Botanizing on Long Island

Endoptychum agaricoides

It has no common name.

Found this morning, abundant, ringing the mound of aged mulberry wood chips in our front lawn. It smelled good, but when I went to cut it open, it was hard, and filled with black spores.

It took my only 5 minutes to find it in "Millers Mushrooms" . It's one of the secotioid fungi, which seem to be a polyphyletic group related to our edible grocery store mushrooms.

This recent taxonomic treatment seems to be a major reclassification of this and similar species.

Phylogeny and taxonomy of Macrolepiota (Agaricaceae) -- Vellinga et al. 95 (3): 442 -- Mycologia.

Henry David Thoreau

August 20, 1851

How copious and precise the botanical language to describe the leaves, as well as the other parts of a plant! Botany is worth studying if only for the precision of its terms, - to learn the value of words and of system. It is wonderful how much pains has been taken to describe a flower’s leaf, compared for instance with the care that is taken in describing a psychological fact. Suppose as much ingenuity (perhaps it would be needless) in making a language to express the sentiments! We are armed with language adequate to describe each leaf in the field, or at least to distinguish it from each other, but not to describe a human character. With equally wonderful indistinctness and confusion we describe men. The precision and copiousness of botanical language applied to the description of moral qualities!

How copious and precise the botanical language to describe the leaves, as well as the other parts of a plant! Botany is worth studying if only for the precision of its terms, - to learn the value of words and of system. It is wonderful how much pains has been taken to describe a flower’s leaf, compared for instance with the care that is taken in describing a psychological fact. Suppose as much ingenuity (perhaps it would be needless) in making a language to express the sentiments! We are armed with language adequate to describe each leaf in the field, or at least to distinguish it from each other, but not to describe a human character. With equally wonderful indistinctness and confusion we describe men. The precision and copiousness of botanical language applied to the description of moral qualities!

Oaks and Kids

Chris Martine has produced a series of botanical videos. This one covers the differences between some oak species, and shows an Arbor Day tree planting with 5th graders.

Kudzunol?

Kudzu, the "Plant That Ate the South," has only recently appeared on Long Island. We don't know how much of problem it will become here. Perhaps our cold winters will keep it from setting seed.

But just in case, we should make a note of this man's invention: Kudzonol. It's a biofuel, ethanol, made from Kudzu.

I wonder if we could do the same with Oriental Bittersweet.

ozone

Ozone is fast becoming a problem for Long Island Crops.

More.

Devil's Walking Stick

This blog post got my attention.

The native Devil's Walking Stick is often confused with the nasty, invasive Chinese Angelica Tree.

This discussion from iVillage Garden Web is helpful.

We've recently learned that Devil's Walking Stick does not occur Long Island.

Plant Physiology Links

This list was developed for the use of my students in Suffolk County Master Gardeners:

Principles of Plant Biology is a list of facts every American should know about botany.

The USDA Nutrition Database will help you find the human nutritional value of plants and other foods.

A good educational website about photosynthesis and an interactive site for some photosynthesis fun!

Plants in Motion! This is a collection of time-lapse movies.

Please don't hesitate to email me with any questions.

Also, I hope you enjoy the rest of this site, which is my "botany blog."

Margaret

Knot Again!

Long Island Botanical Society Newsletters (as pdfs)

Volume 1,  No. 1,2,3&4 MISSING
Volume 2,  No. 1,2
Volume 2,  No. 3
Volume 2, No. 4,5,6 MISSING
Volume 3,  No. 1
Volume 3,  No. 2 MISSING
Volume 3,  No. 3
Volume 3,  No. 4,5,6
Volume 4,  No. 1,2
Volume 4,  No. 3,4
Volume 4,  No. 5,6
Volume 5,  No. 1
Volume 5,  No. 2 MISSING
Volume 5,  No. 3,4
Volume 5,  No. 5,6
Volume 6,  No. 1,2,3
Volume 6,  No. 4 MISSING
Volume 6,  No. 5,6
Volume 7,  No. 1,2,3
Volume 7,  No. 4,5,6
Volume 8,  No. 1 MISSING
Volume 8,  No. 2,3
Volume 8,  No. 4,5,6,7
Volume 9,  No. 1,2,4
Volume 9,  No. 3 and 5 MISSING  (apparently no number 6 was issued)
Volume 14,  No. 1
Volume 14,  No. 2
Volume 14,  No. 3
Volume 14,  No. 4
Volume 15,  No. 1
Volume 15,  No. 2
Volume 15,  No. 3
Volume 15,  No. 4
Volume 16,  No. 1
Volume 16,  No. 2
Volume 16,  No. 3
Volume 16,  No. 4
Volume 17,  No. 1
Volume 17,  No. 2
Volume 17,  No. 3
Volume 17,  No. 4

GPS

On Sunday I started a project at the Three Village Garden Club Sanctuary: I am making an inventory of all the woody plants.

I'm learning to use my new Garmin along with Google Earth, and this is the result! A good start.