Re: plants (Physostegia digitalis and Carex intumescens) of the day plus moth and pun
Charlotte Seidenberg
Plants of the day:
Finger false dragonhead (Physostegia digitalis) is a glabrous herbaceous native perennial in the Lamiaceae. Other common names include obedient plant and lionshearts. The stems are square in cross-section, and the leaves are opposite, simple, mostly sessile, and have pinnate major veins. The large perfect and irregular flowers are opposite in a terminal spike inflorescence. The five sepals become enlarged or inflated in fruit, and the four stamens are exserted. The five petals are two-lipped, with two petals in the upper lip and three in the lower lip; they vary in color from white to lavender or purple and usually have dark purple spots. The four-lobed ovary is superior, and the style arises between the lobes. The fruit is a schizocarp with four mericarps. Note large connate perfoliate leaves. There are five other species of Physostegia in the state but those have narrow leaves. Some planted on Allen Acres and perhaps some were already here?
Carex intumescens (greater bladder sedge) is a late spring to early summer blooming native caric sedge. The male spike is separate from the 1-3 pistillate globose. The genus Carex is the largest genus in the area with more than 90 species. All are monoecious native perennials in the Cyperaceae. The stems are triangular in cross section and the leaves are alternate and simple with parallel veins and a closed sheath. The perianth is absent (naked flowers) and the staminate flowers produce three stamens while the pistillate flowers contain a single ovary. The ovary is superior and the fruit is an achene enclosed in a sac called the perigynium which is large and balddery in this species. This species is found in shaded swamp areas. The caterpillars of five small butterflies (Georgia Satyr, Dun Skipper, Dion Skipper, Dukes' Skipper, and Broad-winged Skipper) plus three moth species (slant-lined/Louisiana owlet moth, Black-dotted Maliattha, and fall Armyworm Moth) are reported to eat the genus Carex. None on Allen Acre but lots nearby. Picture of entire plant by Marc Pastorek.
Moth of the day: Leuconycta lepidula - Marbled-green Leuconycta. Another new to Allen Acres moth but has not been positively ided on bugguide but seems to be the right species. Caterpillars reported to eat dandelion and Rumex (dock). Sheeting update: 16 rosey maples, one luna, four sphinx (two Virginia creeper, one tersa, and one rustic), two imperials, and three io’s.
Pun: The kids have been throwing scrabble tiles at each other. Everything is okay until someone loses an “i”. This pun from daughter Tanya. Forgot to give credit to son-in-law Markus for yesterday’s visual pun. Also Kent Milton send me a bid but said “I can see completely through you cammo deal”. Now that is almost as funny as the pun itself.
Happy trails under blue skys
Charlotte Seidenberg
From: Charlotte Seidenberg <charlotte....@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Jun 14, 2020 at 2:19 PM
Subject: Re: plants (Physostegia digitalis and Carex intumescens) of the day plus moth and pun
To: Charles M. Allen <nat...@camtel.net>, Louisiana Native Plant Society <LN...@googlegroups.com>
Jacalyn Duncan
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2020 2:36 PM
To: native <nat...@camtel.net>; Louisiana Native Plant Society <LN...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [LNPS] Old-growth longleaf site in Kisatshie/ Calcasieu Tract?
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