Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Apiaceae

On 27 June 2017, I visited the Reader Rock Garden. The sun was shining and, for the first time in quite a while, it wasn't windy, just a very slight breeze. I used to love going to this garden, usually after I had been volunteering in the same part of the city. Since I stopped volunteering (after a volunteer 'career' of 37 years at various places!), I haven't been going. On 27 June, I decided that I had better go, or the plants would be in seed before too long. I always enjoy seeing these unusual Astrantia flowers with their sharp, pointed bracts that give the flower a star shape. "Astrantia is a genus of herbaceous plants in the family Apiaceae, endemic to Central, Eastern and Southern Europe and the Caucasus. There are 8 or 9 species, which have aromatic roots, palmate leaves, and decorative flowers. They are commonly known as great masterwort or masterwort which may also refer to other plants, particularly the unrelated Peucedanum ostruthium. The genus name derived from the Latin 'aster' meaning star and this refers to the open star-shaped floral bracts of the plant. The astrantia has many common garden names including melancholy gentleman, masterwort and Hattie's pincushion." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrantia

Finally, a wildflower! I can't believe how few wildflowers there are this spring - just too dry for them to grow. Consequently, I've been posting more bird photos than usual. Catching sight of this tall Cow Parsnip flower growing at the west end of South Glenmore Park stopped me in my tracks - the first one I have seen this year. I have missed so many of the birding walks (and botany walks) and there is just one more birding walk left and then they come to an end till the end of August/beginning of September. Yesterday afternoon's walk (12 June 2016) was very enjoyable, as was a stop at the Good Earth cafe afterwards : ) Will add our leaders' final list of species seen - thanks for a great walk Janet, Bernie and Stephen!: FFCPPSoc. Birding West end of South Glenmore Park, Calgary. 1:15-4:15 PM. Sun. June 12/16. Gusting West winds 30 - 40 Km/hr, 21 to 23C, Sunny skies. 1. Great Blue Heron - 1 2. Swainson's Hawk - 1 seen by BD pre-walk 3. Franklin's Gull - 60 4. Great Horned Owl - 2 juveniles 5. Downy Woodpecker - 4 (including pair seen at nest sight feeding young) 6. Eastern Phoebe - 2 7. Least Flycatcher - 4 heard 8. Red-eyed Vireo - 4 heard 9. American Crow - 7 10. Tree Swallow - 3 11. Red-breasted Nuthatch - 2 including one flying into nest 12. White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 13. House Wren - 3 heard 14. American Robin - 1 15. Veery - 2 heard 16. Cedar Waxwing - 3 17. Yellow Warbler - 6 (5 heard, 1 seen) 18. Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 heard 19. Clay-coloured Sparrow - 4 20. White-throated Sparrow - 2 heard 21. Red-winged Blackbird - 13 22. Brown-headed Cowbird - 5 23. American Goldfinch - 4 24. House Sparrow - 1 White-tailed Deer - 1 Least Chipmunk - 1 Red Squirrel - 1 Swallow-tailed Butterfly - 8 As usual on our birding walks, I take very few photos, if any, so yesterday after the walk, I decided I would drive to a wetland in SW Calgary to check on the Red-necked Grebes. The light was harsh and I had to look into the sun and couldn't even tell if there were any babies. Obviously the wrong time of day to go there. From there, I decided to go SW of the city and quickly check on Bluebirds, Snipe and maybe even a Great Gray Owl if I was very lucky. Only stopped at one Bluebird box and the parents were busy bringing insects to feed their babies. Every now and then, a baby would peer out of the small hole, so I know it won't be long till these ones fledge. A handsome male American Robin flew to the fence post next to the male Bluebird at one point, as if to ask for its photo to be taken, too. What a sight to see the two birds together - brilliant blue and bright red. Driving along one road to search for an owl, I noticed a truck pulled over in the distance. I always slow right down when I see a vehicle stopped, just in case it is a photographer taking photos of something interesting. I never want to spook a bird or animal and spoil a photographer's fun. I was so focused on the truck, looking to see if there was a driver pointing a camera, that at first I didn't notice the person standing the other side of the road OR the owl sitting on the fence! When I realized it was a friend, I pulled over, got out and took a few photos. I don't know if this was one of the two Great Grays that I had seen within the last 10 days or so. It is possible either way. Also spotted two distant Bobolinks chasing each other and then disappearing - no chance for a photo.

I always think this plant, Masterwort / Astrantia major, is quite easily overlooked, mainly because the colour of the small flowers gets lost against the green foliage. Unfortunate, as each individual flower is a work of art. 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'd 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 the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as these 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 handful of shots, but better than nothing. With a couple of hours to "kill", I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location. This is where I photographed this small, quite spectacular flower - a rather grainy image, but it does show the beautiful details. "Masterwort produces many small, ivory flowers that are flushed pink and bloom continuously throughout the summer and fall, wafting a sweet scent. Like Queen Anne’s lace, each masterwort blossom is an umbel of tiny flowers, framed by a collar of papery bracts." From finegardening.com. www.finegardening.com/masterwort-astrantia-major www.finegardening.com/masterwort-astrantia-major en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrantia_major

The only known location where this rather inconspicuous, native plant, a member of the Carrot family, was growing wild in Calgary was Edworthy Park (Upper level). Recently, it has also been found growing along the path near the Pine Creek Water Treatment Plant in SE Calgary, where this photo was taken on 3 June 2014.

Another of our earliest wildflowers to appear - Leafy Musineon (Musineon divaricatum). This plant belongs to the Carrot family and grows from May to June in dry, open prairie grasslands. The Blackfoot used to eat the raw roots of this plant. Photographed at Confluence Park.

If I remember correctly, this Cow Parsnip seed may have been about one third of an inch long. Thought it had an interesting surface texture. Photographed on Keith Logan's property on June 17th.

Taken on a windy day at Bow Valley Provincial Park two days ago. Not really worth posting, but thought I'd add it to my Plants of Alberta Set. I know I am seriously short of sleep, and I also know that's not the reason I'm seeing a blurred image, lol. For those who are not familiar with this wildflower, the reason for its name is found in the heart shape of its basal leaves, not seen here.

I happened to notice one stem of this attractive White Angelica, growing along the edge of the highway when we were walking back to the car after our recent brutal Picklejar Lakes botanizing hike. I just happened to cross the highway a few moments before a couple of others, and then when the rest of the group met the highway, they walked on the far side of the road, so didn't pass this plant. I believe I have only ever seen this species once before. Needless to say, everyone else went back to see it : )

This is a common early flowering, low plant with an umbel of bright yellow flowers. Seen at the Nodwell Sanctuary, south east of Calgary.

This was a new plant for us, seen in a small canyon on a hike west of Nanton three days ago. Also known as Fern-leaf Desert-Parsley as well as Burgundy Prairie Parsley, Lomatium dissectum, this plant has purple to maroon flowers. It belongs to the Carrot family, Apiaceae.

I saw this flower at the Reader Rock Garden late this afternoon, but I don't know what it is. Very pretty, I thought. Not as sharp as it could be, but I was hoping that someone might know its name.