Rosa multiflora
Family: Rosaceae
Invasive Species
This cultivated multiflora rose is found outside the James Cancer Research Hospital with 5 petals, 5 sepals, many stamen, inferior ovary, leaves toothed, netted venation, and alternate ovate leaves.
Month: September 2014
Phlox paniculata
Phlox paniculata
Family: Polemoniaceae
This flower is a cultivated form of the Garden Phlox, which is normally a magenta pink color with leaves of different venation. This particular invasive flower can be found outside of the James Cancer Research Hospital. It has opposite leaves of pinnate venation with 5 regular parts. The leaves are very shiny with entire margins.
Ohio plants
Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis acutiflora
Family: Poaceae
Introduced
Found on September 17, 2014 in Iuka Park Commons, in a cultivated lawn with scattered urban shrubs and grasses, in mulch.
Japanese barberry
Berberis thunbergii
Family: Berberidaceae
Introduced
Found on September 17, 2014 in Iuka Park Commons, in a cultivated lawn with scattered grasses and shrubs, in mulch.
The plant can be identified by its burgundy colored entire leaves, and lack of flowers. It also has many thorns that are clearly evident by sight and touch. This specimen photographed shows the thorns, but was recently trimmed so the leaved aren’t as evident.
Panicled Aster
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum
Family: Asteraceae
Native
Plant was found in Iuka Park, in a mysic forest, in soil on September 17, 2014.
Wildflowers in bloom: Scioto Audubon Metro park
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae in the Asteraceae family.
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (L.)
New England aster
Asteraceae
Native
Scioto Audubon Metro park on 9/14/2014. Scioto Audubon Metro park is on the Whittier Peninsula (surrounded by the Scioto River) in the middle of downtown Columbus. It is the restored site of an old impound lot and warehouses. This specimen of aster was found in replanted prairie in lowland marshy area about two feet tall and found growing in moist soil within 5 feet of a small wetland. Third most common species blooming in the area behind Solidago and Eupatorium.
Wildflowers in bloom: Scioto Audubon Metro Park
Boneset in the Asteraceae family.
Eupatorium spp.
Boneset
Asteraceae
Native
Scioto Audubon Metro park on 9/14/2014. Scioto Audubon Metro park is on the Whittier Peninsula (surrounded by the Scioto River) in the middle of downtown Columbus. It is the restored site of an old impound lot and warehouses. This specimen of boneset was found in restored prairie in a lowland marshy area. About three feet tall and second most common species in the area behind Solidago.
Wildflowers in bloom: Scioto Audubon Metro Park
Solidago spp. in the Asteraceae family.
Solidago spp.
Goldenrod
Asteraceae
Native
Scioto Audubon Metro park on 9/14/2014. Scioto Audubon Metro park is on the Whittier Peninsula (surrounded by the Scioto River) in the middle of downtown Columbus. It is the restored site of an old impound lot and warehouses. This specimen of goldenrod was found in restored prairie in a lowland marshy area. It was about four feet tall and the major species blooming in fields surrounding wetland. Possibly Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago odora) because the edges of its leaf are smooth, you cannot see more than three veins on the backside of the leaf, and the leaf is 2-4 inches long. Its yellow flowers are arranged in clusters at the top of the plant that are curved over to one side.
Ohio Plants Specimens Deep Woods
Sassafras albidum (Nutt.), commonly called sassafras, is a native member of the family Lauraceae that is native to the eastern portion of North America. The exact specimen I found at Deep Woods, which is 1.3 miles SE of Bloomington, Ohio, was taken from an open canopy upland forest. The canopy layer was dominated by shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) and black oak (Quercus velutina). There were black oak, shagbark hickory, and sassafras in the understory, but I was not able to see what was in the herbaceous layer.
Lindara benzoin (L), commonly called spicebush is also a native member of the family Lauraceae that is native to the eastern part of North America. The exact spicebush plant I found was at Deep Woods, about 1.3 miles southeast of Bloomington, Ohio. The specimen was taken from a slope that transitioned from a mesic to an upland forest habitat. In the immediate area of the spicebush, the canopy was dominated by cedars. Meanwhile, the understory was made of swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) and black cherry (Prunus serotina). The herbaceous layers were dominated by spicebush and Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii).
Backyard plant ID
Species name: Arctium minus
Common name: common burdock
Plant family: Asteraceae
Introduced or native: Introduced
Field notes: Found September 17, 2014 in a cultivated lawn in a somewhat shaded area surrounded by herbaceous plants. Soil type unknown.
Species name: Vitis riparia
Common name: riverbank grape
Plant family: Vitaceae
Introduced or native: Native
Field notes: Found September 17, 2014 growing in shaded area along fence surrounding cultivated lawn. Surrounded by a few trees and other herbaceous plants. Soil type unknown.
Species name: Rudbeckia fulgida
Common name: orange coneflower or black-eyed Susan
Plant family: Asteraceae
Introduced or native: Native
Field notes: Found September 17, 2014 within cultivated lawn surrounded by other herbaceous plants and bamboo. Soil type unknown.
*Plant can be recognized easily if flowers are in bloom because of their distinctive black cone shaped center and yellow petals. The leaves are dark green, alternate, rough, and dentate. At first I confused this plant with the similar Rudbeckia serotina (also referred to as black-eyed Susan. But R. serotina has leaves that are more pubescent and not as noticeably toothed. It is also an annual and Rudbeckia fulgida is a perennial.
Flowers On Campus
- Species name: Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus
- Common name: Yellow Day Lily
- Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae
Field notes: Plant is an introduced species identified 9/17/14 in front of the Kuhn Honors and Scholars House building on 12th Avenue in the soil on a cultivated lawn with planted urban trees and shrubs.
The yellow day lily is recognizable from its long narrow leaves stemming from the base of the plant. Its six distinct yellow petals that are pointed at the ends also help to identify it. Also, the height makes them recognizable, as day lilies are about two to three feet tall.
- Species name: Rosa rugosa
- Common name: Rugosa rose
- Family: Rosaceae
Field notes: Plant identified 9/17/14 outside of Pfahl Hall on 19th Avenue. Overall habitat included scattered planted urban shrubs. Plant found growing in dry soil or mulch. The rugosa rose is an introduced species.
- Family: Geraniaceae
- Common name: Geranium
Field notes: Plant identified 9/17/14 in a planted flower patch outside the Moritz Law Building on 12th Avenue. Plants growing out of dry wood chips surrounded by a cultivated lawn with scattered urban trees. This particular species is cultivated and introduced. Red and white varieties are typically seen around campus.
A Stroll Down Henderson Road
Ascyrum stans
St. Peterswort
Clusiacea
Native to many states of the East coast including Texas, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, etc.
Field notes: Found in Columbus, Ohio. 09/17/14. Abandoned hill on Henderson Road.
St. Peterswort may be considered a shrub. It has 4 yellow petals, 2 of which are fused together and 4 sepals. The leaves are opposite, compound, with entire margins. The flowers are arranged in a panicle inflorescence. These characteristics were used to identify the plant.
Melampodium leucanthum
Blackfoot daisy
Asteraceae
Native to Texas.
Field notes: Found in Columbus, Ohio. 09/17/14. Abandoned hill on Henderson road in dry soil.
Genista tinctoria
Dyer’s Greenweed
Fabaceae
Native to Europe in dry soils. Locally from Maine to D.C., West to Michigan.
Field notes: Found in Columbus, Ohio. 09/17/2014. On abandoned hill on Henderson Road in very dry soil.