Photos of the Day: July 17, 2015

by | posted in: Flora & Fauna, Photos of the Day | 0

VIDEO: Rattlesnake plantain and flies that prefer to walk …

 

Sweet Betsy (Calycanthus floridus) seed pod linville gorge
The fruit of sweet Betsy (Calycanthus floridus)…. (Photo: Nick)

 

buffalo nut (Pyrularia pubera) linville gorge
… resembles that of buffalo nut (Pyrularia pubera). (Photo: Jon)

 

mushroom gills linville gorge
Gills on the underside of a mushroom. (Photo: Nick)

 

mountain bellwort (Uvularia puberula) linville gorge
Seed pods of mountain bellwort (Uvularia puberula). (Photo: Nick)

 

Pinesap (Monotropa hypopitys) linville gorge
Pinesap (Monotropa hypopitys) has multiple flowers per stalk and can be pale pink, yellow, and orange. The similar Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora) is pure white with a single flower. Both are plants but lack chlorophyll. (Photo: Jon)

 

linville gorge
Mountain sweet pepperbush (Clethra acuminata) …. (Photo: Nick)

 

linville gorge
… has fragrant flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. (Photo: Nick)

 

fly mushroom linville gorge
Little flies dine on a white mushroom. (Photo: Nick)

 

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Why fly when you can walk? (Video: Nick)

 

Dwarf rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera repens) linville gorge
Dwarf rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera repens) is distinguished from downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens) by it’s pointy flowers, all aligned on one side of the stalk. (Photo: Nick)

 

downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens linville gorge
This nearby downy rattlesnake plantain (or just “rattlesnake plantain”) has roundish flowers all around the stalk. (Photo: Jon)

 

Goodyera repens (dwarf rattlesnake plantain) linville gorge
If there aren’t any flowers, you can distinguish them by their leaves. This is dwarf rattlesnake plantain…. (Photo: Nick)

 

Goodyera pubescens (rattlesnake plantain) linville gorge
… and this is downy rattlesnake plantain, or simply “rattlesnake plantain”. (Photo: Nick)