This past Friday was a really, really great day. Not only was the weather perfect for being outside, but I had a grand site to explore for natural points of interest in the Daniel's Road State Forest just north of Saratoga Springs. And I had the very best companions to do so with. I'm scheduled to lead our Thursday Naturalist friends here next week, so my friends Sue and Ruth joined me to take a preview walk along a powerline that stretches for miles both east and west from where we parked our cars. Here's the powerline heading east, lined with sunlit meadows of rosy-colored Little Bluestem Grass, a view of mountains rising in the far distance.
And here is a view of the powerline heading west, where the lane dips low and forms a small wetland thriving with plants well-suited for just such a dampish habitat. Some puddles of open water are also present. Deep forest lines the powerline in both directions.
The Sun-lit Trailside
We chose to first head west on our foray today, but either section of the trail was lined with the gorgeous sun-loving wildflowers that come into late-summer bloom. Several species of goldenrods were in full bloom, including these Blue-stemmed Goldenrods (Solidago caesia), a species that bears its flowers in small clusters along gracefully arching stems. This is one of very few goldenrods that can tolerate the shade.
One of the most common wildflowers today was Pringle's Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pringlei), whose large white flowers, open habit of growth, and slender, pointed involucral bracts suggested at first it might be Frostweed Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum), except for one thing. The stems were not as hairy as most of my guidebooks described for that species. Thus, Pringle's Aster instead.
There were doubtless more plants of Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata) along the trail than this small specimen I found. But the number and plumpness of the inflated seed pods on this one indicated that this pretty native wildflower was nearing the end of its blooming season.
We were certainly too late to see the Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) species that once lifted their large spidery lavender blooms under this powerline, but their round attractive seedheads certainly told of their previous abundance here. A pinch of one of those seedpods scented my fingers with a minty fragrance for the duration of my visit.
I also pinched a flowerhead of this Sweet Everlasting (Pseudonaphalium obtusifolium) to inhale its own distinctive fragrance, a scent very similar to that of maple syrup.
I am always disappointed that the leaves of Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare) do not smell at all like the minty culinary herb, but their pretty flowers circling a hemisphere of spiky-looking bracts make for adequate compensation for that lack of pleasant scent.
I did recognize this plant with its many tiny hard round pods as a member of the Pinweed genus (Lechea sp.), but I did not know how to distinguish this plant from among the seven species listed in the NYFA Plant Atlas as present in New York State. I did find only one plant along either stretch of the powerline today.
One of the marvelous botanical finds along this powerline is the abundant population of Yellow Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes ochroleuca), a native wild orchid that was just now achieving full bloom. This pair was among more than the dozen we found today.
You have to look close to distinguish this Spiranthes species from others that are found in Saratoga County, and the distinctive yellow throat is the most obvious visual clue. Time of blooming is helpful, too, for this is our last Spiranthes to bloom around here, just as other species are fading.
We had to seek out the driest, sandiest place along the powerline to look for the Blue Curls plants (Trichostema dichotomum) that we remembered growing here. Luckily, we found them early enough in the day before they dropped their distinctive flowers with the curling anthers, usually by noon. New flowers will bloom tomorrow.
Rock Spikemoss (Selaginella rupestris) also likes a sunny, dry spot, but on hard rock, not sand. There are many rocky outcroppings along this powerline, and several of them boast populations of Rock Spikemoss, a tiny, mat-forming, drought-resistant perennial plant that resembles a miniature clubmoss. We often find it surrounded by another drought-resistant plant, Reindeer Lichen.
The Wetland Stretch
My friends were smart to wear waterproof footware for exploring the wetland section of the powerline. This habitat supports an entirely different kind of wildflower, those that can tolerate wet feet. Our first sign of this habitat was the large population of pretty purple-flowered Slender Agalinis (Agalinis tenuifolia) that started to show up along the trailside. This species can tolerate dryer soils, but doesn't seem to mind a certain dampness underfoot.
The name Swamp Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum) should be a good clue that this large-flowered, purple-stemmed, lavender-colored aster can thrive among other swamp dwellers. And thrive it did, at this location, and beautifully so!
Beggar Ticks (Bidens frondosa) is another native wildflower that can tolerate damp soils. Lacking petals, the central disc flowers can produce plenty of the seed-bearing stick-tights that cling to our clothing. I'm glad they mostly grow in places I am not likely to walk in.
Nodding Bur Marigold (Bidens cernua) is one of the showiest members of the Bidens genus, and it also shares a preference for damp habitats. The flowers were on fine display today. They won't nod downward until they go to seed.
I know this tiny-flowered plant is a Willowherb (Epilobium sp.), but I learned it as Northern Willowherb many years ago from my 1977 edition of Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, so I assume both its vernacular and scientific names are different now. Whatever its name is now, I still love its wee little pink flowers, so tiny they would make a cute bouquet for a dollhouse.
Can I really still call this pretty bushclover with its slender leaves Slender Bushclover (Lespedeza virginica), both the vernacular and the scientific names Newcomb assigned to it in his Wildflower Guide all those years ago? I had actually never seen this plant until I found a solitary specimen under this powerline today. The NYFA distribution map does not show it as present in Saratoga County, but that's only because no one has contributed a specimen. To date, it has not yet been ranked by state botanists as to its rarity status. I regret I dropped this stem and couldn't find it again. Many more stems remain on the plant.
The Tree-shaded Grassy Verge
The north-facing side of the western-leading stretch of powerline offered another kind of habitat, where fallen trees and rotting stumps hosted a fascinating variety of fungi, and tree-shaded grassy stretches were home to some of our prettiest wildflowers of the day. And both Ruth and Sue, dedicated "bryo-philes," found bryophytes fascinating enough to bring them to their knees. In this photo, Sue (orange shirt) is studying some lichens adorning the tree trunk, and Ruth might be checking iNat to help confirm her ID of a moss she has found.
I am drawn to this grassy verge each year now to experience vast numbers of Purple Milkwort flowers (Senega sanguinea), so numerous here I can barely walk among them.
I love how the teeny-tiny multicolored florets of Purple Milkworts are tucked within the enveloping bracts, like mini bouquets wrapped in purple tissue paper.
Clubmosses of several species thrive among the grasses, often intermingling, as do this yellow-tipped Fan Clubmoss (Diphasiastrum digitatum) with this furry-tipped Running Clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum).
Several species of violets also thrive in this grassy verge, including one my friends and I have not found elsewhere, the Arrow-leaved Violet (Viola sagittata). The arrow-shaped leaves of this violet are sometimes deeply lobed at the base, as this photo of them displays.
Ah, and then there were the FUNGI! In many surprising shapes and colors. My old mushroom guides are so out-of-date regarding both vernacular and scientific names, forgive me if I opt to neglect them.
I cannot recall finding Turkey Tail fungus standing upright like this blue-colored group (Trametes versicolor). This species usually protrudes from a stump in a horizontal manner.
Here is the white pore-surface of that blue-colored Turkey Tail fungus pictured above. The pores are very tiny.
Whoa! I am not sure if this is a fungus or a slime mold, but whichever it is, it is certainly RED!
This small rosy mushroom cap was only about an inch across, but its pretty color called it to my attention.
Just a bunch of squiggly orange-colored mushrooms sprouting abundantly from a sawn tree stump. I wonder how all those tiny holes appeared in the stump. Or are they the natural texture of the trees vascular system or something?
Could this be the Amanita species known as Yellow Patches (A. flavoconia)?
Would this be Brown-toothed Crust (Hydnochaete olivacea). Or something else?
Aha! Here's one I think I know: the Thin-walled Maze Polypore (Dadaeleopsis confragosa). The top of it, anyway.
And here are the gills of the Thin-walled Maze Polypore, displaying the maze-like gills that suggested the name. Note how the name of the ancient Greek maze-builder Daedalus is included in this fungus's name.
I do know the name of these next mushrooms, too, distinguished by their eccentric stalks and radiating gills. They also have a distinctive trait of being able to glow in the dark, which suggested their name of Luminous Panellus. I have never witnessed this trait myself, but every one of my mushroom guidebooks mentions it. This mushroom's scientific name, Panellus stipticus, was possibly suggested by its reputed ability to staunch bloodflow from wounds. I love the tiny Panellus infants just emerging in this photo.
I found this fascinating group of vertically-oriented Violet-toothed Polypore caps (Trichaptum biforme) absolutely astounding. They originally formed on this now-horizontal tree trunk when the trunk was vertical and the fungus caps protruded from the trunk in a horizontal manner. But now look how NEW caps are developing on the underside of the original caps. Crazy! I've never witnessed this happening before.
Not a fungus, not an animal, but a slime mold: the Insect Egg Slime Mold (Leocarpus fragilis). It started life as a slimy goo that could move on its own, feeding and excreting almost like an animal and now is at the stage where it has formed these fruiting bodies that will produce and expel spores to be distributed by the wind, in a way similar to a fungus. So many different ways of being alive! Our world is jam-packed with marvels!
One last little mushroom, so tiny and translucent, sprouting from a clump of pretty green moss. I don't know the name of either the moss or the mushroom. But that doesn't mean I can't be gobsmacked by how charmingly adorable they appear together.
Both Ruth and Sue will be away when our Thursday Naturalists will be exploring this site next week. I'm so glad they could come here now and search for an elusive hornwort they once found here before. It was right in the middle of the path, growing on muddy dirt.
Oh ho! It looks as if Ruth has found that hornwort and is taking a photo of it. I believe the hornwort in question is that vaguely greenish growth on the dirt. I hope she got a good enough picture of it that she might show it to me some day. Most of all, I'm delighted that my friends had a great day exploring this powerline. I know I sure did. Now I can't wait to share it with more interested friends next week.
We did not see much in the way of critters this trip, aside from elusive butterflies that fled our cameras' focal lengths and also this brown-colored Praying Mantis. I think it is not our native one, but I was glad to see it, and to thank it for holding still for the picture-taking.
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