Siebenthaller Fen.

Spring is finished. Okay, spring is not finished in the calendar, but happen for wildflowers, spring is finished here in Dayton area. The trilliums, trout lilies, and all other spring wildflowers are finished. Bloodroot is long finished. They will now hide until next year.

Spring wildflowers are most in the woods, or in dry open areas, in lawns and roadsides. Then happen the trees have all their full open leaves, the disturbed areas are too much dry or overgrow with leaves. Summer wildflowers you will not really find in the woods. There are some, putty root, ramps, white rattlesnake root, some bedstraw species. Most, you will find summer wildflowers in big open areas, in prairie remnants and in wetlands.

May 16, 2018

I don't know summer wildflowers, everything now is new for me. I must start again. So happen I went to Siebenthaller Fen.

Fens are interesting wetlands. People maybe think they are similar to bogs, because both often have rare plants. But bogs are wet because they are depression where rain fall or snow melt, and normal bogs have acidic water. Fens have their water from the ground, it flow through and make the ground always wet and cold and with a lot minerals. Because fens are always wet and cold, most trees will not grow there. So happen they are open for the sun in the hot summer, and this time is when most fen wildflowers bloom. There are several nice fens close to me: Gallagher Fen in Clark County and Travertine Fen in Greene County are both state nature preserve, and Gallagher Fen you do not need permit for enter. There are also Crabill and Prairie Road Fen State Nature Preserves in Buck Creek State Park in Clark County, and Owens and McCracken Fen State Nature Preserves in Logan County. Only last one you can enter with no permit. [Edit: And Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve in Clark Co., it is not a bog, it is a fen. I did not know. It is a very special area.] But a lot more close to me, only 5 minutes drive, there is Siebenthaller Fen. It is part the Beaver Creek wetlands corridor, with 10 other areas on the Beaver Creek in Fairborn and Beavercreek.

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita).

It is really overwhelming first try to learn new habitat, because everything is new. I really don't know where start, so I try identify what I see first. Most things now I only know genus names, but later I come again and try identify more. Every time I go out I learn a little bit more. I feel this is only way for learn plants with only myself and not feel idiot.

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

Black Willow

Cranberry Viburnum

Blackhaw

Poison Ivy

Navel-Shape Cornsalad

I have gone twice now, and I saw many new things. Most wildflowers are not yet ready, but happen there are some blooming now. I found many catkins on Black Willow (Salix nigra), and two different Viburnum, Cranberry Viburnum (V. opulus) and Blackhaw (V. prunifolium). Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) I did not touch, but I did see it will bloom soon. Cornsalad, I think Navel-Shape Cornsalad (Valerianella umbilicata) is blooming everywhere.

There are two species bedstraw (Galium) in Siebenthaller Fen, and I do not know which yet, but happen I will know when I see them bloom.

Spring Cress

One wildflower I am really happy for see finally is Spring Cress (Cardamine bulbosa). It is the larger white and late spring blooming bittercress similar the early spring Purple Cress (Cardamine douglassii). I never see it before now, and I am not really certain why.

Water Pennywort

Water Pennywort seedheads

Water Pennywort mounds

One special plant I am very very surprise about is Water Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides). It was my special mystery plant first time I went, and today I am certain it is this species. Water pennywort is a rare species in Ohio, it is listed in only 4 counties in BONAP, and only "waif". I really do not understand why people did not report this plant before, because it is everywhere on this small stream flow into the Beaver Creek. Water pennywort is similar American Water-pennywort (Hydrocotyle americana) but happen first have more deep cut lobes on leaves and flowers have petioles. This is new record for Greene County.

Yellow Flag Iris

Swamp Saxifrage

Marsh Pea

Sweet Flag

Shrubby Cinquefoil

Purple Stem Angelica

Some other interesting new plants I see: Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), with fruit; Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus), not native; Swamp Saxifrage (Micranthes pennsylvanica);  Marsh Pea (Lathyrus palustris); not-native Sweet-flag (Acorus calamus); Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa); Queen-of-the-Prairie (Filipendula rubra); and Purple-stem or Giant Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea). Last two will bloom later in summer.

I think next I will go to Gallagher Fen and compare.