Thanks to a recent trek in Adams County, a botanical best find is in the making. Several amateur botanists were out for an afternoon stroll, and discovered a stunning plant with distinctly marked and heavily veined leaves. Held above the foliage on a downy stem was a six-petaled lavender flower just about to unfurl.
John Howard, Janet Creamer, Jeff and Jessica Huxmann carefully keyed it out in the field guide, alas- it was no where to be found! This rarity is too unusual for our casual field guides, but group consensus declared it to be the Rattlesnake-liver flower, Goodyera hepiflora a southern disjunct, previously unknown to Ohio.
Results from Ohio’s Heritage botanist are pending: Happy April 1st.
I still think it should be Goodyera creamhowharmannii, but I will go with the consensus. Can't wait until Friday when I get my gold star! :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm... interesting. Never fails to amaze, the incredible finds that come to light on the first of April. I would vote for naming this Goodyera hepaticoides, or perhaps Hepatica goodyeroides...
ReplyDeleteJim
OK, I confess. It might not be a rarity, however it was great fun to find an oddity with this great group of naturalists.
ReplyDeleteCheryl