May 19, 2012 Old Growth Forest and Stream Bed
Today I took a walk through an old growth forest to a waterfall. The weather was mildy warm and sunny, although in the shade of the trees it was cooler. There was a large open sunny meadow just before the forest where large-leaved avens were growing as well as a patch of yarrow. Near the stream bed I saw beautiful mint colored ferns with dark brown stalks that came out separately from the substrate. The stalk would grow straight up then curl around in a swirl with the leaflets swirling as well. I later learned these were caled five-fingered ferns. I had never seen this type of fern before, and it is not common elswhere in the Port Ludlow forest. I also saw beautiful large western sweet coltsfoot leaves that were growing extremely close to the stream bed. Also near the stream bed were large stink currant shrubs. In the soft soil of the forest floor there were a few trillium plants growing, and a few of them were even flowering.
Five-fingered Fern, Adiantum pedatum
Parasol, Macrolepiota procera
Lewis's mock-orange, Philadelphus lewisii
Scotch Broom, Cytisus scoparius
Tolmiea menziesii
Common Yarrow, Achillea millefolium
Western sweet coltsfoot, Petasites frigidus palmatus
Large-leaved avens, Geum macrophyllum
Stink Currant, Ribes bracteosum
Trillium, Genus Trillium
Red huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium
Daisy, Bellis perennis
Pacific bleeding heart, Dicentra formosa
Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis
Pinemat manzanita, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
False Solomon's Seal, Maianthemum racemosum
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa)Observer
andymjDescription
I spotted these blooming around 2:00 in the afternoon growing abundantly along the shady path through the old growth forest. They were about as high as my knees and grew rather thickly.
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Sweet Coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var. palmatus)Observer
andymjDescription
This big leafy plant was growing quite tall, about to my hip, near the stream bed. Its stem was a light green, and smooth. It seemed that each stalk was growing individually out of the ground, and produced only one giant leaf. It was much larger than any coltsfoot I have ever seen before, and it was without flower.
Photos / Sounds
What
Lawn Daisy (Bellis perennis)Observer
andymjDescription
Near the entrance of the trail to the forest was a field, and these tiny daises grew in patches in various colors in the sunlight. They were fairly small in stature.
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Solomon's Plume (Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule)Observer
andymjDescription
The False Solomon's Seal was growing in the shade of the forest. It was in bloom with plumes of white flowers at the tip.
Photos / Sounds
What
Youth-on-Age (Tolmiea menziesii)Observer
andymjDescription
The foam flower was growing in thick patches close to the ground. Its tiny flowers were just blooming.
Photos / Sounds
What
Red Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium)Observer
andymjDescription
There were quite a few huckleberry bushes growing out of stumps in the forest. They did not have any red berries yet.
Photos / Sounds
What
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)Observer
andymjDescription
The Kinnikinnick was growing near the forest in a medium sized patch fairly close to the ground. There were no red berries at this time.
Photos / Sounds
What
Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum)Observer
andymjDescription
These were growing near the forest as well in a patch closer to the ground, and there were a few yellow flowers visible.
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum)Observer
andymjDescription
I have not seen these ferns elsewhere in the Port Ludlow forests, but they were growing in abundance near the waterfall and all along the stream bed. They have beautiful black stalks that come out of the ground separately, and leaves that follow a flat spiraled stem.
Photos / Sounds
What
Lewis' Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii)Observer
andymjDescription
These were growing in a patch near the forest in the sun. They did not have any flowers blooming at this time, and grew quite close to the ground.
Photos / Sounds
What
Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)Observer
andymjDescription
This invasive species was growing alone the edge of the medow near the forest. It was blooming bright yellow flowers.
Photos / Sounds
What
Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)Observer
andymjDescription
This baby sitka spruce was growing alone near the forest. It was only about as high as my shoulder, and had many soft new needles growing.
Photos / Sounds
What
Stink Currant (Ribes bracteosum)Observer
andymjDescription
The stink currant was growing tall and draping oer the stream bed. It had streamers of tiny yellow-ish green flowers hanging from its stem.
Photos / Sounds
What
Pacific Trillium (Trillium ovatum)Observer
andymjDescription
There were quite a few Trillium plants growing on the forest floor and near the stream bed. Many were much smaller than this one, and this was one of the few that was blooming.
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)Observer
andymjDescription
There were small Yarrow plants growing in the medow. They were not yet flowering, and only reached up to around my ankles.
Photos / Sounds
What
Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs, and Allies (Class Agaricomycetes)Observer
andymjDescription
This tiny mushroom had a flat top and a dark brown middle, with gills on top. It was growing in the moist earth of the forest floor.
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