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Category: Plants

Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

Ferns are among the few plants that reproduce via spores rather than seeds. The basic life cycle of a fern consists of alternating generations of sexual and nonsexual individuals. The gametophyte, the sexual stage of the fern life cycle that develops from spores, tends to be so small as to be inconspicuous. The larger, visible plants we know as ferns are actually the asexual stage of the fern’s life cycle, known as the sporophyte stage, which will produce the spores…

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Swamp dewberry (Rubus hispidus)

Swamp dewberry (Rubus hispidus)

A short-lived warm spell (mid-forties feels pretty good when it’s been below 20 degrees for weeks) allowed me to spend some quiet time sitting by the Quashnet River, watching birds, observing and drawing winter vegetation, and quietly waiting and hoping (unsuccessfully) to see the family of river otters that lives by. Besides the numerous bare woody trees and shrubs, there were two obvious and abundant plants in the river’s flood plain where I had settled down: sphagnum moss and swamp…

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Annual Honesty (Lunaria annua)

Annual Honesty (Lunaria annua)

Although not nearly as showy this time of year, the remnant membranes from the seed pods are enough to identify annual honesty (Lunaria annua), which is also sometimes called money plant. Annual honesty is native to eastern Europe and western Asia. It was widely planted in North American gardens and over time has escaped and naturalized in many parts of the U. S. and southern Canada. It can now commonly be found throughout much of Massachusetts. In the spring, the…

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Rhododendron response to cold

Rhododendron response to cold

Plants and animals that live in New England have various winter adaptations to aid in survival.  Some animals stay warm in underground burrows, while others migrate south to warmer temperatures and more plentiful food. Plants, on the other hand, are rooted in place, and are not afforded the opportunity to find a warmer place to spend the winter. The frigidly cold temperatures of the last couple weeks have allowed me to observe one of the Rhododendron’s adaptations to cold. This…

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Inkberry (Ilex glabra)

Inkberry (Ilex glabra)

With the recent snow, the glossy evergreen leaves of inkberry shrubs (Ilex glabra) are hard to miss against the white background. Inkberry leaves are alternate, simple, and elongate, with smooth edges except for one marginal tooth at either side of the apex of the leaf, resulting in a 3-pointed end. The shrubs average 1 to 2 meters tall, and sprout from thick, tuberous underground runners (stolons), which allow inkberry to spread vegetatively and form fairly dense colonies. Inkberry is native…

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Wildflower Wednesday: Seaside Goldenrod

Wildflower Wednesday: Seaside Goldenrod

Winter doesn’t mean the end of wildflower identification. Many plants retain easily identifiable seed pods and other features. Although the late summer display of its vibrant yellow flower clusters is over, seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens) is no less interesting in December. Seaside goldenrod is a native perennial aptly named as it is commonly found in dunes and at the edges of salt marshes. It is fairly well adapted to drought conditions, allowing it to survive in the dry, sandy dunes….

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Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Despite its name, the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is actually a species of juniper rather than cedar. Eastern red cedars have two types of leaves depending on the age of the tree and/or the branch. Young shoots and seedlings have predominantly prickly leaves, while mature trees and branches have tightly overlapping scale-like leaves. In fertile soil, eastern red cedars can grow up to 60 feet tall, in a regular conical shape. In sandy soil common to coastal Cape Cod,…

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American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

Last weekend, the American Beech trees (Fagus grandifolia) in Falmouth’s Beebe Woods seemed to be the the only species still clinging to their now yellow leaves. In fact, many American Beech branches, particularly those lower to the ground, will cling to their brown leaves throughout much of the winter. Botanists call this retention of dead plant matter marcescence. Although most commonly observed on young trees and on lower branches, there is considerable debate about why some species, such as American…

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Faraway Places: North Umpqua River Area

Faraway Places: North Umpqua River Area

While visiting my boyfriend’s parents in Oregon for Thanksgiving week, we found time to explore the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway along the North Umpqua River. (Last year we took a day trip to the Redwoods in California and spent some time exploring the local hiking trails in Roseburg.) Despite the cool temperatures and persistent rain showers, the North Umpqua River and its surroundings were still beautiful. We hiked into 3 different waterfalls (Toketee, Fall Creek and Susan Creek Falls), and made a quick…

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Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)

Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)

Many plants, particularly herbaceous ones, are most easily identifiable when in flower. As we move further into the cold season, and flowers (and many leaves) are essentially absent, it seems like herbaceous plant identification should be impossible. While it can be tricky, many plants have such distinctive seed heads or stalks, that they are identifiable well into the winter. While it’s possible to identify many herbaceous species through their winter characteristics alone, I find that now is one of the…

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