the short list of spring-flowering composites (members of the Aster family) in our area. Each “toe” is a separate head consisting of many tiny whitish flowers held tightly by a whorl of green bracts. The flowers on a given plant are either female or male. Even when they are not in flower, Pussytoes are easy to identify by the dense layer of white, felted hairs on the lower surface of the spoon-shaped basal leaves.

 

Two Great Blue Herons and a single Osprey were seen flying over the lake.

PHOTO AND TEXT: Several Asian azalea cultivars are in glorious bloom at the beginning of the trail, in shades of white, coral, and pink. These evergreen azaleas are imports from the Himalayan Mountains of south-central Asia, and have been in the horticultural trade for centuries.

A burl, looking somewhat like a Koala climbing a tree, appears to engulf the trunk of this young Sweet Gum. Burls are formed when an insect or pathogen of some kind (fungus, virus, or bacteria) invades a tree. The tree responds by growing a woody, tumor-like tissue that isolates the invader. Burls continue to grow along with their tree host, but faster as this example demonstrates. They often have unusually patterned grain, making them highly desirable to wood turners and furniture makers, but removing a large gall is usually fatal to the tree.

Southern Grapefern sterile fronds; fertile fronds will appear in late summer or early fall and release a host of spores

Solomon’s Seal is common along the trailsides, most with buds that dangle below the stem on slender stalks that arise from the leaf axils. Don was lucky enough to photograph a Red-spotted Ant Mimic Spider crawling on this plant.

Solomon’s Plume is often confused with Solomon’s Seal when in vegetative condition, but two features are useful. Solomon’s Seal has a waxy, white coating on its leaves and stems, giving it a blue-green color. Solomon’s Plume stems are bright green and slightly zigzagged. Once the terminal cluster of flowers appears on Solomon’s Plume, they are easily distinguished.

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain is one of several Piedmont forest species whose leaves overwinter. The leafless canopy allows them to photosynthesize throughout the winter, compensating for the greatly reduced light during the summer months.

Pippsissewa is another overwintering wildflower found in Piedmont forests. “Wildflower” is stretching it-these diminutive plants are actually “subshrubs” with woody stems.

Last year’s dried stems and fruit (note the slits from which seeds were released) persist on some Pipsissewa plants. Other plants are already in bud.

A beautifully camouflaged American Toad was seen in the leaf litter beside the trail. The loud, high-pitched nasal trill of the similar Fowler’s Toad followed us along the first part of the trail. To relive the experience, click here

This Green Frog was hanging out in the area where the Fowler’s Toads were calling. Green Frogs are smaller than Bull Frogs and have a dorso-lateral fold that runs along the side of the back from the eye to the pelvic region. Bull Frogs lack this skin fold. (photo by Robert Ambrose, Jr.)

Common Yellow Wood-sorrel, with its clover-like leaves and hairs that are soft and lie flat along the stems. The leaves fold up at night and on cloudy days. It is a close look-alike to Southern Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis dillenii), which is covered with hairs that spread stiffly from the stems.

Japanese Stilt Grass is abundant along the first part of the trail, especially near the first creek crossing. Small green seedlings have recently emerged from a persistent seed bank. Mats of dry, brown stems of this rampant invasive grass also persist through the winter, earning it another common name, Nepalese Browntop. The dead stems accumulate into dense, sodden mats that, over time, completely suppress germination and growth of native ground cover species.

A native aquatic species, Arrow-arum, surrounded by Water-milfoil, one of several species of aquatic invasives in the genus Myriophyllum. These invasive species have degraded many lakes and waterways throughout the south, by way of boat propellers that carry fragments from one water body to another. Some ramblers asked if Arrow-arum is related to the edible Taro (Colocasia esculenta), native to South Asia and cultivated widely around the world; they are in the same family, Araceae, along with Jack-in-the-pulpit and the famous shopping mall plant called Peace Lily (not a true lily).

 

Netted Chain Fern grows with Arrow-arum in the tiny stream we first crossed. Its leaves closely resemble those of Sensitive Fern, which we commonly see at the Botanical Garden. It takes a 10X hand lens to see the difference until fertile fronds emerge in the summer. The lower surface of Netted Chain’s sterile fronds has a line of small veins that parallel both sides of the main veins and appear to form a series of chain links.

Dwarf Cinquefoil, another bright yellow spot along the trail, grows all along the trail. Its leaflets are toothed only in the upper half; Common Cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex) leaflets are toothed nearly to the base.

Blackberry brambles with large, white flowers. Their five petals and abundance of stamens are two clues to their membership in the Rose family.

Large Sweet Gum trees are a common member of Georgia’s hardwood forests, both in uplands and lowlands. The spiny female fruit is well known to irate homeowners and barefoot children but the female flower clusters, held high in the upper branches, are rarely seen. However, the male flowers are familiar to anyone who visits the woods this time of year. Our trail today was littered with fallen clusters of staminate (male) flowers. Although colorful, Sweet Gum flower clusters are not pollinated by insects. Instead, vast quantities of pollen are released to the winds. Luckily, Sweet Gum pollen does not seem to trigger allergies in humans.

At first acquaintance, it’s hard to hate the sprawling shrub Multiflora Rose: the flowers are so pretty and they smell so sweet. But these traits disguise one of the worst invasive shrubs in eastern North America. Brought from Asia for erosion control, Multiflora Rose is now legally prohibited or listed as noxious in a number of states. To distinguish it from native roses, or even benign non-natives, look at the very base of the leaf stalk. A structure known as a stipule lines the base of the stalk and is divided, comb-like, into segments.

Witch Grass, with its small oval flower spikelets held at the tips of delicate branches, is beginning to flower.

Basal rosette of Wild Lettuce.  These plants will soon send up a stout, waxy, purple-spotted stem bearing dozens of yellow flower heads in the summer and fall. All parts of the plant ooze a milky latex when broken.

Soft Rush Closeup of flowers

Several examples of Soft Rush provided an opportunity to recite the graminoid poem: “Sedges have edges, Rushes are round, and Grasses are hollow all the way to the ground.” (Graminoid is a term applied to the three unrelated families of grass or grass-like plants.) Rushes do indeed have round stems (like grasses but unlike sedges) and they are filled with pith (like sedges but unlike grasses). This particular species, Soft Rush, also has another distinguishing feature that can be very confusing if you’re using one of the older technical manuals to key it out. The key will describe this species as having a “terminal” inflorescence (flower cluster), which means the flowers are located at the very tip of the stem. However, the “terminal” flower for Soft Rush is located several inches from the top of the plant. So, what gives? The tricky thing is that what looks like a length of stem above the flowers is, believe it or not, actually a bract (a modified leaf) – a bract that looks just like the stem. Should this plant be re-named Deceptive Rush, or should the keys be modified? I am happy to report that the most current key has done the right thing. Here is the relevant portion of the Rush family key, written by Bruce Sorrie and Bill Knapp, and published in Weakley’s “Flora of the Southeastern United States” (2020):

-Inflorescence appearing lateral; inflorescence bract erect, appearing to be a continuation of the stem
versus
-Inflorescence appearing terminal; inflorescence bract not appearing to be a continuation of the stem.

The first line of that key will take you to Soft Rush.

Oak Apple gall detached from oak leaf

Gall above, opened to show interior.

 An Oak Apple Gall had fallen from a leaf of its host, probably a White Oak, and was lying on the ground.  The interior tissue is developed around a gall wasp larva and the suspension system keeps it away from prying predators. Here is a great description of this fascinating example of the complexity of forest ecosystems:

Little Brown Jugs

Heartleaf, also known as Little Brown Jugs and Wild Ginger, pictured here with five fresh, jug-shaped flowers. New arrowhead-shaped, mottled leaves have appeared and will last for about a year. The flowers are formed by the fusion of three fleshy sepals; there are no petals. Well inside the “jug,” twelve stamens and a six-lobed ovary comprise the sexual parts of the flower. The flowers are pollinated by crawling insects or possibly self-pollination. The ovary develops into a fruit entirely within the jug, and its seeds are dispersed by ants. Wild Ginger plants may live to 20 or more years.

Smooth Spiderwort. The common name refers to the cobwebby look of the hairy stamens.

Hearts-a-burstin’ or Strawberry-bush, has odd-looking, reddish-green flowers that usually lie on top of the leaves (a tan cluster of Beech flowers has slipped into this photo at top center). Dominating the flower is a central, round, nectar-producing disk with five stamens fused to its rim. In this photo, you can see the pistil beginning to develop in the middle of the disk. As interesting as the flowers are, we were all mostly amazed that this plant, and several other examples we saw along the way, has not been  grazed to death by deer. Another common (and local) name for this species is Deer Ice Cream (thanks, Dr. Cook!).

Catesby’s Trillium flowers were a highlight of today’s ramble.

Sweet Shrub tepals and petals are a rich, deep burgundy and give off a fleeting sweet fragrance before they are pollinated. The flowers are visited by beetles who are lured inside by tiny food bodies attached to the tips of the inner tepals. As they bump around inside the flower, eating the tasty treats then trying to escape from the inwardly curved petals, they deposit pollen picked up from previously visited flowers.

Painted Buckeye, a Piedmont specialty, in full flower.

Mockernut Hickory leaves emerging from a large terminal bud. Their characteristic hairiness is on full display in Don’s photo.

Coral Honeysuckle vines are abundant along the trail. Their bluish-green leaves and burgundy stems easily distinguish this species from Japanese Honeysuckle. When in flower, they resemble no other native wildflower. Needless to say, they are pollinated by hummingbirds.

 

 

A Partridge Berry fruit derives from the fusion of two separate ovaries from two otherwise separate flowers. The remnants of the bases of both flowers can be seen on this fruit.

Ebony Spleenwort fern with its characteristic black stem.

 

Perfoliate Bellwort at peak flower.

Possumhaw Holly in bud. Both leaves and flowers are produced on short shoots that grow only a few millimeters a year.

Don captured a Harvestman on one of the holly’s leaves

Autumn Olive, one of the most common invasive plants in Clarke County is in flower.

On our return walk to the boat launch, Don spotted what at first appeared to be a white slime mold, growing on a bare patch of ground among some thin leaf litter. It is actually a fungus, pale lavender in color with a few dark purple, pillow-like, velvety structures, all part of the same fungus.  It has no common name so it goes by its fancy scientific name, Chromelosporiopsis coerulescens.  As it matures, it will change color to ochre.

Crane-fly Orchid leaves are withering; they will disappear altogether by the time the plants flower in June. Last year’s fruits are visible in this photo.

Violet Wood-sorrel

SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS:

Pussytoes     Antennaria plantaginifolia
Great Blue Heron     Ardea herodias
Asian deciduous azaleas     Rhododendron sp.
Sweet Gum     Liquidambar styraciflua
Southern Grape-fern     Botrychium biternatum
Solomon’s Seal     Polygonatum biflorum
Solomon’s Plume     Maianthemum racemosum (synonym: Smilacina racemosa)
Red-spotted Ant Mimic Spider     Castianeira descripta
Downy Rattlesnake Plantain     Goodyera pubescens
Pipsissewa     Chimaphila maculata
American Toad     Anaxyrus americanus
Fowler’s Toad     Anaxyrus fowleri

Common Yellow Wood-sorrel     Oxalis stricta
Southern Yellow Wood-sorrel     Oxalis dillenii
Japanese Stilt Grass/Nepalese Browntop     Microstegium vimineum
Water-milfoil     Myriophyllum sp.
Netted Chain Fern     Woodwardia areolata
Arrow-arum     Peltandra virginica
Dwarf Cinquefoil     Potentilla canadensis
Violet Wood-sorrel     Oxalis violacea
Blackberry     Rubus sp.
Sedge      Carex sp.
Multiflora Rose     Rosa multiflora
Witch Grass     Dichanthelium sp.
Wild Lettuce     Lactuca canadensis
Lyre-leaf Sage     Salvia lyrata
Soft Rush     Juncus effusus
Eastern Red Cedar     Juniperus virginiana
Hearts-a-burstin’/Strawberry Bush     Euonymus americanus
Oak Apple Gall created by a gall wasp    Biorhiza pallida
Heartleaf, Wild Ginger     Hexastylis arifolia
Smooth Spiderwort     Tradescantia ohiensis
Resurrection Fern     Pleopeltis polypodiodes
Painted Buckeye     Aesculus sylvatica
Catesby’s Trillium     Trillium catesbaei
Sweet Shrub     Calycanthus florida
Mockernut Hickory     Carya tomentosa
Coral Honeysuckle     Lonicera sempervirens
Whorled Loosestrife     Lysimachia quadrifolia
Lion’s Foot     Prenanthes sp. (synonym Nabalus sp.)
Partridgeberry     Mitchella repens
Ebony Spleenwort     Asplenium platyneuron
Possumhaw Holly     Ilex decidua
Autumn Olive     Elaeagnus umbellata
Green Frog     Lithobates clamitans
Lavender/purple fungus (no common name)      Chromelosporiopsis coerulescens