Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: spine-tipped bracts

The large Nodding or Musk Thistle is my favourite species of Thistle. Unfortunately, this quite spectacular and beautiful species is on the list of Restricted, Noxious, and Nuisance Weeds In Alberta. It is a biennial that spreads rapidly by seed forming extremely dense stands, though when I have seen this species growing in several places within the city, there are usually only a few of them. Yesterday, though, I saw how, if left, these Thistles can spread. I finally got out on a botany walk yesterday afternoon, 25 July 2017. The smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires has cleared, it was a lovely sunny day, and at last the destination was a place to which I could drive. Also, I knew that this would not be a very long walk and it was all on the level. I was hoping that there would at least be a few of these thistles growing. Most of the flowers had died, but I still love those spine-tipped, inner and outer bracts. The flower itself is a beautiful pink/purple. I have added a previously posted photo showing a flower in its prime, in a comment box below. www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2011/08/carduus-nutans.php en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans This photo was taken at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, not far from downtown Calgary. It is the richest botanical area, for its size, within the city. Over 385 species have been recorded in an area of about three hectares. (All of Fish Creek Provincial Park has only about 460 species). Eighty species, however, are aliens, now occupying 90+% of the area. It is such a shame to see how the area is being devastated by plants that include Baby's Breath, Creeping Thistle, Yellow Clematis and other invasive species.

Almost called this "Oh what a tangled web we weave" (quote by Sir Walter Scott). Cat's cradle is a string game you may remember from childhood. It requires two people to pass the string back and forth to make various string shapes. Cat's Cradle instructions can be found at the following two links: youtu.be/CAZhx5PKgl4 www.wikihow.com/Play-The-Cat's-Cradle-Game After a volunteer shift on 23 July 2014, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk. Having been to this location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. I had missed pretty well all the botany and birding walks the previous few months, which was quite depressing. The main thing I wanted to see were these Nodding / Musk Thistles, as they are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a "weed", but I love to see them. The sun was unfortunately in the wrong direction, so I was only able to get a couple of OK shots, but better than nothing. This flower head, past its prime, had quite a fancy tangle of spider web over it. Its name, Nodding Thistle, comes from the fact that the flower heads commonly droop to a 90° to 120° angle from the stem when mature. Here in Alberta, this species is a noxious weed - but a beautiful one. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans With a couple of hours to "kill", I had spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location.

Perhaps I should whisper that this is my favourite Thistle, seeing as it is a weed : ) It is called Nodding Thistle, also Musk Thistle, and was introduced from Europe and North Africa. A member of the Aster family, it grows to 60-250 cm tall, with flower heads that are 1.5-8 cm across. This particular plant was growing on 23rd July 2014 at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area. It was past its prime, as the purple disc florets have died, but I am always fascinated with the spine-tipped, inner and outer bracts. This time that I went, the sun was in the wrong position to try and photograph the plants from the other side. After a volunteer shift on that day, 23 July 2014, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk. Having been to this location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. I've missed pretty well all the botany and birding walks the last few months, which is quite depressing. The main thing I wanted to see were these Nodding / Musk Thistles. With a couple of hours to "kill" after my volunteer shift, I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area.

Perhaps I should whisper that this is my favourite Thistle, seeing as it is a weed : ) It is called Musk Thistle, also Nodding Thistle, and was introduced from Europe and North Africa. A member of the Aster family, it grows to 60-250 cm tall, with flower heads that are 1.5-8 cm across. This particular plant was growing on 23rd July 2008 at the Erlton/Roxborough Natural Area. It was past its prime, as the purple disc florets have died, but I am always fascinated with the spine-tipped, inner and outer bracts. I am always given the chance to photograph them before they are pulled, LOL. Finally bought two new external drives this afternoon - wish I could wave a magic wand and discover the last 15 months' worth of images magically transferred to them, LOL! I've taken a ton of photos on most of the days during that time ... sigh! I transfer them one folder at a time. Did a three and a half hour walk by the Glenmore Reservoir, south side, this morning. I've only done one day of walking in about the last 10 days, and my poor old body is painfully paying the price : (. Highlights were a Long-tailed Duck and a Pacific Loon on the Reservoir, plus various kinds of Grebe and White-winged Scoters. Several Trumpeter Swans flew overhead in formation, too - lovely to see them at this time of the year. Temperature was around 4C, and it was overcast most of the time, but it was a gorgeous morning for a walk.