Day 319: Rangers at the desk of the Visitor Center are frequently asked to identify a plant, bird or animal from the briefest of descriptions. It happens less often when we're out in the backcountry, although it is still a fairly common occurrence. A perfect example would be, "We saw this really blue flower near Tipsoo Lake. What was it?" The query may be accompanied by a postage-stamp sized out-of-focus photo from which it is likely impossible to tell whether the plant in question was Monskhood (Aconitum, left) or Larkspur (Delphinium, right). When asked to give a clearer description of the blossom, the visitor falters and then says, "I think there was some white in the middle." How about the foliage? That's asking too much. It had leaves, and they were green.
While botanists get seriously up close and personal with their plants, counting stamens, examining leaves for fine hairs and so on, we ask nothing more of you than that you count the petals, decide whether they are all the same shape and size, and tell us whether the leaves were long or rounded, single or splayed out like fingers on a hand. These simple bits of information (or other obvious morphological characteristics) are usually enough to put us in the ballpark when coupled with season and location. Referring to the photos above, Monkshoods upper petals form the distinct hood which gives the plant its common name, while the petals of Larkspur open out like those a child might draw. That simple distinction could answer the question of "What was that really blue flower we saw at Tipsoo?" without the need for a ranger's suggestions. But then, everybody likes to talk to a ranger, right?
