Ed is great at taking a complex subject and making it clear(er) - and helping us see and understand the complexity.
(Remember those 2 Bryophytes walks!)
He didn’t disappoint on composites.
First he chose a perfect location - a lovely meadow in the Needmore area near the Little Tennessee River that was full of a variety of asters and goldenrods and other composites. There was also a wooded area for more variety.
Then he explained in detail the structure and parts of composites, before leading us through the area identifying species and helping us understand the identifying characteristics of each. The subtleties of identification are overwhelming but at least for that day, I felt that I understood and could begin to know many of these beautiful wildflowers that brighten our fall.
As always, David’s and Karen's photos say it best:
David's photos:
Karen's photos:
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| Late Goldenrod |
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As I stated in the field, Ed was braver than I am with identifying these Asteraceae. And it was great for me to learn some new life species, such as Tripsicum dactyloides,gamma grass. Thanks for a good botany day!
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