These are shots I took mostly at my place this week. We’ll start with this little guy.
Eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
He didn’t want to hold still for me after I took this first shot, so it came out the best. It was overcast and rainy and heading towards sunset when I took it.
Starflower (Trientalis borealis)
The starflowers have bloomed now. I’ve been watching them for a while, and this week was the first time this year I’ve seen one open. There are lots of them in my woods right now.
Here’s another one I’ve been watching, the Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense). This one has only partly opened, and that’s still farther along than most of them in my woods.
Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)
The dwarf ginseng is still in bloom for the most part, but this one has already fruited now. They aren’t in season for very long.
Dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolia)
They do have edible roots, and I dug a few up and ate them last year. They were pretty good. These are along the stone wall bordering my neighbor, and he has cut a lot of trees (he’s getting ready to build a new house). So that lets a lot more sun into my woods, and I don’t know if these will bloom here again or not. They might get out-competed by sun-loving plants next spring. We’ll see.
Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia)
I guess I’ve done the gaywings about to death now, but I liked this triplet. So here you go again.
My chokeberries are blooming now. Most blossoms are still closed, but there are a few brave ones here and there.
Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
The red stamens fade quickly to pink, and then to brown. I like them best when they are red.
I’ve got plenty of wild sarsaparilla to go around. This one is just beginning to bloom.
Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)
Not all of them make flowers. I’d say maybe a quarter of them do. I have no idea why that would be though. Maybe it’s the conditions here, or maybe they are dioecious (i.e., male and female versions).
Here’s another chokeberry. This one has nice and red stamens.
Another chokeberry
And finally, here’s another amphibian for you.
American Toad (Bufo americanus)
If amphibians were bread, this post would be a flower sandwich.
May 12, 2012 at 1:07 am
Nice collection! So interesting for me to see what you have in your area. Of these, we have only the toad.
May 12, 2012 at 7:48 am
Thanks. I always enjoy seeing what you have in Montana too. I will have to go there one of these days.
May 12, 2012 at 1:17 am
Loved the newt, and I am tempted to add a political joke, but I won’t. 🙂
May 12, 2012 at 7:50 am
LOL. I try to stay away from politics too. I’ve seen plenty of newts, but this one was posed on a perfect background. In the subsequent shots he scrambled off the moss and onto some brown leaves. I herded him back, but he was then intent on not staying still.
May 12, 2012 at 3:23 am
Thanks for sharing whats blooming along with the bookend reptiles. Interesting color of the newt.
May 12, 2012 at 7:51 am
It’s hard to beat red dots on an orange background. But I don’t think I could pull that off myself.
May 12, 2012 at 6:46 am
Those Canada mayflowers take such a long time to bloom! I still haven’t found any gaywings or ginseng. I’m going to give it another try today in some dry pine woods. Great shots!
May 12, 2012 at 7:52 am
Good luck! The gaywings are starting to deteriorate to some extent now. They have reached their peak and are on the other side of the slope.
May 12, 2012 at 9:13 am
Thanks. I might miss the gaywings just as I missed hepatica and marsh marigolds, but there is always next spring.
May 12, 2012 at 5:31 pm
I’ve seen them in more than one place, so the chances of eventually finding some seem pretty good to me.
May 12, 2012 at 7:49 pm
I found some today and realized that I’ve probably been missing them all these years because at a glance they look like a violet. I think I’ve been walking by them thinking ho hum-just another violet.
May 12, 2012 at 10:40 pm
Hooray!