Wildflower Walk

Trip leaders: Jo & Bob Solem
Photographer: Kelsey Wellons
Date of trip: April 26, 2024
Location: Patuxent Branch Trail (north) Number attending: 9
Details: Jo talked about the mining and industrial history of the area, which is captured on several display signs near the bridge. Bob talked about the difficulties of using common names and the many changes in scientific names over the years (many because of DNA analysis). He cautioned participants to check their identifications carefully and to realize that sometimes it was just easier to be content with identification no lower than genus or complex. The plants listed below are more or less in the order in which they were seen. The common names of the plants below are from iNaturalist.

Wildflowers
Common Blue Violet
Jack-in-the-pulpit (tribe)
Vetches sp.
Speedwell sp.
Common Mugwort
Giant Knotweed (leaves)

Ground Ivy
Red Deadnettle
Lesser Celadine
Garlic Mustard
Bulbous Buttercup
Small-flowered Buttercup
Bitter Wintercress

Golden Alexanders
Common Star-of-Bethlehem
Woodland Strawberry
Virginia Pepperweed (seed)
Common Plantain
Broadleaf Cattail
Common Dandelion

Other plants
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
Janese Honeysuckle
Grape sp.
Spicebush
Flowering Dogwood
Christmas Fern

Birds
Turkey Vulture
Eastern Phoebe
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Parula
Northern Cardina