jacqueline_weber's Favorites

I only had seen one broken growing tip of a phantom orchid this year, and I've never seen a Phantom Orchid grow a new flower stalk after the initial growing stalk was broken. I was then afraid we would have none this year. I then checked the spot where I first discovered the species in the park, but where I hadn’t seen any in years, and found this one!

I will add that one almost surely can't successfully transplant a Phantom Orchid, as it is attached to a fungus that feeds it. The microscopic fungus mycelia is spread through the soil, and the fungus likely depends on a tree that couldn't be dug up with the fungal mycelia spread through the soil around the tree roots.

A single plant was located in a somewhat open patch of ground within a metre of shrubs/thicket. Substrate was relatively sandy, with a mix of sand, gravel and soil nearby. The area where the plant was found is a low area with wetlands and forest surrounding the site. Buckthorn and Autumn Olive are starting to fill in the site, potentially resulting in a threat. The area is away from main trails within the Westminster Ponds ESA in London, Ontario. Plant found by Scott Gillingwater. Lucas Foerster was also present and took photos as well. Returned on October 9th to take additional photos.

Originally found with Charles Cecile: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/27837033

Occasional on peat hummocks in bog. Leaf widths 1.4-1.5mm. Two plants collected today will be deposited at OAC.

A couple clumps at margin of open pond in Sifton Bog (apparently mixed in with C. billingsii, as I got that as bycatch). Inflorescences are not very impressive, so perhaps depauperate? Hard to photograph well (tried to use backlighting for a couple), but beak of perigynia obviously sparsely serrulate (some with single teeth with spaces between them) in comparison to C. interior. Appears to be nerved on ventral surface of perigynia (photos 13-16 show ventral surface). Leaves appear plicate, and are rather narrow.

Very much open to input from others. If this is correct, I believe that this is the first time it has been seen at this location since it was first collected here in the early 1990s.

M.J. Oldham, A.A. Reznicek & P. Ashley # 31015, specimen record, replicates at NHIC# 05672 (home), +2, OAC; identified as Carex nigromarginata by M.J. Oldham; open Red Oak woods, with Carex albicans, Poa compressa, Orzopsis asperifolia; locally common; 20+ plants