Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: 23 June 2015

This macro photo of Broomrape / Orobanche was taken on 23 June 2015, on a botany walk at Griffith Woods, off Highway 8 in Calgary. Not the most photogenic cluster, but I love seeing this rare plant on very rare occasions. "Orobanche (broomrape or broom-rape) is a genus of over 200 species of parasitic herbaceous plants in the family Orobanchaceae, mostly native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Some species formerly included in this genus are now referred to the genus Conopholis. The broomrape plant is small, from 10–60 cm tall depending on species. It is best recognized by its yellow- to straw-coloured stems completely lacking chlorophyll, bearing yellow, white, or blue snapdragon-like flowers. The flower shoots are scaly, with a dense terminal spike of between ten and twenty flowers in most species, although single in O. uniflora. The leaves are merely triangular scales. The seeds are minute, tan-to-brown, and blacken with age. These plants generally flower from late winter to late spring. When they are not flowering, no part of the plants is visible above the surface of the soil. As they have no chlorophyll, they are totally dependent on other plants for nutrients. Broomrape seeds remain dormant in the soil, often for many years, until stimulated to germinate by certain compounds produced by living plant roots. Broomrape seedlings put out a root-like growth, which attaches to the roots of nearby hosts. Once attached to a host, the broomrape robs its host of water and nutrients. Some species are only able to parasitise a single plant species, such as ivy broomrape Orobanche hederae, which is restricted to parasitising ivy; these species are often named after the plant they parasitise. Others can infect several genera, such as the lesser broomrape O. minor, which lives on clover and other related Fabaceae." From Wikiedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orobanche Today, 10 November 2015, the sun is shining, which feels so good after a dreary, snowy day yesterday. The temperature as I type is -3C (windchill -6C), so it's definitely feeling like winter.

This photo was taken on 23 June 2015, on a botany walk at Griffith Woods, off Highway 8 in Calgary. Whenever I am on a walk in the summer, I tend to check out wild roses in case I can find one of these beautiful, iridescent beetles. They are very small (10 - 14 mm), so are not easy to spot. I believe I have the correct ID, but would welcome any confirmation or correction - thanks! Will add a different, previously posted shot that was taken a long time ago, in a comment box below.

I always think this is rather a strange flower, but with such a beautiful pattern on the petals. Photographed this noxious weed on 23 June 2015, when I was on a botany walk at Griffith Woods. "An annual or biennial (forming a rosette the first year) plant that reproduces by seed only. Black Henbane was introduced from the Mediterranean and has been used as a medicinal plant since the Middle Ages, and was also used in ancient religious rites because of its hallucinogenic properties. It was even used as a flavoring in beer until the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516. All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans and animals when ingested – tissues contain several toxic alkaloids. Symptoms of poisoning include impaired vision, convulsions, coma, and death from heart or respiratory failure. It is a member of the nightshade family and also called ‘stinking nightshade’. A single plant can produce as much as half a million seeds in one season, which are viable for about 4 years." www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-BlackHenbane.pdf -

This macro photo was taken on 23 June 2015, on a botany walk at Griffith Woods, off Highway 8 in Calgary. These small, delicate flowers on long, thin stems are almost impossible to photograph when it's windy, or even with a slight breeze : ) We have three species of Flax growing wild in Alberta - Yellow Flax, Common Flax and Wild Blue Flax. This photo shows Common Flax, which is not a native plant, unlike the other two species. Common Flax has flowers that are a deeper blue than those of Wild Blue Flax. It is an annual plant that is cultivated for its linseed oil and fibres. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax

I believe I have the correct ID for this Orobanche plant - Clustered Broomrape. Not the most photogenic cluster, but I love seeing this plant on very rare occasions. "Orobanche (broomrape or broom-rape) is a genus of over 200 species of parasitic herbaceous plants in the family Orobanchaceae, mostly native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Some species formerly included in this genus are now referred to the genus Conopholis. The broomrape plant is small, from 10–60 cm tall depending on species. It is best recognized by its yellow- to straw-coloured stems completely lacking chlorophyll, bearing yellow, white, or blue snapdragon-like flowers. The flower shoots are scaly, with a dense terminal spike of between ten and twenty flowers in most species, although single in O. uniflora. The leaves are merely triangular scales. The seeds are minute, tan-to-brown, and blacken with age. These plants generally flower from late winter to late spring. When they are not flowering, no part of the plants is visible above the surface of the soil. As they have no chlorophyll, they are totally dependent on other plants for nutrients. Broomrape seeds remain dormant in the soil, often for many years, until stimulated to germinate by certain compounds produced by living plant roots. Broomrape seedlings put out a root-like growth, which attaches to the roots of nearby hosts. Once attached to a host, the broomrape robs its host of water and nutrients. Some species are only able to parasitise a single plant species, such as ivy broomrape Orobanche hederae, which is restricted to parasitising ivy; these species are often named after the plant they parasitise. Others can infect several genera, such as the lesser broomrape O. minor, which lives on clover and other related Fabaceae." From Wikiedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orobanche This macro photo of Broomrape / Orobanche was taken on 23 June 2015, on a botany walk at Griffith Woods, off Highway 8 in Calgary.