Ravenna Park, Seattle 5/23

We went to Ravenna Park for a second voyage. However, this time we went down the paths to where they followed the creak running through the park. Descending into the little valley that the creak runs through was a more wet, coniferous environment that favored wet plants. When we left our house for the walk it began to sprinkle. One of the more predominant plants there, aside from ferns, was devil's club. Many of the plants we saw I'm assuming are very water dependent, due to their close proximity to the water. Especially plants that we saw in the muddy areas right on the stream, like lots of skunk cabbage and false lily of the valley.

The other place I had also seen false lily of the valley was in a relatively wet area right next to a little pond and a lagoon. Youth on age was also seen right next to the stream, perhaps for the same reason as the others. Salmonberry was abundant on the side of the path b the water, and it was fruiting, with most of the berries not ripe, but some were close, having a light orange color with berry shape resembling raspberries.
We also saw the fungi Artist's Bracket, preferring the more damp environment of being attached to a Horse-Chestnut (very prevalent) in a damp forest area, allowing it to thrive in the moist environment. One thing I noticed is that although it is spring and flowers are blooming everywhere, in this shady and wet environment I did not see very many flowers, especially not bright flowers.
Also, the yellow stamen-like structures at the center of the skunk cabbages seemed to be commonly knocked over or absent for some apparent reason.
Species List:
douglas fir
Horse-Chestnut
Artist's Bracket
devil's club
red cedar
hemlock
false lily of the valley
european holly
youth on age
sword fern
western lady fern
false solomon's seal
skunk cabbage
salmonberry
rose campion
himalayan blackberry

Posted on June 4, 2012 07:13 PM by drwlyons drwlyons

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

European Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

Stood a couple feet tall, almost a purplish brown bark that was smooth, with alternating branches that had sharp leaves that were not flat with about seven points. The leaves were very waxy and shiny, with a thick cuticle. Some of the leaves were reddish, while most of them were green. The leaves exhibited opposite branching.

Photos / Sounds

What

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

This shrub stood about 5 feet tall with very thin, relatively short leaves that could possibly be considered needles. Intermingled were some buds as well as some blue flowers. The branches drooped down. There were no more berries as they all became buds and some flowered.

Photos / Sounds

What

Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A plant that was in this case about 4 feet tall, with a stalk completely covered in spikes, topped off by multiple large, light green leaves. At the top of some of the leaves an upward flowering structure with multiple budding white flowers stood.

Photos / Sounds

What

Youth-on-Age (Tolmiea menziesii)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A plant very low to the ground, it had small, yellowish flowers coming off of the main stalk in an alternating fashion. Around where the flowers start there are two, almost heart shaped leaves with serrated edges that occur staggered on the stalk. Some of the flowers on the tip of the plant were still budding and green.

Photos / Sounds

What

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A fern standing about two feet off the ground, exhibiting opposite branching with leaves that tapered off in length near the end with slightly serrated edges. The undersides had no visible spores or spores that you could feel. The fern was somewhat soft.

Photos / Sounds

What

Horse-Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A large shrub or perhaps small tree that had a woody base and large leaves in groups of five or seven that have serrated edges and a sharp point at the end. Sort of oval shaped with very straight veins coming off of the main one. I have seen other trees with these distinctive leaves, so I assume that this is just a young one.

Photos / Sounds

What

Artist's Bracket (Ganoderma applanatum)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A large fungi on the side of a tree. The top of it was a dusty brown, and it appeared to have layers, or sort of folds as it slanted down to form an overhang, with the under side of it being completely white.

Photos / Sounds

What

Solomon's Plume (Maianthemum racemosum)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A plant that grew upwards and sideways and stayed relatively low to the ground, it had large oval leaves with three very well defined grooves going vertically down the leaves. The leaves were alternately branched, ending in a flower structure that was budding, with white flowers starting to emerge.

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Lily of the Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

An oval leaf with an indent where the leaf attaches to the stem, this was very prevalent on the ground near the stream. Some had a flower structure emerging from the stalk above the leaf, but it was very small buds on a stalk that extended maybe three inches above.

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

Very large, broad, green, oval shaped leaves extending from the same base area right next to a stream. No flowers present, but the yellow central structure was visible in some of the plants, although it was somewhat hidden and in multiple it was broken and on the ground lying right next to the plant.

Photos / Sounds

What

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A large shrub lining the paths of Ravenna park, this plant showed visible thorns, and was beginning to fruit, with no flowers present. The fruits resembled raspberries in shape, but most of them were whitish yellow, with a couple light orange ones. The leaves were compound leaflets in threes stemming from where the berries came off of the branches.

Photos / Sounds

What

Water Parsley (Oenanthe sarmentosa)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A low growing green plant with no flowers. Multiple stalks coming out of the same ground base with almost a fern pattern, but with leaves instead of fronds. Each branch off of the main stalk was opposite another, with the leaves coming off in pairs, tapering down until three at the very tip. Typically from seven to five to three. The leaves had serrated edges, and were mostly oval shaped.

Photos / Sounds

What

Rose Campion (Silene coronaria)

Observer

drwlyons

Date

May 23, 2012

Description

A plant standing about a foot off of the ground. It had leaves in pairs of two that came off of opposite sides of the main stalk. The entire plant was fuzzy, and felt like to the touch. Somewhat resembled deer-tongue. No flowers to be seen.

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