Squirrel corn

This is squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis). Compare this with the other Dicentra of the Indiana woodlands, Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria).

Squirrel corn is a little less common than Dutchman's breeches. I find Dutchman's breeches in woods that have some degree of ecological damage, like a woods in a city park, but I only find squirrel corn in the most pristine woods. This squirrel corn is in Mossy Point Nature Preserve in Parke County. The picture was taken on April 25, 2009.

Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a familiar plant to gardeners, it's a close relative of our native Dicentras.


Link to squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis):
Link to squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis):

Link to Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria):

Link to bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis):

Link to Dicentra:

Scarlet cup fungus

This is scarlet cup fungus (Sarcoscypha). This is in Mossy Point Nature Preserve which is in Parke County. Picture taken April 25, 2009, but you can see scarlet cup fungus early in the year in late winter. I've seen it in Cumberland Park in West Lafayette.

The delicate little green plant is Floerkea proserpinicoides.

Link to scarlet cup fungus (Sarcoscypha coccinea):

Another link to scarlet cup:

Another link to (Sarcoscypha coccinea):


Link to Floerkea proserpinicoides:

Fields of Purple

You may have noticed as you travel the countryside that some of the corn and bean fields turn purple in the spring. These are the plants that are doing it. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) and purple dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum). Nobody plants them but they are another source of purple beauty every spring. By summer they will be replaced by beautiful green fields of corn (Zea mays).

This is at South River Road, April 26, 2009.

link to henbit (Lamium amplexicaule):

link to purple dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum):

link to purple dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum):

link to corn (Zea mays):

Wabash at Dusk

Wabash at dusk, from pedestrian bridge, April 28, 2009.

Yellow Violet

Not all violets are purple. Yellow violets are common in the woods too. This yellow violet is Viola pubescens. It was on a slope in the woods close to North River Road. Picture taken April 25, 2009.

Link to Viola pubescens:

Wild ginger

Wild ginger (Asarum canadense). The little brown flower is close to the ground so insects can crawl in and pollinate it.

This was on the slope of a ravine near North River Road. Picture taken April 25, 2009.

Link to wild ginger:

Prairie trillium, wild ginger and toothwort

This is prairie trillium (Trillium recurvatum) flowering. The rounded leafed plant is wild ginger (Asarum canadense). The little plants with the narrow-lobed leaves is toothwort (Cardamine concatenata). The toothwort is past flowering, look close and you can see the little seed pods forming out of the old flowers. On cruciferous plants like this, these seed pods are called siliques. This was on the slope of a ravine near North River Road, April 25, 2009.

Link to prairie trillium:

Link to wild ginger:

Link to toothwort: