August 21, 2023

Alpine Enchanter's Nightshade vs. Enchanter's Nightshade

Circaea alpina
(Alpine Enchanter's Nightshade)
Circaea canadensis
(Enchanter's Nightshade)
Leaves and Stems:
1.5" to 3" long.
Coarsely toothed.
Leaves and Stems:
2" to 6" long.
Minutely toothed.
Fruit:
1.6mm to 2.6mm long.
No ribs or grooves.
Fruit:
2.8mm to 4.5mm long.
Distinct ribs or grooves when mature.

C. alpina a much smaller plant, often around 10 inches tall, but the much larger C. canadensis, rarely under 1 ft tall.

All info above are from below excellent webpages:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/alpine-enchanters-nightshade
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/enchanters-nightshade

Posted on August 21, 2023 05:15 PM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

July 31, 2023

Bumble Bees

Excellent online guide from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Click on species name for details:

https://wisconsinbumblebees.entomology.wisc.edu/online-guide/species/

Posted on July 31, 2023 12:57 PM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

July 28, 2023

Three Haploa Moths

Haploa confusa: The antemedial white patch is two-lobed at the distal end in Haploa confusa, as opposed to elliptical in Haploa lecontei.

Haploa reversa: A distinctive white triangular patch extending from the thorax (the segment between the head and abdomen) to over half the length of the wing. There are three similarly sized, distinctive white patches on the leading edges of the front wings. (https://www.ontario.ca/page/reversed-haploa-moth)

According to https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/cosewic-assessments-status-reports/reversed-haploa-moth-2019.html :

" A colour form of Confused Haploa Moth (form triangularis), with an extended basal white patch that lacks the dark sub-basal brown bar that is usually present in that species, is very similar to Reversed Haploa Moth and often misidentified as such. This [Confused Haploa Moth (form triangularis)] can be distinguished from Reversed Haploa Moth by the more irregular shape of the basal white patch, smaller costal white patches, broader dark border of the inner (anal) wing margin, and overall smaller size (forewing length usually fewer than 20mm). "

Posted on July 28, 2023 05:43 AM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

Rhododendron Leafhopper vs. Red-Banded Leafhopper

There is a visible difference between the Rhododendron Leafhopper (Graphocephala fennahi) and the Red-Banded Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea), and more often the Graphocephala observations here in Ontario I see are to be identified as the former. That's all I can say because I don't know the anatomical names of the parts in which I see the differences between the two species. The head part and the wing part. :')

Posted on July 28, 2023 05:26 AM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

July 18, 2023

Deptford Pink vs Maiden Pink

Dianthus armeria
(Deptford Pink)
Dianthus deltoides
(Maiden Pink)
Flowers:
"Shocking" pink in colour. Narrower petals.



The calyx and bracts are covered in short hairs. Bracts often extend beyond flower.
Longer, narrower, hairy floral bracts.
Flowers:
Pale to deep pink to bright red in colour.
Commonly with a darker "ring" near the base of the petal.
Can have a few long hairs on the upper surface.

The calyx and bracts are hairless. Hairless calyx, and floral bracts much shorter and broader.
Leaves and Stems:
Leaves up to 3" long.
Finely hairy around the edges especially near the base.
Leaves and Stems:
Leaves up to 1½" long.
Hairless or minutely hairy along major veins and edges.
Stems can be tinged red.

All info above are from below excellent webpages:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/deptford-pink
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/maiden-pink

Posted on July 18, 2023 02:55 AM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

June 30, 2023

Three Foxtails

Setaria faberi
(Giant Foxtail)
Setaria pumila
(Yellow Foxtail)
Setaria viridis
(Green Foxtail)
Size:
2-4ft
Size:
1-3ft
Size:
1-2ft
Ligules and leaves:
Ligules made up of stiff hairs.
Small, short hairs along the upper surface of the leaf blades.
Ligules and leaves:
Ligules made up of stiff hairs.
Long hairs near the base of the leaf blade (in the collar region i.e. where the leaf blade becomes the sheath)
Ligules and leaves:
Ligules made up of stiff hairs.
Leaves hairless.
Leaves:
Twice compound. Bush-like. Most distinctive of the all four.
Leaves:
Generally elliptic to oblong in outline, tapering at both ends.
FORKED lateral veins on underside.
Leaves:
Generally lance-shaped in outline, widest below the middle and gradually tapering at the tip end.
FORKED lateral veins on underside.
Persistent tuft of hair on the underside of the leaf at main stem and leaflet mid-nerve.
Inflorescence
A nodding inflorescence, 1-3 bristles
Inflorescence
An erect inflorescence, 1-3 bristles
Inflorescence
An erect inflorescence, 5-15 bristles

"Bristles are different than awns – while awns emerge from the tip of the spikelets, bristles surround the base of the spikelet, and are found in clusters."

All above info are a summary from below excellent webpage:
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/grasses-glance/2022-07-18-comparing-foxtails#:~:text=Size,one%20to%20two%20feet%20tall.

Posted on June 30, 2023 08:31 PM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

Western vs. Eastern Poison Ivy

Toxicodendron rydbergii
(Western Poison Ivy)
Toxicodendron radicans
(Eastern Poison Ivy)
Flowers:
Clusters 2-12 inches. Each flower about 1/16inches across. Greenish white petals.
Flowers:
Clusters up to 4 inches. Male and female flowers on separate plants. Each flower about 4/16inches across. Greenish white to yellowish green petals.
Leaves and Stems:
"The upper leaf surface is hairless and shiny, becoming dull with age... The underside... with a few hairs along the midvein." Cited website also has comment "often drooping" and "often folded along midrib".
Leaves and Stems:
"The upper leaf surface is sparsely covered in appressed hairs, the underside... more densely hairy especially along major veins. "
"Plants can grow shrub-like with stems up to 1 inch diameter at breast height, or as a climbing vine with a trunk 2 or more inches in diameter and numerous aerial roots that latch onto tree bark for support."
"Eastern Poison Ivy has hairy leaf stalks and hairier leaves and its growth habit is either more branching and shrub-like, or vining which Western Poison Ivy never does."
Fruit
~1/8 inch in diameter.
Fruit
~1/6 inch in diameter.

All info above are from below excellent webpages:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/western-poison-ivy
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/eastern-poison-ivy

Posted on June 30, 2023 08:12 PM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

June 29, 2023

3 Royal Fern Family Differentiations + 1 Ostrich Fern

There are 4 or 5 varieties of Osmunda regalis spread across nearly every continent, but only var. spectabilis is recognized in North America.

Osmunda regalis
(Royal Fern)
Osmunda claytoniana
(Interrupted Fern)
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
(Cinnamon Fern)
Matteuccia struthiopteris
(Ostrich Fern)
Fiddlehead:
Thick white wooly
Fiddlehead:
Light white wooly
Fiddlehead:
Light brown wooly
Fiddlehead:
No wool.
Leaves:
Twice compound. Bush-like. Most distinctive of the all four.
Leaves:
Generally elliptic to oblong in outline, tapering at both ends.
FORKED lateral veins on underside.
Leaves:
Generally lance-shaped in outline, widest below the middle and gradually tapering at the tip end.
FORKED lateral veins on underside.
Persistent tuft of hair on the underside of the leaf at main stem and leaflet mid-nerve.
Leaves:
Generally elliptic to oblong in outline, tapering at both ends.
BUT veins are STRAIGHT, not forked.
Spores
Capsules turn rusty colored.
Capsules attached to a stalk at the tip of a leaf. Hence "Crown"/"Royal".
Spores
Capsules turn dark brown / near black colored.
Capsules attached to a stalk at the middle of a leaf. Hence "Interrupted".
Spores
Capsules turn cinnamon colored.

Fertile leaf is hairy.
Spores
Spores in long tube "pods". Most distinctive of the four.

All above info are a summary from below excellent webpages:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/fern/ostrich-fern
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/fern/cinnamon-fern
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/fern/interrupted-fern
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/fern/royal-fern

Posted on June 29, 2023 02:52 AM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

June 28, 2023

Virginia Creeper vs Thicket Creeper

P. quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper) P. inserta (Thicket Creeper)
Flowers:
Branching clusters 3 to 6 inches long, the cluster typically WITH a well-defined central stalk that may zig-zag between the main branches, and 80 to 150+ flowers per cluster.
Flowers:
Branching clusters 3 to 6 inches long, the cluster branches FORKING, WITHOUT a well-defined central stalk, and 10 to 75 flowers per cluster.

Leafs:
- Occasionally 4, rarely 3 or 7.
- Middle leaflet largest, up to 6 inches long, the end leaflets smallest.
- Leaflets are elliptical to nearly diamond shaped.
- Usually dull green though may be shiny when young.
- Upper surface sparsely to moderately stiff-hairy especially along the veins.
- Lower surface is somewhat paler and usually short-hairy.
- Leaflet stalks are usually variously hairy.
Tendrils:
- Opposite the leaf stalk is a tendril with up to 10 branches. 1/2 inches long.
- Adhesive discs.

Leafs:
- Occasionally 4, rarely 7.
- Leaflets all about the same size. OR the middle leaflet largest, up to 5 inches long, the end leaflets smallest.
- Leaflets are mostly oval-elliptic.
- Shiny green when fresh, though usually loses its sheen with age.
- Upper surface mostly hairless or with a few sparse hairs.
- Lower surface is paler and hairless to short-hairy.
- Leaflet stalks are hairless.
Tendrils:
- Opposite the leaf stalk is a tendril branched 2 or 3 times. 1/2 - 6 inches long.
- No discs.

Stems/Woody part:
-New stems are hairy.
-Plants climbing on trees develop aerial roots on the main stem and branches.
-Up to nearly 3 inches in diameter.
-Usually high-climbing, sometimes crawling along the ground.

Stems/Woody part:
-New stems are hairy.
-Plants climbing on trees develop aerial roots on the main stem and branches.
-Up to nearly 5 inches in diameter.
-Usually sprawling across the ground and over shrubs, also climbing trees, fences and other structures, may root at the nodes and become the dominant groundcover.

Fruit:
About 1/3 inch in diameter (smaller) , containing 2-3 seeds
Fruit:
About 3/8 inch in diameter (larger ), containing 4 seeds

All above info are a summary from below excellent webpages:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/virginia-creeper
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/woodbine

Posted on June 28, 2023 02:26 AM by jean0216 jean0216 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

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