Tasty fruits and burst of flowering on Gate Ridge

With the recent humid heat punctuated with cool rainy days, we saw a burst of flowering right at the beginning of June. Though I am currently collecting fruits for the Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) quite a few other species are flowering.

Iris versicolor. From Wiki Images

Here are some of the plants I saw flowering recently, with a few interesting notes.

Coronilla varia (June 5, 2010, entrance to Skycroft Trails)

Hieracium aurantiacum (June 7, 2010, Lindsay Lake Trail)
Erigeron philadelphicus (June 7, 2010, Lindsay Lake Trail)
Iris versicolor (June 7, 2010, Shore of Lindsay Lake)
Penstemon hirsutus (June 7, 2010, Shore of Lindsay Lake)

Lotus corniculata (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Lilium philadelphicum (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Prunella vulgaris (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Veronica serpyllifolia (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Hieracium aurantiacum (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Hieracium pilosella (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Medicago lupulina (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Achillea millefolium (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Erysimum cheiranthoides (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)
Ranunculus acris (June 9, 2010, top of Gate Ridge on QUBS point)

Notice on June 9 on Gate Ridge at the QUBS peninsula, we saw quite a few species. In fact, there are 2 species we couldn’t identify and we are still working on them. That ridge seems to be teeming with flowering plants right now. The species observed above are typically dense, with exception to the Wood Lily, and are intermingled within similar habitats.

Also, remember the Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry) we saw in April? Well, the fruits are getting more mature and it is mighty tasty! And of course, with fruit morphology now visible, we realize that there were two species of Fragaria. There is also Fragaria vesca in the same regions. I apologize for my amateurish plant ID skills. When you come across these plants, do enjoy their tasty fruits. I certainly do while I collect Columbine fruits at the same time! – Posted by Andy Wong.

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An even more impatient summer – phenological observations of flowering plants @ QUBS – continued.

With temperatures hovering at around 30 degrees Celsius, and high air humidity, the flowering plants at QUBS have rushed into summer weather when it’s still only the end of spring.

Here are the plants I have observed flowering since my last post, including one early omission observed by Tristan Willis of the Bonier Lab.

Geranium robertianum (May 11, Perth Cemetary, observer = Tristan Willis)

Euphorbia esula (May 17, Cataraqui Trail)
Convallaria majalis (May 20, QUBS peninsula)
Chamerion angustifolium (May 20, QUBS peninsula)
Geranium robertianum (May 22, Rock Lake Lane)
Galium triflorum (May 22, Rock Lake Lane)
Viola sororia (May 23, QUBS peninsula)

Comandra umbellata Bastard Toadflax. From Wiki Images

Comandra umbellata (May 23, QUBS peninsula)
Marianthemum racemosum (May 23, QUBS peninsula)
Sisyrinchium montanum (May 23, Bedford Road to Two Island Lake)
Barbarea vulgaris (May 23, Skycroft Trails entrance)
Cerastium arvense (May 23, Skycroft Trails entrance)
Sanicula marilandica (May 23, Bedford Road to Two Island Lake)

Silene vulgaris (May 26, 2010, Cataraqui Trail)
Vicia cracca (May 26, 2010, Cataraqui Trail)
Leucanthemum vulgare (June 1, 2010, Cataraqui Trail)
Anemone cylindrica (June 1, 2010, Cataraqui Trail)
Tragopogon dubius (June 1, 2010, Cataraqui Trail) (not quite flowering yet, but can see the very distinctive buds)
Echium vulgare (June 1, 2010, Cataraqui Trail)
Trifolium pratense (June 1, 2010, junction of Cataraqui Trail and Old Bedford Road)
Trifolium repens (June 1, 2010, Old Bedford Road)
Viola blanda (June 1, 2010, Skycroft Trails)

Hope you’re all enjoying the flowering season! Posted by Andy Wong