Goat’s Rue (Tephrosia virginiana)

June 30, 2020 Elise

Goat’s rue (Tephrosia virginiana) is a perennial legume native to the eastern United States. Its two-colored flowers, which bloom in clusters at the tops of the stems, resemble sweet peas. The lower petals are pink, while the upper petal (i.e., the “standard”) is a pale yellow. The leaves are alternately arranged and pinnately compound with numerous narrow leaflets. Both the stems and leaves are covered with downy hairs giving the plant a silvery frosted appearance. Goat’s rue grows to approximately…

White Clover (Trifolium repens)

June 17, 2020 Elise

With all the abundance of blooming wildflowers that spring brings, it’s often easy to overlook the unassuming common, weedy species like dandelions, purple deadnettle, and clover. White clover (Trifolium repens) is common in fields and lawns (much to the chagrin of folks trying to maintain that weed-free lawn look). The flowers begin white and then change to pink and then to brown as they age. From far away, the flowers seem fairly round and simple. But up close, clover flowers…

Geometer Moths

June 2, 2020 Elise

One of the things I’ve been noticing on my outdoor walks lately is how many different kinds of butterflies and moths there seem to be all of a sudden. Many of the moths are small, brown and easy to overlook. And many of the butterflies are much too quick for me to get a good look at, as they flutter off in search of the next flower patch. But I’ve run into a couple large, lovely, and most importantly –…

Seashore to Forest Floor

A naturalist's journey across Cape Cod and beyond

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Month: June 2020