Category Archives: Angiosperm

Polygonum aviculare: prostrate knotweed – The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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knotweed

Polygonum aviculare

I noticed a particularly thriving population of the invasive prostrate knotweed this spring . It is typically successful in heavily compacted areas and adjacent to the sidewalks. Also it is probably not  favoured by Canada geese, as with most of the successful invasive species on the island.

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Polygonum
Species:
P. aviculare
Binomial name
Polygonum aviculare
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Matricaria discoidea : pineapple weed, The Race Rocks taxonomy

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The observation below was made in 2013/06/05 …

Several large areas where the grass was matted and smothered by the sealions hauling out last fall, now have a prolific growth of this newly arrived plant, Matricaria discoidea, or pineappleweed. These are the tallest growing samples of that plant I have seen. Another plant in the same areas is the fiddleneck, Amsinckia menziesii

This year the same situation appears in the areas trampled by the sealions last fall. This post  shows how comfortable it is for the elephant seals.

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Matricaria
Species: M. discoidea

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Sedum anglicum, English Stonecrop–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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stonecrop

Sedum anglicum,(in bloom in July,) English Stonecrop– invasive at Race Rocks

 

Englishstonecrop

Sedum anglicum, English Stonecrop all photos by Garry Fletcher

This plant was introduced to Race Rocks by Assistant keepers in the 1980s. From a small flower bed near the assistant’s house It has spread over much of the Great Race Rock Island. Since it is a member of the Crassulacea family, it uses the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) method for fixation of

The crevices of the rock outcrops where native grasses grew are being invaded by this stonecrop.

The crevices of the rock outcrops where native grasses grew are being invaded by this stonecrop.

Carbon Dioxide for photosynthesis. Since it can fix Carbon into a chemical when stomata are open only when its cool at night, it is very resistant to drought, and can survive with very little soil.

stonecrop_cistern

The mat of green is a monoculture of Sedum anglicum, English Stonecrop growing on the concrete surface of the large gound-level cistern.

It is of course not the only introduced species on Race Rocks but since it is not grazed by anything, it is rapidly replacing the sparse growth of native species such as thrift  and grasses in the rock crevices.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Sedum
Species: S. anglicum
English Stonecrop
Other Angiosperms (flowering plants) at Race Rock

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Romanzoffia tracyi : Mist maidens–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Romanzoffia tracyi

Scientific classification
Family: Boraginaceae (Borage)
Subfamily: Hydrophylloideae (Waterleaf)
Genus: Romanzoffia
Species: R. tracyi (Jepson)
Common name: Tracy’s mistmaiden

General: Perennial herb from well-developed, brown-woolly basal tubers; stems several, ascending, long glandular-hairy, 2-12 cm tall [1].

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Armeria maritima: Thrift–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Armeria maritima, sea thrift is in full bloom and looks very striking at this time of year.

Armeria maritima, sea thrift is in full bloom and looks very striking at this time of year. G.Fletcher photo.

There are several patches of this xerophytic plant located on the dry rocky knolls of Race Rocks. It is one of the native plants of the island.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Plumbaginaceae
Genus: Armeria
Species: A. maritima
Armeria maritima (Mill.) Willd.
Other Angiosperms at Race Rock

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Amsinckia menziesii: fiddleneck–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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gfjun11fiddleneckflo2This fiddleneck, Amsinckia menziesii  was a recent arrival to the islands,  (2011) In that year , although not a garden escape, it colonized many areas at Race Rocks possibly because of its unpalatability to Canada geese.

 

Note the fiddle shaped seed heads of Amsinckia spectabilis.

 

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: (unplaced)
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Amsinckia
Species: A. menziesii

Amsinckia menziesii  (Lehm.) Nelson & J.F. Macbr.

Fiddleneck,  Menzie’s fiddleneck, Menzies’ fiddleneck, small flowered fiddleneck

Other Angiosperms (flowering plants) at Race Rock

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Lactuca tatarica: Blue lettuce–The Race Rocks taxonomy

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flower blue lettuce

The introduced invasive species Lactuca tatarica appears occasionally at Race Rocks

Cautionary note in case someone gets hungry on the island:

“The milky-sap from this plant, contains a medicinal compound called ‘lactucarium’. It has been used for its pain-relieving, antispasmodic, digestive, urinating-inducing, hypnotic, narcotic and sedative inducing properties If one injests the plant it is used to treat insomnia, anxiety, neuroses, hyperactivity in children, dry coughs, whooping cough, and rheumatic pain. An external dose can even be applied to warts. However, it should be noted that this plant should not be used in these cases excepted by trained professionals. This is because the plant, even in small doses, could lead to death through cardiac paralysis.” (plant-life.org)

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Lactuca
Species: L. tatarica
Lactuca tatarica

Other Angiosperms at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Gladiolus imbricatus: Turkish marsh gladiolus

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Gladiolus imbricatus in bloom: Originally from south-eastern Europe/Turkey, it was introduced in the garden of an early lightkeeper and has been growing unattended here for over 50 years.

rmirza2010rr

Raisa Mirza took this photo of Gladiolus imbricatus in May 2010


Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Subfamily: Ixioideae
Tribe: Ixieae
Genus: Gladiolus
Species: imbricatus
Other Angiosperms at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Triteleia hyacinthina: White brodiaea–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Triteleia hyacinthina, the white brodiaea, or fool’s onion is a native of the Pacific west coast of North America. These ones grow just east of the tower.10 metres.

Due to a late spring storm from the southeast three weeks ago, many of the early blooming plants show some effects of salt spray. Photos by Garry Fletcher May 9, 2010.

 

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Plantae
Superdivision Spermatophyta
DivisionMagnoliophyta
Class Liliopsida
SubclassLiliidae
Order Liliales
Family Lilaceae
Genus Triteleia
Species hyacinthina
(Lindl.)Greene
Common Name: White brodiaea, fools onion

 

Other Members of the Angiosperm at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

Garry Fletcher

Calendula officinalis: marigold–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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calendula

Calendula officinalis growing every month at Race Rocks– photo G.Fletcher

calendulapath

Many of the pathways are lined by this plant.

Although introduced to Race Rocks by  lightkeepers to brighten up their garden years ago, Calendula sp.is an interesting exotic since because of the ocean moderated temperature of the Ecological Reserve, it blooms at Race Rocks every month of the year. The reason it is so successful there is probably that it is not grazed by gulls or geese.

 

Also see the notation and images by Ecoguardian Anne Stewart, Sept 13 2015.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Calenduleae
Genus: Calendula
species: officinalis

Other Angiosperms (flowering plants) at Race Rock

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.