Sterile sedge (Carex sterilis)

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sterile sedge

Sterile sedge (Carex sterilis) in Minnesota occurs only in wetlands, usually in alkaline rich (calcareous) fens but also in calcareous wet prairies. When it is found it is often the dominant species. However, it is classified as threatened in Minnesota due to continued loss of its preferred habitat.

Sterile sedge forms dense tufts of many plants. The slender, grass-like leaves are up to 10″ or more long, no more than ⅛″ wide, and are folded like a fan. The stems are stiffly erect, triangular in cross section, brown at the base, and up to 29″ long. The inflorescence at the end of the stem has usually four easily distinguished spikes. The inflorescences are highly variable. The terminal spike is usually all male (staminate) or all female (pistillate) but may include some flowers of the opposite sex. Some plants have all staminate spikes, some have all pistillate spikes, and sometimes a few flowers of the opposite sex are scattered on some of the spikes. The common name of the plant refers to the fact that some clumps are all staminate, do not produce seed, and are therefore sterile.

Sterile sedge is similar in appearance to, and easily confused with, interior sedge (Carex interior). The two species often appear at the same site. However, interior sedge is less stiffly erect, has even narrower leaves, and usually has only three spikes per stem. The terminal spike of interior sedge has a narrow, club-shaped, staminate portion at the base that is as long as the broad, star-like, pistillate portion.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/sterile_sedge.html

Cedar Mountain SNA

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Cedar Mountain SNA

During the last ice age eleven thousand years ago the Laurentide Ice Sheet covered all of what is now Minnesota except for the driftless area in the southeast and the inner coteau in the southwest. As the glacier retreated, meltwater flowing off of the Des Moines Lobe formed Glacial Lake Agassiz. The lake drained to the southeast through Glacial River Warren. Where it flowed through this part of Redwood County the river was over 1½ miles wide and covered almost all of this SNA. Only three tiny islands remained above water. On March 15, 2005, 317 acres of prairie, oak woodland, and floodplain forest in Redwood County was designated Cedar Mountain Scientific and Natural Area.

The northernmost part of the SNA is in the Mississippi River floodplain. It contains a silver maple floodplain forest and two shallow lakes. South of the lakes, at the western edge of the SNA, trees and shrubs have been removed to establish a rock outcrop prairie. South of the floodplain forest is a mature basswood-bur oak forest and a sliver of dry, rock outcrop prairie. The three islands in the River Warren are now knobs of bedrock outcrop in this section. The knobs contain unique rock types and rare plant species. The lower, middle section of the SNA is mostly mesic prairie and a very small rock outcrop prairie. The south section is more basswood bur-oak forest. Wabash Creek separates this section from 320th Street on the south border of the SNA.

Visitors to Cedar Mountain SNA this week (early June) will see in bloom abundant golden alexanders and, less conspicuous but almost equally abundant, long-leaved bluet.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Destinations/Cedar_Mountain_SNA.html

Hastings Sand Coulee SNA

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Hastings Sand Coulee SNA

Hastings Sand Coulee Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) was first designated in 2007 and greatly expanded in 2011. The Minnesota Biological Survey identified this site as “one of the most biologically important sites in Dakota County.” An unnamed intermittent stream, a tributary of the Vermillion River, runs through all three of the disconnected units of this SNA. The South Unit is a 79-acre dry prairie with scattered eastern redcedar. The North Unit is 178 acres and includes a more diverse mix of dry prairie, oak woodland, and former cropland being restored to prairie. The tiny, 6¾-acre Center Unit is an abandoned gravel pit. Seven state listed species have been seen on at least one of the units, including Lark Sparrow, regal fritillary, and kittentails. Ottoe Skipper, a threatened species, has also been reported here but has not been added to the county distribution map for the state.

The Friends of the Mississippi River has done considerable work restoring the site. This is especially apparent in the North Unit. Following decades of fire suppression, what had once been a hill prairie has become bur oak woodland with a dense shrub understory. Most of the shrub layer in this section was removed in December, 2013. A large area of former cropland has been reseeded with prairie grasses and forbs. In the South Unit much of the common buckthorn has been removed from the area along MN Highway 361.

Visitors this week (late May) to the South Unit will find more fringed puccoon in bloom than they may have seen anywhere else. Hairy puccoon and hoary puccoon are also blooming here. Other flowers blooming now include birdfoot violet, prairie violet, prairie blue-eyed grass, ground plum, cypress spurge, balsam groundsel, narrow-leaved hawkweed, and narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard. If you walk slowly and look close you will also find in bloom corn speedwell, hairy purslane speedwell, and long-leaved bluet. Resident birds are curious about the occasional visitor. If you bring your binoculars you will probably spot a western meadowlark and a lark sparrow. You will certainly hear field, clay-colored, and grasshopper sparrows. In the North Unit kitten-tails, violet wood sorrel, winter cress, downy phlox, and smooth yellow violet are all in bloom this week.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Destinations/Hastings_Sand_Coulee_SNA.html

Showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis)

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showy orchis

Showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis) is occasional in moist, rich, deciduous woods in the Eastern Broadleaf Province ecological region. In Minnesota, that includes the southeast and metro areas and continues northwest to Becker County. The plant is becoming less common as its preferred habitat disappears.

Though showy orchis is the first orchid to flower in the spring in Minnesota, the plant is often overlooked. In its first year the plant produces a single aboveground leaf and a new underground tuber and roots. The leaves die back in October or November. In subsequent years two leaves are produced. After four to six years it finally produces a single flowering stem.

There are two species of Galearis in North America, and both are found in Minnesota. Showy orchis is distinguished by the leaves, the lower petal (lip) of the flower, and the habitat where it is found. There are two basal leaves on a flowering plant. The lip is more than ⅜″ long, is white with no spots, and is not lobed. It occurs only in moist, rich, deciduous woods.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/showy_orchis.html

Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix)

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plains garter snake

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) is a medium-sized, nonvenomous snake. It is found through Minnesota except in the arrowhead region, but is most common in the western and metro counties. It is similar in appearance to, and difficult to distinguish from, the much more common and widespread eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis).

The two species are distinguished by the position of pale lateral stripes and by markings on the upper jaw. Plains garter snake has pale lateral stripes on the third and fourth scale rows counting up from the belly scales. Each of the scales on the upper jaw (labial scales) has a bold black outline. Eastern garter snake has pale lateral stripes on the second and third scale rows, and none or at most one or two of the labial scales have a bold black border.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Reptiles/plains_garter_snake.html

Eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)

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eastern tiger salamander

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is the largest terrestrial salamander in Minnesota. Adults are usually 6¾″ to 8⅝″ in length but have been found as much as 13¾″ long. It is common throughout the state except in the arrowhead region, where it has not been recorded after 1960. It is found in prairies, woodlands, agricultural and residential areas – pretty much everywhere. It is a voracious feeder, eating any animal small enough to be captured and swallowed.

Like all salamanders, eastern tiger salamander is rarely encountered by humans. It is occasionally found in window wells and damp basements, and is sometimes seen above ground at night during and after a rainfall in the spring breeding season.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Amphibians/eastern_tiger_salamanader.html

Prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens)

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prairie larkspur

There are about 340 species of delphinium if you include, as some authors do, 40 Old World species in the genus Consolida. Of the 300 species in the genus Delphinium, all contain high levels of the alkaloid delphinine, and are toxic to livestock. All have deeply palmately lobed leaves, petals smaller than the sepals, and a spurred upper sepal. Prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum) blooms from May to June on dry prairies and open woodlands. It is distinguished by the moderately to densely hairy stem; erect flower stalks that appear appressed to the inflorescence axis; four petals; three to five pistils; and densely ridged seedcoat.

There are four subspecies of prairie larkspur. Only one, Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens, is found in Minnesota. This subspecies is identified by its height usually more than 18″; a branched horizontal root system; basal leaves still present at flowering time; leaf blade with 5 to 7 primary segments; uppermost leaf stalk more than 3 ⁄16″ long; and white to very pale blue sepals.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/prairie_larkspur.html

Prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

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prairie rose

There are seven species of rose found outside of cultivation in Minnesota, four native and three introduced. Prairie rose (Rosa arkansana), a native species, is common in the state. It is found in full sun in sandy or gravelly soil on upland prairies, hill prairies, woodland edges and openings, thickets, roadsides, and railroad rights-of-way. It is a low plant, rarely getting more than 18″ tall. Its large, showy flowers appear from early June to early August.

Prairie rose is identified by the short stature; the stems often dying back in the fall; flowers borne at the tips of current year herbaceous stems; prickles evenly distributed throughout the plant, even on new growth; leaves with usually 9 leaflets; and flowers in clusters of 3 to 8.

Many authorities recognize two varieties of this species. Their ranges overlap and both are found throughout the state, though their exact distribution has not been mapped. Rosa arkansana var. suffulta, the eastern variety, is identified a hairy leaflet undersurface. The leaflet undersurface of Rosa arkansana var. arkansana, the western variety, is hairless.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/prairie_rose.html

Prairie ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata ssp. fasciculata)

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Prairie ironweed (ssp. fasciculata)

Prairie ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata) is common in Minnesota in the lower two-thirds of the state and in the northwestern border counties. Its showy, reddish-purple flower heads appear from July to September on wet and moderately moist prairies. It is pollinated mostly by butterflies, skippers, and long-tongued bees.

This species is identified by the hairless leaf undersurface that is dotted with pitted glands. When held up to the sun or other light the glands appear as translucent dots.

There are two subspecies of prairie ironwood, both of which are found in Minnesota. The eastern subspecies, ssp. fasciculata, is identified by the longer stem; longer, narrower leaves; and upper leaf surface that is smooth to the touch.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/prairie_ironweed_(fasciculata).html

Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)

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pearly everlasting

Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) is common in the northeast, central, and Twin Cities metro areas of the state. It can be found in woodland edges and openings, roadsides, and disturbed sites. From July to September it produces showy clusters of bright white and yellow flower heads. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Female flower heads usually have a few male flowers, however the plants are not self-fertile. Separate male and female plants must be present to produce seed.

This species is identified by the stalkless leaves that continue down the stem at the base, the broad flower heads, the presence of only male flower heads or female flower heads on an individual plant, and the presence (usually) of a few male flowers on the female flower heads.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/pearly_everlasting.html