Today's Finds in Skidmore Woods

After my tour of Congress Park this morning, I scooted out to Skidmore Woods to photograph some of the native plants out there.  If I posted all I found today, my computer would take all night trying to download their images.  But here are just a few. 

I know I posted a photo of Large-flowered Trillium before, but I wanted to show the masses of them growing in the woods around this one.

This single blossom of Miterwort (Mitella diphylla) is only about one-quarter inch across. Looks kind of like a snowflake, if snowflakes had five points.  I can never get a good photo of the whole plant.  If the flowers are in focus, the leaves aren't, and vice versa.  Look it up in Newcomb's wildflower guide to see a drawing of its pretty leaves.

Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolium) is much smaller than the ginseng prized by Chinese medicine (Panax quinquefolius).  The whole plant is less than three inches across.  And unlike its larger cousin, this plant disappears after it stops blooming.  Like in just a few days from now.

The flower heads of Early Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dioicum) with clusters of anthers dangling down and shimmying in the breeze.  (Hmmm. . . .  Where are the pistils?  I forgot to look!)  The leaves of this plant are equally pretty, all soft and ruffly.  Sorry I didn't get them in the picture.

Not pictured but in bloom in Skidmore Woods today:  Barren Strawberry, Wild Strawberry, Wood Strawberry, Pussytoes, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Wild Geranium, Red-berried Elder, Purple Trillium, Large-flowered Bellwort, Sessile Bellwort, Wild Ginger, Canada Violet, Prickly Gooseberry, Downy Yellow Violet, Small-flowered Crowfoot, Longspur Violet, and the dreaded Garlic Mustard (many stalks of which I pulled out).  I saw shoots of both Ginseng and Goldenseal (I will not say where!) and two plump stalks of Asparagus (which I didn't pick, even though tempted).