#cephalanthus

[uxbridge]

Bumblebees all over this buttonbush

[faguscarolinensis]

Cephalanthus occidentalis / Buttonbush at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

[cedar-glade]

Cephalanthus occidentalis

A semi-aquatic scrub species or riparian shrub species common in Oklahoma along creeks, washes, and volcanic lakes like this one. Quanah Parker Lake, Witchita Mountains, Oklahoma.

This species is a heavily used nectar source, a stream side stabilizer, and a great buffer species for run-off and turbidity breaks.

[vandaliatraveler]

A selection of mid-summer wildflowers currently blooming along Deckers Creek Trail (from top): swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata); wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa); downy skullcap (Scutellaria incana); fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata): starry campion (Silene stellata); buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis); tall meadow rue (Thalictrum pubescens); and white meadowsweet (Spiraea alba). The bottom photo is of a gently sloping farm pasture bordered by bushy St John’s wort (Hypericum densiflorum) and wild bergamot, near mile marker 17.

[dendroica]

Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis (by me)

[faguscarolinensis]

Cephalanthus occidentalis / Buttonbush at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

[cedar-glade]

Back to the chert barrens, Wild Cat Glades, MO. 

Riparian zone, chert glades budding directly up to the banks of shoal creek, the habitat remains rather open and dry, many upland forbes associated with open prairie with decent soil occur here along with many riparian grass since some alluvium is present along the banks. The aquatic section is somewhat intact for once, 

Saururus cernuus , lizzard tail, a plant that smells like root beer when crushed and a species known for bank stabilization along clean water ways and streams with karst cobble. In most cases it is a bank stabilizer though chert is insoluble and hard to weather so I don’t think it is going anywhere. 

The Riparian zone is a bit more complex but here is what was noticeably dominant:

The trees and scrub present are that of post oak/Quercus stellata that are krumholtzed, button bush/Cephalanthus occidentalis , and Viburnum dentatum are more present along with eastern sycamore/  Platanus occidentalis(occident means “of the west” but the western usa has a western sycamore so this name refers to how Europeons thought of North America as the “west”.

Sub shrubs and vines tend to be   Toxicodendron radicans, and a Rubus spp. (one of the uncommon/rare ones because I can’t find this species anywhere on I nat and I even tried to do the classic bonap comparison, I think I need to start collecting herbarium specimens of Rubus spp. so I can key). Campsis radicans is also present too.

While the Missouri goldenrods and bluestem goldenrods were not in bloom a few forbes were: Echinacea purpurea and Ratibida pinnata.

Grasses present are: Chasmanthium latifolium,  Elymus villosus, Elymus canadensis, and Bromus kalmii which looks very similar to a depauperate Chasmanthium latifolium at a glance.

[cedar-glade]

RiellyMilleville prairie, Button Bush, Late July in Ohio

Cephalanthus occidentalis