Author: Sarah Goetz

Scavenger Hunt

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  • Plants in a specific family

    • Lamiaceae (mint)

      • Conserved characters that you used to determine the family identification. These characters should be clearly illustrated in your photo(s)

        • (most) are pubescent

        • alternate serrate crenate (having rounded scallops) leaves

        • aromatic

        • 5 fused sepals, 5 fused petals

        • petals zygomorphic – bilabiate (two lipped – 2 petals on one lip, 3 on the other)

        • 2 or 4 stamen

        • 2 fused (deeply lobed) or 4 unfused carpels

        • 1 stamen

        • 2 stigma lobes

      • name: Mentha piperita – peppermint

      • location: 2623 1/2 Neil ave, a garden

    • Rosaceae (rose)

      • conserved characters that you used to determine the family identification. These characters should be clearly illustrated in your photo(s)

        • alternate serrate leaves

        • 5 sepals and petals

        • many stamen (fused in apples)

        • superior ovary (except apples which have inferior ovaries)

        • hypathium (cup of fused sepals and petals half surrounding the ovary)

      • name:  Rosa sp

      • location: Chadwick Arboretum

      • image image

  • Plants that are on (or will be on) your sight ID list

    • Phytolacca americana (pokeweed)

      • location: Neil Ave

      • characters used to recognize the species:

        • racemes of white or pinkish flowers (sepals petal-like, no petals)

        • dark purple berries or green gynoceum

        • alternate, entire leaves

        • burgundy red stems and stalks on flowering parts

    • Cornus sp (dogwoods)

      • location: behind Jennings

      • characters used to recognize the species: Simple entire leaves, viens curving as they reach the leaf margin, four parted flowers, drupe seeds

  • Specific characters of plants

    • a plant with a gynoecium composed of many unfused carpels

      • name: Duchesnea indica

      • location: side lot of 2531 Neil ave

      • a definition of the character: carpels are the ovule containers in the ovary, they are fused when their fleshy areas are not easily separated. In the case of this plant (fruit shown here) the unfused carpels will become separate achenes

    • a plant with a gynoecium composed of five carpels

      • name: crab apple – Malus sp

      • location: behind Jennings

      • a definition of the character: carpels are the ovule containers in the ovary.

Eupatorium rugosum

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White Snakeroot — Eupatorium rugosum or Ageratina altissima

native

  • date: Sept 13, 2014
  • location: Columbus, OH, woods between Olentangy trail and mountain biking hills where Duncan dead-ends
  • overall habitat: mixed mesophytic forest
  • microhabitat: damp soil or clay
  • Family: Asteraceae

This tall (1-5′) plant has tooted opposite ovate (egg-shaped) leaves that come to a sharp point. It has flowers in many clusters on its end tips, and on the tips ofstems throughout the plant. Each flower has 5 regular parts but is in a head (cluster of flowers) numbering upwards of 10, so it is categorized with flowers that have parts “indistinguishable.”

Daucus carota

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Wild Carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace, or Bird’s Nest

native

  • date: Sept 13, 2014
  • location: Columbus, OH, Olentangy trail, open area before Dodridge Bridge
  • overall habitat: small prairie-type clearing
  • microhabitat: moderately damp soil
  • family: Apiaceae

Solidago uliginosa

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Swamp Goldenrod

native

  • date: Sept 13, 2014
  • location: Columbus, OH, Olentangy bike trail just south of OSU Wetlands Research Center
  • overall habitat:  mixed mesophytic forest
  • microhabitat: very damp soil
  • Family: Asteraceae