2019 Brandeis Bioliteracy Project's Journal

This week's Species of the Week is garlic mustard, also known as Allaria petiolata. It is a member of the mustard family, but is named garlic mustard due to its garlic-like scent and flavor. Even its genus, Allaria, means "garlic-like". It is a biennial plant, meaning that it grows in 2 year cycles. In its first year, the leaves are rounded and grows no more than a few inches from the ground, remaining through its first winter.

During its second year, it grows much taller, its stalks reaching up to a few feet high. The rounded leaves are replaced by pointed ones, and small four-petaled white flowers are produced.

Although native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of western and central Asia, it is an invasive species that has spread across most of North America. Initially brought by European settlers in the 19th century for medicine and culinary purposes, it quickly spread out of control and dominates the woodland understory. The insects and fungi that kill garlic mustard are not found in North America, and it is inedible or even toxic to many native herbivores.

There is ongoing debate over control of the species by introducing two species of weevil, Ceutorhynchus scrobicollus and Ceutorhynchus contstrictus, in order to control and reduce the spread of garlic mustard across the United States. As spring approaches and the snow begins to melt, look for it around campus. It grows fairly abundantly and can be found in patches.

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is a low growing plant that grows in wetlands or very moist areas, making it relatively easy to find around campus. It’s an early growing plant, emerging in early spring making a good plant to keep an eye out for when thinking about spring emergence times in relation to temperature. It's able to emerge so early because it creates its own heat, which can help it melt the surrounding snow. Skunk cabbage is so named because, if the leaves are crushed or damaged, it emits a smell similar to rotting meat or a skunk's spray.

Although this plant isn’t poisonous for insects, it is for people and many other mammals. If a person was to take a bite of it they would experience swelling in their mouth, burning, and possibly a choking sensation.

The Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a medium sized rabbit, red-brown or gray-brown in color, with large hind feet, long ears, and a short, fluffy white tail. Its underside fur is white, and there is a brownish patch on the tail. They are herbivores.

The Eastern Cottontail is the most common species of rabbit found in North America! It’s in the family Leporidae, which includes all rabbits and hares. It’s a cosmopolitan species in North America, meaning that you can find it pretty much everywhere, including meadows and shrubby areas in the eastern and south-central United States, southern Canada, eastern Mexico, Central America and northernmost South America. It is abundant in Midwest North America, and has been found in New Mexico and Arizona. It is not native to New England, but has been introduced here, which puts it in direct competition with the native New England Cottontail. There are 18 recognized subspecies of the Eastern Cottontail, and they are considered of least concern by the IUCN, even though they are a popular game animal.

These rabbits breed 3-4 times a year and have about 8 young per litter, although only 15% will survive the first year. Young rabbits are quickly and can survive on their own after a few weeks. They become sexually mature in approximately 2-3 months, so the population can grow very quickly.