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Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens Late Summer - Fall 2021 Visits |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2021) |
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Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens Late Summer - Fall 2021 Visits |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2021) |
| Mid September 2021 I was up at Corundum Knob to check out some plants, and being so close, decided to check out the nearby Fringed Gentians. It had been overcast all day, so I knew the flowers wouldn't be open; they require sun to fully open up. But they are lovely to see, whether they are fully opened or not. I also saw a lot of the other uncommon fall wildflowers that the area is noted for. |
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| I've been trying to catch these Rattlesnake-roots in bloom for a couple of years and I'm always too late. Oh well, I'll try again next year. I think this is Three-leaved Rattlesnake-root (Nabalus trifoliolatus). |
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| Slender Gerardia (Agalinis tenuifolia) |
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| Large-leafed Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia grandifolia) |
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| Large-leafed Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia grandifolia) |
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| A pair of Parnassia grandifolia flowers |
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| Canada Burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis) |
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| Soapwort Gentian (Gentiana saponaria) This particular plant has clusters of deep blue flowers every year. I knew I was going to be about two too weeks early on this visit.. |
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| Curtiss' Milkwort (Polygala curtissii) I liked the tiny water droplets amongst the petals... |
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| Silverrod, aka White Goldenrod (Solidago bicolor) |
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| Another Gentian species - Stiff Gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia) |
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| Nodding Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes cernua) These orchids were just starting to bloom, and I only saw a few plants. There used to be a nice population of these along the edge of the forest road here, but the Forest Service graded the area where they grew. |
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| A group of Large-leafed Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia grandifolia) |
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| Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita) This was about as opened as any of the flowers got on this overcast day. |
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| A nice inflorescence of Fringed Gentian flowers |
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| View from above, with a few tiny water droplets |
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A few more images of the Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita) flowers: |
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| One last cluster of Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita) flowers. |