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Recent Posts
- 17 February 2019 – Palmettos in Myrtle Beach
- 16 February 2019 – My first encounter with Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
- 8 October 2018 – Washington County Cactus Foray
- 25 August 2018 – Finding Cactus at Weinberg Park
- 22 August 2018 – Maryland Cactus Sites
- 13 August 2018 – Queen Anne Canoe Launch
- 11 August 2018 – Cactus in Elkridge
- 11 August 2018 – Cactus on Factory Road
- 7 August 2018 – Cactus Foraying near Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary
- 3 August 2018 – Cactus Foraying at Wooton’s Landing
- 28 July 2018 – Cactus at Jug Bay Wetland Sanctuary Parking Lot Meadow
- 21 July 2018 – Foraying at Parris Glendening Nature Preserve, Jug Bay
- 14 July 2018 – Cactus at Milt’s Sand Pit
- 22 September 2017 – Hidden Bog – A New Discovery
- 6 May 2017 – Newly Discovered Plant Species for Maryland
- 25 April 2017 – Forget-me-not or not – Part 2 – SUCCESS!
- 16 April 2017 – Mollusks Galore
- 14 April 2017 – Poet’s Daffodil – Narcissus poeticus L. –
- 14 April 2017 – Oldtown Elkridge and Thomas Viaduct
- 14 April 2017 – Forget-me-not or not – Part 1
Invasive Species of the Week
Category Archives: Journal
9 April 2017 – A Harbinger of Spring – Draba verna
This tiny plant called Draba verna L. is a true harbinger of spring. It is always one of the first flowers to makes its presence known each year. In Maryland, it can usually be seen blooming as early as February, … Continue reading
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8 April 2017 – Spring Wildflower Walk
Today, the Little Patuxent River Trail located on the North Tract of the Patuxent Research Refuge was the scene for a spring wildflower walk sponsored by the Refuge. We identified a total of 32 species of plants and one species … Continue reading
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8 April 2017 – American Field Pansy – Viola bicolor
The American Field Pansy (Viola bicolor Pursh) is found throughout the eastern part of North America with a small number of outlying populations reported from the west. It is commonly found on the Refuge on all three tracts in open … Continue reading
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7 April 2017 – Azure Bluets – Houstonia caerulea
Found a sizable patch of Azure Bluets (Houstonia caerulea L.) in full bloom on the Central Tract today, 7 April. It is differentiated from the similar looking Tiny Bluets (Houstonia pusilia) by its basally disposed leaves. Tiny bluets’s flowering stems … Continue reading
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5 April 2017 – How to Identify Erythronium americanum
Today, I went to the refuge’s North Tract to look for some Yellow Dogtooth Violets or Trout Lilies (Erythronium) to take some pictures of the inner floral parts for identification purposes. According to the available literature, Erythronium americanum has two … Continue reading
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4 April 2017 – Tiny Pants on Tiny Plants
Dutchman’s Breeches – Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh. is favorite of those who are familiar with spring ephemeral wildflowers because if one uses their imagination, little man in pants hanging upside down can be envisioned when looking at the flowers. No … Continue reading
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4 April 2017 – Yellow Fumewort
Yellow Fumewort – Corydalis flavula (Raf.) DC. – is another spring bloomer that is a denizen of bottomland woods and adjacent areas and is commonly found in parts of Eastern North America. As typical of a member of the Papaveraceae … Continue reading
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1 April 2017 – Chickasaw Plum
Today at the Patuxent Research Refuge, we stopped by the Chickasaw Plum “Grove” (Prunus angustifolia Marshall). There are two clumps of the trees at this location, and they put on a nice display. According to Sargent in 1965 and E.L. … Continue reading
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30 December 2016 – Hairy Bracken Fern
This bracken fern is another species of fern that we found on our nature walk. This variety is called the Hairy Bracken Fern or Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn var. pubescens Underw. It differs from the Bracken Fern commonly found on … Continue reading
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30 December 2016 – Western Sword Fern
Western Swordfern growing in Bellevue, Washington 30 December 2016. The Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum (Kaulf.) C. Presl) is an evergreen fern found on the west coast of North America from Southeastern Alaska to Southern California. There are isolated populations … Continue reading
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30 December 2016 – Nature Hike with Granddaughters in Bellevue
Today,my granddaughters in Seattle and I took a hike on the Boeing Trails in Bellevue Washington. We saw several types of native trees as well as the non-native American Holly. We also saw the Western Sword Fern and the ubiquitous … Continue reading
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This time we will examine two similar species of Thoroughwort (sometimes called boneset) – Hyssop-leaf Thoroughwort (Eupatorium hyssopifolium L.) and Torrey’s Thoroughwort (Eupatorium torreyanum Short & Peter). The synonym Eupatorium hyssopifolium L. var. laciniatum A. Gray is sometimes applied to … Continue reading
5 September 2016
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Bald Cypress – Taxodium distichum – 24 June 2016
Today, I forayed on the South Tract and spotted a bunch of Bald Cypress trees thriving in a swampy area next to Reddington Lake. Bald Cypress is not native this far north, but can do all right when planted in … Continue reading
Posted in Journal, Plant Profile, Sites around refuge
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Wild Yam – Dioscorea villosa – 18 June 2016
Several vines of wild yam (Discorea villosa) L. were spotted in full bloom along the Knowles 1 Pond on the Central Tract. Wild Yam is common in North America ranging from Ontario on the North, along the Eastern Seaboard to … Continue reading
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Bottlebrush Buckeye – Aesculus parviflora – 24 May 2016
On the way home from work today, I took a bunch of pictures of two established colonies of Aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush Buckeye) near our home. One of them was in the middle of someone’s lawn and the other one was in … Continue reading
Posted in Journal, Non-Refuge, Plant Profile
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Pecan! – 21 May 2016
Today in front of the old house in which the Refuge superintendent used to live, I spotted a pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis). The pecan is native to Mexico and southeastern USA, but not Maryland. This specimen is handsome. I wonder … Continue reading
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21 May 2016 – Temple Grass – Zoysia matrella
Today, I found an interesting exotic on the Central Tract. It is called Temple Grass and the scientific name is Zoysia matrella. This native to East Asia and northern Australia is sometimes planted in North America as a lawn grass. … Continue reading
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1 August 2015 – Apparent Weevil Damage to Mile-a-Minute
Today I spotted several patches of Mile-a-Minute (Persicaria perfoliata) which has sustained some apparent severe insect damage in the “Savanna” restoration area. I understand that weevils have been released on the refuge. I wonder if this is not damage by … Continue reading
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