(Read Part 1) Provenance matters. Indian-grass is a good case in point. Mass produced range-land selections have been extensively used in Government set-aside programs far away from their origins. They do very well which is desirable in agronomic ways. Trying to enhance such plantings with prairie forbs has proven impossible—at least in the projects that…
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For my birthday last summer I received a reprint of a book: “Flora von Bremen, Oldenburg, Ostfriesland und der Ostfriesischen Inseln.” It was published in 1936. Some old works still resonate, many do not. This one did. First the image on the cover piqued my curiosity—a line drawing of Rice Cut-grass [Leersia oryzoides]. Really! You…
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My formal resolution for 2017 was typical – lose ten pounds. It was with that goal in mind that I went out every day over the holidays; it helped that the weather was not very harsh. It was only in late January that the idea of entering at least one observation on iNaturalist every day…
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On our May/June trip to several countries in Central Europe we took advantage of the frequent opportunities to dine outdoors. Invariably there were lots of flowers and lots of vines, especially rambling roses in glorious and fragrant bloom, enhancing the dining experience.
A few weeks ago a prominent botanist stopped by to photograph Bunch Lily [Melanthium virginicum] in flower at the Shoal Creek Conservation Area. It was a bit too late for that.
Plant Profiles: Sedges¦ more specifically genus Carex – Our editor, Alana had suggested this topic. So have others in the past while stewing over species identification.
Plant Profiles: This ‘n’ That about Trees and Weeds- Pre-conference and post-conference field trips in conjunction with the 8th triennial meeting of the International Oak Society at the famed Morton Arboretum took us from some of the northernmost subtropical Cypress swamps to some of the southernmost boreal bogs. Oaks in all their diversity were the main…
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Whether you are just starting to explore the local flora or are a seasoned expert, some of you may wonder why scientific plant names change. The short answer is “it’s complicated”. The longer answer is also “it’s complicated”. There will be a number of digressions and side notes in the text below. Skim forward now…
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Ask a pair of whooping cranes that found a new home along a restored wetland along an Illinois River. A flock of 60 whooping cranes that usually migrated through had found a new sedgy habitat and some stayed and built nests of sedge leaves! The farmers along 11 sites in Illinois were paid to take…
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