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Track Rock Gap - Botanizing (2020 & 2022) Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, GA |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2020-2022) |
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Track Rock Gap - Botanizing (2020 & 2022) Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, GA |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2020-2022) |
| Botanical finds from more explorations in the general Track Rock Gap vicinity: 1 - Early September, 2020: |
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| My primary target was Swamp Lousewort (Pedicularis lanceolata), shown here in bud |
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| Pedicularis lanceolata is ranked S1 (Critically Imperiled) by the Georgia DNR. Only three populations are known in the state. |
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| I was a little early and only found two plants blooming yet. |
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| Pedicularis lanceolata in habitat... |
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| I spotted some Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) |
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| Also, some Nodding Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes cernua) |
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| 2 - Mid September, 2022: I went to monitor the Swamp Lousewort population. The plants grow on the edge of a powerline ROW, and I could see that the ROW had been cut and sprayed with herbicide. In addition, the top of a cut tree was lying where I had seen the plants in 2020. I only found 3 plants where I had seen 8-10 before; these had just managed to escape the spray zone by about one foot! Fortunately, I also found about a dozen more beyond the nearby swamp. |
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| Swamp Lousewort (Pedicularis lanceolata) |
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| Swamp Lousewort |
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| Swamp Lousewort |
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| I also found White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) in bloom |
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| These flowers were tinted a deeper pink than typical Chelone glabra. |
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| More typically colored White Turtlehead flowers |
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| Fall Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes ovalis var. erostellata) |
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| Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata) |
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| Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) There was almost as much along a creek here as we have in our yard! |
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| A small Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) |