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--Boundary_(ID_GsnWsT0gVaiQAD5IElXsHQ) Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT In addition to everyone's "great pictures as usual, Hans!", I have just a few comments regarding Hans' photos: (a) in the ANGELICA, note that each umbel of flowers shows larger individual flowers at the periphery, showing a bit of division of labour in being modified for attraction of pollinators (think of other examples here, like wild carrot, some Viburnum species like hobblebush and highbush cranberry, and even daisies and other composites); (b) "DEADLY NIGHTSHADE" really should just be called "nightshade" or, better?, "bittersweet", since it is not really deadly, just nasty to eat; (c) Hans' shot of the CHOKEBERRY sp. is detailed enough to show the row of dark dots along the leaf midrib, an important way to distinguish Aronia spp. at other times of year; I agree with everyone that Hans' "SNAPDRAGON SPECIES" is really YELLOW RATTLE; and for the "WITCH'S BROOM", calling it a "parasite" needs a bit of embellishment, I think -- a specific RUST FUNGUS has infected this balsam fir host, and the fungus, which indeed is a parasite, induces the deformed growth of dense branches we call a witch's broom, which then forms the fungus' spore-producing organs on the needles of these deformed growths, and the spores are shed (looking like pollen) at this time of year, in mid to late June -- most rust fungi also have complicated life cycles that alternate with a totally different but specific host plant, and perhaps Nancy Nickerson can tell us what it is in this case? The witch's broom is a type of gall or deformed growth which I liken to having a benign cancer -- the damage to the plant is real and perhaps chronic but limited when compared to an uncontrolled type of cancer. Cheers from Jim in Wolfville Begin forwarded message: > From: Hans Toom <Htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca> > Date: June 29, 2009 8:00:57 AM ADT > To: "Naturens@Chebucto.Ns.Ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > Subject: [NatureNS] Showy Lady's Slipper Orchid and other wildflowers > Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > Laura and I visited Smiley's Provincial Park yesterday, taking > advantage of the small break in the weather. The conditions were > cloudy bright, ideal for photography except in the darker closeted > woods where the Showy Lady's Slipper Orchid resides. It was a > spectacular display, the best we've seen over the years. MNR should > take charge of this place before it is irreparably damaged. > Boardwalks with railings and interpretative signage would keep > folks from wandering and tramping the ground all over the place and > also afford a superb educational opportunity. I've always > maintained that our parks should be managed by the Department of > the Environment and not the Ministry of Natural Resources but I'm a > just a voice from the wilderness. > > We spotted a Cedar Waxwing nest in the park but couldn't tell > whether the adult birds were tending young or still building the > nest. The usual Eastern Phoebe's at the bridge were not in sight > but the crowd of picnickers at the nearby picnic bench may have > kept them hunkered down. > > I've posted several pictures taken on route and some from yesterday > at Sandy Cove Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia. There's a Snap Dragon > species we can't identify, marked as such, so if anyone knows what > it is let me know so I can caption the photo correctly. > > Hans > > http://www.pbase.com/snahmoot/image/114409363 > _________________________________ > Hans Toom > Portuguese Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada > Website: http://hanstoom.com > _________________________________ --Boundary_(ID_GsnWsT0gVaiQAD5IElXsHQ) Content-type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "> In addition to everyone's "great pictures as usual, Hans!", I have just = a few comments regarding Hans' photos: (a) in the ANGELICA, note that = each umbel of flowers shows larger individual flowers at the periphery, = showing a bit of division of labour in being modified for attraction of = pollinators (think of other examples here, like wild carrot, some = Viburnum species like hobblebush and highbush cranberry, and even = daisies and other composites); (b) "DEADLY NIGHTSHADE" really should = just be called "nightshade" or, better?, "bittersweet", since it is not = really deadly, just nasty to eat; (c) Hans' shot of the CHOKEBERRY =A0sp. = is detailed enough to show the row of dark dots along the leaf midrib, = an important way to distinguish Aronia spp. at other times of year; I = agree with everyone that Hans' "SNAPDRAGON SPECIES" is really YELLOW = RATTLE; and for the "WITCH'S BROOM", calling it a "parasite" needs a bit = of embellishment, I think -- a specific RUST FUNGUS has infected this = balsam fir host, and the fungus, which indeed is a parasite, induces the = deformed growth of dense branches we call a witch's broom, which then = forms the fungus' spore-producing organs on the needles of these = deformed growths, and the spores are shed (looking like pollen) at this = time of year, in mid to late June -- most rust fungi also have = complicated life cycles that alternate with a totally different but = specific host plant, and perhaps Nancy Nickerson can tell us what it is = in this case? =A0The witch's broom is a type of gall or deformed growth = which I liken to having a benign cancer -- the damage to the plant is = real and perhaps chronic but limited when compared to an uncontrolled = type of cancer.<div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in = Wolfville<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px = Helvetica">Hans Toom <<a = href=3D"mailto:Htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca">Htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca</a>></font></d= iv><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px = Helvetica">June 29, 2009 8:00:57 AM ADT</font></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3"