-A member of the Solanaceae with an explanation of the characters that you used to determine the family identification
Location: Green Ohio
This is a picture of a Petunia. I know this is from the family Solanaceae because the leaves are alternate and also the flowers have 5 petals.
-A plant with linear leaves
Location: Green Ohio
The top part of this plant (a spike) shows a plant with long linear leaves. My definition of long linear leaves would be a long slender leaf that is simple and not divided into parts.
Family #1: Rosaceae
Species Name: Duchesnea indica
Common Name: Indian Strawberry
Description: Observed in an open-cultivated lawn, growing in slightly moist, acidic-soil. This plant can be best described as a yellow flower with five petals, five sepals (and 5 toothed bracts just underneath) , with many stamen. The leaves are mostly basal (this plant had an alternate leaf also) with three, serrate leaflets. The fruit is red and juicy and has achenes (dry; ovary contains one cell and one seed) surrounding the surface.
Family #2: Apiaceae
Species Name: Dacus carota
Common Name: Wild Carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace, or Bird’s Nest
Description: Observed along the south side of the roadside, growing in moderately moist, slightly acidic soil. The plant was about two feet tall and had a pubescent stem. The small, white flowers were grown in a flat umbel and have pinnate bracts that fold up to form a seed.
Plant on sight ID list #1: Oenothera biennis
Family Name: Onagraceae
Common Name: Common Evening Primrose
Description: Observed along the west side of the roadway, growing in a steep ditch. The flower has four, yellow petals, two pairs of long sepals fused together , 8 stamen, and one inferior gynoecium with four stigmas. The stem was about 4 feet tall and had little hairs. The leaves were alternate and lanceolate in shape with entire margins.
Plant on sight ID list #2: Quercus rubra
Family Name: Fagaceae
Common Name: Red Oak
Description: Observed in an open cultivated lawn along the driveway in full sunlight, growing in slightly acidic soil. Leaves are simple, alternate, lobed with pointy tips.
Specific Character #1: Parallel Venation
Family Name: Aspargacae
Species Name: Agave sp.
Described: Observed along the west side of a slightly, downward driveway, growing in slightly acidic soil. The veins of the leaves run parallel.
Specific Character #2: Pinnate Venation
Family Name: Ulmacae
Species Name: Ulmus rubra
Common Name: Slippery Elm
Description: Observed on the west side on the top part of the downward slope driveway, growing in slightly acidic soil. The leaves are simple, alternate, serrated and have a rough top surface with a soft, pubescent surface underneath. The venation is pinnate having one main vein extending from the asymmetrical base to the acute tip with many smaller veins that branch off.
This is the category in which you place your plant scavenger hunt items. Have fun scavenging for plants!
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Family: Asteraceae
This flower can be found outside of the James Cancer Research Hospital. It contains 7 regular parts, alternate, slightly toothed, rough, leaves. The leaves have netted venation and this flower is a native species that grows well in dry or moist soil.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.