One-flowered Broomrape – Orobanche uniflora – Added to USWildflowers Database

One-flowered Broomrape, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/30/2011.)  Scientific name is Orobanche uniflora.   It is also known by the common names Ghostpipe, One-flowered Cancer Root and Naked Broomrape.  Photo below was taken in the Boise Foothills in Ada County, ID on June 21, 2011.  Go to the One-flowered Broomrape detail page  for more photos and information.

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

Bee on Phacelia #WingsonWednesday

I chased this bee around a clump of Silverleaf Phacelia (Phacelia hastata) while photographing wildflowers along the Kleinschmidt Grade in Hell’s Canyon, Adams County, Idaho on 06/19/2011.

Bee on Phacelia

Rough Eyelashweed – Blepharipappus scaber – Added to USWildflowers Database

Rough Eyelashweed, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/28/2011.)  Scientific name is Blepharipappus scaber.   It is also known by the common names Blepharipappus and Rough Blepharipappus, but who can pronounce that?  Photo below was taken along the Hull’s Gulch National Recreation Trail in the Boise Foothills in Ada County, ID on June 21, 2011.  Go to the Rough Eyelashweed detail page for more photos and information.

http://uswildflowers.com/images/full/dsc_9095.jpg

Idaho Trillium – Trillium petiolatum – Added to USWildflowers Database

Idaho Trillium, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/27/2011.)  Scientific name is Trillium petiolatum.   It is also known by the common names Long-petioled Trillium, Purple Trillium, Round Leaf Trillium, and Purple Wakerobin.  Photo below was taken in the Payette National Forest in Adams County, ID on June 18, 2011.  Go to the Idaho Trillium detail page  for more photos and information.

Idaho Trillium, Long-petioled Trillium, Purple Trillium, Round Leaf Trillium, Purple Wakerobin - Trillium petiolatum

Smooth Horsetail – Equisetum laevigatum – Added to USWildflowers Database

Smooth Horsetail, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/26/2011.)  Scientific name is Equisetum laevigatum.   It is also known by the common name Smooth Scouring Rush.  Photo below was taken along the Hull’s Gulch National Recreation Trail in Ada County, ID on June 21, 2011.  Go to the Smooth Horsetail detail page  for more photos and information.

Smooth Horsetail, Smooth Scouring Rush - Equisetum laevigatum

Western Thimbleberry – Rubus parviflorus – Added to USWildflowers Database

Western Thimbleberry, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/25/2011.)  Scientific name is Rubus parviflorus.   It is also known by the common names Salmonberry, Mountain Sorrel, White Flowering Raspberry, and Western Thimble Raspberry.  Photo below was taken along the Kleinschmidt Grade in Adams County, ID on June 19, 2011.  Go to the Western Thimbleberry detail page  for more photos and information.

Thimbleberry, Western Thimbleberry, Salmonberry, Mountain Sorrel, White Flowering Raspberry, Western Thimble Raspberry - Rubus parviflorus

Woods’ Rose – Rosa woodsii – Added to USWildflowers Database

Woods Rosa, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/24/2011.)  Scientific name is Rosa woodsii.   It is also known by the common names Common Wild Rose and Mountain Rose.  Photo below was taken along the Hull’s Gulch National Recreation Trail in Ada County, ID on June 21, 2011.  Go to the Woods’ Rose detail page for more photos and information.

Woods Rose, Common Wild Rose, Mountain Rose - Rosa woodsii

 As a side note, this is the 300th species in the USWildflowers.com wildflower database.

#NPOD: Wild Potato Vine #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 06/23/2011.

Photo from July 4, 2009. Location: Walker County, GA.

Wild Potato Vine - for more photos / info go to the  Ipomoea pandurata detail page.

Wild Potato Vine, Man of the Earth, Wild Sweet Potato, Bigroot Morning Glory - Ipomoea pandurata

Chukar #Birds #WingsOnWednesday

The Chukar (Alectoris chukar) is a bird that was imported from Pakistan many years ago as a game bird.  It has naturalized in dry mountainous parts of the United States.   My wife photographed this one along the long driveway to the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho on June 14.  This was our first time to see this bird.

Chukar – Alectoris chukar

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Yellow Monkeyflower – Mimulus guttatus – Added to USWildflowers Database

Yellow Monkeyflower, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/16/2011.)  Scientific name is Mimulus guttatus.   It is also known by the common names Common Monkeyflower and Seep Monkeyflower.  Photo below was taken in Ada County, ID on June 12, 2011.

Yellow Monkeyflower, Common Monkeyflower, Seep Monkeyflower - Mimulus guttatus

Red-tailed Hawk #WingsOnWednesday

I missed the Wings on Wednesday post last week, so you’ll get more than one photo this week.  Cindy and I made a drive up Lucky Peak nearly to the top.  This VERY rugged drive is great for the views, the birds, and the wildflowers.  As we were coming back down and nearing Route 21, I saw a raptor flying along the hill on the left.  It turned out to be a pair of Red-tailed Hawks, being quite defensive of their nest with at least one chick in it.

(Note: I’m on vacation and have so lost track of time I posted “Wings on Wednesday” on Tuesday of this week. )

Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis

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Back to the Boise Foothills

Followers of this journal know that I love the Boise Foothills.  I headed up there as the sun was rising on our first full day in Boise for this visit.  Here are a few reasons I love the Boise Foothills.

Boise Foothills in the Morning Light

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Common Daylily – Hemerocallis fulva – Added to USWildflowers Database

Common Daylily, a non-native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/08/2011.)  Scientific name is Hemerocallis fulva.  It is considered weedy or invasive by some authorities.  It’s also known by the common names Tawny Daylily and Orange Daylily.  Photo below was taken in Walker County, GA on May 31, 2011.

Common Daylily, Tawny Daylily, Orange Daylily - Hemerocallis fulva

Question Mark Butterfly #WingsOnWednesday

Wednesday has been creeping up on me lately, thus the almost Thursday WingsOnWednesday post.  This lovely butterfly was one of many (several different species) hanging aroung the Blue Hole at Pigeon Mountain on Memorial Day. 

Thanks to Twitter friend @pwtphotography for the identification as a Question Mark butterfly – Polygonia interrogationis.  @echoschemes and @LeeHillerLondon also pointed me in the right direction identifying it as a member of the Polygonia genus.  I hadn’t gotten any closer to thinking (correctly, at least!) it was a member of the Nymphalidae family.

Question Mark - Polygonia interrogationis

Following photo added to help show the mark that is what made me decide it is a Question Mark – Polygonia interrogationis – instead of the very similar Eastern Comma – Polygonia comma.

The arrow points to the question mark.

Common Elderberry – Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis – Added to USWildflowers Database

Common Elderberry, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (06/01/2011.)  Scientific name is Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis.   It is also known by the common names American Elderberry and American Black Elderberry.  Photo below was taken in Walker County, GA on May 31, 2011.

Common Elderberry, American Elderberry, American Black Elderberry - Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis