Various Ecosystems-Smooth Sumac

Smooth Sumac

Order: Sapindales

Family: Anacardiaceae

Genus: Rhus

Species: R. glabra

General Characteristics: The colony-forming smooth sumac is a 10-20 ft. shrub with short, crooked, leaning trunks and picturesque branches. The pinnately compound leaves are alternate, with 13–30 sharp-toothed leaflets on each side of the midrib. Deciduous leaves become extremely colorful in early fall. On female plants, yellow-green flowers are followed by bright-red, hairy berries in erect, pyramidal clusters which persist throughout winter.

Special Adaptations: Colonies can be rejuvenated every few years by cutting them to the ground in mid-winter. Sumacs will grow in dry waste areas, such as impossible slopes where even junipers struggle. They are fast growing, generally pest and disease-free, and drought-tolerant. Colonies are often single-sexed, formed from a single, suckering parent. Only female plants produce flowers and berries. Boiled fruit is a remedy for painful menstruation and blood diarrhea.

Various Ecosystems-Showy Goldenrod

Showy Goldenrod

Order: Asteridae

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Solidago

Species: S. speciosa

General Characteristics: The erect, usually unbranched, reddish stems of this perennial are 1-5 ft. tall and occur singly or in clusters. Small, yellow flowers occur in a compact, erect, pyramidal column. A stout stem, smooth below and rough above, bearing a dense, pyramidal or club-shaped, terminal cluster of small yellow flower heads.

Special Adaptations: Infusion of root used for burns or steam scalds.

Various Ecosystems-Red Backed Salamader

Red Backed Salamander

Order: Caudata

Family: Plethodontidae

Genus: Plethodon

Species: P. cinereus

General Characteristics: A thin bodied little salamander that occurs in two common color phases. The "redback" phase has a reddish or orange stripe down the back and tail, bordered by darker sides. The "leadback" phase lacks the stripe, and has a dark colored back, sometimes speckled with faint light spots. In both the belly is mottled with a white and gray "salt and pepper" pattern. Adults are 2.3 to 5 inches (5.8 to 12.7 cm) long. (Note that these salamanders sometimes lose portions of their tails during encounters with predators.)

Special Charcacteristics: Does not require water to reproduce; young go through larval stage in the egg.

Various Ecosystems-Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem

Order: Cyperales

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Andropogon

Species: A. gerardii

General Characteristics: Big Bluestem is a warm season, perennial bunchgrass with blue-green stems 4-8 ft. tall. The seedhead is usually branched into three parts and resembles a turkey’s foot. Fall color is maroonish-tan. It tends to be taller than the other species and was at one time very abundant. It can still get quite aggressive when its established in a favorable, undisturbed location, but overgrazing and land destruction have reduced it to mere patches of its former range. Part of the problem is that cattle love it so much - some ranchers refer to it as ice cream for cows - and it cannot take concentrated grazing; the seasonal grazing of migratory bison is what its evolved to cope with.

Special Adaptations: Provides cover for at least 24 species of songbirds and nesting sites or seeds for Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, and other sparrows.

Various Ecosystems-Little Bluestem

Little Bluestem

Order: Cyperales

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Schizachyrium

Species: S. scoparium

General Characteristics: This mid-prairie species, also known as Bunchgrass, gets its name from the bluish color of the stem bases in the spring, but most striking is the plants reddish-tan color in fall, persisting through winter snows. In winter the seeds, fuzzy white at maturity, are of particular value to small birds. A related species, Big Bluestem or Turkeyfoot (Andropogon gerardii), has finger-like seed heads that somewhat resemble a turkeys foot. It reaches a height of 12 ft (3.6 m) in favorable bottomland sites and is also one of the Easts most important native prairie grasses.

Special Adaptations Larval host for Ottoe Skipper, Indian Skipper, Crossline Skipper, Dusted Skipper, Cobweb butterfly, Dixie skipper. It has a high deer resistant.

Various Ecosystems-Garter Snake

Garter Snake

Order: Squamata

Family: Colubridae

Genus: Thamnophis

Species: T. sirtalis

General Characteristics: Although the pattern is variable, it usually consists of a narrow stripe down the middle of the back and a broad stripe on each side. Between the center and each side stripe are two rows of alternating black spots. A dark line separating the yellow side stripe from the belly is not particularly bold as it is in the ribbon snake. Background color is usually brown or black, but may be somewhat green or reddish. Stripes may be tan, yellow or orange. A garter snake will occasionally appear more checkered than striped. The scales are keeled and the belly is yellow or pale green.

Special Characteristics: Although they feed on a variety of small animals, garter snakes' primary prey are earthworms and amphibians. Their saliva appears to be toxic to amphibians and other small animals and a bite may produce swelling or a burning rash in some people. Although garter snakes may or may not bite if handled, most individuals secrete a foul-smelling fluid from anal glands when alarmed. Occasionally, garter snakes make their way into basements, a situation that appears to be most common in spring or autumn.

Various Ecosystems-Fox Squirrel

Fox Squirrel

Order: Rodentia

Family: Sciuridae

Genus: Sciurus

Species: S. niger

General Characteristics: In contrast with the gray squirrel, the fox squirrel is brawny, less nervous and adjusts well to small woodlots in farmland. Upper body parts are a grizzled black-brown-orange combination. The fox squirrel has brown under parts. Those found below the Mason-Dixon Line may be black above, white below and have white ears and noses, but this color phase is not found in Indiana. Although fox squirrels are often seen on the ground, they climb well and are seldom found far from trees. They arise and feed later than other squirrels and are more active throughout the day. Their barking and squalls often betray their presence, as these sounds carry a great distance.

Special Adaptations: Squirrels don’t hibernate, so they must depend upon buried acorns and nuts for winter fare. Many acorns buried in the fall are never found and later sprout to become trees. Sticky seeds and burrs lodge in the squirrels plume-like tail and are transported to new areas. Through planting and dispersal of seeds, our bushy-tailed friend serves as a forester and plant distributor of great importance.

Various Ecosystems-Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

Order: Rodentia

Family: Sciuridae

Genus: Tamiasciurus

Species: T. hudsonicus

General Characteristics: The red squirrel is a small squirrel with reddish to reddish-gray fur on top and a white or cream underside. It has white around its eyes. Its tail is not as long or bushy as the tail of other tree squirrels. In the summer, the red squirrel may have a black stripe on its sides. Its curved front claws and powerful hind legs make it a very good climber and jumper

Special Characteristics: The red squirrel may migrate short distances when food supplies are low. The red squirrel also drinks tree sap from maple trees. It bites a tree until the sap flows out and returns to drink it after the water in the sap has evaporated.

Old-Field-Mountain Mint

Mountain Mint

Order: Lamiales

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Pycanthemum

Species: P. virginianum

General Characteristics: This is a native perennial plant up to 3' tall and branching frequently, often with a bushy appearance. The green or reddish stems are strongly four-angled and have scattered white hairs along the ridges. The opposite leaves are up to 2½" long and narrowly lanceolate or linear. They are sessile, and have smooth margins. The largest leaves are ¼ - ½" across. When damaged, the foliage releases a strong mint scent.

Special Adaptations: Many insects are strongly attracted to the flowers, including various bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies, and beetles. Typical visitors from these groups include honeybees, Cuckoo bees, Halictid bees, Sphecid wasps, Eumenine wasps, bee flies, Tachinid flies, Wedge-shaped beetles, and Pearl Cresecent butterflies. Most of these insects seek nectar. Mammalian herbivores and many leaf-chewing insects apparently find the mint fragrance of the leaves and stems repugnant, and rarely bother this plant.

Old-Field-Water Horehound

Water Horehound

Order: Lamiales

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Lycopus

Species: L. americanus

General Characteristics: Tiny, white, tubular flowers clustered in dense groups around a square stem in axils of opposite leaves. The members of this group are non-aromatic mints and are typical of wet sites. The various species are distinguished on the basis of technical details. They are sometimes called bugleweeds because of the resemblance of each flower to a bugle. Other species have less coarsely toothed leaves. The genus name is from the Greek lycos (a wolf) and pous (foot) and refers to the likeness of some species leaves to a wolf’s footprint. About 10 species of Lycopus occur in eastern North America; most are very similar, making identification difficult.

Special Adaptations: Compound containing entire plant can be used for stomach cramps.

Old-Field-New England Aster

New England Aster

Order: Asteridae

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Symphyotrichum

Species: S. novae-angliae

General Characteristics: New England American-aster is large and showy, growing to 6 or more ft. in height. The perennial’s hairy, clasping leaves are arranged densely on its stout stems. Showy, bright, rose-purple flowers with orange-yellow centers bloom in profusion at the tips of the leafy branches.

The flower color is variable, ranging from lavender to blue to white. A pink variety of this species is sometimes grown commercially.

Special Charcacteristics: This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds

It is drought-tolerant. This plant is resistant to deer

Old-Field-Heath Aster

Heath Aster

Order: Asteridae

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Aster

Species: A. ericoides

General Characteristics: This native perennial plant is up to 2' tall, branching occasionally to create a bushy appearance. The hairy stems are green initially, but often become brown when the plant matures. The alternate leaves are up to 3" long and ¼" across toward the base of the plant, becoming less than 1" long and 1/8" across near the flowering stems. They are linear in form and have smooth edges, often with a fine pubescence. The lower leaves usually shrivel and fall off by the time the compound flowers bloom during the fall.

Special Adaptations: A wide variety of insects are attracted to the flowers, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, moths, beetles, and plant bugs. Bee visitors include honeybees, bumblebees, Cuckoo bees, Little Carpenter bees, Leaf-Cutting bees, Halictid bees, Plasterer bees, and Andrenid bees. Wasp visitors include Thread-Waisted wasps, bee wolves, Spider wasps, Sand wasps, Paper wasps, Ichneumonid wasps, and Braconid wasps. Among the flies, are such visitors as bee flies, Syrphid flies, Thick-Headed flies, Tachinid flies, Muscid flies, and others. Various insects suck juices from the plant, including aphids, lace bugs, and plant bugs. The caterpillars of the butterfly Chlosyne nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) feed on the foliage or flowers, as does the caterpillars of many moth species. Wild Turkeys nibble on the seeds and foliage to a limited extent. Mammalian herbivores, including the White-Tailed Deer, Cottontail Rabbit, and various kinds of livestock, also feed on the tender growth of young plants occasionally, but are less likely to bother mature plants later in the year.

Old-Field-Small White Aster

Small White Aster

Order: Asteridae

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Aster

Species: A. vimineus

General Characteristics: It is an erect, perennial, 1'-4' tall forb. The flower head is 1/4"-1/2" wide with 9-14 white rays. The inflorescence is in loose clusters of many heads mostly on one side of the wide spreading branches; blooms Aug.-Oct. The basal leaves are stalked, upper mostly stalkless; oval to rounded blades to 1 1/2" wide, hairy only along the lower midrib.

Special Adaptations: It is a larval host and/or nectar source for the Pearl Crescent

Old-Field-Closed Gentian

Closed Gentian

Order: Gentianales

Family: Gentianaceae

Genus: Gentiana

Species: G. andrewsii

General Characteristics: Typically grows 1-2' tall and features tight clusters of tubular (bottle-shaped), deep blue flowers which never open. Flower clusters appear at the tops of the stems or in the upper leaf axils in late summer to early autumn. Ovate, lance-shaped leaves (to 4" long) with parallel veins.

Special Characteristics: The Gentians are named after King Gentius of ancient Illyria, who is said to have discovered the medicinal value of these plants. Only large bees strong enough to force the corolla open crawl inside to sip nectar and deposit pollen.

Old-Field-Tall Sunflower

Tall Sunflower

Order: Asterales

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Helianthus

Species: H. giganteus

General Characteristics: As the name suggests, the giant sunflower is a large, showy plant. A tall, rough, reddish stem bearing several to many light yellow flower heads. The branched, purplish stem grows to 10 ft. tall and bears terminal, yellow flowers. Despite this plants names, its flower heads are comparatively small; the common and species names actually refer to the plants overall height.

Special Adaptations: The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It cannot grow in the shade.It requires moist soil.

Old-Field-Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Corvidae

Genus: Cyanocitta

Species: C. cristata

General Characteristics: The blue jay is between 9 and 12 inches long. It is bright blue on top and white to gray on its throat, chest and belly. It has a gray-blue crest on its head and black and white bars on its wings and tail. Its bill, legs and feet are black. It also has a black "necklace" on its lower throat. The blue jay is omnivorous. It eats fruits, acorns, seeds, nuts, insects, mice and frogs. Sometimes a blue jay will raid a nest for eggs and young birds. When a blue jay eats nuts, it holds the nut with its feet and cracks it open with its bill. The blue jay is a seed spreader. It often buries food to eat later.

Special Characteristics: Blue Jays are known to take and eat eggs and nestlings of other birds, but we don’t know how common this is. In an extensive study of Blue Jay feeding habits, only 1% of jays had evidence of eggs or birds in their stomachs. Most of their diet was composed of insects and nuts.

Maple Dust Lichen-Bog Ecosystem

Bleeding Fairy Helmet

Order:  Agaricales

Family:  Mycenaceae

Genus:  Mycena

Species:  M. haematopus

General Characteristics:

This fungus is saprobic on decaying wood of hardwoods and conifers (usually on logs that are well decayed and without bark).  It grows in dense clusters (sometimes singly or scattered); causing a white rot.  It is distributed in North America; spring, summer, and fall; common.  The cap is 1-3.5 cm; oval, becoming broadly bell-shaped or conic; the margin often with a tiny sterile portion, becoming tattered; dry and dusted with fine powder when young, becoming smooth and tacky; sometimes shallowly lined or grooved; dark reddish brown at the center, lighter towards the margin. The gills are narrowly attached to the stem; close or nearly distant; whitish, becoming grayish to purplish; stained reddish brown. The stem is 4-8 cm long; 1-2 mm thick; equal; hollow; smooth or with pale reddish hairs; exuding a purplish red juice when crushed or broken. The flesh is pallid or colored like the cap; exuding a purplish red juice when crushed or cut.

Special Adaptations:

If you combine blackberry picking with your mushrooming, you may not notice the feature that defines this little mushroom: it exudes a purplish juice that stains your fingers. Sometimes called the "Bleeding Mycena," Mycena haematopus is one of the few Mycena species that is easily recognized. The purple juice comes out readily when the mushroom's flesh is squeezed--especially in the base of the stem. It grows on dead wood, separating it from the other Bleeding Mycena, Mycena sanguinolenta, which is terrestrial.

Orange Fairy Cup-Bog Ecosystem

Orange Fairy Cup/Orange Peel Fungus

Order:  Pezizales

Family:  Pyronemataceae

Genus:  Aleuria

Species:  A. aurantia

General Characteristics:

This fungus usually grows in clusters on the ground, often in clayey soil or disturbed ground (roadbanks, landscaping areas, etc).  The fruiting body is cup-shaped, often becoming flattened or irregularly shaped as a result of the clustered growth habit; reaching widths of 10 cm, but often smaller; bright orange and smooth above.  The undersurface is usually whitish-fuzzy, when young, but often orange and more or less smooth.  There is no stem, or odor.  The flesh is orange and brittle.

Special Adaptaions:

This mushroom was used in a study to target M cells for oral allergen immunotherapy.

Marsh Fern-Bog Ecosystem

Marsh Fern

Order:  Polypodiales

Family:  Thelypteridaceae

Genus:  Thelypteris

Species:  T. palustris

General Characteristics:

This native perennial fern has erect to ascending compound leaves about 1–2½' tall and 4-7" across. Fertile leaves tend to be a little smaller in size than infertile leaves; they are both deciduous and die down during the winter. The compound leaves are pinnate-pinnatifid in structure and lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong in outline; their petioles are pale tan or pale purplish tan and mostly glabrous. The blade tissue of these leaves is light green and hairless on both the upper and lower sides. In contrast, the central stalk (rachis) of the compound leaf and the lateral stalks (rachillae) of the pinnatifid leaflets are finely pubescent on their lower sides. Each compound leaf has 10-40 pairs of leaflets; these leaflets are deeply pinnatifid and narrowly lanceolate-oblong. Often, a compound leaf and its leaflets are slightly curved and twisted. The lobes of the leaflets are oblong or oblong-lanceolate in shape, while their margins are smooth and strongly involute (curved downward). The lobes are spaced close together along the length of each leaflet. On the lower surface of each lobe, there is a central vein with several lateral veins. Each lateral vein becomes forked and divides into two veins. On fertile leaves, round sori (spore-bearing structures) are located above the forks of each lobe. Immature sori are covered by an indusium (protective membrane) that eventually withers away. The spores are produced and released during the summer or fall. The root system is rhizomatous and fibrous. Dense colonies of compound leaves are often produced from the spreading rhizomes.

Special Adaptations:

The caterpillars of Fagitana littera (Marsh Fern Moth) feed on the leaves of this fern. The Marsh Fern is the only known host plant of this uncommon moth. Because this fern often forms dense colonies of leaves, it provides good cover for the smaller kinds of wildlife.

Red-bellied Woodpecker-Bog Ecosystem

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Order:  Piciformes

Family:  Picidae

Genus:  Melanerpes

Species:  M. carolinus

General Characteristics:

It is easy to spot by its red crown and back. It also has gray under parts, zebra-striped back and a white rump. Its wings are patterned with black and white. The white-patched base of primary flight feathers is recognizable when in flight. It grows to about 9”-10.5” long with a wingspan of 123-139 mm and weighs 72.5 grams.  Red-bellied woodpeckers tap their bills together when they are courting.  Both male and female birds help build the nest cavity. The cavity is lined with wood chips and is about a foot deep. It is usually built in a dead or dying tree. The female lays three to eight eggs and both the male and female incubate the eggs and care for the young. The male incubates at night. The chicks hatch in about three weeks and they fledge in about a month. The chicks usually stay with their parents until the fall.

Special Adaptations:

The male has a wider tongue tip and longer bill than the female, allowing him to reach deeper into crevices to find prey. Studies have shown the male forages on the tree trunk, while the female forages mostly on limbs.

Earthball-Bog Ecosystem

Earthball

Order:  Boletales

Family:  Sclerodermataceae

Genus:  Scleroderma

Species:  S. citrinum

General Characteristics:

Scleroderma citrinum, the Common Earthball, is a poisonous fungus similar in appearance to a warty potato. Acid soils, especially on the paths in forests, are its main habitat. The false puffballs all have a thick tough skin and are generally dark inside (the gleba) even from a young age. They are not severely poisonous, causing a somewhat unpleasant gastrointestinal upset. Fortunately most of them are less than 15 cm diameter. The rounded fruitbody is attached to the ground by white mycelial threads, visible in this picture. The thick skin of the earthball is initially white, cream or yellow and may turn ochre-brown or green as it ages. Inside the earthball the spore mass is almost white at first and then brown with white marbling before turning purple-brown throughout.

Special Adaptations:

At maturity the skin ruptures leaving a large, irregular opening. Wind and rain disperse the spores.

Hairy Woodpecker-Bog Ecosystem

Hairy Woodpecker

Order:  Piciformes

Family:  Picidae

Genus:  Picoides

Species:  P. villosus

General Characteristics: 

Hairy Woodpeckers have a black forehead and crown; males have a red patch on their nape, whereas females have a black nape.  A wide white supercilium with a broad black band extends through the eye to the ear coverts, then down the neck. The moustachial stripe is black, broadening on the neck. A black comma extends from the side of the neck to the upper breast. The chin and throat are white. The lower neck, sides of mantle, rump, and uppertail coverts are black. The back is almost entirely white. The upper coverts are black with large white spots. Flight feathers have white barring. The tail is centrally black with white outer tail feathers.

Special Adaptations:

Hairy Woodpeckers find their food by feeling the vibrations made by insects moving about in the wood. They also can hear the insects munch on the wood!

Spring Peeper-Bog Ecosystem

Spring Peeper

Order:  Anura

Family:  Hylidae

Genus:  Pseudacris

Species:  P. crucifer

General Characteristics:

Spring Peepers are small frogs that grow less than an inch and a half long. They can be tan or gray or dark brown, but they all have a dark "X" on their backs. Spring Peepers also have large toe pads for gripping plants when they climb.

Spring Peepers are rarely seen, but are often heard in early spring. They breed from March to June. Spring Peepers live in wooded areas where there is water. Usually they are near marshes, ponds, and streams.  Spring Peepers need the water to lay eggs. This is also where they mate.

Special Adaptations:

Spring Peepers are nocturnal, so they are most active at night. In the winter, when temperatures drop to freezing, the Spring Peepers' bodies also drop to freezing, but only some parts really freeze. Spring Peepers produce glucose in their livers. Glucose is a sugar that acts as an anti-freeze that is pumped to vital organs including the heart and lungs. Other parts of the Spring Peeper's body will form ice crystals and freeze.

Evergreen Woodfern-Bog Ecosystem

Evergreen Woodfern

Order:  Polypodiales

Family:  Dryopteridaceae

Genus:  Dryopteris

Species:  D. intermedia

General Characteristics:

The leaves are monomorphic and green through winter, 32--90 × 10--20 cm. The petiole is 1/3 length of leaf, scaly at least at base; scales scattered, tan. The blade is green, ovate, 3-pinnate-pinnatifid, herbaceous, and glandular. The pinnae are in the plane of blade.  The basal pinnules are longer than adjacent pinnules. The pinnule margins are serrate, and the teeth spiny. Sori are midway between midvein and margin of segments. Indusia have minute glandular hairs.

Special Adaptations:

The extreme variability of size and colour may make it confusing to identify. In addition, it sometimes grows mixed with D. carthusiana in some areas.