Prairie-Sky Blue Aster

Small Blue Aster

Order: Asterales

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Symphyotrichum

Species: S. oolentangiense

General Characteristics: The plant is an erect, perennial, 2'-3' tall forb

The flower head is 3/4"-1 1/3" wide with 10-25 blue to pink rays; bracts (phyllaries) with short, dark, diamond-shaped tip; inflorescence loose, branched cluster. It blooms Aug.-Oct. The leaf is mostly toward the bottom of the stem, thick, stiff, usually entire, lower leaves on long, often winged stalked, base usually heart-shaped, upper surface rough; upper leaves lance-like, stalkless but not clasping.

Special Characteristics: The flowers attract various insects, including small bees, flies, small to medium-sized butterflies, skippers, and wasps. Among these, Green Metallic bees and other Halictid bees are especially common visitors of the flowers, where they seek nectar or pollen. The caterpillars of the butterfly Chlosyne nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) and several species of moth feed on this and other asters. The Wild Turkey and been observed feeding on the foliage and seeds of asters to a limited extent. Many mammalian herbivores occasionally eat this plant, even though it has low food value, including rabbits, deer, groundhogs, and livestock.

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.