Ramp Cove Recap

Ramps as far as your eyes could see!  A virtual carpet of them covering the sides and floor of the cove lending their unique fragrance to the air around us.  That was the climax of our hike with Dan Rawlins on Tuesday the 23rd of April.

After fording Dismal Creek, we walked along next to it and were treated to a huge display of native plants.  We had lunch near a natural spring where Dan demonstrated the use of the LifeStraw.  "What is that?" you might ask.

"LifeStraw is a low-tech, low-hassle personal water filter that enables the user to simply stick one end into a water source of questionable cleanliness, such as a river, and suck."

"LifeStraw represents an amazing step towards a better world, where 43% of the global population, specially with low-income and living in rural parts of the developing world, is deprived of household safe piped water."


The entire day was a wonderful weaving of fine weather, excellent companionship, a diverse array of species and a bag of ramps to take home for dinner and/or breakfast.   It was also an excellent cardiovascular workout even though we only went 2.4 miles according to Dan.

Here is a list, compiled by the amazing Jean Hunnicutt with Dan Rawlins.  Following that are photos taken by the equally amazing David Fann and Karen Lawrence.  Enjoy!  Thanks to everyone for your contributions.

(In no particular order)

Wildflowers

Pink Lady Slipper - 1 emerging          Cypripedium acaule

Rattlesnake Plantain                            pubescens

Cut-leaved Toothwort                         Dentaria laciniata

Robin’s Plantain / Fleabane                 Erigeron pulchellus

Slender Toothwort                              Dentaria heterophylla

Rue Anemone                                     Anemonlla thalictroides

Great Chickweed                                Stellaria pubera

Jack-in-the-Pulpit                                 triphyllum

Solomon’s Seal                                    biflorum

Violets: 

            Halberd-leaved                        Viola hastata

            Canada                                    Viola canadensis

            Long-spurred                          Viola rostrata

            + others

Foamflower                                         Tiarella cordifolia

Solomon’s Plume                                 Maianthemum racemosum

Twisted Stalk                                      Streptopus amplexifolius

Black Cohosh                                      Actaea racemosa

Blue Cohosh                                        Caulophyllum thalictroides

Hooked Buttercup                               Ranunculus recuratus

Vasey’s Trillium                                   Trillium vaseyi

Toad Trillium                                        Trillium sessile

Large-flowered Trillium                       Trillium grandiflorum

Yellow Mandarin                                 Disporum lanuginosum

Spring Beauty                                     Claytonia caroliniana

Dwarf Crested Iris                              Iris cristata

Bloodroot                                             Sanguinaria canadensis

Smartweed                                         Polygonum persicaria

Showy Orchids                                   Orchis spectabilis

Sweet Shrub                                       Calycanthus floridus

False Hellebore                                   Veratrum ciride

Yellowroot                                          Xanthorrhiza simplicissima

Squawroot                                          Conopholis americana

Trout Lily                                             Erythronium americanum

Perfoliate Bellwort                               Uvularia perfoliata

three species of bellwort, large-flower, sessile, and perfoliate

Early Meadow Rue                              Thalictrum dioicum

Sharp-lobed Hepatica                         Hepatica acutiloba

Clustered Snakeroot                           Sanicula gregaria

Wild Hydrangea                                   Hydrangea arborescens

Squirrel Corn                                       Dicentra canadensis

Dutchman’s Breeches                         Dicentra cucullaria

Mayapple                                             Podophyllum peltatum 

Umbrella Leaf                                      Diphylleia cymosa

RAMPS!                                               Allium tricoccum

indian cucumber root                            Medeola virginiana 

Ferns

Maidenhair Fern                                  Adiantum pedatum                 

Rattlesnake Fern                                 Botryhium virginianum

Vines:

Climb and attach to tree:

            Poison Ivy                                Rhus radicans

            Virginia Creeper                      Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Grow with the tree; do not attach:

            Grapevine                               Vitis

            Dutchman’s Pipe                      Aristolochia durior

Trees:

Silverbell                                              Halesia tetraptera

Yellow Buckeye – huge                      Cladrastis kentukea

Tulip Poplar                                         Liriodendron tulipifera

Yellow wood                                      Cladrastis kentukea

Basswood tree                                   Tilia americana

 

Long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata)

Dutchman's Breeches; Dicentra cucullaria

Trout Lily; Erythronium umbilicatum

Wake Robin; Trillium erectum

Bear Corn/Squaw Root; Conopholis americana

Blue Cohosh; Caulophyllum thalictroides

Large-flowered Trillium; Trillium grandiflorum

Dutchman's Breeches

Twisted Stalk:  Streptopus roseus

WNC Herbarium Visit

Whenever I heard about the Herbarium, I envisioned a huge greenhouse filled to overflowing with healthy and unusual herbs.  Imagine my confusion when the door opened unto several wooden cabinets filled with folders.  I thought to myself, "what is this?

Well, I was about to be enlightened and it was amazing!  The herbarium is a library of plant specimens gathered from all over this region.  The specimens are then mounted, labeled, dried and frozen (to kill any insects or bacteria) before  

I asked Dan what would be the most valuable part of the collection. Here is his reply:

"Most folks wouldn't value pressed plant specimens although each one probably costs about $5-10 to process and maintain properly.  If they were worth $10 each and we had 28,000, the value would be a significant quarter million!  Well, if the whole collection were to burn, that would really be an irreplaceable loss, mainly for the scientific documentation represented. The main difference between a regular library and a collection of specimens is the fact that they represent tangible materials that can be studied again with microscopes comparing directly with fresh materials.  And when we add a sample that can be tested for its DNA, this makes it an even more valuable to our scientists."

You might think that photographs would be an alternative for documenting plant specimens, like Dan said, you could not hold the specimen in your hand and turn it over and feel its texture the way you can with the physical item.

Kathy Matthews, Director and Curator of the Herbarium, shows us  the process.

Dan Pittillo's Nodding Trillium Garden Trip--Part 2

Here are more photos from Nodding Trillium Garden courtesy of Karen Lawrence.

Squirrel Corns

White Mandarin or Spotted Mandarin

Trillium erectum

Larkspur

Can you name this one?  

Dan Pittillo's Nodding Trillium Garden Trip--Part 1

It was a distinct pleasure to have the opportunity to visit a garden that has been 40 years in the "making"--perhaps I should say "growing"!

The first thing to catch our eye as we approached, was the expanse of blue phlox traveling across the slope.

From there, we were treated to the sight of numerous wild native plants in various growing stages.  Kathy Matthews, WCU Herbarium Director and Curator, joined us for the tour. 

Dan explained that Nodding Trillium Garden, so named because of the relatively large population of Trillium rugelii.  The garden is located on a geologic sill with circumneutral soils and olivine outcrops.  

Here are a few photos of the numerous plants we saw in this fabulous garden.  There will be more photos in an upcoming post.  

Bishop's Cap 

Dicentra canadensis - Squirrel Corn 

Courtesy of Patricia K Howell-Allium Tricoccum - Ramps

Courtesy of Patricia K Howell Shortia Galacifolia - Oconee Bells

   Galearis spectabilis - Showy Orchid (PKH Photo)

   Asarum caudatum - Wild ginger with Canadian violets (PKH Photo)