Work and Play in Sault Ste. Marie - Pt II

Knowing I would have an afternoon off I contact Rob Routledge, a local naturalist, to see about checking out some fens.  Rob was happy to oblige and took us to three of his favourite spots within a short distance of town. Thanks Rob! 

Despite light to moderate rain, I really enjoyed the few hours we were out.  There are interesting shrubs found growing on the floating peat mats which facilitate the shore fen habitat.  Below is Swamp Birch (Betula pumila).  This species grows to a maximum height of about 2m.

 Bog Willow (Salix pedicellaris) has very glacous leaves on both the upper and lower sides.

Mountain Holly () until recently belonged to the genus Nemopanthus but has since been found to be part of the Ilex family along with other holly species.  This shrub also has glacous leaves and fruits borne on long pedicels.  All three of these shrub species are rare in Waterloo Region (and most municipalities where they occur in southern Ontario).

 Moccasin Flower (Cypripedium acaule) is quite common in forests around Sault Ste. Marie.  It seemed we were there right at peak bloom.

Rob showed me a good little patch of the white form of Moccasin Flower (growing right next to the pink form and with light pink-white clumps also present).

 A little too early for Grass Pink (Calopogon tuberosus) however!

My co-worker Nathan (left) thinking, geez these botany types are a strange breed!

The deep red 'goblets' and flowers of Pitcher-plant (Sarracenia purpurea) added a bit of colour and texture to an otherwise sedge and moss-dominated mat.

Small Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), one of the finer details among the saturated peat moss.

 At the fringe of the fen (where alder, willow and conifers being to take hold), it seemed that forb diversity changed and sedges became less dominant.  Below is a nice patch of Three-leaved Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata).  Three-leaved Solomon's Seal grew on the hummocks of dead spruce and cedar nearby.

Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia) strongly resembles the herb you might grow in your garden.

 Then there were sedges, 18 species over the 3 or so hours, not too shabby!

Brown Sedge (Carex buxbaumii)

Michaux's Sedge (Carex michauxiana)

Mud Sedge (Carex limosa)

A close up of Mud Sedge

Inflated Sedge (Carex vesicaria)

Creeping Sedge (Carex chordorrhiza) was a new one for me.

Few-seeded Sedge (Carex oligosperma)

A favourite, Stunted Sedge (Carex magellanica)

And one of the stranger looking sedges, Few-flowered Sedge (Carex pauciflora).