Forbs of Union Bay Natural Area May 24

A walking tour around the Union bay natural area revealed some of the forbs (flowering herbacious species) that exist in this prairie wetland habitat. Focus species included skunk cabbage, and dandelion.
Skunk cabbage: The recognizeable yellow head of this wetland dwelling wild flower consists of a modfied yellow leaf, that wraps aroound a verticle column of spikey yellow small individual flowers. It derives its name from the smell it gives of via sulfurous chemicals to attract it pollinators which are flies and various decomposing beetles. Amazingly, skunk cabbage can live to be over 100 yrs old, with leaf span of up to 5 ft. An interesting evolutionary trait is the skunk cabbage's ability to produce its own body heat, which allows it to persist through snow cover. Also, its root system functions to pull itself into the ground via the contracting of its earth-worm like roots.
Dandelion:The name means tooth of the lion, and is indicative of the leaf shape, which resembles a row of lions teeth, arranged at a slight angle. The dandelion has the ability to self, which means it can pollinate itself, yet it retains its yellow colour probably because of the slight advantage that comes with the ability to share genetic information with neighboring populations that increase the fitness of offspring. A very similar species is the furry cats ear, which is distinguishable because of its furry leaves, which are not quite as neatly arranged like a set of teeth although they are lobed. Also its stem is not hollow and is much more wirey feeling than the dandelion's, which is hollow. Every part of the dandelion is edible.
Forbs Species List:
Big leaf Lupine
Furry Cat's Ear
Dandelion
Clover
Skunk Cabbage
Common Camas
Common Vetch
thimbleberry

Posted on May 25, 2012 06:01 AM by robertmarsh