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: