Part One: Introduction to the Site
1) The Indian Village area is a large area that runs along the Scioto River. Its main attractions are Griggs Boathouse, Duranceau Park and of course Indian Village. It consists of all kinds of plant communities and zones such as roadside, wooded forests, riverbank, open grass, ground cover, shrub layer and canopy. I love to come to this place whether it is to bird watch, fish, picnic or just explore.
3) Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). To identify this sucker just remember, “if it’s 3 leave it be!” You may notice it as a climbing vine or as ground cover. In my photo you may also notice the “berries” that may be seen.
Part Two: Flowers and Inflorescences
1) Spotted Touch-Me-Not (Impatiens capensis). The flower is orange with red-brown spots, dangles from a long stalk, short inward-curved spur at the back, bilateral symmetry, 5 petals and 3 sepals. I saw this plant in the forested part under a tree. The inflorescence is raceme and the fruit is a capsule.
2) Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana). The flower is white, 5 sepals that appear as star-shaped petals, radial symmetry, separate fusion and lots of stamens. I saw this plant in the forested part under a tree. The inflorescence is a head and the fruit is achene.
3) Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans). The flower is orange/red, bilateral symmetry, the perianth parts are fused, no hypanthium, hypogenous, corymb inflorescence and the fruit is a capsule. I saw this plant roadside in a huge bush.
4) Sulphur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta). The flower is yellowish/whitish, radial symmetry, 5 separate petals and sepals, hypogenous, hypanthium, cyme inflorescence and fruit is achene. I saw this plant roadside.
Part Three: Invasive Plants
1) Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). Native to Eastern Asia, it can tolerate all types of ecosystems, it will take over an area and is seen throughout the Great Lakes region. Suggested control is hand picking if small but herbicide when out of control.
2) Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica). Native to Europe and Asia, it can tolerate all types of ecosystems, it will grow rapidly and is seen across North America. Suggested control is cutting or mowing.
3) Common Burdock (Arctium minus). Native to Europe, it likes shady undisturbed areas, it creates burs that cause problems for animals (sometimes people) and is seen throughout most of the United States. Suggested control is hand picking and clipping burs.
4) White Mulberry (Morus alba). Native to China, it sticks to open forest edges and roadsides, it is a problem in urban and disturbed areas of the United States and part of Canada. It will outcompete other plants and suggested control is cutting and herbicide application.
Part Four: Woody Plant Fruits ID
1) Boxelder Maple (Acer negundo) with samaras. Maple samaras consist of two wings and as a kid they were “helicopters” to me.
2) Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) with capsules. The spiky capsule splits open to reveal brown seeds that OSU fans can’t get enough of.
3)Redbud (Cercis canadensis) with legumes. Redbud is in the legume family (Fabaceae) but it does not fix nitrogen, like most other legumes do.
4)Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) with drupes. The Black Walnut drupes contain an edible seed that is conveniently named walnut.
Part Five: Mosses and Lichens
1)
2)
3)
4)
