Forest Wanderer @oliviarosaline - Tumblr Blog

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Male

Shining in all his glory.

March 17th, 2024

Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianus

A very handsome male.

April 23rd, 2024

Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

American Water Willow

Justicia americana

This native perennial loves water and can be found in very moist habitats. Its native range spans from Texas, throughout much of the eastern United States, to southeastern Canada. I found this blooming plant with purple and white bicolored flowers among a small colony growing in the middle of a shallow creek.

June 6, 2023

Shannon County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Wood Wakerobin

Trillium viride

Endemic to east-central Missouri and south-west Illinois, this trillium species can be found growing in woods with rich soils and on rocky slopes. It blooms in mid to late spring and there are lookalike trilliums; however, T. viride has a characteristic unique only to it - tiny, yet visible stomata that look like white dots all over the top of its leaves.

April 17th, 2024

St. Louis County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Yellow Fairy Cups

Calycina citrina syn. Bisporella citrina

November 22nd, 2023

St. Charles County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Eastern Shooting Star

Primula meadia syn. Dodecatheon meadia

This native perennial has a range that spans throughout the central and eastern United States, where it can be found growing in a variety of habitats with acidic to neutral soils. Its nodding flowers resemble a shooting star and are usually white or lilac in color.

This particular plant was growing in a dolomite glade, but I've also found this species growing in moist, open forests over sandstone before.

April 18th, 2024

Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

ravensvalley-deactivated2026012

#Wolves

I need to say a few words here about Wolves and their role in biodiversity. Because I like them, but most of all, they're a must in the wilderness.

Like every time we are standing on the edge of a hiking trail of a National Park, a protected territory, we all must beware of the consequences.

Au contrary to what most people may think of its surface, no matter how large it might be, isn't big enough to sustain a healthy Wolf population over a long term. This large Predator requires a massive home range to find the prey it needs to survive. Studies have shown that all the Wolf packs in Parks must travel outside its boundaries to meet their needs. And these large Canids are also victims of habitat degradation and fragmentation, not to mention deaths of human origin.

And for people who don't know, Wolves are considered as an umbrella species. Which means that efforts to protect it benefit the entire ecosystem, since the Wolf's territory encompasses the territories of many other species with a similar home range.

As for being an apex Predators, Wolves play an important role in biodiversity. Yes, their presence has been scientifically proven to increase the abundance and diversity of plants, mamal's Birds, Amphibiants, and Reptiles. Wolves help to control the amount of Prey on their territory; this prevents an overpopulation of herbivores, which could be detrimental to plant regrowth. Wolves also give a boost to several other animal species by leaving their partially carcasses for scavengers to feed on. Through its influence on the entire food chain and by curbing excessive grazing. So yes, the Wolf is a key species needed to preserve the balance of Ecosystem.

To conclude; Wolves are very wary and will run away from any human they detect through their remarkable senses of hearing and smell - they can sniff out their Prey from more than 2kms away. Several studies have shown that Wolves will try to avoid humans at all costs and flee when approached.

Just to say that all citizens have a responsibility to protect the Wolves.

Fire Pink

Silene virginica

A perennial catchfly native to central and eastern North America. The bright, fiery red flowers attract ruby-throated hummingbirds to pollinate them, and sticky sepals and stems on the plant act as a trap for small insects trying to climb up it, hence the name "catchfly" for plants in this genus. It prefers somewhat dry soils and part-sun, so it can be found on rocky slopes in open woodlands, savannas, and other similar habitats.

I found this fire pink growing in open, rocky woods near blackjack oaks and other drought-tolerant species.

April 18th, 2024

St. Francois County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Bird's Foot Violet

Viola pedata

Named after its leaves which resemble a bird's foot... This gorgeous violet is native to a large portion of eastern North America and thrives in sandy areas, rocky slopes, and other sunny, very well-drained habitats that are undisturbed. Three different color varieties can be found in the wild; bicolor (pictured above), lilac, and white. I have found both the bicolor and solid lilac varieties in abundance within glades and some prairies here in Missouri. Additionally, this species hosts fritillary butterfly larvae and provides nectar to many other butterflies and bees.

April 18th, 2024

St. Francois County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Cortinarius sp.

Commonly called "webcaps".

Young cortinarius mushrooms have a veil-like structure called a cortina between their cap and stem, which usually vanishes as they mature. Worldwide, it's estimated over two thousand species of cortinarius exist.

July 24th, 2023

Randolph County, Illinois, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Blue Vervain

Verbena hastata

With a tiny green sweat bee feeding on its flowers.

This plant was growing in a wetland along the Meramec River and is native to a large portion of North America.

July 26th, 2023

Arnold, Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Amanita section Validae

I found this gorgeous, lemon yellow amanita mushroom in a healthy bottomland forest surrounded by pin oaks, river birches, and American elms.

July 26th, 2023

Arnold, Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Mexican Hat

Ratibida columnifera

I found this lonely blooming Mexican hat plant gleaming like a beacon light amongst a sea of non-native, invasive teasel growing in a dry, disturbed, almost waste-like land near Interstate 55 in Missouri.

This sombrero-resembling prairie coneflower is native to North America, where its historic native range primarily spanned the Great Plains and surrounding areas to the west, to Missouri on the very eastern edge of its adventive range. However, there are now naturalized populations east of Missouri. It's commonly grown in gardens and can escape from them. This species prefers dry, sunny habitats such as prairies, savannas and some disturbed areas with well-drained, neutral to alkaline soils. Its flowers provide food for an array of insect species, including bees, beetles, moths, wasps, and many more.

June 20th, 2023

Arnold, Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Tall Thimbleweed

Anemone virginiana

This anemone is native to the United States and southern Canada, where its range extends primarily east of the Great Plains. Its common name originates from the cluster of pistils forming a thimble shape, and it can tolerate and grow in a variety of conditions. This particular plant was thriving in a partly sunny, moist area of the woods near a small creek.

June 22nd, 2023

St. Francois County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

your photos are beautiful! (and i love love love that you include species info)

Thank you! I love sharing information on my posts so others may learn with me... even if it's one small, interesting piece of info at a time. I really appreciate the compliment about my photos, too. :)