Fringed Gentian, A Late Bloomer

Fringed Gentian at Pokagon State Park, September 28, 2008

The Fringed Gentian is among the last wildflowers to bloom in the fall.  After looking for it in vain for several years Joann and I finally saw it for the first time on September 28, 2008 at Pokagon State Park.  In 2009 we found it in the Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area near Mongo.  To date we haven't found it anywhere closer to Goshen.

On October 3 a friend and I went back to the Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area to look for the gentian.  We searched first at the Mongoquinong Fen that borders the Pigeon River on the west side of CR 600E, 1 1/2 miles west of Mongo.

View of Mongoquinong Fen on north shore of Pigeon River

On the fen

Water flows into the fen from springs in the bluff (at back of above photo) and into the river.  After searching among tufts of sedge, we finally found two Fringed Gentian plants, but the flowers hadn't fully opened (photo below).  Also in bloom were Shrubby Cinquefoil, New England Aster, Fen Thistle, and Black-Eyed Susan.

Fringed Gentian, Gentianopsis crinita

We then found several Fringed Gentian flowers fully open (photo below) a few miles away in a wet ditch along CR 150N.  [Click on the photos to enlarge.]

A white butterfly on Fringed Gentian, Gentianopsis crinita

Fringed Gentian up close

 Fringed Gentian are few and far between; nonetheless, I enjoy the search.

[Please note: This is the last blog post for the 2011 wildflower season.]

Oct. 3, 2011 - Fall Woodland Wildflowers at Olin Lake Nature Preserve

In April and May local woodlands burst with wildflowers, but as new leaves set on throughout May, the display diminishes.  A different set of woodland wildflowers appears in the fall, not as showy as in the spring, but interesting and beautiful in its own way.  Olin Lake Nature Preserve located about 4 miles northwest of Wolcottville IN [or 7-8 miles south of LaGrange] is a fine place for a fall woodland flower walk.

At the corner of LaGrange County Roads 550S & 125E

Olin Lake is the largest lake in Indiana to have no development on its shores.  The Lake connects on the north to the larger Oliver Lake with many homes.  A trail leads from the parking lot to the south shore of the lake.

The woodland trail ends at the south shore of Olin Lake

Two woodland goldenrods grow near the beginning of Olin Lake trail, the Wreath or Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod and the Zigzag Golden. [Please click on photos to see the plants in greater detail.]

Wreath or Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod, Solidago caesia

Close-up of S. caesia

Flowers of most goldenrod species are at the end of the stem, but flowers of Wreath Goldenrod, S. caesia, are along the stem, between the leaves.  The long, narrow leaves of the Wreath Goldenrod are typical of most goldenrod species' leaves, but the leaves of the Zigzag Goldenrod, Solidago flexicaulis, are nearly as broad as long.

Zigzag Goldenrod, Solidago flexicaulis

The inflorescence and broad leaves of Zigzag Goldenrod

At least four species of asters are flowering along the trail, but because I have trouble identifying species with subtle structural differences, I'm including the photo of only one, the Big-Leaved Aster.

Big-Leaved Aster, Aster macrophyllus

Tall Rattlesnakeroot is also in bloom, but its small, greenish-white flowers are easy to miss.

Tall Rattlesnakeroot, Prenanthes altissima

A lower leaf of Tall Rattlesnakeroot

Lower leaves of Tall Rattlesnakeroot tend to be three-lobed, but higher up on the stem they are most often unlobed.

By fall fruits are set on many of the plants that flower in spring.  Below are the fall fruit and spring flower of Blue Cohosh.

Berries of Blue Cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides

Blue Cohosh green flowers, May 3, 2011

[As always, I will appreciate comments on the accuracy/inaccuracy of any of the plant identifications.]