Tag: Plant
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146/150: Engelmann’s Quillwort is under threat! Only 2000 left in Canada
Plantae: Lycopodiophyta: Isoetopsida: Isoetales: Isoetaceae: Isoetes: Isoetes engelmannii (A.Braun.) The Engelmann’s Quillwort (Isoetes engelmannii), also known as Appalachian Quillwort, is an aquatic plant found along shallow ponds, temporary shallow pools, roadside ditches and marshes. It is small fern that is 20-40 cm in height but can grow up to 90 cm. It has long, thin,…
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141/150: Oh, Oh, Oh, Sweet Serviceberry of Mine!
Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Magnoliopsida: Rosales: Rosaceae: Amelanchier: Amelanchier alnifolia (Thomas Nuttall) The Amelanchier alnifolia or commonly known as the Saskatoon serviceberry is found widely across the Americas. Its name is derived from the Cree word “misaskwatomina” meaning “fruit of the tree with many branches”. This hardy plant requires little attention with plenty of sunlight and mulch,…
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112/150: Autumn is here and the Tamarack Tree loses its needles
Plantae: Pinophyta: Pinidae: Pinales: Pinaceae: Larix: Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch From the Algonquin word “akemantak” meaning “wood used for snowshoes”, tamarack is a native larch to Canada with a country-wide range. Tamarack are deciduous conifers, meaning they lose their needles in the autumn!
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101/150: Not a banana, not a mango, it’s a pawpaw fruit!
Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Magnoliopsida: Magnoliales: Annonaceae: Asimina: Asimina triloba Linnaeus, Dunal What do you get when you cross the taste of a banana with the look and texture of a mango? A pawpaw fruit! Believe it or not, the tropical-looking pawpaw tree, which is native to North America, gives the largest tree berry in all of…
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96/150: Surprisingly the butterwort lacks both butter and warts, but it does eat insects!
Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Magnoliopsida: Lamiales: Pinguicula vulgaris (Linnaeus) The common butterwort is an insectivorous plant that has some special basal leaves. The bright green leaves have glandular hairs that produce a sticky substance to trap insects and enzymes to break them down. Once an insect has been trapped, the plant curls its leaves in and digests…
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90/150: Rattlesnake Plantains – orchids used for traditional cures
Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Liliopsida: Asparagales: Orchidaceae: Goodyera (robert brown) Rattlesnake plantains are not nearly as scary as their names make them out to be. There are 4 species in North America belonging to the Goodyera genus and all known as rattlesnake plantains. They look like fleshy weeds, but are actually a type of orchid with signature veins…
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85/150: Common Milkweed is bitter and milky, perfect for the Monarch Butterfly
Plantae: Spermatophyta: Angiospermae: Dicotyledonae: Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae: Asclepias: Asclepias syriaca (Blanco, 1837) Asclepias syriaca or Common Milkweed is native to eastern North America and receives its name from the milky sap excreted from the stem and leaves when damaged. This full sun, drought tolerant plant blooms in early to mid-summer attracting a variety of insects including…
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70/150: When you think of Ginseng do you think of Canada? You will after reading this!
Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Magnoliopsida: Apiales: Araliaceae: Panax quinquefolius (Linneaus) Ginseng is a perennial herb whose root is highly prized and commonly refers to one of two varieties, American Ginseng (P. quinquefolius) or Asian Ginseng (P. ginseng). Both contain ginsenosides, which are the compounds thought to give ginseng its medicinal properties.
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66/150: Well, that is just dumb luck
Plantae: Pteridophyta: Pteridopsida: Hydropteridales: Marsileaceae: Marsilea vestita (Linnaeus) Don’t be fooled, Hairy waterclover (Marsilea vestita) may LOOK like something that could give you a lifetime of good luck, but in reality are just four-leaf clover wannabes. Hairy waterclover, also known as Hairy pepperwort, is a type of aquatic fern that you can find in damp…
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55/150: Canadian Goldenrod, not the reason for your sneezin’
Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Magnoliopsida: Asterales: Solidago canadensis (Linneaus) While you’re reading this, an unknown number of people are blaming their allergies on the misunderstood Canadian Goldenrod. For about 30 seconds of your day, we can provide you with some interesting knowledge about our very own Canadian Goldenrod so you can see its importance and beauty.