Gone Fennin' in Southeast Michigan

Gone fennin'.  I think I might have made that word up just now but it fits and to be honest I kind of like it.  If you can go boggin' like myself and naturalist friends Todd Crail and Bill and Deb Marsh did a couple weekends ago, then our time spent in a couple fen complexes later in the day deserves its own designation too.  If you didn't catch part one of this trip, you can read all about it by clicking this link HERE.

As much fun as was had exploring the morning's sphagnum bog, we knew we had to press on with our day in order to see the rest of the sites on our itinerary.  We traded in one glacially influenced habitat in the acidic sphagnum bog for another in a couple alkaline fen complexes not too far away.  Fens are specialized wetlands that have mineral-rich neutral/alkaline groundwater percolate to the surface and keep its typically sedge and grass dominated meadows saturated and mucky year round.  Bogs differ in being acidic, more or less stagnant water with no in/out flow, and are very low in minerals.

Small, shrubby sedge meadow full of unseen orchids

The first fen we visited wasn't too far from the bog we had just left but what a night and day difference a little distance can make.  The small maze-like patches of sedge meadow were dotted with shrubs and trees trying to reclaim the open ground to the march of natural succession.  Despite the encroachment, the site remained diverse and intact with a spectacular display of your typical sedge associates in Carex stricta, C. sterilis, C. suberecta, C. pellita, and C. sartwellii for starters.  Sedges are always nice but it was what was hiding among them that we really had our sights set on.

Northern Small Yellow Lady's Slippers

Dozens upon dozens of northern small yellow lady's slippers (Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin) were scattered throughout the meadow like lemon gum drops in a sea of green.  A large majority were well past bloom and setting to seed but here and there was a fine specimen in spectacular flower like the trio above.

Northern Small Yellow Lady's Slipper

This species is excruciatingly rare in Ohio with only two extant populations and both sites are home to only a handful of individual plants each.  Further north they become considerably more frequent in large part due to their preferred habitat of fen meadows and white cedar swamps becoming more common.  I'd love to revisit this site next year just as these orchids hit their peak.

Andrew's Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium x andrewsii var. andrewsii) 

Even better than the presence of small yellow lady's slippers was an additional Cypripedium tucked back in an isolated patch of sedge meadow known as the Andrew's lady's slipper (C. x andrewsii).  As cool as it would be to claim I have some affiliation with this plant, alas I do not and the name "Andrew's" is after Edward Andrews, a botanist who first discovered the hybrid.

Close up of the Andrew's Lady's Slipper

Andrew's lady's slipper is a naturally-occurring hybrid between the small white (C. candidum) and the aforementioned small yellow (C. parviflorum var. makasin) species and is an increasingly rare occurrence throughout the range of both species.  This particular cross has left the slipper (labellum) a pearly white with magenta venation and speckling inside the lip from the small white parent, while the darkened, almost mahogany lateral and dorsal sepals come from the small yellow.

Side profile portrait

Unfortunately, the small white lady's slippers are long gone and extirpated from the site likely due to either being shaded out by the encroaching woody vegetation or perhaps a change in the site's hydrology.  The handful of hybrids are all that remain as any evidence they ever existed there.  I've seen this hybrid only once before back in Erie county, Ohio and their situation was the reciprocal with the small whites extant and the small yellows long missing.  You can get the full details on that site by following this link HERE.

Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)

Other than the lady's slippers, the fen meadow was pretty on par with what to expect from such a habitat even from an Ohio perspective except for the presence of common juniper (Juniperus communis) shrubs in a select few places.  This species is listed as endangered back home but like so many other things, a short drive north turns the rare into the expected and predictable.  The glaucous blue cones almost seem like they are the botanical world's attempt at making turquoise.

Huge expanse of fen sedge meadow in southeastern Michigan

If the first fen gives off the vibe of being a bit claustrophobic then our second stop should allow for much easier breathing and calmed nerves as it was the largest fen complex I've ever experienced.  Over 100 acres of open fen sedge meadow play home to a dizzying diversity of plant and animal life including the rare spotted turtle and eastern Massasauga rattlesnake.  While we never encountered either of those desired reptilians, our group still had an unforgettable time exploring the depths and extent of the fen.

Buxbaum's Sedge (Carex buxbaumii)

Bottle Brush Sedge (Carex hystericina)

Right off the bat it was the sedges that drew me in.  Dozens of species were present in the subtle but different habitat zones of the fen meadow including one of my very favorites in the Buxbaum's sedge (Carex buxbaumii). Its bright green perigynia go hand in hand with their corresponding dark pistillate scales to create one of the most striking sedges you'll ever see.

Virginia Iris (Iris virginica)

Exquisite patches of Virginia iris (Iris virginica) were at peak bloom and nigh on impossible to miss as their electric purple blossoms floated in the warm early summer breeze.

Fen Orchis or Loesel's Twayblade (Liparis loeselii)

The aptly-named fen orchid or Loesel's twayblade (Liparis loeselii) is one of the most common species of orchid to occur in the mucky, saturated soils of open fen meadows but their lime green color and tiny stature make finding them relative to a needle in a haystack.  The secret to discovering one seems to be this: don't look for them.  Let them come to you and hopefully your eyes will catch a glimpse.

Northern Pitcher Plant in flower

The northern pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea) must have followed us from the bog as while out in the middle of the sedge meadow, we came across an area with quite a few still exhibiting their strange and unique flowers. With so many deer flies and annoying gnats buzzing around your head and face, you can't help but root for the pitcher plants and hope they get their fill of the Diptera irritations.

Swamp Valerian (Valeriana uliginosa)

Towards the end of our time in the immense fen meadow, Todd, Bill and Deb, and I came across a sizeable patch of tall flowering stems each topped with cluster of stunning white flowers.  I'd never seen the plant in person before in my life but knew right away those spectacular blooms belonged to the swamp valerian (Valeriana uliginosa), a species I'd long daydreamed of making acquaintances with.

Swamp Valerian (Valeriana uliginosa)

Swamp valerian has to be one of the most sensational wildflowers of the open fen meadows come early summer. Even each individual flower when looked at up close exhibits a beauty all its own and when combined together in a whole inflorescence, you're left with a tough task of finding a better looking plant.

Portrait of the Swamp Valerian (Valeriana uliginosa)

Swamp valerian was only recorded from Ohio a couple times at likely the same site in Stark county back in the late 1800's and has not been seen since 1899.  Never say never but it's pretty clear this species isn't coming back to our state anytime soon so finding it unexpectedly in southeast Michigan was hands down the most pleasant surprise and find of the day in your blogger's opinion.  I had no idea if and when I'd ever get to cross this one off the life list due to its relative rarity throughout its range and century-plus period of extirpation from Ohio.

Prairie Valerian (Valeriana ciliata)

Prairie Valerian (Valeriana ciliata)

As if finding one rare valerian wasn't good enough, this particular fen wasn't done yet as in close proximity to the swamp valerian was a nice scattering of prairie valerian (V. ciliata).  In Ohio, prairie valerian is only known from two west-central Ohio fens and that's it state-wide, making it one of our rarest vascular plants. It's pretty clear it doesn't hold a candle to its brethren in the looks department with its small greenish-yellow flowers.

Needless to say, southeastern Michigan treated your blogger and his companions in fantastic fashion with a bounty of botanical goodies I could not have predicted we'd come across during our foray.  I think it's safe to say another visit during a different time of the year is in order.  There's always more to see and explore, especially in places you've only scratched the surface of.

St. Marys River Wetlands

Last week I had the pleasure of having my job take me up to an area in northern Mercer county known as the St. Marys River wetlands.  It's slated to be dedicated sometime this summer as Ohio's newest state nature preserve; a very fitting and deserving recognition as I would come to find out!

Aerial view of the preserved wetlands via Google Maps

Being a botanist for the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves (DNAP) has opened the door to many of our state's most unique and interesting ecosystems and habitats and this place was no different.  Within the 69 acres of the preserve is river frontage, riparian floodplain forest, and adjacent flat woods with an abandoned river channel and accompanying button bush swamp.  Naturally, with that kind of territory comes mosquitoes and boy were they thick!  In the sections of the swamp woods with standing water it become necessary to breathe through your nose.  Trying to breathe with your mouth only resulted in the inhaling, and subsequent choking on the blood-sucking nuisances.

In the aerial photo above you can make out the standing pools of water in the old river channel as the darker botches and the St. Marys river itself as the northern border of the preserve.  It's incredible this riparian community stills exists today when you see the surrounding sea of agriculture.  Mercer county isn't exactly known as a nature-friendly area with some of the most heavily-farmed land in this section of the state.  That makes this preserve all the more valuable and worth protecting!

Panoramic view of the swamp flat woods full of sedges and other botanical goodies

Joining me that day was Ohio's chief botanist Rick Gardner and a number of other DNAP employees and volunteers with our task to update a couple rare plant records and continue a biological inventory of the preserve.  Being on the job, I never take my camera gear with me into the field so I make due with my iPhone's camera, of which all these shots were taken on.  I'm consistently impressed with its capabilities and good quality captures.

Canada anenome - Anenome canadensis

One of the first things to grab our attentions was a lovely display of Canada anenome (Anenome canadensis) in full flower on the edges of the forest.  This plant is sometimes used in cultivation for its fast-spreading ground cover foliage and lovely white flowers.  Just be sure to keep an eye on it as its aggressive rhizomes can and will quickly take over an area.

Carex muskingumensis

Carex grayi

For the sedge-loving members of the group like Rick, who is an expert in this intimidating and tricky group, and I, the preserve was heaven on earth.  Being a high-quality wetlands it should come as no surprise that the sedge diversity would be quite large.  Music to my ears!  Even better was the amount of personal favorites that called the swamp woods home such as: Carex grayi, C. crus-corvi, C. muskingumensis, C. typhina, C. squarrosa, C. lacustris, and C. lupulina.

Raven's Foot Sedge - Carex crus-corvi

In fact, one of the main reasons we were there was to check up on and update the occurrence of the state-listed raven's foot sedge (Carex crus-corvi).  Its gorgeous, large fruiting heads full of sharply pointed perigynia accompanied with the blue-green foliage weren't too hard to notice walking through the sea of other sedges and vegetation.  This particular sedge is threatened in the state of Ohio and only occurs in a handful of counties in high-quality swamps and floodplain woodlands.

Virginia Iris - Iris virginica

Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder and while I find the raven's foot sedge to be absolutely stunning, I think most others would be more interested in these flowering monocots instead.  Scattered throughout the open understory was the delicate and short-lived Virginia iris (Iris virginica) that certainly stood out against the surrounding greens.

Green Carrion-flower - Smilax pulverulenta

Despite being arguably the least-attractive of our finds that day, this species was hands down the most meaningful and exciting of them all.  After some careful examination and consideration it was decided (and later confirmed) this is the incredibly rare green carrion-flower (Smilax pulverulenta); an endangered species in Ohio and one with a confusing history in our state.  Of the eight species of Smilax native to Ohio, three are woody, spined perennials (e.g. S. rotundifolia, hispida, and glauca) and the most frequently encountered while the remaining five are more uncommon and herbaceous annuals that lack prickles/spines.  The latter group can be confusing and hard to tell apart with tedious differences.

Previously S. pulverulenta was a variety of S. herbacea along with S. lacioneura before both were given full species status.  S. pulverulenta can be differentiated from S. lacioneura (which was present in the area as well) by its lustrous, abaxially dark green leaves; hemispheric (one-sided) flower umbels; and black, non-glaucous mature fruit. Our specimen showed all these signs except for the mature fruit since the plant was still flowering.  Rick mentioned all the specimens in Ohio's herbaria labeled S. pulverulenta were mis-identified and were actually S. lacioneura; meaning as far as he or anyone else knew, this lone plant in front of us was the only known and confirmed site and specimen of the green carrion-flower in the state.  Pretty darn cool if you ask me!

Rough-Leaved Dogwood - Cornus drummondii

Ok, enough of the botanical jargon and nerd talk; even if I could go on and on.  A frequent shrub and/or small tree of the open swamp understory in full bloom was the rough-leaved dogwood (Cornus drummondii).  It certainly blends in with the half dozen or so other thicket-forming, shrubby dogwood species outside the obvious and more-showy flowering dogwood (C. florida) but with a quick touch it's not too hard to tell apart.  The top and bottom surfaces of the leaves have a scratchy, rough feel to them (hence the name) from their dense covering of wooly, rough hairs.  This species also has very showy white berries on red pedicels come late summer and autumn.

Baby bowfin (or dogfish) found in the shallow standing pools of water

After our exciting botanical discovery I suppose it's only appropriate we make another one; only this time it was of the ichthyological kind!  As our group passed through the area of the abandoned river channel, we took notice of the water 'boiling' with hundreds of little fish in the shallow waters of the buttonbush pools.  Rick scooped out the little fellow pictured above and we all scratched our heads at its identity.  As it turned out it was a baby bowfin (Amia calva), the sole surviving species of an ancient order of long extinct fish!  Also known as dogfish, the bowfins were a very unexpected surprise that caught all of us off guard.  I would assume a heavy flooding event isolated the adults from the main channel of the St Marys river into the swamp forest's pools sometime in the past.  We did observe large fish swimming around further out in the water but assumed they were carp but looking back now I believe them to have been adult bowfins!  How else would there have been so many fingerlings?

American Sweet Flag - Acorus americanus

Walking past the sunnier margins of a swamp woods or marshy area many would probably see this plant and pass right by thinking they were simply cattails.  How wrong they would be and why taking a closer look is never a bad idea!  This is the rare American sweet flag (Acorus americanus); a species of concern in Ohio that grows in scattered wetlands throughout the northern half of the state.  It can be told apart from the much more common introduced European species (A. calamus) by looking at the veins in the leaves and flowering/fruiting material.  Our native species has a raised midvein plus an additional two or so more raised veins, while the European species only has a single, obvious raised midvein.  The American species is also a fertile, flowering diploid versus the sterile triploid Europen taxa.

From L to R: Carex lupulina, C. squarrosa, C. lacustris, C. crus-corvi, C. typhina, and C. muskingumensis

All in all, I left the St. Marys River Wetlands very impressed with its botanical diversity, intact and pristine swamp forest habitat, and of course all the sedges!  I'm very thankful this gem of a place is in good hands and will see a long future of protection and management for myself and future generations to enjoy and hike through; if they aren't drained dry by all the mosquitoes that is haha.  I'd certainly like to visit at other times of the year to see what goodies and secrets this place still has to share.  Once dedicated and open to the public, I highly recommend getting out and experiencing its charm and sights for yourself!