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 of lichen. (See list below). The bluebells put on an especially nice display. We did notice that the invasive Lesser Celandine took over more of the area compared to last year.

After the walk along the River Trail, we drove down to the Chickasaw Plum grove. In addition to the Chickasaw Plum we saw some Devil’s Tongue Cactus (Opuntia humifusa.)

A good time was had by all.

 

Flowers/Plants identified.

1. Acer negundo L. – Boxelder
2. Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. – Mouseear Cress
3. Cardamine hirsuta L. – Hairy Bittercress
4. Carpinus caroliniana Walter – American Hornbeam
5. Cerastium sp. – Mouse-ear Chickweed
6. Cercis canadensis L. – Eastern Redbud
7. Claytonia virginica L. – Virginia Spring Beauty
8. Corydalis flavula (Raf.) DC. – Yellow Fumewort
9. Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh. – Dutchman’s Breeches
10. Draba verna L. – Whitlow Grass
11. Erythronium americanum Ker Gawl. – Dogtooth Violet
12. Ficaria verna Huds. – Lesser Celandine
13. Floerkea proserpinacoides Willd. – False Mermaidweed
14. Glechoma hederacea L. – Ground Ivy
15. Hydrophyllum virginianum L. – Eastern Waterleaf
16. Lamium purpureum L. – Purple Deadnettle
17. Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume – Northern Spicebush
18. Mertensia virginica (L.) Pers. ex Link – Virginia Bluebells
19. Micranthes virginiensis (Michaux) Small – Early Saxifrage
20. Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf. – Devil’s Tongue
21. Packera aurea (L.) Á. Löve & D. Löve – Golden Ragweed
22. Poa annua L. – Annual Blue Grass
23. Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott – Christmas Fern
24. Prunus angustifolia Marshall – Chickasaw Plum
25. Prunus cf. americana Marshall – American Plum
26. Symplocarpus foetidus (L.) Salisb. ex W.P.C. Barton – Skunk Cabbage
27. Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg. – Common Dandelion
28. Veronica hederifolia L. – Ivyleaf Speedwell
29. Veronica persica Poir. – Birdeye Speedwell
30. Viola bicolor Pursh – American Field Pansy
31. Viola eriocarpon (Nutt.) Schwein. – Downy Yellow Violet
32. Viola sororia Willd. – Common Blue Violet

Lichen
Cladonia cristatella Tuck. – British Soldiers