Slime Mold

I took a lap around my woods this evening. This was the most interesting find:

Dog vomit slime mold (Fuligo septica)

The identification is, of course, conjectural. It was the closest match I could find via a cursory Internet search.

I was also very pleased to find my painted trilliums (Trillium undulatum). There are a few growing in my woods, and I have not been able to find them for the past couple of years. I went off-trail this evening and stumbled upon them. They were far past the blooming stage, and the forest was pretty dark to begin with, so I didn’t bother trying to take their picture. But I did make some mental notes to their location – about half way between my tapping maple, and the fallen log where the trail bends in the southwest corner of our plot – but off the trail another 40 feet to the north.

If I forget again, maybe you can remind me…

 

Forest Flowers

I took some flower pictures today.

Wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia)

On the way home from work, I had David pull the car to the side of the road so I could get out and photograph these. I knew what they were from the car, because I found them in this same spot a couple of years ago.

Violet (Viola spp)

On the way back to the car, I found some more violets. I didn’t see them from the car at all. Purple is harder to see from a moving vehicle than white is, so these are bonus blooms.

Dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolius)

I already posted a photo of one of these, but this gives a more rounded view of the flower for a different perspective. I have tons of these in bloom right now.

Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia)

These are just barely opened. I found several that were still closed tightly before I stumbled over these. I think gaywings are one of my favorite springtime forest flowers.

Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum)

I went looking for this one because I knew they should be in bloom by now, and I found a few in this spot last year. I guess it paid off!