Wolf Lichen

"Wolf Lichen" (Letharia vulpina)

2007 September 17

2007 September 17

2007 September 17

Very common in our area, it was used by First Nation peoples mostly as a yellowish-green dye and even as a paint.

As the name Letharia suggests, this lichen is somewhat poisonous as it contains vulpinic acid. Interestingly, while some used it to make poison arrowheads, others made a weak tea out of it to treat internal problems, and stomach disorders!

Pixie Cup Lichens

Cladonia pyxidata

Any one with a lick of sense knows that these pixie cups were used by the pixies or wood fairies to sip their morning dew ... their elixir instead of coffee.

Joking aside, the Pixie Cup is a lichen that could be eaten if one were desperate and needed something to put in an empty stomach. It contains didymic acid and was once gathered to use as a treatment for tuberculosis. Eskimos apparently used Pixie cups as wicks in their blubber oil lamps. The lichens would be floated in the oil and then lit. The oil would burn off of the lichen and continually be replaced, allowing the lichen to remain as a useful wick for quite some time.

Cladonia borealis (??)

2007 October 2

2007 October 2

Felt Lichen

"Felt Lichen or Freckle Pelt" (Peltigera aphthosa)

Freckle pelt changes from a dull gray-green to bright green, when wet. The brown to black dots on the upper surface contain tiny colonies of cyanobacteria, which supply the lichen with nitrogen.

Felt Lichen is forage for mountain caribou during the winter.

In ages past, in Scandinavian countries, this lichen was boiled to make a wash for chapped skin on feet and for diaper rash.

Lichens Overview

A lichen is composed of algae and fungus working together in a symbiotic relationship, where both plants gain benefit and neither are harmed by the relationship. I found this interesting story that describes the symbiotic arrangement of lichens and their hosts in a very simplistic way:

"Once there was a young woman, Alice Algae by name, who lived in the woods. Her house was very run-down and she had no money to fix it up. One day a young gentleman, Freddy Fungus, came along. He was very handy with tools and offered to fix up Alice's house in exchange for some of her fine cooking. A simple agreement was made and Freddy repaired the house and Alice fed Freddy daily while he worked. After a short time they both realize that this was a very good arrangement in deed, and should last longer. So you see, Alice Algae and Freddy Fungus took a "lichen" to each other and lived happily ever after."

Most lichens, though not necessarily tasty, are edible, and a few contain toxic substances.

Lichens are dependent on high relative humidity as they take their moisture from the air rather than the underlying soil so you will notice that the lichens will be more visible after we've had some rain. In summer, when conditions are dry, they look like dry, shriveled things. They become highly flammable when dry.

Yellow Rattle

"Yellow Rattle" (Rhinanthus minor R. crista-galli)

I found this plant firstly by the seed pods and wondered what it was. The next year I was determined to find it in flower! I've only found this plant in one place in my wanderings in our immediate locale, down by the lake shore in an out-of-the-way place.

2009 July 13

2009 July 13

2008 September 4

2008 September 4

This plant is semi-parasitic relying on neighbouring plants for some of its water and minerals.

Here is what this UK site has to say about it:

"Young visitors to Mavisbank enjoyed hearing about the 'vampire' plant that sucks the goodness from the roots of grass and clover…Rhinanthus minor or Yellow Rattle.

This hemi-parasite of British grassland was for centuries an unwelcome sight on improved grassland as it weakens grass, reducing its vigour and spread…if however you want a species-rich grassland, with a diverse community of plants and animals then Yellow Rattle can be a valuable tool, as it opens up the sward of grass, allowing other plants light and nutrients to grow. It also acts upon clover, another vigorous plant that can overwhelm a grassland community.

Yellow Rattle itself is an pretty plant, that is attractive to bumblebees. It forms short (15 to 4cm) spikes of bright yellow hooded flowers with purple-pink flush to their base and peridot-green slender leaves.

Once the Yellow Rattle seed has set the spike turns a rich russet brown and if you walk through it, the seeds rustle in their papery shells, hence the ‘Rattle’ name.

This little annual self-seeds and spreads happily – you will see the progress of Yellow Rattle as a grassland turns from a dense dark green to a fresh, pale green-yellow, but it can also be removed easily - if the Yellow Rattle flowers are cut before they can set seed, the plants will disappear.

Yellow Rattle can be added to new or existing meadows or grassland by cutting the grass (or grazing ) and then using some light cultivation (raking, rotovating or harrowing) in late autumn to weaken the grass and provide some bare soil. Yellow Rattle seed should then be scattered on the surface in October to early December and rolled or trampled to ensure good contact with the soil.

Germination occurs in spring and the plant produces attractive flowers and the distinctive rattling seed heads in mid-summer.

It is worth noting however that it would be bad for an animal to eat a large amount of Yellow Rattle.

When Yellow Rattle is added either by sowing throughout a meadow or in smaller patches, the plant will self seed, and plants will spread in future years, especially if they are encouraged by preparing the ground as above."

Yellow Avens

"Yellow Avens" (Geum aleppicum).

2008 June 2

2008 June 2

2007 June 19

2007 June 19

2007 June 19

2007 June 19

I found these growing down where the lake use to be! There doesn't seem to be any interesting tidbits to report on this one ... no juicy gossip from the plant world ... but if I find out anything ... I'll be sure to post an update.

Yarrow

"Yarrow" (Achillea millefolium)

2007 June 19

2007 August 5

2007 August 5

2007 September 18
A pretty pink version

2007 September 18

On the Wane

2008 April 3

What remains as spring starts to emerge.

Yarrow is widely used in herbal remedies. I spent big bucks on a tiny vial of pure yarrow essential oil. In aromatherapy this blue oil is used as an anti-inflammatory, to ease cramps, for constipation, to help circulation, and as an astringent, its qualities being very similar to chamomile.

First Nation peoples burned the plant to ward off mosquitoes, crushed the roots to ease toothaches, and people eased their rheumatism by bathing in an infusion made from leaves and stems.

Woodland Star

"Small-Flowered Woodland Star" (Lithophragma parviflorum)

2008 April 4

I first noticed this plant for the first time on this date.
It seemed to growing almost like a ground cover up on the bluff.

2008 May 9

2008 May 20

2009 May 20

A perennial.

Wintergreen: Green

Green Wintergreen (Pyrola chlorantha P. virens)

I noticed this plant in our back yard and waited a whole year for a flower to confirm what it was:

2009 June 22

2009 June 22

2009 June 22

2009 July 06

2009 July 7

I have only found two of these plants in our yard and have since found some on one of the back deer trails.

There are acids in the leaves that can be used for skin problems, snake and insect bites. Crushed leaves can be applied as a poultice.

Willowherb

"Willowherb" (Epilobium ciliatum??)

2007 September 17

2007 September 19

2007 September 19

2007 September 19

These plants hybridize readily so I am loathe to name the species though I think this one is Epilobium ciliatum. This plant grows in moist locations ... I found the picture from September 17th at a different lake than the last 3 pictures.

Wild Sarsaparilla

"Wild Sarsaparilla" (Aralia nudicaulis)

2008 May 27

2008 May 27

2008 May 27

2008 May 31

2008 July 28

2007 Fall Colours

The fall colours of this plant caught my eye but I didn't know what it was until the following spring when I found it in flower.

Some used a decoction of this plant as a blood purifier while others made a tea to treat colds. The rhizomes can be made into a refreshing drink (a substitute for true sarsaparillis) and have a spicy fragrance. I have found references that the berries can be used to make wine.

Waterlily

"Yellow Pondlily" (Nuphar lutea ssp. variegata)

2008 May 30

2008 May 30

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

Notice that this pond lily has yellow stamens while it's kissin' cousin (Nuphar luteum ssp. polysepalum) has reddish or purplish stamens.

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

2008 October 29

2009 October 6
Rhizome

2009 October 6

Close up of Rhisome

First Nations collected the rhizomes, peeled, sliced and air-dried them for storage. They would later re-hydrate them and use them as a poultice for aching joints and skin ulcers.