Pinguicula Vulgaris

Day 230: Some Latin binomials confuse the tongue so much that a large number of botanists may be heard referring to certain plants by their common names; case in point, Pinguicula vulgaris. "Pin-GWICK-yu-luh" is not an easy word to pronounce, but "Butterwort" is. The "vulgaris" portion of its scientific name means "common," but this plant has only recently been removed from the "Rare, Threatened and Sensitive" list. It is one of a handful of insectivorous plants found in Washington, and only occurs in certain pocket ecologies. It dines on the gnats, mosquitoes and other small insects which are attracted to a sticky substance exuded by its leaves, digesting their soft parts by means of a secondary enzyme which converts them into utilizable nutrients. The yellow-green leaves may look like they have black freckles, but a closer look will show the spots to be insect exoskeletal material, the remains of Pinguicula's leisurely meal.

Another Name Bites The Dust

Day 229: As of this writing, you may still refer to Aphyllon purpureum by its synonym Orobanche uniflora, but at the rate Latin binomials are being revised, that terminology may change by the time I hit the "post" button. I'm trying to keep up, honest I am, but there are moments when I just want to reach out through the ether to throttle the first taxonomist I can lay my hands on. ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System) still lists it as Orobanche, but I happen to know that my contact at the Burke Museum has more up-to-date sources. Burke puts it under Aphyllon purpureum, and I accept their authority.

In any event, this lovely flower has no foliage. The leaves you see in the photo belong to Suksdorfia ranunculifolia (I checked...that nomenclature is current, and the plant will be the subject of a future post). While Oroba...dammit...Aphyllon frequently grows in the same environments, it is parasitic on several different species of sedum (small succulents, specifically S. oreganum and S. divergens in Mount Rainier National Park). It draws nutrients from its host and cannot exist independent of it. Research is being done to determine if the relationship goes two ways, but current studies do not indicate any benefit to the sedum. It is also parasitic on some members of the pea family, hence its common name "Naked Broomrape." "Broom" refers to the legumes (think "Scotch broom") and "rape" comes from Latin "rapum," meaning "a tuber."

Corallorhiza Trifida, Northern Coralroot

Day 228: Northern Coralroot (Corallorhiza trifida) is listed as rare in Mount Rainier National Park. Much smaller than its relatives Western and Spotted Coralroot (C. mertensiana and C. maculata), it can be extremely difficult to see in the deep forests it prefers. A full-grown stem will seldom exceed 8" in height. This tiny orchid is partially mycoheterotrophic by virtue of containing some chlorophyll, which is to say that it is incapable of complete photosynthesis on its own, and therefore must rely on specific mycorrhizal (fungal) components in the soil to facilitate the uptake of nutrients. All Coralroots are mycoheterotrophic, however, the different species depend on different fungi.

In years past, my botany partners and I have recorded as many as 23 stems in a single season over three known locales. So far in 2019, we have observed exactly ONE. I believe this fluctuation in the census represents the overall health of the mycorrhizal system, i.e., the presence or absence of moist, warm conditions during the period of winter dormancy. If conditions are not right for the mycorrhizae, the plants will not emerge. Ironically, we are seeing C. mertensiana and C. maculata emerging earlier than normal. It remains to be shown whether their numbers will be greater than average as the season progresses.

That Famous Fungus

Day 227: Team Biota took to the field today, checking on a few of our favourite rare species. Joe had gone alone to Myriosclerotinia caricis-ampullaceae "Site A" last week and reported a few small cups. Today, we found 50-60, the largest of which measured 11 mm. in diameter. None of the other known sites is snow-free, and even at Site A, meltwater is flowing too deeply through much of the sedge for the cups to have emerged. We will be watching this site very closely for this world-wide rarity over the next two weeks! As soon as our primary site opens up, we will begin a five-year observation to determine if the parasitic fungus is affecting sedge growth and development. Myrio was just one of several rare species we checked up on today, so stay tuned!

Cool Quartet

Day 226: I'm really jazzed about my garden right now. Who wouldn't be, when this quartet is playing upbeat blues? I'm ashamed to admit that the wisteria surprised me. I hadn't noticed that it was in bud, and here it is, in full flower. The clematis is a new addition ("Multi Blue"). I thought my beautiful "Vancouver Sea Breeze" had died off after being buried under snow for a month, but when I went to plant its replacement, I discovered a pair of new stems. Two clematis isn't a bad thing, although they're going to have to share the same trellis. The Siberian iris and Bachelor's Buttons are old-fashioned favourites without which my flower beds would feel incomplete. The blues are cool!

The Ubiquitous Rhododendron

Day 225: At this time of year, it may seem like every yard in western Washington has at least one rhododendron in it: lavender, purple, red, white, yellow, orange, any shade of pink imaginable. Most are maintained at heights of six to eight feet, but it's not uncommon to see an old, established plant 15 feet tall or more. There's no mystery to the rhododendron's popularity in our damp climate. It is evergreen, holding its leathery leaves throughout the winter. In its original pinkish-white form, it's native to the area. Admittedly, the showy colours are garden cultivars. No one plants the native. But walk through the lowlands of the western Olympic Peninsula, and you'll be surrounded by Rhododendron macrophyllum. Less showy is R. albiflorum, a bushy plant with leaves similar to but somewhat larger than those of blue huckleberry. True to its scientific name, its smaller, less abundant flowers are white or whitish-yellow. and are trumpet-shaped. You probably wouldn't recognize it as a rhody if you were unfamiliar with it. Oh, and by the way...if you say "rho-do-den-DRUM" in my presence, I will whop you upside the head with a stick.

A Spectacular Show

Day 224: I have to admit that Adenium obesum "Joyful" is putting on a much more spectacular show than I'd expected. The first flower began opening two weeks ago and was in full display a few days later. That first bloom is not yet showing signs of wilting, and two more have opened beneath it with more developing on the primary stem. The second stem also has buds, although they're still small at this point. If the pattern of development holds true (and there's no reason it should not), the blooming season for this remarkable succulent will cover more than a month. Adeniums require special attention with respect to water requirements, demanding dry conditions in the dormant time and more frequent watering when the plant is growing/blooming. If I am successful in keeping this one alive for a year, I will certainly be considering adding more Adeniums to my collection.