Plant – Page 11 – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Milkweed flower – 6/27/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/27/15 Observation Time: 2:45 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond area Common Name: Milkweed flower Scientific Name: Asclepias syriaca Comments: Many species of butterflies including monarchs depend on milkweed as a food source for their caterpillars. The advent of genetically modified “Roundup-ready” corn and soybeans has facilitated large-scale application of herbicides, reducing the availability of milkweed to migrating monarchs. Hence, the monarch […]

Yellow Hawkweed – 6/26/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/26/15 Observation Time: 1:40 p.m. Observation Location: meadow near Morse and Lakeview Streets Common Name: Yellow Hawkweed Scientific Name: Hieracium caespitosum Comments: Yellow hawkweed is native to Europe and was introduced as an ornamental into New York in 1879. It is now a destructive weed of pastureland. It can colonize a wide range of habitats with sandy or gravelly soils. More Information: Go Botany

Palmate Hop Clover – 6/25/15

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: Palmate Hop Clover Scientific Name: Trifolium aureum Comments: Palmate hop clover is an exotic species that is widespread in New England. The common name derives from the fact that as the flower heads age, the florets fold down and become brown, resembling dried […]

Spotted St. John’s Wort – 6/25/15

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 […]

Cypress Spurge – 6/12/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/12/15 Observation Time: 4:30 p.m. Observation Location: conservation land at Lakeview & Morse Streets Common Name: Cypress Spurge Scientific Name: Euphorbia cyparissias Comments: Cypress spurge is an invasive perennial plant from Eurasia. Its extensive underground root system spreads by means of lateral root buds. It proliferates into large clonal colonies. Baltimore checkerspot butterflies feed on cypress spurge flowers. More Information: Vermont Invasives […]

Black Locust tree – 5/30/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/15 Observation Time: 3:30 p.m. Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: Black Locust tree Scientific Name: Robinia pseudocacia Comments: The blossoms of black locust trees are good to eat, but beware of the thorns. More Information: The Foraged Foodie

American Chestnut tree – 4/19/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/19/15 Observation Time: 2:35 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: American Chestnut Scientific Name: Castanea dentata Comments: American chestnut was once very common in New England, but it has been practically wiped out by the chestnut blight, a pathogenic fungus. The fungus does not kill the roots, which continue to send up shoots for years. However, the fungus usually prevents […]

Wisteria – 5/27/14

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/14 Observation Time: 6:50 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Wisteria Scientific Name: Wisteria spp. Comments: Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae), that includes ten species of woody climbing vines that are native to China, Korea, and Japan and as an introduced species to the Eastern United States. More […]

Whorled Loosestrife – 6/14/09

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/14/09 Observation Time: 11:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm, Trustees of Reservations land Common Name: Whorled Loosestrife Scientific Name: Lysimachia quadrifolia More Information: Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake 3 Whorls: 4 Whorls: 5 Whorls:

White Baneberry – 9/9/12

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 […]

White Baneberry – 8/24/09

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

Water Shield – 7/13/13

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

Water Lily – 9/12/09

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

Water Forget-Me-Not – 6/6/11

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: […]

Viscid Violet Cort mushroom – 9/9/12

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

Sweetfern – 5/23/10

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 […]

Sweet Pepperbush (Summersweet) – 7/31/10

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

Sweet Everlasting – 9/22/11

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

Swamp Azalea – 6/24/10

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

Sulphur Shelf Mushroom – 9/22/13

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

Staghorn Sumac – 7/25/10

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 […]

Silver Cinquefoil – 6/29/11

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

Sassafras – 6/26/10

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 […]

Russula Mushroom – 9/9/12

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

Royal Fern – 5/12/11

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

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