Plants of Alberta 5

Couldn't help but smile when I saw my photo on my computer. I thought this was so elegant and looked like two young girls dancing together or in deep conversation. In reality, this is a major noxious weed - Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) with its tiny seedpods. Photographed (macro) at Burnsmead, Fish Creek Park, on August 18th. Posting very early in the morning today, as I will be out botanizing all day again. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphorbia_esula www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-LeafySpurge.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Macro photograph of one tiny flower of the Round-leaved Orchid plant. I always think they look like little angels with wings and halo and wearing polkadot pyjamas : ) Photographed at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park on July 8th. Also known as Round-leaved Bog Orchid or Small Round-leaved Orchid. talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=1069 Going to dash out for two or three hours with my camera - need this, as I have just learned that the buyer of my brother's house in England has withdrawn, and so now really all I can do is allow it to be placed on auction. It has taken the "buyer" about three months to get to this point! There was even a SOLD sign in the front garden. So disappointing - and of course it means another huge financial loss plus more expenses .... sigh. Nearly 8:30 p.m. - major storm is about to happen - thunder, lightning and - rain? Oh, and hail.

It's so unfortunate that this beautiful member of the Pea family (Fabaceae) is considered a weed. It is grown as a crop and has spread to various places. Introduced from Eurasia, it can be found (if you know where to look) growing along roadsides and on waste areas. I think I've only ever seen it in about four or five places, though. It blooms from June to September. The plant was named for the arrangement of the long, narrow seedpods/legumes, which resemble a bird's foot. A handful of us had driven past a colourful roadside display two days ago, and I just had to go back yesterday on my way home from Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, to grab a few (macro) photos.

A pretty shade of pink caught my eye just as I was about to enter the forest at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, on August 25th. Many people are perhaps more familiar with the bright red Indian Paintbrush, but we get a huge variation in colour of this species. To those who are not familiar with Indian Paintbrush, the actual flowers are the small green parts, while the pink parts are the bracts. Thanks to Mark Egger for the ID, Castilleja rhexiifolia - much appreciated, as always! "Castilleja, commonly known as Indian paintbrush or Prairie-fire, is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants native to the west of the Americas from Alaska south to the Andes, northern Asia, and one species as far west as the Kola Peninsula in Europe. These plants are classified in the broomrape family, Orobanchaceae (following major rearrangements of the order Lamiales starting around 2001; sources which do not follow these reclassifications may place them in the Scrophulariaceae). They are hemiparasitic on the roots of grasses and forbs. The generic name honours Spanish botanist Domingo Castillejo." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castilleja Received an e-mail from my youngest daughter very early this morning, letting me know that she was back home after her 6-day trip to Savanna, Georgia, this past week. "As for the hurricane (Irene), we got a bit of rain the one evening, a quick downpour, and the waves were bigger than usual on one of the islands, but it was nothing. No evacuations. As Georgia is further west than the other states on the eastern seaboard, it's further from the gulf stream, which the hurricane was following. So, really hardly anything hit us."

An old photo from my archives, taken at Edgemont Ravines in Calgary on 7th August 2006! I was using a Canon PowerShot S3 IS back then. Have to say that the Canon was my least favourite of any point-and-shoot that I have owned. Stiff Yellow Paintbrush is native to western Canada and USA. Uncommon, and semi-parasitic, probably on the roots of grasses. Yellow bracts surround each tiny, greenish flower. Thanks to Mark Egger for the ID!

Photographed on August 18th at Burnsmead, Fish Creek Park. This member of the Asteraceae family is not a native plant in Alberta. Also called Common Thistle. It is uncommon in Alberta, growing in fields, roadside, other disturbed areas. Blooms July to September. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_vulgare

This was one in a mass of Oxeye Daisies at the side of the road, blowing in the wind when we saw them, shortly before reaching the Takakkaw Falls, near Field, British Columbia. They are beautiful flowers, but unfortunately they are also an invasive weed. "Introduced from Europe in the early 1800’s primarily as a grass seed contaminant, and subsequently spread as an ornamental, Oxeye daisy has become a serious invader of pastures and natural areas throughout North America. It is a perennial herb that reproduces both by seed and shallow rhizomes. Single plants quickly become patches that continually increase in size. Plants flower June-August and its seed germinates throughout the growing season. Oxeye Daisy and the very similarly flowered Scentless Chamomile can be considered conspicuous, as there are no native white flowered daisies in Alberta." www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-OxeyeDaisy.pdf

Not sure what is up with Flickr this morning. I couldn't use my usual uploader and clicking on something takes forever. Everything else on my computer seems to be working properly, but it is a reminder to myself that I HAVE to back up more of my photos and make some more free space on my hard drive. I'm down to 47 GB now, which is not a good thing : ) This is a macro shot of a very small flower, taken near Forgetmenot Pond, Elbow Falls Trail, Kananaskis, on July 1st. So pretty when seen up close. This is a native, woody shrub that forms a low-growing mat. Belongs to the Rose family, Rosaceae. www.flora.dempstercountry.org/0.Site.Folder/Species.Progr...

I did a bit search last night and thought I found the possible ID for this tiny alpine flower. I typed it under my photo on my computer, but then changed the title ready to upload to Flickr. Now, it won't let me undo the name, of course, so I guess I will have to leave this nameless for now. Photographed (macro) up on Plateau Mountain on July 2nd. Just realized what this is! Of course, it's Pygmy-flower / Androsace septentrionalis - will add a previously posted image of a whole plant in a comment box. Posting very late today (early evening). Just had a long and throroughly enjoyable day out at Frank Lake (situated about 50 km southeast of Calgary) and area, birding, but just about all my photos are of scenery, flowers, and insects, even a tiny frog : ) I love days like this, where you come across the unexpected. We saw some great birds, too, including a whole flock of in-flight White-fronted Geese (I believe this species was a lifer for me) and White-faced Ibis, but all were far, far away. Weather couldn't have been more perfect - and a great bunch of friends for company. And now I'm really hoping that there is still enough space on my hard drive to download today's images - if not, I will have to delete a couple of folders! Now I'm struggling to stay awake ....