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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Found! Our first Wild Liatris

Sorry for the less than stellar image quality, it's an iPhone

   I shouldn't say "our" because I haven't seen it yet, in person. I should say "Jeff's", he found it, took its picture, and I identified it. He's been carrying his iPhone with him on his trail runs because he's been seeing what he believed to be some quality plants. It would take just about all day to hike up and back to the ridge with the good camera and tripod, but much less time if he's running.
   I've never seen Liatris growing in the wild before, so this is exciting. I think it looks like a Liatris spicata. Based on the remoteness of the location, high on a ridgeline, deep in a Natural Preserve, miles from civilation, I don't think this is an escaped cultivated specimen. This particular mountain area is one of the few in this area where you won't see any introduced species, it seems quite pristine.
   Thank you Jeff for this excellent find!



6 comments:

  1. Photo quality suffers when you run & climb for over an hour before you get to the plant. Heart pounds, arms tremble, eyes filled with sweat...then we blame it on the iPhone.

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  2. What a find!! Seriously, carrying an iPhone is a smashing idea. Lugging around the SLR can really mess with your mobility. Congrats!

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  3. Good job, Jeff! Liatris is a welcome sight any time.

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  4. Thanks! However, I can't tell Liatris from Lobelia!! I just run along and think: "hey, that looks different". Then I tell Julie about it. She says " based on your description, it sounds like a cross between Ragweed and a Chupacabra, you better go back and get a photo". Then the learning process begins.

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  5. "a cross between Ragweed and a Chupacabra" - you are so funny!

    But at least you know the word Lobelia ....

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  6. A word that does not conjure a mental image...not much value there!

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