Sightings – Plants
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/14/20
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Rough-fruited Cinquefoil
Scientific Name: Potentilla recta
Comments: Also known as sulphur cinquefoil, this wildflower is native to Europe and Asia. Introduced and naturalized in North America. Found along roads and in disturbed sites. Thrives in full sun and tolerates dry conditions. Flowers from June to August. Blossoms have five heart-shaped petals.
More Information: MinnesotaSeasons.com
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/20/11
Observation Time: 3:25 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Rough-fruited cinquefoil
Scientific Name: Potentilla recta
Comments: Native to Europe and Asia. Introduced and naturalized in North America. Found along roads and in disturbed sites. Thrives in full sun and tolerates dry conditions. Flowers from June to August.
More Information: MinnesotaSeasons.com
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/13/15
Observation Time: 4:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Rough-fruited cinquefoil
Scientific Name: Potentilla recta
Comments: Also known as sulphur cinquefoil, this wildflower is native to Europe and Asia. Introduced and naturalized in North America. Found along roads and in disturbed sites. Thrives in full sun and tolerates dry conditions. Flowers from June to August. Blossoms have five heart-shaped petals.
More Information: MinnesotaSeasons.com
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/9/19
Observation time: 2:50 p.m.
Observation Location: along trail near Brook Road
Common Name: Roundleaf Greenbriar
Scientific Name: Smilax rotundifolia
Comments: Greenbriar vines, often found near wetlands, have glossy, rounded leaves and large, sharp thorns. The tips of the vines are edible.
More information: Marblehead Conservancy
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/12/11
Observation Time: 6:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary board walk
Common Name: Royal Fern
Scientific Name: Osmunda regalis
Comments: The royal fern belongs to the family Osmundaceae; fossils belonging to this family have been found in rocks of Permian age (230,000,000 years before present), a time when the continents were consolidated into the supercontinent Pangea.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/16/23
Observation Time: 7:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Royal Fern
Scientific Name: Osmunda regalis
Comments: The royal fern belongs to the family Osmundaceae; fossils belonging to this family have been found in rocks of Permian age (230,000,000 years before present), a time when the continents were consolidated into the supercontinent Pangea.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/13/20
Observation Time: 5:50 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Royal Fern
Scientific Name: Osmunda regalis
Comments: The royal fern belongs to the family Osmundaceae; fossils belonging to this family have been found in rocks of Permian age (230,000,000 years before present), a time when the continents were consolidated into the supercontinent Pangea.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/9/13
Observation Time: 4:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area
Common Name: Rugosa Rose
Scientific Name: Rosa rugosa
Comments: In late summer, this beautiful flower, which comes from Asia, will become a reddish ball called a rose hip. Rose hips are used for tisanes, jam, jelly, syrup, soup, beverages, pies, bread, wine, and marmalade. They can also be eaten raw, like a berry, if care is used to avoid the hairs inside the fruit.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/9/12
Observation Time: 3:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Sandy Ridge Circle
Common Name: Russula mushroom
Scientific Name: Russula spp.
Comments: I don’t know which species of Russula this specimen happens to be.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/28/23
Observation Time: 9:10 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Rust Fungus
Scientific Name: genus Pucciniaceae
Comments: Rust fungus is a plant disease. This rust fungus was growing on buckthorn leaves.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/28/23
Observation Time: 11:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Sand Violet (also known as Hookedspur Violet)
Scientific Name: Viola adunca
Comments: Sand violet grows where the soil has been disrupted and exposed. I saw this one in an eroded area beside a sloping trail. Sand violet is listed as a species of special concern in Massachusetts. It is illegal to dig them up.
More Information: Massachusetts Natural History and Endangered Species Program (NHESP)
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/23
Observation Time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Sapphire Berry
Scientific Name: Synplocos paniculata
Comments: Sapphire Berry is a non-native shrub. Since it is a non-native species that spreads and displaces native plants, the specimen shown in the photo will be removed.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/17/20
Observation Time: 10:10 a.m.
Observation Location: woods near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Sarsaparilla
Scientific Name: Aralia nudicaulis
Comments: On a whim, I decided to photograph a random plant along the trail in the woods. A friend helped me identify it, and it turned out to have a story!
Wild sarsaparilla is a 1-2 foot tall shrub common to the forest understories of southern New England. It produces tiny white flowers in spherical clusters beneath the compound leaves, which ripen into blue-black berries in mid-summer. The rhizome of wild sarsaparilla has a sweet, aromatic taste, and sometimes has substituted for sassafras in the making of home-made root beer.
More Information: Go Botany
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/26/10
Observation Time: 3:25 p.m.
Observation Location: headwaters of Beaver Brook
Common Name: Sassafras
Scientific Name: Sassafras albidum
Comments: Sassafras albidum is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 15–20 m (49–66 ft) tall, with a canopy up to 12 m (39 ft) wide, with a trunk up to 60 cm (24 in) in diameter, and a crown with many slender sympodial branches. The bark on trunk of mature trees is thick, dark red-brown, and deeply furrowed.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/18
Observation Time: 7:25 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (Billings loop)
Common Name: Sensitive Fern
Scientific Name: Onoclea sensibilis
Comments: The susceptibility to frost of the sterile fronds gives sensitive fern its name. It spreads rapidly and can form large colonies. The spores are not released until the spring following the season in which the fertile fronds are produced.
More Information: Go Botany
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/24/24
Observation Time: 7:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Shagbark Hickory Tree
Scientific Name: Carya ovata
Comments: Shagbark hickory trees can grow over 100 feet tall. Shagbark hickory nuts are edible and provided nutrition to Native Americans.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/21/20
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Along Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Sheep’s bit
Scientific Name: Jasione montana
Comments: Sheep’s bit is an annual or biennial, native to Europe and Russia and introduced to North America’s east and west coasts. It was introduced through being grown as a garden ornamental, and is spreading westward from sandy sites in southern New England.
More Information: Go Botany
Observer: Rita Corey and Larry Myatt
Observation Date: 7/9/20
Observation Time: 9:18 a.m.
Observation Location: Mountain Street, near entrance to Rattlesnake Hill
Common Name: Shinleaf (a.k.a. White Wintergreen)
Scientific Name: Pyrola elliptica
Comments: Its common name, shinleaf, comes from the medicinal use of the plant, which produces a drug similar to aspirin. This drug has been reported to have analgesic properties and was used on bruised shins and other wounds. A plaster made from the leaves was called a shin plaster.
More Information: NC State Extension
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/23
Observation Time: 8:25 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Siberian Iris
Scientific Name: Iris siberica
Comments: These gaudy flowers are non-native. They are typically purple, but they come in a range of colors including white.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/4/20
Observation Time: 11:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Siberian Iris
Scientific Name: Iris siberica
Comments: These gaudy flowers bloom in early June.
More Information: Commonweeder.com
Blue flag irises were growing nearby.
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/21/24
Observation Time: 8:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Siberian Squill
Scientific Name: Scilla Siberica
Comments: Siberian Squill was brought to this country as an ornamental and is still sold for that purpose, but it has also escaped into the wild and become invasive. It readily spreads itself and is difficult to get rid of, as broken roots often resprout. It is very hardy and cold tolerant, and is left untouched by critters from voles to deer.
More Information: Minnesota Wildflowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/1/18
Observation Time: 10:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Siberian Squill
Scientific Name: Scilla Siberica
Comments: Siberian Squill was brought to this country as an ornamental and is still sold for that purpose, but it has also escaped into the wild and become invasive. It readily spreads itself and is difficult to get rid of, as broken roots often resprout. It is very hardy and cold tolerant, and is left untouched by critters from voles to deer.
More Information: Minnesota Wildflowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/29/11
Observation Time: 11:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road near soccer field parking lot
Common Name: Silver Cinquefoil
Scientific Name: Potentilla argentea
Comments: Curiously, one of the yellow blossoms in the photo has six petals.
More Information: Minnesota Wild Flowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/16/19
Observation Time: 1:50 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Skunk Cabbage
Scientific Name: Symplocarpus foetidus
Comments: Skunk cabbages are among the first plants to emerge in early spring. They can maintain an internal temperature significantly warmer than the surrounding air – as much as 15-35 degrees warmer – by consuming carbohydrates stored in their fleshy rhizomes. The warmth they generate helps in attracting cold-blooded, early-emerging pollinating insects in early spring when temperatures are typically quite chilly.
More Information: National Park Service
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/24/10
Observation Time: 3:40 p.m.
Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts
Common Name: Skunk cabbage
Scientific Name: Symplocarpus foetidus
Comments: Tearing a leaf produces a pungent but not harmful odor, the source of the plant’s common name; it is also foul smelling when it blooms. The plant is not poisonous to the touch. The foul odor attracts pollinators, such as scavenging flies, stoneflies, and bees. The odor in the leaves may also serve to discourage large animals from disturbing or damaging this plant which grows in soft wetland soils.
Eastern skunk cabbage is notable for its ability to generate temperatures of up to 15–35 °C (27–63 °F) above air temperature by cyanide resistant cellular respiration in order to melt its way through frozen ground, placing it among a small group of thermogenic plants. Even though it flowers while there is still snow and ice on the ground, it is successfully pollinated by early insects that also emerge at this time. Carrion-feeding insects that are attracted by the scent may be doubly encouraged to enter the spathe because it is warmer than the surrounding air, fueling pollination.
Eastern skunk cabbage has contractile roots which contract after growing into the earth. This pulls the stem of the plant deeper into the mud, so that the plant in effect grows downward, not upward. Each year, the plant grows deeper into the earth, so that older plants are practically impossible to dig up. They reproduce by hard, pea-sized seeds which fall in the mud and are carried away by animals or by floods.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/4/20
Observation Time: 2:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Slender Bush-Clover
Scientific Name: Lespedeza virginica
Comments: Slender bush-clover is a member of the pea family. Like other bush-clovers, slender bush-clover is preferentially browsed by mammalian herbivores such as deer and rabbits, as well as quail and other ground birds.
Slender bush-clover is often found in man-made or disturbed habitats. This patch was observed along a dirt road underneath power lines that are periodically cleared so maintenance crews can access the power lines.
More Information: Illinois Wildflowers and Go Botany
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/11/20
Observation Time: 3:10 p.m.
Observation Location: somewhere in Sharon. Please do not dig up wildflowers!
Common Name: Small Green Wood Orchid
Scientific Name: Platanthera clavellata
Comments: Platanthera is a large genus – about 200 species – in the large Orchidaceae (Orchid) Family. Over 30 of the Platanthera species are found in North America.
Platanthera clavellata is protected in at least four states due to its rarity in those jurisdictions. Please do not dig up wildflowers! They have a role to play in the ecosystem, and they typically do not survive transplantation.
More Information: Name That Plant
Platanthera clavellata usually has only one large leaf, located on the lower half of the stem, but may occasionally have two.
The flowers of Platanthera clavellata are pale green, greenish white, yellowish white, or dull white.
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/21/20
Observation Time: 4:35 p.m.
Observation Location: Corner of Gavins Pond Rd. and Col. Gridley Rd.
Common Name: Small-leaved Linden Tree
Scientific Name: Tilia cordata
Comments: Tilia cordata, commonly called small-leaved linden or little-leaf linden, is native to Europe. It has been widely planted in the U.S. as an ornamental shade tree because of its (a) attractive foliage, (b) dense, low-branched, pyramidal to ovate form and (c) tolerance for urban conditions. Ornamental features include fragrant pale yellow flowers in late spring.
The edges of the leaf blades have small teeth. This specimen is about 25 feet tall.
More Information: Missouri Botanical Garden
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/28/23
Observation Time: 9:40 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Smooth Brome grass
Scientific Name: Bromus inermis
Comments: Smooth brome is a Eurasian species of grass introduced to North America, where it has been used extensively for habitat rehabilitation and as a forage plant.
More Information: Go Botany
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/28/23
Observation Time: 9:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Smooth Meadow-grass
Scientific Name: Poa pratensis
Comments: Smooth meadow-grass is valued as a pasture and turf grass, particularly in golf courses, but is considered an invasive weed in natural grassland ecosystems, where it outcompetes native species, reduces biodiversity and alters nitrogen cycling and ecosystem function.
More Information: CABI Digital Library
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/13/20
Observation Time: 5:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Southern Arrowwood
Scientific Name: Viburnum dentatum
Comments: Native Americans reportedly used the straight stems of this species for arrow shafts, hence the common name. The scientific name “dentatum” refers to the toothed edges of its leaves.
More Information: Missouri Botanical Garden
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/27/10
Observation Time: 8:15 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road-soccer parking area
Common Name: Spotted knapweed
Scientific Name: Centaurea maculosa
Comments: Knapweed is a pioneer species found in recently disturbed sites or openings. Once it has been established at a disturbed site, it continues to spread into the surrounding habitat. This species outcompetes natives through at least three methods:
- A tap root that sucks up water faster than the root systems of its neighbors,
- Quick spread through high seed production, and
- Low palatability, meaning it is less likely to be chosen as food by herbivores. It is also suspected to be allelopathic, releasing a toxin from its roots that stunts the growth of nearby plants of other species.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/12/20
Observation Time: 7:00 p.m.
Observation Location: along Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Spotted Knapweed
Scientific Name: Centaurea maculosa
Comments: Spotted knapweed is not native to North America (it came from Europe). It is poisonous to other plants, creating barren areas where only knapweed grows. It can be a skin irritant.
More Information: namethatplant.net
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/22/15
Observation Time: 4:40 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area
Common Name: Spotted Knapweed
Scientific Name: Centaurea maculosa
Comments: Spotted knapweed is poisonous to other plants, creating barren areas where only knapweed grows. It is a threat to pastures and dry ecosystems including prairies and dunes. Can be a skin irritant.
More Information: Michigan Invasive Species
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/25/15
Observation Time: 2:25 p.m.
Observation Location: Town-owned conservation land at Morse and Lakeview Streets
Common Name: Spotted St. John’s Wort
Scientific Name: Hypericum punctatum
Comments: Spotted St. John’s-wort can be most easily distinguished from the other St. John’s-worts by the dark dots and streaks on the upper surface of the yellow petals. In the other species these markings are absent or confined to near the petal margins.
More Information: Go Botany and Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/4/11
Observation Time: 3:20 p.m.
Observation Location: conservation land near Billings Street
Common Name: Spotted Wintergreen
Scientific Name: Chimaphila maculata
Comments: Also called spotted wintergreen, it is endangered in Illinois and Maine. In New York it is considered “Exploitably Vulnerable.”
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Rita Corey
Observation Date: 8/13/20
Observation Time: 1:55 p.m.
Observation Location: Mountain St.
Common Name: Spotted Wintergreen
Scientific Name: Chimaphila maculata
Comments: Spotted wintergreen is a highly recognizable understory species having variegated leaves with pale green veins. It is endangered in Maine.
More Information: Go Botany
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/13/20
Observation Time: 6:15 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Spreading Dogbane
Scientific Name: Apocynum androsaemifolium
Comments: Spreading dogbane is a showy member of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) that is found in nearly all of the 50 states except some in the southeast. The common name, dogbane, and the genus name, “Apocynum,” meaning “away from dog,” are testaments to the toxic nature of this plant, not only to dogs, but to humans, livestock, and other mammals as well. The plant is poisonous due to the cardiac glycosides it contains.
Spreading dogbane is common in North America, and is widespread across most of the United States and Canada, and in Alaska, California, and northeast Mexico.
More Information: U.S. Forest Service
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/11/15
Observation Time: 3:15 p.m.
Observation Location: near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Spreading Dogbane
Scientific Name: Apocynum androsaemifolium
Comments: Spreading dogbane is common in North America, and is widespread across most of the United States and Canada, and in Alaska, California, and northeast Mexico. The plant is poisonous, due to the cardiac glycosides it contains.
Note the ants feeding on the nectar in the blossoms in the close-up photo below.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/25/10
Observation Time: 11:10 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Staghorn Sumac
Scientific Name: Rhus typhina
Comments: Staghorn sumac grows in gardens, lawns, the edges of forests, and wasteland. It can grow under a wide array of conditions, but is most often found in dry and poor soil on which other plants cannot survive. Some landscapers remove all but the top branches to create a “crown” effect in order to resemble a small palm tree.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/23
Observation Time: 9:50 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Star of Bethlehem
Scientific Name: Ornithogalum umbellatum
Comments: The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants native to southern Europe belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. Growing from a bulb, it has grass-like basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 12 inches tall, bearing clusters of star-shaped white flowers striped with green.
More Information: Illinois Wildflowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/31/20
Observation Time: 5:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm
Common Name: Star of Bethlehem
Scientific Name: Ornithogalum umbellatum
Comments: The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants native to southern Europe belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. Growing from a bulb, it has grass-like basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm tall, bearing clusters of star-shaped white flowers striped with green.
More Information: Illinois Wildflowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/2/11
Observation Time: 1:05 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road near soccer field parking lot
Common Name: Star of Bethlehem
Scientific Name: Ornithogalum umbellatum
Comments: The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants native to southern Europe belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. Growing from a bulb, it has grass-like basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm tall, bearing clusters of star-shaped white flowers striped with green.
More Information: Illinois Wildflowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/13/23
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Starflower
Scientific Name: Lysimachia borealis
Comments: Formerly known as Trientalis borealis, it has been shuffled around to new species name Lysimachia borealis (same genus as the yellow Loosestrifes) and moved to the Myrsinaceae (Myrsine) family. This member of the primrose family likes moist woods. It blooms in May.
Please do not dig up native wildflowers. They typically do not survive transplantation.
More Information: Minnesota Wildflowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/14/11
Observation Time: 2:05 p.m.
Observation Location: Town conservation land near Beaver Brook
Common Name: Starflower
Scientific Name: Trientalis borealis
Comments: This member of the primrose family likes moist woods. It blooms in May. Please do not dig up native wildflowers. They typically do not survive transplantation.
More Information: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/19/19
Observation Time: 2:35 p.m.
Observation Location: Billings Loop Botanical Trail
Common Name: Starflower
Scientific Name: Lysimachia borealis
Comments: Formerly known as Trientalis borealis, it has been shuffled around to new species name Lysimachia borealis (same genus as the yellow Loosestrifes) and moved to the Myrsinaceae (Myrsine) family. This member of the primrose family likes moist woods. It blooms in May. Please do not dig up native wildflowers. They typically do not survive transplantation.
More Information: Minnesota Wildflowers
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/22/18
Observation Time: 9:35 a.m.
Observation Location: Town conservation land near Beaver Brook
Common Name: Starflower
Scientific Name: Trientalis borealis
Comments: This member of the primrose family likes moist woods. It blooms in May. Please do not dig up native wildflowers. They typically do not survive transplantation.
More Information: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/27/20
Observation Time: 5:10 p.m.
Observation Location: near footbridge over Beaver Brook
Common Name: Starflower
Scientific Name: Lysimachia borealis
Comments: Formerly known as Trientalis borealis, it has been shuffled around to new species name Lysimachia borealis (same genus as the yellow Loosestrifes) and moved to the Myrsinaceae (Myrsine) family. This member of the primrose family likes moist woods. It blooms in May.
Please do not dig up native wildflowers. They typically do not survive transplantation.
More Information: Minnesota Wildflowers
Observer: Deborah Radovsky
Observation Date: 5/11/17
Observation Time: early morning
Observation Location: Moose Hill, Billings Loop
Common Name: Sugar Maple Tree
Scientific Name: Acer saccharum
Comments: The two huge sugar maples near the barn on the Billings Loop are called George and Martha because they began life at around the same time as George Washington and his wife Martha. The Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary taps many of the sugar maples on its 2,000-acre property in late winter and makes maple syrup.
More Information: Arbor Day Foundation
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/22/13
Observation Time: 2:20 p.m.
Observation Location: King Phillip’s Rock area
Common Name: Sulphur Shelf Mushroom
Scientific Name: Laetiporus sulphureus
Comments: Sulphur shelf mushrooms are reportedly edible, but never eat a mushroom you find in the woods unless you are absolutely sure it is not poisonous. More pictures of sulphur shelf mushrooms can be seen at: http://hicksroad.com/html/stumpfun.htm.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/12/20
Observation Time: 7:15 p.m.
Observation Location: along Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Summer Grape
Scientific Name: Vitis aestivalis
Comments: Vitis aestivalis, the summer grape, or pigeon grape, is a species of grape native to eastern North America from southern Ontario east to Maine, west to Oklahoma, and south to Florida and Texas. It is a vigorous vine, growing to 10 m or more high in trees.
Unlike most other species in genus Vitis, V. aestivalis does not propagate well through dormant cuttings. This has been a limiting factor for its use in commercial viticulture despite the species’ promising oenological characteristics.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/24/10
Observation Time: 3:25 p.m.
Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts
Common Name: Swamp azalea
Scientific Name: Rhododendron viscosum
Comments: This typical wetland shrub is sometimes called the Clammy Azalea because of its very sticky corolla. The species name means sticky in Latin. The flowers appear after the leaves.
More Information: University of Texas
Observer: John Baur
Observation Date: 5/25/23
Observation Time: 12:26 p.m.
Observation Location: trail off Lakeview St.
Common Name: Swan’s Sedge
Scientific Name: Carex swanii
Comments: A diverse array of grass species can be found in Sharon.
More Information: iNaturalist
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/22/11
Observation Time: 3:25 p.m.
Observation Location: field near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Sweet Everlasting or Rabbit Tobacco
Scientific Name: Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
Comments: This wildflower is a member of a group of daisy-family herbs called cudweeds. Heads never open wider than this.
More Information: Wildflowers of the Southeastern US
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/31/10
Observation Time: 10:40 a.m.
Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts
Common Name: Sweet Pepperbush (Summersweet)
Scientific Name: Clethra alnifolia
Comments: Very fragrant.
More Information: Virginia Native Plant Society
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/10
Observation Time: 3:00 p.m.
Observation Location: near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Sweetfern
Scientific Name: Comptonia peregrina
Comments: Sweetfern leaves are very aromatic. Edible fruit ripens in July and August. Sweetfern partners with actinomycete fungus that live in its root nodules to fix atmospheric nitrogen, so it can flourish in infertile soil. The soil in the area near Gavins Pond is relatively infertile because fill for the nearby Highway I-95 was taken from this area. It appears on some maps as “Sand Pits.”
The common name, sweetfern, is confusing, as it is not a fern. It is a deciduous shrub, growing to a maximum of five feet tall.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/24/21
Observation Time: 3:55 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Tall Meadow Rue
Scientific Name: Thalictrum pubescens
Comments: Meadow rue flowers have no petals; the conspicuous part of the flower is the white filaments of the stamens.
More Information: Connecticut Botanical Society
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/7/18
Observation Time: 3:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Tall Meadow Rue
Scientific Name:Thalictrum pubescens
Comments: Meadow rue flowers have no petals; the conspicuous part of the flower is the white filaments of the stamens.
More Information: Connecticut Botanical Society
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/13/19
Observation Time: 11:10 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Turkey-tail Fungus
Scientific Name: Trametes versicolor
Comments: This could also be false turkey-tail lichen. I neglected to inspect the underside to see if it had pores.
More Information: Edible Wild Food
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/12/11
Observation Time: 6:50 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon boardwalk
Common Name: Tussock Sedge
Scientific Name: Carex stricta
Comments: A clumping, upright sedge with narrow, yellowish green leaves. Reddish brown flowers bloom early summer. Prefers moist fertile soil but will tolerate dry or wet sites.
More Information: North Creek Nurseries
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/8/19
Observation Time: 8:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (wetland boardwalk)
Common Name: Tussock Sedge
Scientific Name: Carex stricta
Comments: A clumping, upright sedge with narrow, yellowish green leaves. Reddish brown flowers bloom early summer. Prefers moist fertile soil but will tolerate dry or wet sites.
More Information: North Creek Nurseries
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/30/10
Observation Time: 4:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Violet toothed polypore
Scientific Name: Trichaptum biforme
Comments: Tree fungus growing on a dead tree. The specimens in this photo are past their prime. Younger specimens exhibit a violet fringe that gives this fungus its name. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/ophis/3067412819/
More Information: InsectImages
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/23/15
Observation Time: 5:45 p.m.
Observation Location: bank of Hammershop Pond at Ames and Cottage Streets.
Common Name: Virginia Marsh-St. John’s wort
Scientific Name: Triadenum virginicum
Comments: Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL).
Please do not dig up wildflowers!
More Information: Go Botany
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/25/23
Observation Time: 8:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (bluff overlook)
Common Name: Virginia saxifrage
Scientific Name: Micranthes virginiensis
Comments: The characteristic features of saxifrage are consistent with its alpine provenance and consequent tenacity. A rosette of basal toothed leaves huddle on a rocky substrate to hold fast in the boreal winds that prevail in typical mountain habitats. Saxifrages are perennial and therefore retain their foliage, which turns red in winter due to the production of protective anthocyanin, regaining photosynthetic function and its attendant verdant hues that mark the advent of spring. The hardiness of the early saxifrage is evident in the near soilless niche habitat that it occupies with only lichens for competition.
I spotted this blooming specimen growing near a granite outcrop at the top of a cliff.
More Information: Hiker’s Notebook
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/9/12
Observation Time: 3:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Sandy Ridge Circle
Common Name: Viscid Violet Cort mushroom
Scientific Name: Cortinarius iodes
Comments: This striking violet mushroom has a watery sheen.
More Information: American Mushrooms
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/6/11
Observation Time: 1:15 p.m.
Observation Location: bank of Beaver Brook (near tennis courts)
Common Name: Water Forget-Me-Not
Scientific Name: Myosotis scorpioides
Comments: Water forget-me-nots are usually found in damp or wet habitats, such as bogs, ponds, streams, ditches, fen and rivers. While it favors wet ground, it can survive submerged in water, and often can form floating rafts.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/12/09
Observation Time: 11:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond (near the dam)
Common Name: Water Lily
Scientific Name: Nymphaea odorata
Comments: It usually flowers only from early morning until noon. The black specks in the first photo might be black aphids.
More Information: The University of Texas at Austin
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/13/13
Observation Time: 11:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Water Shield
Scientific Name: Brasenia schreberi
Comments: Leaf floats like a water lily, but the stem is attached in middle.
More Information: USDA Forest Service
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/24/09
Observation Time: 12:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Margin of wetland behind Hunter’s Ridge
Common Name: White Baneberry (a.k.a. “Doll’s Eyes”)
Scientific Name: Actaea pachypoda
Comments: Needs continuously damp soil. Seeds, which are highly toxic, were once used as eyes for rag dolls.
More Information: Dave’s Garden
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/9/12
Observation Time: 3:15 p.m.
Observation Location: Sandy Ridge Circle
Common Name: White Baneberry, or Doll’s Eyes
Scientific Name: Actaea pachypoda
Comments: Both the berries and the entire plant are considered poisonous to humans. The berries contain cardiogenic toxins which can have an immediate sedative effect on human cardiac muscle tissue, and are the most poisonous part of the plant. Ingestion of the berries can lead to cardiac arrest and death.
The berries are harmless to birds, the plant’s primary seed dispersers.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Deborah Radovsky
Observation Date: 11/10/17
Observation time: unknown
Observation Location: Moose Hill, Vernal Pool Trail
Common Name: White Pine
Scientific Name: Pinus strobus
Comments: White pines are very common in Sharon.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Deborah Radovsky
Observation Date: 12/20/18
Observation Time: early morning
Observation Location: Conservation trail near the lake (dog park trail)
Common Name: White Pine
Scientific Name: Pinus strobus
Comments: White pines can live over 500 years and grow to more than 150 feet tall.
More Information: Wikipedia
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/18/20
Observation Time: 11:50 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (formerly the Kendall Estate)
Common Name: White Vervain
Scientific Name: Verbena urticifolia
Comments: I initially identified this plant using a cool app called Seek. Normally white vervain has green leaves, so I sent my photo of this red-leaved specimen to a botanist, who verified that it is indeed white vervain.
The name vervain is derived from the Celtic ferfaen, that is from fer (to drive away) and from faen (a stone). In early times the plant was used for afflictions of the bladder, such as kidney stones. The species name, urticifolia, means it has nettle-like leaves.
More Information: Friends of the Wildflower Garden
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 10/6/19
Observation Time: 2:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Near Beaver Brook
Common Name: White Wood Aster
Scientific Name: Eurybia divaricata
Comments: Eurybia divaricata is native to Eastern U.S. and typically grows in the wild in dry open woods. It grows in loose clumps with dark, sprawling, sometimes zigzag stems up to 2.5′ tall. Distinctive leaves are heart-shaped, stalked and coarsely toothed. Small but abundant flowers (to 1 inch across) have white rays and yellow to red center disks and appear in flat-topped, terminal clusters in late summer to early fall. Attractive to butterflies.
More information: Missouri Botanical Gardens
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/25/23
Observation Time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: White-edged Sedge
Scientific Name: Carex debilis
Comments: The drooping seed stalks are characteristic.
More Information: Go Botany
