Identify my plant!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Okay, I'm starting this thread for folks to post plants they need identified.

To make this enjoyable for everyone: No posting specific locations. A forest/park name is okay, a habitat type is okay, local features are okay, but don't give directions. Keep the pictures reasonably sized and make sure they are clear. Be patient when it comes to responses. Try to look it up yourself, first. If you know what something is, help out!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Here's one to start with. Found trailside in Savage Gulf on a wooded hillside, near Downy Rattlesnake Plantain. Anybody know what it is?

[weathermansam]

Have a shot of the foliage?  The bloom looks orchid like, almost.  Also reminds me a bit of dayflowers or a variety of Lobelia, but the bloom location is all wrong for the latter two. 

[jaybird]

It's a pea family member (Fabaceae), but I need to see foliage to ID the species.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Well... Here's the problem... There wasn't any. That's why I couldn't ID it. No clue how that happened, but I'm assuming something ate it, otherwise it is an odd plant. I do concur that it looks like a pea.

I saw it again today in Mammoth Cave NP, but didn't get a foliage shot, so...

[jaybird]

Check out one of these.  There are 5 pages of pictures on this site.  Click on "see all images for Desmodium in the thumbnail gallery."  I'm pretty sure it's the genus Desmodium, but I'm not sure about species because there are so many and they all look alike.

http://images.google.com/...ei=LhubSunmDtyetwfvy9S7BA

[Joshua Szulecki]

Identify my plant!

Anybody got a clue what this is? It was all over at Edgar Evins State Park, but it has yet to bloom. Really freaky looking.

[jaybird]

I'm pretty sure it's Jeffersonia diphylla (Twinleaf).  And what you're seeing is the fruit, so it has already bloomed.    Very interesting plant, and on the special concern list in Alabama.

http://images.google.com/...US353US353%26tbs%3Disch:1

http://www.prairiemoon.co...hylla-Twinleaf-flower.jpg

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=JEDI

Some info from the U.S. Forest Service:
Twinleaf is a member of the Berberidaceae (Barberry) family. This family contains perennial herbs or shrubs with often-spiny stems and/or leaves and flowers borne singly or in clusters or racemes. Only one other species of twinleaf occurs in the world: J. dubia, found in Japan. His friend and fellow botanist, William Bartram, named the genus in honor of Thomas Jefferson.

Twinleaf has one white flower atop a leafless stalk appearing in April-May. The flower is about 2.5 cm wide (1 inch), with four sepals that eventually drop off, and eight petals. The fruit that follows is a large, dry, pear-shaped capsule, with a tiny-hinged lid. Its leaves can be up to 15 cm long (6 inches), and are basal, long-stemmed, and divided lengthwise into wing-like halves. This is a very distinctive characteristic. The plant is short while flowering and fruiting (12.5 to 25 cm; 5-10 inches) and increases to 45 cm (1.5 feet) as the fruit mature.

Other both common and species names suggest a plant with two leaves, there are actually more. Each leaf is divided into two nearly separate leaflets. Twinleaf is found in rich, damp, open woods usually in limestone soils. It can be found from Ontario, Canada and New York south to Georgia and Alabama, and northwest to Iowa and Minnesota.

Native Americans used the root as a tea for cramps, spasms, nervous excitability, diarrhea, a diuretic for kidney stones and urinary infections, and as a gargle for sore throats. Externally it was used as a wash for rheumatism, sores, ulcers, inflammation, and cancerous sores. The plant is probably toxic, so caution should be used if preparing it for modern day use!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Thanks Jay! That is definately it.

I ended up having a very productive day. Hit up a location in Big South Fork where I knew I might find Trailing Arbutus and did, found way more than I expected, and in both pink and white coloring. Some plants had hybrid rhododenron/azalea level bloom clusters. Smelled AWESOME! Did not make it to the arches. Made it to Standing Stone State Park, bottomed out car in a stream, and failed to find any Dodecatheon. Then hit Edgar Evins State Park and was totally overwhelmed by the density of wildflowers. Saw several different species occuring within feet of each other. Certainly the greatest diversity in a single spot I've seen in Tennessee as of yet. Also saw first jack-in-the-pulpit for me this year. Lots of black coloring on these. Very interesting area, and much better than my last visit to this park.

http://www.szulecki.com/images/BSF41010/album/
http://www.szulecki.com/images/evins41010/album/