Botanical Quiz

[Loddfafner]

Here is a botanical version of the geography quiz. As with similar threads, whoever answers the question to the poster's satisfaction (confirmed by a response) gets to post the next one. If it goes unsolved for a few days then anyone can barge in with a fresh question. So, to get things started:

What are the English and Latin names of this plant, and where does it grow?

[Electronic God-Man]

White Pitcher Plant - Sarracenia leucophylla

It grows in the moist and low-nutrient longleaf pine savannas along the United States Gulf Coast generally west of the Apalachicola River on the Florida Panhandle.

I spent way too much time trying to get that name for a quiz that I will have zero future success in.

[Loddfafner]

White Pitcher Plant - Sarracenia leucophylla

It grows in the moist and low-nutrient longleaf pine savannas along the United States Gulf Coast generally west of the Apalachicola River on the Florida Panhandle.

I spent way too much time trying to get that name for a quiz that I will have zero future success in.

Correct! Your turn...

[Electronic God-Man]

Hmm...this one looked kind of cool.

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1378&d=1239506075"]http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1378&d=1239506075

[Loki]

It's a cycad, but which one? :confused:

[Loddfafner]

Encephalartos sclavoi, a cycad from Tanzania. Dinosaur food.

[Loki]

Encephalartos sclavoi

[Electronic God-Man]

It's a cycad, but which one? :confused:

Sure is. Which leads me to my next question....how do you people know this stuff off-hand? :D

[Electronic God-Man]

Encephalartos sclavoi, a cycad from Tanzania. Dinosaur food.

Yep, you got it first.

Your turn.

[Loki]

Sure is. Which leads me to my next question....how do you people know this stuff off-hand? :D

With age comes wisdom. :p

[Loddfafner]

Sure is. Which leads me to my next question....how do you people know this stuff off-hand? :D

Some plants are not easily forgotten. Like this one:

[Loki]

Titan arum, the corpse flower.

[Aemma]

White Pitcher Plant - Sarracenia leucophylla

It grows in the moist and low-nutrient longleaf pine savannas along the United States Gulf Coast generally west of the Apalachicola River on the Florida Panhandle.

I spent way too much time trying to get that name for a quiz that I will have zero future success in.

LOL! Oh I can empathise Soten. You should have seen the time I put in to last night's botanical question. Dear gods! LOL! :D

You did well though so chin up my man! :)

[Loddfafner]

Titan arum, the corpse flower.

Correct, though missing its borderline obscene scientific name. It is a major news item whenever one of these blooms in captivity, which is not often. I saw one in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden a few years ago. It did not reek as bad as reputed, and what smell there was could have come from the nearby concession stand.

[Loki]

Correct, though missing its borderline obscene scientific name. It is a major news item whenever one of these blooms in captivity, which is not often. I saw one in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden a few years ago. It did not reek as bad as reputed, and what smell there was could have come from the nearby concession stand.

Amorphophallus titanum, indeed. :p

[Electronic God-Man]

Where does this Corpse Flower grow?

I think we should try to stick with English name/Latin name/places where it grows. That way we can all learn...or at least try to.

[Loki]

What is this?

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1380&stc=1&d=1239507800

[Loddfafner]

Where does this Corpse Flower grow?

I think we should try to stick with English name/Latin name/places where it grows. That way we can all learn...or at least try to.

It is native to Sumatra. It is the world's largest flower if you don't look too closely and see that it is actually a gigantic flower spike covered in zillions of tiny flowers.

[Loddfafner]

What is this?

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1380&stc=1&d=1239507800

Is it an orchid from the genus masdevallia from the highlands of South America?

[Loki]

Is it an orchid from the genus masdevallia from the highlands of South America?

It is an orchid, but not from that genus and not from that continent either. Granted it looks a lot like a masdevallia.

[Loddfafner]

Disa uniflora, an orchid that grows near streams and waterfalls in Cape Province, South Africa.

[Loki]

Disa uniflora, an orchid that grows near streams and waterfalls in Cape Province, South Africa.

Correct!

[Loddfafner]

What is this:

[Aemma]

It looks like a type of ivy (hedera)?

[Loddfafner]

It grows like ivy but is completely unrelated.

[Aemma]

Is it a climbing fern (Lygodium)?

[Skandi]

Virginia creeper? Parthenocissus quinquefolia

[Loddfafner]

Is it a climbing fern (Lygodium)?

You got the genus pinned down. Can you get the species and range?


Thrymheim, no it is not Virginia creeper, which is much more coarse and resembles poison ivy.

[Aemma]

Species Name:
Lygodium microphyllum Cav. R.Br.

Common Name(s):
Old World Climbing Fern, Small Leaf Climbing Fern

Synonymy:
Lygodium scandens (L.), Ugena microphylla Cav. R.Br.

Regional Occurrence:
L. microphyllum is believed native from Africa to Southeast Asia, Australia, and the islands of the South Pacific (Langeland and Craddock Burks 1998).

In Florida, Pemberton et al. (2002a) report that L. microphyllum is a common invader in wet habitats such as bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) stands, wet prairies, saw grass (Cladium jamaicense) marshes, Everglades tree islands and mangrove marshes. Upland pine flatwoods are also vulnerable to invasion as are disturbed habitats.

As of 2002, L. microphyllum was thought to be limited to approximately the southern one-third of Florida from Highlands County south on the Gulf coast and from Brevard County south on the east coast (Pemberton et al. 2002a). The species is particularly threatening to tree islands within the Everglades region where both the density and spread of L. microphyllum are steadily increasing (Ferriter et al. 2005).

?????

[Aemma]

Hmm perhaps it resembles Lygodium Japonicum a tad more??? Range: "India through eastern and southeastern Asia, extending to the Philippines (GRIN)."

?????

[Loki]

Climbing Fern (Hartford Fern)
Lygodium palmatum

Range:

http://plants.usda.gov/maps/large/LY/LYPA3.png

[Aemma]

Climbing Fern (Hartford Fern)
Lygodium palmatum

Range:

http://plants.usda.gov/maps/large/LY/LYPA3.png

Dang I think you've got it Loki! :mad: :p

http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/ferns/lygodiumpalm.html

[Loddfafner]

Climbing Fern (Hartford Fern)
Lygodium palmatum



Correct! Lygodium microphyllum is an invasive weed in subtropical zones; L. Japonicum is a nice houseplant until scales discover it but it still lacks the charm of the temperate American Hartford fern. L. palmatum is now so rare that I have yet to find it in the wild. Supposedly, it became rare because Colonial settlers used it excessively for decoration.

I am glad to see that my modest specimen from a reputable nursery has made it through the winter.

Back to you, Loki!

[Loki]

What is this, and where is it found?

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1384&stc=1&d=1239550942

[Skandi]

Erica regia?

or Elim heath


Erica regia is a very popular garden plant in South Africa and features in many of the older gardening books. It is quite easy to grow and has very attractive flowers, which attract nectar-feeding birds. It is found in various colours, but the variegated white and red form is particularly sought after. This species is endangered in its natural habitat and its popularity amongst gardeners can help save it from extinction.

[Aemma]

It looks like some form of vetch is my preliminary guess. Unfortunately now I have to get ready for further Easter festivities. :( Oh well....I'll see you chaps a tad later. :) Have fun and wonderful thread btw Lodd. I love it. I much prefer it to churches. ;)

[Loki]

Erica regia?

or Elim heath

You've got the genus right! Now find the correct species. :)

[Skandi]

Knew it was a heather

[Aemma]

:bump2:


What no resolution to this one yet??? :eek:

[Aemma]

Erica mammosa

:D

[Loki]

Erica mammosa

:D

Correct Aemma! :thumb001:

Your turn.

[Aemma]

Ok I'm not quite sure if this will be an easy one or a difficult one, but let's give it a whirl shall we?

Pic taken by yours truly. I'm not looking for anything fancy here, just tell me what this is if you can figure it out. :)


http://i42.tinypic.com/dela9c.jpg

[Loddfafner]

Is it an arum of some sort?

[Loddfafner]

Is it a sunflower?

[Loddfafner]

(confirmed in chatbox)

Now for a strange little weed:

[Brynhild]

Is that one a type of trap? And is it on the Eastern seaboard, tropical?

[Loddfafner]

Yes it is a trap. It grows in Western Australia.

[Brynhild]

An Albany pitcher - Cephalotus Follicularis.

[Loddfafner]

An Albany pitcher - Cephalotus Follicularis.

Correct! You are up!

[Brynhild]

The scientific and modern name for this flower please, and location:

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm30/brynhild64/Pretty.jpg

[Loddfafner]

The genus is eremophila.
Species may be latrobei. If so the common name varies: turkeybush, honeysuckle, fuschia.
Location: Australia

[Brynhild]

Location is correct. Try again. :D I'll offer this clue. This flower - and others like it - attracts birds that eat the nectar.

[Loddfafner]

Grevillea confertifolia
Common name: Grevillea.
"Woodland and open forest in western Victoria (Grampians ranges)."

[Brynhild]

You're close. There are variations of grevillea and this is one of them. I believe the location would be correct also.

[Loddfafner]

G. Wilsonii?

[Brynhild]

No. I will offer that the modern and scientific name carries the name of another plant.

[Loddfafner]

Grevillea lavandulacea / Lavendar Grevillea?

[Brynhild]

That gave it away! Good work!

[Loddfafner]

The genus, common name, and which side of which continent will suffice for this one as there are far too many local endemic species.

Extra rep if you do get the species of the larger specimen here, and the former president's home that is within its range.

[Aemma]

The tree looks like a silk-cotton tree found in Brazil; Ceiba Tree [Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn.]

[Loddfafner]

The tree looks like a silk-cotton tree found in Brazil; Ceiba Tree [Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn.]

Not even close.

Clue: its seeds need the help of fire to sprout.

[Aemma]

Is it a protea?

[Loddfafner]

Is it a protea?

Nein. Note the color of the wood.

[Aemma]

Can you give us another hint Lodd? Pretty please?!!! :)

[Loddfafner]

Can you give us another hint Lodd? Pretty please?!!! :)

The berries are edible but not very good. Here are some more images of the same genus:

[Aemma]

A manzanita tree?


Manzanita is a common name for many species of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia in Canada, Washington to California and New Mexico in the United States, and throughout much of northern and central Mexico. They are characterized by smooth, orange or red bark and stiff, twisting branches. There are about 60 species of manzanita, ranging from ground-hugging coastal and mountain species to small trees up to 6m tall. Manzanitas bloom in the winter to early spring and carry berries in spring and summer. The berries and flowers of most species are edible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanita


Edit: The berries do look like 'little apples' from which the tree derives its Spanish name.

[Loddfafner]

A manzanita tree?



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanita

Yes! Manzanita means "little apple" in Spanish. The bush I first posted is endemic to the area around Reagan's ranch. It seems that just about every other canyon holds its own endemic species.

[Aemma]

Arctostaphylos columbiana...species of larger one?

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi...species of smaller one?

[Loddfafner]

Arctostaphylos columbiana...species of larger one?

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi...species of smaller one?

The large one is a. refugioensis. The others I don't know. A. uva-ursi is much smaller and tighter. It is a groundcover that grows on shorelines and mountaintops and is the only member of the genus that grows in the east. They are much more common in Canada than down here so maybe you have stepped on one unwittingly.

[Aemma]

Ok, a bit of a variation on the theme...

A riddle instead I offer thee
of serpents and giants that are mine enemy
post if you will that part of my botanical face
yes, right here, at this very place! :p

(Well I'm no poet, but YOU get the picture...literally!)

:D

[Loddfafner]

Are you looking for a plant that is favored by Thor (or a related God) such as the oak, or one that is named after him?

[Aemma]

Are you looking for a plant that is favored by Thor (or a related God) such as the oak, or one that is named after him?


Named after a God. :)

This one was way too easy wasn't it Lodd. :( Oh well.

[Loddfafner]

Thor's beard, alias houseleek, Sempervivum tectorum?

[Aemma]

Thor's beard, alias houseleek, Sempervivum tectorum?

Yep you got it! Your turn! :)

[Loddfafner]

Clue: "Its a ... after all!"

[Skandi]

Thor's beard, alias houseleek, Sempervivum tectorum?

I have never heard that called Thor's beard before, There is a local name for it here.

"Welcome home husband however drunk you be"

[Skandi]

Isotria medeoloides
Small whorled pogonia
What a strange plant!

This plant is believed to be self-pollinating by mechanical processes. The flower lacks both nectar guides and fragrance. There is no evidence for asexual reproduction. Individual plants may not flower every year; and extended dormancy, although not scientifically documented, is purported to occur under certain conditions.

[Loddfafner]

Isotria medeoloides
Small whorled pogonia
What a strange plant!

This plant is believed to be self-pollinating by mechanical processes. The flower lacks both nectar guides and fragrance. There is no evidence for asexual reproduction. Individual plants may not flower every year; and extended dormancy, although not scientifically documented, is purported to occur under certain conditions.

Yes! It's a 'small whorled' after all. It is rare, and its dormancy and reluctance to bloom do not make it easier to find it or for it to reproduce. This nondescript orchid in effect deserves a Darwin award. I saw it once, somewhere in the Alleghenies, but it was not in bloom.

[Skandi]

I so wanted a go on this quiz :) I take lot's of plant and fungus photographs, at present I am trying to collect all the edible and medicinal plants about here. this is neither by the way.

1439

[Loddfafner]

Stellaria graminea, or lesser stitchwort. It is native to Eurasia. It is listed in Peterson's guide to the wildflowers of North America as an alien. So when we get done expelling the Mexicans, the lesser stitchwort is next.

[Aemma]

It puts me in mind of an osteospermum.

[Skandi]

Stellaria graminea, or lesser stitchwort. It is native to Eurasia. It is listed in Peterson's guide to the wildflowers of North America as an alien. So when we get done expelling the Mexicans, the lesser stitchwort is next.


Stellaria yes but not graminea The scale of those flowers is about 2.5 cm across.

[Aemma]

So if I go by what you posted Lodd, it is a chickweed then according to what the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers says. Is this right?

[Aemma]

stellaria pubera?

aka Star Chickweed

[Skandi]

Chickweed is also Stellaria but this isn't a chickweed (Not in English) anyway

Chickweed is stellaria media

[Loddfafner]

Is it the greater stitchwort, Stellaria holostea?

[Skandi]

stellaria pubera?

No I took the photo, in Scotland.


Loddfafner is correct :) although I found lots of photos on the net with the wrong name on them.

[Electronic God-Man]

It is native to Eurasia. It is listed in Peterson's guide to the wildflowers of North America as an alien. So when we get done expelling the Mexicans, the lesser stitchwort is next.

Yeah, I caught a lesser stitchwort trying to steal my car radio just last week. This is getting out of hand!

[Loddfafner]

There is one of these on a Faroese stamp:

[Skandi]

common butterwort?
Pinguicula vulgaris

[Loddfafner]

common butterwort?
Pinguicula vulgaris

Yes! Norwegian peasants used them to curdle milk. It is a circumpolar arctic carnivore that eats gnats and mosquitos. I keep some tropical varieties around for that purpose.

[Skandi]

We get them in the south of England too. Hmm, I need to look through some photos give me a minute.

Slight spin, there are four edible plants in this photo and three non edible, what are the edible plants called?

1447


The plant you can only just see is this one.

1446

[Skandi]

Yes! Norwegian peasants used them to curdle milk. It is a circumpolar arctic carnivore that eats gnats and mosquitos. I keep some tropical varieties around for that purpose.


I have a book that says,in homoeopathy an extract, prepared from fresh material, is prescribed for whooping cough and nervous throat-irritations. In the home an infusion(2tbs per cup water, stand for 3 mins)3-4 times a day can be used for colds and coughs.

[Loddfafner]

Those are roadside weeds.

[Ulf]

what are the edible plants called?

Food.

[Skandi]

Those are roadside weeds.

Yes they can all be found growing in waste land, but a weed is only a plant growing where it is not wanted.


Food.
Yup, want some?


Hint's one has already been mentioned by Aemma, one every five year old child knows, the other two both have common names that involve spices.

[Aemma]

Chickweed! :D

[Skandi]

yup chickweed is one, come on people!

[Loddfafner]

Dock, garlic mustard (my nemesis),and as for the fluffy white flower, I cant get a clear enough picture but boneset seems a plausible candidate. A closeup of the flower parts and leaf shape would help.

Garlic mustard is as weedy as weeds get, at least in America where it is an invasive species that outcompetes native plants by poisoning the mycorrhizal fungi in the soil.

[Skandi]

Here hedge mustard (your garlic mustard) is a occasional herb, it's particularly nice in salads.

Dock wasn't one of the edible ones :)

So far chickweed and hedge mustard are correct, for the sake of speed I'll take Dock,


There is an incredibly common plant in that photo, it isn't in flower but is high in Iron, makes a good wash for hair too.


the flower of the fluffy plant looks like this;
1461
you smell these before you get to them

[Aemma]

Well it looks like I see a mint of some kind in the foreground but I'm not really sure. :)

Edit: Is the ground cover a thyme as well?

[Skandi]

Nope not mint this stuff would hurt if you are it raw.

[Aemma]

stinging nettle?

[Skandi]

Yes Aemma which is why everyone should know it! (where it grows anyway)

Ok only one more left, the last plant of which I posted a second picture is of the alium family.

These are all really common plants over here, I thought they would be easy, but none of the Brits are playing :(.

And no you've already got the ground cover it's chickweed

[Loddfafner]

Wild leek?

[Aemma]

wild garlic then?

[Aemma]

LOL I used quick reply but obviously wasn't quick enough! :D

[Skandi]

Give me the Latin someone! I've never heard those two but they are probably the correct plant

[Loddfafner]

Wild Leek is Allium tricoccum here. I take it that your version is Allium ampeloprasum.

[Skandi]

Wild Leek is Allium tricoccum here. I take it that your version is Allium ampeloprasum.


Nope sorry Allium yes tricoccum no these don't seem to grow in the UK

[Loddfafner]

A. Ursinum?

[Skandi]

Yes Loddfafner your go, now I can have fun!

[Loddfafner]

These grow in castle walls. They are rare in America.

[Skandi]

Is that a maidenhair fern?

[Loddfafner]

It is not maidenhair/adiantum.

[Skandi]

Asplenium ruta-muraria

Wall Rue fern?

[Loddfafner]

Asplenium ruta-muraria

Wall Rue fern?

I think you may be right. I thought it was cryptogramma crispa but wall rue looks more likely. Your turn.

[Skandi]

Next


1463

The hint is that Wat would post this one.

[Loddfafner]

dianthus of some sort

[Skandi]

Yes it is a typr of dianthus, it is a wild native type

Watt posted their home in one of the geo quizzes.

[Aemma]

cheddar pinks!

[Skandi]

cheddar pinks!

Yes indeed, did the cheese clue give it away?

[Aemma]

Yes indeed, did the cheese clue give it away?


Yes it did actually. My sister bought a plant last year which I tried to overwinter here...I have to check to see if it made it or not! :p

Funny but I couldn't get the pic to download but the clue did it for me.

My turn then?

[Aemma]

Ok, please give me the 2 common names for this plant as well as its order and family in terms of its classification :)

http://i43.tinypic.com/vfkrwx.jpg

[Loddfafner]

Cleome
Spider Flower, Spider Plant
Cleome hassleriana
Order: Cleomaceae
Family: "Previously it had been placed in family Capparaceae, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae genera to be more closely related to Brassicaceae than Capparaceae"

[Aemma]

Cleome
Spider Flower, Spider Plant
Cleome hassleriana
Order: Cleomaceae
Family: "Previously it had been placed in family Capparaceae, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae genera to be more closely related to Brassicaceae than Capparaceae"


Well done Monsieur Loddfafner. C'est bien ton tour. :)

[Loddfafner]

I want to grow these:

[Ulf]

I want to grow these:

Peyote?

[Loddfafner]

Peyote?

Of course!

[Ulf]

What plant is depicted here and what is it's significance?

[Ulf]

Here.

[Loddfafner]

Silphium was a medicinal herb related to fennel that grew in Libya until it went extinct in the 1st century AD.

[Ulf]

Silphium was a medicinal herb related to fennel that grew in Libya until it went extinct in the 1st century AD.

Winner.

Although I was looking for:

Aside from its uses in Greco-Roman cooking (as in recipes by Apicius), many medical uses were ascribed to the plant. It was said that it could be used to treat cough, sore throat, fever, indigestion, aches and pains, warts, and all kinds of maladies. Chief among its medical uses, according to Pliny the Elder, was its role as a herbal contraceptive.[5] Given that many species in the parsley family have estrogenic properties, and some (such as wild carrot) have been found to work as an abortifacient, it is quite possible that the plant was pharmacologically active in the prevention or termination of pregnancy. Legend said that it was a gift from the god Apollo. It was used widely by most ancient Mediterranean cultures; the Romans considered it "worth its weight in denarii."

[Loddfafner]

Identify this dull little woodland plant:

[Aemma]

wintergreen?

[Loddfafner]

wintergreen?

No, that is much lower to the ground and shinier.

[Aemma]

ginseng?

[Ulf]

Goldenseal?

[Loddfafner]

ginseng?

Yes, but which species?

[Loki]

Yes, but which species?

Panax quinquefolius, the American Ginseng.

If correct I give it to Aemma. I would never have guessed it was ginseng. I'm like a hyaena who picks up on others' leads and them completing them. ;)

[Loddfafner]

Panax quinquefolius, the American Ginseng.

If correct I give it to Aemma. I would never have guessed it was ginseng. I'm like a hyaena who picks up on others' leads and them completing them. ;)

This is correct. It is not dwarf ginseng nor any of its foreign relations. Note the 5-part leaves (similar to Virginia creeper) and the position of the berries. Without the berries, it would be indistinguishable from a young hickory sapling without examining the stem. I have often thought I stumbled on one only to discover that it was just a baby hickory. Once I did find a nice patch and made the mistake of telling people. Word must have gone around because next time I walked through those woods, they were gone.

[Aemma]

:) By all rights it is your turn Loki. So please go ahead. At least I got part of it right which suits me fine. :thumbs up

[Loki]

What is this?

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1493&stc=1&d=1239936703

[Skandi]

Wollemi Pine?

[Loki]

Wollemi Pine?

Yes! :)

[Skandi]

Yay that was a guess

next

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1495&d=1239938128
1495

[Loki]

That's some kind of ground orchid I guess ...

[Skandi]

we don't have any other types!

I nearly cried that day, it was damn hot and I ran out of drink and had a 10 mile walk to the pick up point over the top of the downs.

[Loki]

Bee Orchid - Ophrys apifera

[Skandi]

Bee Orchid - Ophrys apifera

yes indeed, this one came from Studland head last June, your go.

[Loki]

I love orchids. To me, they're the goddesses of the flower kingdom. Yes, they're female. :p

Since we're onto orchids, which species is this?

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1496&stc=1&d=1239939250

[Skandi]

cymbidium? although I have never seen a spotted one.

[Loddfafner]

Ansellia africana, the leopard orchid.

[Skandi]

Spots idiot, Leopard Orchid?

too late :(

[Loki]

Ansellia africana, the leopard orchid.

I'll give it to you, good guess. Apparently this one is Ansellia gigantea nilotica (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ansellia_gigantea_nilotica.jpg).

Ansellias grow wild where I come from in South Africa. Fascinating, they're very epiphytic and can be seen in trees near my parents' home.

[Loddfafner]

My source was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansellia which shows the same picture.

Anyways, here is another. It blooms in an unlikely time for its habitat.

[Loddfafner]

Clue: liliacieae with a comically ironic species name.

[Skandi]

Weed's Mariposa Lily, Calochortus fimbriata (old name: weedii var. vestus), ??

[Loddfafner]

Weed's Mariposa Lily, Calochortus fimbriata (old name: weedii var. vestus), ??

Yes, that is it.

Have they really changed its name from weedii? That takes the fun out of it, and not just for the comedy of the name. It is what my grandmother called it when I brought her one that I had found growing near some mountain lion footprints. I thought she was insulting my gift which was just about the only thing in bloom in the hottest, driest part of the summer until she pointed it out in a guide to the local flora.

[Skandi]

This is a young shoot of the plant in question.


http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1535&d=1240090474
1535

[Loddfafner]

Is it silverfern?

[Skandi]

No it isn't in many areas of the world this fern is considered a pest, it is poisonous to livestock but has been used by American Indians, Maori, Europeans and Japanese as a major food source, some studies have implicated it in the high occurrence of stomach cancers in Japan.

[Loddfafner]

That would be bracken (Pteridium aquilinum).

[Skandi]

That would be bracken (Pteridium aquilinum).

Yes your go again! Is anyone else going to join us?

[Loddfafner]

One of those classic books on wild edible plants has a chapter on preparing this:

[Loddfafner]

If you cannot recognize this plant, you really should learn it and learn it well if you live within its range. And considering that it is the very opposite of endangered, you would do well to learn what it is in case it spreads to your land.

[Jamt]

Chickweed?

[Loddfafner]

Chickweed?

No, chickweed can be a nuisance but it won't hurt you.

[Skandi]

Japanese knotweed?

[Loddfafner]

Japanese knotweed?

No, that is a much bigger plant. Knotweed, contrary to the sound of its name, is very much a weed and is so invasive that I've been fighting the same patch for maybe ten years.

[Aemma]

Is it wild sarsaparilla?

Hmm perhaps poison oak instead?

Ok, poison ivy? :p

[Allenson]

Is it wild sarsaparilla?

Hmm perhaps poison oak instead?

Ok, poison ivy? :p

You nailed it Aemma. That would be poison ivy, aka Toxicodendron radicans.

Nasty shit.

[Loddfafner]

You nailed it Aemma. That would be poison ivy, aka Toxicodendron radicans.

Nasty shit.

Dalton provided the Latin name so he has the next round.

As for my hint about it being edible, that was because Euell Gibbons, in one of his books that inspired the rediscovery of wild edible plants, actually included a chapter on poison ivy. Of course it has to be carefully prepared but it is not a recipe I would ever try, especially after discovering that jack-in-the-pulpit roots are still much hotter than any chili pepper even after following all the directions for preparing it safely.

Supposedly, poison ivy evolved to be eaten and have its seeds spread around so it contains lots of nutrients. Its poison is not one of those that protects a plant from pests. It is only an evolutionary accident that its oils cause such an allergic reaction in humans.

[Electronic God-Man]

Actually, an old friend of my Dad's used to tell my brother and me that if you ate poison ivy you wouldn't ever get a rash from it.

We didn't believe him. Next thing we know he is in our backyard rolling around in a big batch of poison ivy and eating the leafs. He never got a rash either. He said that if you eat it once every year you build an immunity to the toxin.

[Jamt]

O shit it was Swedish "brännässlor", even I knew that.

[Angharad]

Wow, you threw me off with the edible bit. I was thinking that it looked like poison ivy. So how do you eat that and not get sick?

Let's see your plant Dalton.

[Allenson]

Sorry! I was thinking that Aemma got it--I only seconded her notion. ;)

Anyway, here's one. It exists in both Europe & North America but its native range is in Eurpoe itself. Here, it is considered a 'naturalized' species and it is the only member of it's very large clan (in strict taxonomy: Family) to have naturalized itself in North America:

http://tribes.eresmas.net/fotos/flor/Monocot/Orchidaceae/Epipactis/E_helleborine_tremolsii/C691_Ager/epipactis_helleborine_tremolsii_03_p0c691_ager_4.j pg


http://www.gtpoulsen.dk/Epipactis%20helleborine%201.jpg

[Skandi]

broad leaved helleborine? Epipactis hellebororine

[Allenson]

Ding ding ding! We have a winner. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epipactis

Perhaps I should have disguised my URLs. Only teasing. ;)

You're up Thrymheim!

[Skandi]

I didn't notice the url! That would have made things easier :( I just went and got the flower book off of the shelf, not too many orchids in europe, worst bit was figuring out which helleborine it was.


http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1570&d=1240587437
1570

[Loddfafner]

Epipactis helleborine is the only orchid that qualifies as a weed. I once lost a landscaping job because I could not bring myself to yank them up.

[Loddfafner]

Flax, linum usitatissimum

[Skandi]

Yes this is Flax growing in the wild, certainly not a weed!

mutter mutter mutter, weeds indeed

[Loddfafner]

These should be out in force this weekend:

[Aemma]

Virginia Blue Bells - Mertensia virginica

Likes partial shade, some moisture and rich soil. Clusters of nodding bell like flowers are surrounded by oblong basal leaves. Plants disappear in summer after blooms are gone.

These are in bloom now? Lucky!!! :)

[Loddfafner]

Virginia Blue Bells - Mertensia virginica

Likes partial shade, some moisture and rich soil. Clusters of nodding bell like flowers are surrounded by oblong basal leaves. Plants disappear in summer after blooms are gone.

These are in bloom now? Lucky!!! :)

You are correct! I will find out in the morning if they are really out. Soon they will bloom up in in Canada, too.

[Aemma]

You are correct! I will find out in the morning if they are really out. Soon they will bloom up in in Canada, too.

Hey look at me! And this time I didn't forget the botanical name! :D

So where are you going to see them Lodd? I guess they grow up here in Ottawa as well? We're in a tad cooler zone than Toronto.

Ok, I need to look for a pic...brb :)

[Aemma]

Ok this is probably an easy one, but hey it's late! :D

http://i41.tinypic.com/53kcrd.jpg

[Loddfafner]

Is it a White violet, Viola sororia ?

[Aemma]

Is it a White violet, Viola sororia ?

Close Lodd...it is a viola of some kind but not that one. :)

Wanna hint? :D

[Loddfafner]

Viola persicifolia?

[Aemma]

Viola persicifolia?


Nope, not quite. Think of a certain super duper mod here and you'll find your answer. :P :D

[Loddfafner]

Viola riviniana?

[Aemma]

Viola riviniana?

Hehehe Nope!

*Aemma saunters off into the Canadian woods enjoying the sweet smell in the air and the splendour of understory life which occurs in the Spring :D

[Aemma]

:bump2:

Got another guess for this one Lodd? :p

:D...Aemma

[Loki]

Viola canadensis

[Aemma]

Viola canadensis


Et voilà!!! The prize goes to the lovely man from South Africa. :)

[Loki]

What tree is this?

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1607&stc=1&d=1240805126

[Aemma]

Ooooo pretty! Off the cuff, it looks like a Rain Tree. :)

[Loki]

Ooooo pretty! Off the cuff, it looks like a Rain Tree. :)

Nope :)

[Loddfafner]

Is it English Oak, Quercus robur?

[Loki]

Is it English Oak, Quercus robur?

No, it is not. Looks like it though :)

[Loddfafner]

Is it an oak?

What do its leaves look like?

Is it Sethefrican?

[Loki]

Is it an oak?

What do its leaves look like?

Is it Sethefrican?

Not an oak.

It can be found all over Europe. Leaf attached:

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1608&stc=1&d=1240806870

The tree in my original pic is 900 years old.

[Aemma]

elm tree

[Loki]

elm tree

Nope

[Aemma]

European Beech tree

Found in Field, Bavaria, Germany.

Fagus sylvatica

[Loki]

European Beech tree

Found in Field, Bavaria, Germany.

Correct Aemma! :D :thumb001:

The forest nearby where I live is also full of beech trees. :)

Your go, I'm calling it a day.

[Loddfafner]

It is a beech, fagus sylvatica. This particular specimen is in Bavaria.

I will refrain from the obvious bad puns.

[Aemma]

It is a beech, fagus sylvatica. This particular specimen is in Bavaria.

I will refrain from the obvious bad puns.

Next time, don't refrain. They're always fun to read! :D

[Loki]

I will refrain from the obvious bad puns.

LOL yes a few are possible. :D

[Aemma]

Ok this one is looking a bit shabby now, but when it comes alive it is gorgeous! What is it?

http://i41.tinypic.com/2u5ff4l.jpg

[Loddfafner]

That looks like a lilac, Syringa sp.

[Aemma]

That looks like a lilac, Syringa sp.

Yup! Syringa vulgaris. :thumb001:

Your turn Lodd :)

[Loddfafner]

The genus will suffice for this one:

[Aemma]

well it kind of has the look of a succulent of some kind to me...a type of sedum perhaps?

[Loddfafner]

well it kind of has the look of a succulent of some kind to me...a type of sedum perhaps?

Nowhere near. Clue: it is small but you can still see it without a magnifying glass.

A medieval drunk might put some false hope into it.

[Aemma]

Nowhere near. Clue: they are small but you can still see them without a magnifying glass.


Gosh if I look any closer I might see the Keebler dudes too. ;)

Ok...I need to look fish around I guess :)

[Aemma]

a lichen of sorts?

[Treffie]

I know my worts! :D

http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/pcmb/osu_pcmb/images/greenhouseimages/liverwort_archegonia.jpg

[Loddfafner]

It is not a lichen. Lichens are more closely related to cats. The palm trees are female parts; the flower like things are male.

[Loddfafner]

I know my worts! :D

http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/pcmb/osu_pcmb/images/greenhouseimages/liverwort_archegonia.jpg

Yes it is a liverwort. Now what genus is it? If you provide a species I would not know if it were right.

[Treffie]

Gametangia?

This bit is interesting


By far, the most important bryophyte is peat moss. It is used as a fuel source, a soil conditioner and in the curing of malt for Scotch whisky. Due to its naturally high acidity, it has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Some other brytophytes, along with lichens, are important as initial colonizers in areas where the habitat has been disturbed, such as after volcanic eruptions.

[Aemma]

marchantia polymorpha

[Loddfafner]

Gametangia?

Those are what its genitals are called. It is not the genus unless there has been some drastic revision of taxonomy that has nto come to my attention.

[Aemma]

^^ see my answer!! :D

[Loddfafner]

marchantia polymorpha

Yes! You got it. Marchantia it is. Keep an eye out for these things in wet shady places growing with the moss. If you look closely, you will see what a bizarre world we live in but overlook.

[Treffie]

Those are what its genitals are called. It is not the genus unless there has been some drastic revision of taxonomy that has nto come to my attention.

Don't worry Lodd, I'm way out of my depth here! :D

[Aemma]

Don't worry Lodd, I'm way out of my depth here! :D


No you're not Tref. You did well! :) :thumb001:

[Loddfafner]

It is all about expanding our depth.

[Aemma]

Ok I would like the botanical name, the common name and for an extra point, the name of this sub-species :)


http://i39.tinypic.com/k6az6.jpg

[Rainraven]

Oh oh oh it's some kind of lavender!! :D

[Aemma]

Oh oh oh it's some kind of lavender!! :D

Yes now go look for what kind it is Rain! :D

[Loddfafner]

Is it Spanish lavendar, Lavandula stoechas?

[Aemma]

Is it Spanish lavendar, Lavandula stoechas?

Excellent Lodd...Point goes to you. Now for an extra one, can you name the subspecies? :)

[Loddfafner]

lusitanica?

[Aemma]

lusitanica?

Yep! Well done! :)

[Loddfafner]

This is a twofer. First, what is the genus of the main green plant, and what is the full Latin name of the reddish one.

[Aemma]

the green bits: sphagnum moss?

Or snakeroot/milkwort?

A heath of some sort?

[Loddfafner]

sphagnum is correct. now what is the other one?

[Aemma]

Is it a type of carnivorous plant?

[Loddfafner]

Is it a type of carnivorous plant?

Yes, it is carnivorous.

[Aemma]

Is it Dionaea muscipula - The Venus Flytrap?

[Loddfafner]

Is it Dionaea muscipula - The Venus Flytrap?

Right family, wrong genus, wrong trapping mechanism.

[Aemma]

Right family, wrong genus, wrong trapping mechanism.

Is it a sundew or butterwort (with a flypaper type of trap)?

[Skandi]

Round-leaf sundew (Drosera. rotundifolia)?

[Loddfafner]

Is it a sundew or butterwort (with a flypaper type of trap)?

Look at pictures of each and see which matches. :) It is a common, temperate species.

[Loddfafner]

Round-leaf sundew (Drosera. rotundifolia)?

Correct!

[Treffie]

Correct!

Typical! Thrym just logs in and gives the answer with ease while I'm stuggling to see if it's a Triffid or not! :mad: :D

[Aemma]

I think Thrym got it! :D