[NatureNS] Chebucto Head flora

Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:37:07 -0300
From: Bob McDonald <bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hi Pat et al,

Good to read this report from the coastal barrens.  I seem to have been 
spending time looking for plants of the inland barrens - the trail to Blue 
Mountain and the loop mountain bike trail both within the Blue Mountain - 
Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area.

Many of the plants of the drier areas are similar to those mentioned by Pat 
including Chokeberry; I believe the species which we saw was Red Chokeberry 
(Aronia arbutifolia), densely tomentose (covered with soft hairs) on the 
underside of the leaf.  Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is smooth 
under the leaf.  Other flowering plants of the barrens were Three-toothed 
Cinquefoil (Potentilla tridentata) and Mountain Sandwort (Minuartia 
groenlandica), which on first glance are quite similar in appearance.  The 
Sandwort, however, is a fairly rare arctic-alpine species which I've only 
seen on the inland barrenlands of Halifax County.  This year would appear to 
be a very good year for this species and we've seen lots of it at the top of 
Blue Mountain, on the shores of Susies Lake and at the start of the mountain 
bike trails behind Burger King in Bayers Lake Business Park (the bikers 
refer to it as the Whopper Drop Trails)!  You never know what you'll find in 
otherwise barren wastelands!!

We have seen Golden Heather at Peggy's Cove and also along the Trail to Flat 
Lake in the Purcell's Cove Conservation Lands but never in full bloom so 
must keep my eyes open

Cheers,

Bob McDonald


---- Original Message ----- 
From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 11:08 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Chebucto Head flora


> Hi there,
>
> I drove out to Chebucto Head about 4 o'clock this afternoon to get a
> breath of fresh air after having been stuck in the city more than I'd
> like to be.  It was breezy and overcast ahead of the rain, and the
> foghorn was sounding its alarm.  Despite the time of day, a number of
> birds were singing, including several Hermit Thrushes. A female
> Northern Harrier was coursing over the barrens.  However,  I haven't
> been out much lately and I mainly went to see what was in bloom out
> on the headlands.
>
> There were lots of pink Dragon's Mouth orchids (Arethusa), Pitcher
> Plants, and white Cotton Grass in the bogs, but most of the bloom on
> show belonged to woody plants, including Rhodora, Lambkill, Pale
> Laurel, Labrador Tea, Huckleberry, Blueberry, and right now
> especially Chokeberry.  There is a great deal of this out at Chebucto
> Head - at every other time of year this shrub is pretty inconspicuous.
>
> The most interesting plant in bloom though was Golden Heather
> (Hudsonia ericoides) which is relatively uncommon.  This is the only
> site I know for it in my area, although I have also seen it in
> Shelburne County at the Indian Fields, and (in quite a different
> habitat) along Brooklyn Street near Kingston.  It makes a pretty show
> right now, growing among the lichen-covered rocks on the barrens.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Patricia L. Chalmers
> Halifax
>


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