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 9/18/07
Stoney RunAnne Arundel County,
MD
(near BWI Airport)
Mark
Burchick
Today's Walk in the Swamp
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The rose hips of
Swamp Rose, Rosa
palustris (OBL)
We have been doing
long-term research
on a Maryland highly
state rare fern,
known as bog or
Massachusetts fern
that occurs
at several sites
along Stony Run in
Anne Arundel County.
Today I had a chance
to get out into some
of the wettest
portions of the open
swamps, and here are
a few photos.
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Joe-Pye Weed,
Eupatorium sp.
Three species of
Joe-Pye-weed are
found in Maryland.
Hollow Joe-Pye-weed
(E.
fistulosum)
is the most common
species, especially
west of the
Chesapeake Bay, and
it is found in moist
and upland open
fields and meadows;
sweet Joe-Pye-weed (E.
purpureum)
is less common and
is more often found
in moist woodlands,
usually along rivers
and streams.
Three-nerved
Joe-Pye-weed (E.
dubium)
is primarily a
Coastal Plain
species, with
limited distribution
in the Piedmont.
Because the plants
are so similar, they
require a detailed
species description
of distinguishing
characteristics to
differentiate them.
I did not photo the
leaf parts, and
therefore can not
key the plant to
species.
A Bidens
species occurs to the
left and pink smartweed
in the background (left)
and I was standing
in nearly a foot of
water surrounded by
rice-cut grass,
Hibiscus and
arrowhead (duck potato). |  |
Climbing
Hempweed,
Mikania scandens
(FACW+)
This
hempweed vine
was draping
over a
'host'
winterberry
and was
hogging the
sunlight.
The open,
sunny swamp
also contained
wild yam,
ground nut
and wild
clematis
vine too.
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Winterberry, Ilex
verticillata
(FACW+) |  |
Winterberry was an
aspect dominant
plant out in the
open wetland
swamps and dense
with berries.
The leaves were
already changing
color and were
typically yellow
rather than green,
with green leaves
more common in the
shade and yellow
more pronounced in
the open.
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Mistflower
or Wild Ageratum,
Eupatorium
coelestinum.
The main reason
I photographed
this plant (with
yellow-jacket) was
that I found
several in
aggregation, in
the head of a
densely shaded
spring seep
surrounded by
halberd-leaved
tearthumb, a
location where
this plant
typically would
not occur.
|  |
Silky Dogwood,
Cornus amomum
(FACW)
The silky
dogwood is the
native
stream-side,
wetland dogwood.
All of the
silky's look
like frost have
hit them and are
turning color,
and I'm
confidant that
we have not had
a frost yet,
which is much
more typical
toward the third
week of October.
But you know
what . . . with
the cooler
evening weather
and shorter
day-length, the
plants will
begin to shut
down chlorophyll
production in
the next week,
two or three,
and then take
another two to
three weeks to
express autumn
color changes. |  |
A close-up of the white
fruit, with bluish fruit
(behind) on the same
bush. |  |
Arrowwood,
Viburnum
recognitum
(FAC)
I'll tell you,
if I were a
bird, the
berry-fest bird
food in this
swamp was
everywhere, and
would be like
shopping at your
local Giant or
Safeway |  |
Rattlesnake Plantain,
Goodyera pubescens
Coming up and out of
the swamp and into
bottomland forest, I
came across a
rattlesnake
plantain, which is
one of several of
our native orchids.
This foliage
persists throughout
the winter and is
always nice to see
in December or
January. I
also saw several
wood aster in
flower. |  |
Maryland Golden Aster,
Chrysopsis mariana.
I found this plant in a
sunny, dry opening in
the woods.
September and October
are filled with many
'composite sunflowers,'
Bidens, Asters and
Coreopsis and
remind you that autumn
begins later this week. |
Submitted by Mark Burchick
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