The Greening, and a Little Color!

  Thanks to the rain we had a few days ago, some of the spring treats are beginning to appear. I was hiking 30 miles south of my latitude yet, but I should be seeing similar things near home soon. Since I've teased you several times with trailing arbutus buds, now I'll end the suspense and show you the clear waxy flowers. Epigaea repens. The flowers can also be light pink, and may age to pink.

One of the earliest wildflowers to open here is bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis. I found quite a few but they were maybe the smallest I've ever seen. I don't think they like growing among the grasses.

Nearby was Virginia spring beauty, Claytonia virginica. The dainy flowers close up and droop unless they have sunshine. Can you see the delicate lavender veins in the flowers? Species virginica has narrow leaves.

No flowers yet, but I love the leaves of wood betony, aka lousewort, Pedicularis canadensis. Leaves are green and/or maroon. This is a nice collection of both colors. Flowers will be creamy yellow or maroon. There doesn't seem to be any correlation with maroon leaves to maroon flowers.

These are last year's, and they aren't a flower, but who can resist a cute fungus? I believe this is mini-puffball, Lycoperdon pusillum. Everything fits, except they usually grow on the ground. Well, I'm not a fungus expert! The central hole is lobed, and the surface has a somewhat netted pattern.

Finally, I can't let you off without a sedge! This is Carex pensylvanica, Pennsylvania sedge, which is just being sexy all over the forest floor right now. Those yellow things are the anthers, and they are spreading pollen like crazy.

Maybe more plants tomorrow- it's spring, green is popping, and I can't help myself!

In other news: I edited till I thought my brain would explode, and then I would put some pieces in a jig saw puzzle, then go back to editing. That, and I over-ate. Does that count as an accomplishment?

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