Herbarium note

Michael,
A few photos didn't turn out all that great, in particular some of the smaller flowers.  It is in my timeline to obtain a macro lense, and I will go back and retake a few pictures and I will update those in the future for my own personal catalogue.  Feel free to borrow any pictures you would like to use, and more pictures will be posted in the oncoming weeks of some of the other plants and trees.   For a couple of the pictures (Oregon Iris) it is worth clicking on it to view the photo full size. =]

~Patrick

Prosartes hookeri

Hooker's Fairybells
Prosartes hookeri
Collected: Tolt MacDonald Park 27/4/12
Sample 20

Hooker's Fairybells are usually found in the damp areas beneath shaded forest canopies. They are found throughout Washington, British Columbia, and as far West as parts of Montana.  They are easily identified because beneath the leaves the flowers hang down.  They prominently display their reproductive organs beyond the skirt of their pedals for all pollinators to see.

Corallorhiza maculata

Spotted Coralroot
Corallorhiza maculata
Orchidaceae
Collected: Tradition Lake Plateau 11/5/12
Sample 19

The lower lip of the flower is white with reddish/magenta spots.  This is the easiest way to distinguish this from other similar orchids.  Like the Striped Coralroot, the spotted coralroot is a saprophyte.  It doesn't photosynthesize and it gets its energy from fungi beneath the surface of the forest floor.

Acer macrophyllum

Big Leaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum
Aceraceae
Collected: 13/4/12 Cougar Mountain Redtown Meadow
Sample 18

Acer macrophyllum is a tall Maple tree which provides a distinct canopy cover.  It starts the spring by allowing a vast amount of light, and by late spring it blocks out a majority of the brightest rays with its large leaves that it receives its namesake from.  The leaves can be well over a foot wide and turn from green to brown in the fall.  In Northwest forests it is not uncommon to see the licorice fern growing on the trunks and branches of the Big Leaf Maple.  Quick growing plants typically occupy the space beneath the canopy, for they take quick advantage of the early spring.

Polypodium glycyrrhiza

Licorice Fern
Polypodium glycyrrhiza
Polypodiaceae
Collected: Cougar Mountain Redtown Meadow 13/4/12
Sample 17

This plant is easy to identify because it almost exclusively grows on Big Leaf Maples.  It also has a distinct licorice taste when chewed.  Some native tribes used it to make a cough medicine of sorts.

Iris tenax

Oregon Iris
Iris tenax
Iridaceae
Collected: Cougar Mountain Redtown Meadow 30/5/12
Sample 16

This Iris is not found in Washington, with the exception of this sample and a few other specimens.  It has a beautiful flower which ranges from a soft lavender to a strong violet in color. The pedals are veinated with the purple color and there are yellow and white zones near the base of the pedals.  The whole plant can be upwards of a foot tall with a narrow stalk and narrow leaves.

Oxalis Oregana

Redwood Sorrel
Oxalis Oregana
Oxalidaceae
Collected: Cougar Mountain Redtown Meadow 13/4/12
Sample 15

These little guys are a delectable treat, though don't eat more then 10 or your stomache may turn sour.  Sour is exactly the word too, for they have a slightly astringent taste (similar to a purple unripe blueberry).  They pop up just a few inches above the ground and their tiny white or pinkish flowers can be seen overhead.