The Pocket on Pigeon Mountain #Wildflower Status Update 04/14/2016 – 39 Species Blooming

This will likely be my last status update on wildflowers at The Pocket this season. The overstory is filling out, and the leafy understory is blocking what sun makes it through the leaves on the trees, so the spring ephemeral season is drawing to a close. From a species count – this time I counted 39 species blooming – it seems to be active, but most of those are in definite decline. This would be a particularly good time to come if you want to catch some of those species in fruit. The massive display of Bent White Trillium (Trillium flexipes) is still on, but it and most other species are past their peak.

White Baneberry, Doll's Eyes - Actaea pachypoda

White Baneberry – time to be transitioning to the Doll’s Eyes common name – Actaea pachypoda

Here is what I found blooming more or less in order of finding it. Again this time I didn’t look north of the parking area due to time constraints.

White Trillium, Nodding Wakerobin, Bent White Trillium, Bent Trillium, Drooping Trillium, Declined Trillium - Trillium flexipes

Bent White Trillium – Trillium flexipes

False Solomon's Seal, Feathery False Lily of the Valley, Solomon's Plume - Maianthemum racemosum

Solomon’s Plume – Maianthemum racemosum

  • Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) – The blossom is so tiny, I couldn’t tell whether they had opened or not, and with the surrounding poison ivy, I didn’t try to photograph.
  • Plantainleaf Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia) – Mostly gone to seed.
  • Meadow Parsnip (Thaspium sp.) Blooming above the falls. Seemed to be Thaspium trifoliatum.
  • Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata) – It had been a rainy, overcast day, so these weren’t showy. I suspect they also are in decline.
  • Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus) – Many are still blooming along the horse trail (Pocket Loop Trail.)
  • Cumberland Spurge (Euphorbia mercurialina) – A few of these unobtrusive plants still blooming along the horse trail.
  • Squawroot (Conopholis americana) – These are blooming now.
  • Long-spurred Violet (Viola rostrata) – Well past peak, but still plentiful.
  • There was another Thalictrum species besides Rue Anemone blooming, but I don’t know which species.
  • Gallium is blooming. I’ve been ignoring it up to now, but it has become so obvious I had to give it mention.
  • Hispid Buttercup is blooming. No offense intended to you Buttercup afficionados, but this isn’t one of our prettier buttercups.

Closing out the season with a new find for me at The Pocket – a species I’ve only previously seen in Idaho, Orobanche uniflora, One-flowered Cancer Root.

One-flowered Broomrape ; One-flowered Cancer Root, Ghostpipe, Naked Broomrape - Orobanche uniflora

One-flowered Cancer Root – Orobanche uniflora

2 thoughts on “The Pocket on Pigeon Mountain #Wildflower Status Update 04/14/2016 – 39 Species Blooming

  1. jane

    Thanks for these updates. I haven’t and won’t get to visit this year, so it’s been nice, while frustrating, to read your reports about this wonderful place.

    Reply

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