#nabalus

[girlactionfigure]

[cedar-glade]

Pearl’s fen, Greene co. OH

Nabalus racemosus 

Glaucous leaved hairy topped rattle snake root, 

A fen endemic in the southern states and a high PH boreal species in the north, you really only see these in areas of fens where calceric waterlogged gravel beds are with permiated marl like qualities

Symphyotrichum firmum

Smooth swamp aster, taken out of S. puniceum complex due to flower morphology, sparcely pubescent to glaberous stems and ploidy. 

two common ones, 

Verbesina alternifolia,

Alternate leaf mesic forest wingstem.

Ageratina altissima,

Tall snakeroot, tall milksickness weed,

The plant that cows eat that occasionally cause milk sickness and killed honest Abe’s mom, thanks @locallysourcedtrauma for the history lesson btw. 

[girlactionfigure]

[cedar-glade]

Nabalus albus, 

White Lettuce/Rattlesnake Root

This is unfortunately a bad example due to the loss of the lower cauline leaves. However, the normal cauline mid leaves( they have a very distinct petiole with a normal looking leaf shape compared to the rest of the Nabalus spp.) and the upper leaves are still there. I ended up really catching woodland Nabalus spp. season late this year. Mainly only seeing a much rarer species constantly due to fen hopping. At some point I’de like to see all of them in-situ(total of 15) which in includes ILP endemics, a Pacific North West species, a Texas endemic, a few costal plains endemics, a boreal endemic hybrid, the glade and barren sp., and one subsection Allegheny Plat endemic. 

As for this dry oak upland species, it mainly is seen in areas with karst topography but is definitely not limited to just that, as I’ve seen a few at RRG in sandstone plat lands, which are ericaceous-acidic mixed pine-hemlock-oak-hickory forests with heath belts; completely different than the calceric dry oak-hickory woodlands in soil chemistry. However, soil saturation does seem to have overlap as well as the amount of sun available( well draining, medium saturation, with dappled sun.)

[cedar-glade]

Nabalus racemosus

one of the many lettuce/snake roots that was removed from Prenanthes spp. into Nabalus spp. recently. Glaucus rattlesnake root. 

please enjoy how hairy the involucre bracts on this fen adapted species is. 

Pearl’s fen. 

[cedar-glade]

Nabalus albus,

 The white rattlesnake-root or white rattlesnake root lettuce

There are two rattlesnake root lettuce species found in Clifton Gorge, this and the yellow species. This one is far more common on average and seems to have an extended bloom time in comparison. I’ve never photographed the yellow one in bloom and have only seen it in pictures but, it is noted for it’s considerably smaller flowers when compared. 

This species tends to grow in fens and along roadside ditches but fits right at home in cedar glade habitats where open canopy lets plenty of light in. I’ve seen plenty of these in oak hickory forests and mature forests as well. Be on the look out this autumn for it, its hard to miss.

[dendroica]

Rattlesnake-Root (by Dendroica cerulea)