Horse nettle

Here is a nice patch of horse nettle (Solanum carolinense). It's growing in a parking lot divider off 18th St. near County Road 350S. Usually you notice horse nettle in your back yard when you step on it going barefoot. Pictures taken July 30, 2010.

Link to Solanum carolinense:

Link to Solanum carolinense:

Jack O'Lantern mushrooms

These Jack O'Lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens) are at the base of a red oak tree in Purdue Hort Park. Poisonous. Pictures taken July 25, 2010.

Link to Omphalotus illudens:

Link to Omphalotus illudens:

Cosmos sulphureus

Cosmos sulphureus, along South 9th St., on higher ground. Picture taken July 24, 2010.

Link to Cosmos sulphureus:

Link to Cosmos sulphureus at Purdue Horticulture Gardens:

Sycamore fruits

A windstorm the day before had blown a few small branches off of this sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis). The sycamore tree overlooks the Wabash on the west side near where the old Brown Street bridge used to stand. Picture taken July 18, 2010.

Some pictures of Platanus occidentalis fruits:

Link to Platanus occidentalis:

Link to previous post on sycamore (Platanus occidentalis):

Pokeweed in July

This pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is high above the Wabash River near the old Brown Street Bridge abutment. Under the pokeweed grows catnip (Nepeta cataria). Picture taken July 18, 2010.

Link to pokeweed:

Link to previous post on pokeweed:

Link to previous post on catnip:

Green Dragon

This green dragon (Arisaema dracontium) is in Celery Bog Park in the woodlands between the entrance drive and the pond's edge. The presence of green dragon indicates a higher quality woodland. Picture taken July 13, 2010.

Link to Arisaema dracontium:

Link to Arisaema dracontium:

Fifty years ago there were hardly any woods here. Much of the park land has restored itself without human effort, save for the removal of invasives like honeysuckle. The planet will heal itself if left alone.

Link to old picture of this area:

Nearby the green dragon and more numerous are Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) with leaves as big as plates-o'-shrimp.

Napaea dioica

This Napaea dioica, or glade mallow, is growing on the Wabash Heritage Trail right across from the softball fields at Lyboult Park. Of Napaea dioica, Deam's Flora of Indiana states: "Local and very rare. Alluvial banks of the Wabash River and moist roadsides." So it is that even the rarest of plants may inhabit urbanized areas. Pictures taken July 11, 2010.

Link to Napaea dioica:

Link to Napaea dioica:

Link to Napaea dioica:

Lobelia cardinalis

This cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is at the water's edge of the Tippecanoe River. This is at the Herschel Bridge public access site, in Pulaski County about a half mile upstream from the County Road 200N bridge. Purple flowers in the background are Lythrum salicaria. Picture taken July 10, 2010.

Link to Lobelia cardinalis:

Link to Lobelia cardinalis:

Link to Lobelia cardinalis:

Link to Lobelia cardinalis:

Wabash river in July

Wabash River at Lafayette, Saturday morning, July 10, 2010.

Link to Wabash River levels:

Purslane seeds close up

This is a close-up look at the tiny seeds of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) sitting in their seed capsule.

Link to Portulaca oleracea:

The seeds came from this purslane plant growing in the sidewalk on Main Street.

Link to previous post on purslane:

This is a closer look at the purslane seeds from the plant pictured above. The green plant they are laying on is not purslane but rather an Oxalis stricta seed capsule. Pictures taken July 9, 2010.

White pigeon

This white pigeon (Columbia livia) showed up in downtown Lafayette, I don't know whether it's an escaped domesticated pigeon or a white form of the pigeons you normally see here in the city. Picture taken July 5, 2010.

Link to Columbia livia:

Link to feral pigeon:

Link to domesticated pigeon:

Link to homing pigeon:

Wild Bergamot

This Monarda fistulosa appears along the southern trail in Celery Bog Park. Monarda fistulosa is a common wild plant with showy fragrant flowers. It grows totally wild in many places in Tippecanoe County although this here is likely the result of a restoration effort. The population of Monarda should persist in this area as long as the habitat remains unaltered. Picture taken July 3, 2010.

Link to Monarda fistulosa:

Link to Monarda fistulosa:

Link to Monarda fistulosa:

Silk tree along Interstate 64

This silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) is a landmark on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 64 when it is in flower. This is in Gibson County about 3 miles west of US Highway 41. Picture taken July 1, 2010.

Link to Albizia julibrissin:

Link to last year's post on silk tree:

High water mark of June 23

The flood levels of the Wabash at Lafayette last peaked on June 23 at 19 feet and the river has been receding ever since. The high water mark is visible in this picture of the Lafayette side of the river, taken from the pedestrian bridge on June 29, 2010. The Wabash river level at the time of the picture is about 9 feet.

Link to Wabash River levels:

The green roof shelter in the picture is the Amtrak loading station.