Looking for Licorice

Ugggh, I seem to have come down with a head cold, I'm Sicyos.  Please excuse the pun, much like the focus in this photo, I'm not at my best.  The vine in the photo below is One-seeded Bur Cucumber (Sicyos angulatus), similar in some ways to Prickly Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata).  The obvious difference between the two is the fruits, Prickly Cucumber having the succulent, egg-sized fruits compared to the smaller, dense fruits of Sicyos.  There are differences in the leaf form as well that are easy enough to recognize. This shot was taken at Point Pelee, likely in an area with a bit of moisture, the preference for both of these species.

On another topic, I've been doing some investigation into historical plant records over the winter, mostly in Waterloo Region.  It's very interesting reading descriptions of where species were collected and trying to pinpoint locations (and of course follow up by looking for them in the field, the best part).  A friend recently directed me to a 1902 record for Wild Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) in Waterloo Region, based upon a thesis by the late Fred Montgomery who had come across the description from Harriet, an early naturalist in the area.  Wild Licorice is quite rare in Southern Ontario, known from Waterloo and Niagara, with more extensive populations in the area of Rainy River in Northern Ontario.  The BONAP website gives some idea of it's distribution continent-wide.  The description in Montgomery's thesis reads:

"Island in Grand R. 4 miles below Galt, July 4, 1902"

Loving Google Earth as much as I do, this was an easy case, and if Macoun had a Garmin GPS in his bag, well there would be no mystery in relocating these long lost records.  Reference of a specific linear distance and direction from the nearest post office was often used to provide geographical context, as well as well as other features such as bridges, waterbodies, rail lines.  Anyways, here are a couple of screen captures from Google Earth, this example wasn't too difficult given that all it required was extending the ruler function right down the Grand River from downtown Galt (I used the post office) which pretty much puts you right on a large island.  This isn't to say that there couldn't have been other islands in 1902, but I have a good feeling about this one.

Now the likelihood that the population remains may be slim, it is a major river afterall, subject to ice scour, inundation, erosion.  Also aggressive clonal species like Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) may have outcompeted the licorice long ago.  It's worth a shot though, I'm hoping to take a little canoe tour this summer and have a look.  Maybe I'll do a post all about the island foray.

Here's what I'm looking for, it's quite common in the Manitoba Tallgrass Prairie Preserve where I took these photos.  

The bur fruits kind of resemble Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) and persist year round.

Just for good measure, referring to the NHIC online make-a-map function, there's the record coming up right on target.