April 9 - Early flowers at Culp Nature Preserve

Round-lobed Hepatica leaves from last year surround the opening flowers

These Scarlet Cup fungi are the fruiting bodies of the fungus that grows in fallen branches

Culp Nature Preserve, on LaGrange CR 900 West, about 1 mile south of US 20, is one of many fine nature preserves of ACRES Land Trust .  On April 9, 2011 Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa) and Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata, Mustard Family) were just opening.  Scarlet Cup Fungi were fruiting on fallen twigs.