Nature Moncton Nature News: Oct 21 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 21, 2019 (Monday)

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Edited by Nelson Poirier, <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Transcript by David Christie, <maryspt@mac.com>

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** No further sighting of Doreen Rossiter’s female BLUE GROSBEAK [Guiraca bleu], as of Sunday night, but there has to be a chance that it’s still in the Alma area, with the pleasant weather giving it no reason to leave.

** More photos today from Saturday’s field trip in the Caledonia Gorge. The plant HOOKED AGRIMONY [Aigremoine à sépales crochus] (Agrimonia striata) had gone to seed with distinctive burs that like to hitch hike on our clothing and on animal fur to get to new fertile ground.

The almond-scented waxy mushrooms, GRAY ALMOND WAXYCAP [Hygrophore à odeur agréable] (Hygrophorus agathosmus), were abundant and offered their pleasant fragrance. They are not toxic but they smell much better than they taste.

The BEECH [Hétre américain] (Fagus grandifolia) tree leaves were making their fall colour change. It is one of the trees like oak that tend to hold their leaves on the trees well into winter.

A lot of the low-growing shrub, CANADA YEW [If du Canada] (Taxus canadensis) that contains taxine, a chemical that has been used as a cancer chemotherapy drug and sometimes sports its red fruit known as arils. None of these fruit were seen.

CHRISTMAS FERN [Polystic faux-acrostic] (Polystichum acrostichoides) was showing its Christmas-stocking-like pinnae that presumably gave it its common name. Gart pointed out this fern, and Evergreen Wood Fern are the only truly evergreen ferns that stay green all winter.

The DOG LICHEN [Peltigére canina] (Peltigera canina) was quite common, showing its rhizines, on the underside, that suggest dog teeth and give it its name.

HELLEBORINE [Épipactis petit-hellébore] (Epipactus helleborine) orchid, our only non-native orchid, had formed seed capsules but the leaves were still green.

The naked buds of HOBBLEBUSH [Viorne à feuilles d’aulne] (Viburnum lantanoides) were obvious. This bud has no bud scales and the outer shell of the bud will become two leaves next season.

Gordon Rattray got a nice photo of a layered rock.

SENSITIVE FERN [Onoclée sensible] (Onoclea sensibilis) was showing its sensitivity to frost, as were other ferns that were fading but not quite so sensitive to frost.

A TINDER POLYPORE mushroom [Polypore allume feu] (Polyporus fomentarius) was cut into sections to show its layers. This mushroom was used as tinder to carry to re-light a fire in early times, which gives it its name.

WOLF’S-LIKE SLIME (Limacella sp.) showed its ooze bright contents, as it was still quite fresh.

** There’s still more to come. A lot of items got attention with the broad experience of participants.

Nelson Poirier <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Nature Moncton