SOME PLANTS SEEN ON THE FIELD TRIP TO THE FLOODPLAIN FOREST AT TWO RIVERS PARK, DOUGLAS COUNTY, NEBRASKA JUNE 13, 2009
This list was prepared from memory by Robert Kaul and David Sutherland. There are many other species at this site that were not in flower on this date.
(* = introduced, naturalized species)
ACERACEAE, maple family
Acer saccharinum, silver maple (abundant)
ADOXACEAE
Sambucus canadensis, elderberry (here and there)
ANACARDIACEAE, sumac family
Rhus glabra, smooth sumac
Toxicodendron radicans var negundo, poison ivy (everywhere on forest floor and climbing high into the trees)
APIACEAE, parsley family
Conium maculatum, poison hemlock* (common at edge of woods)
Cryptotaenia canadensis, honewort, (common in the woods)
Osmorhiza claytonia or O. longistylis, sweet cicely (2 species possible)
Sanicula canadensis, sanicle
Sanicula odorata, sanicle
Zizia aurea, golden alexanders (a few along the path)
APOCYNACEAE, milkweed family
Apocynum cannabinum, dogbane (abundant in prairie at woods edge)
Asclepias syriaca, with the dogbane (above)
ARACEAE, arum family
Arisaema dracontium, dragonroot or green dragon (a few in the woods)
Arisaema triphyllum, jack-in-the-pulpit (a few in the woods)
ASTERACEAE, sunflower family
Ageratina altissima, white snakeroot (common, not in flower; formerly called Eupatorium rugosum)
Erechtites hieraciifolium, fireweed (a few in disturbed places)
BETULACEAE, birch family
Corylus americana, American hazelnut (common at forest edge, some with young fruit)
BIGNONIACEAE, catalpa family
Catalpa speciosa, northern catalpa* (one tree in flower in the woods)
BRASSICACEAE, mustard family
Hesperis matronalis, dame's rocket* (a few along the path)
CAESALPINIACEAE, caesalpinia family
Gleditsia triacanthos, honey locust (a few trees in the woods)
Gymnocladus dioica, Kentucky coffee tree (one tree seen)
CANNABACEAE, hemp family
Humulus lupulus, hop (one vine seen in woods)
CAPRIFOLIACEAE, honeysuckle family
Lonicera maackii, Amur honeysuckle* (several at woods edge; an invasive species)
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, coralberry (common in woods)
CELASTRACEAE, bittersweet family
Celastrus scandens, bittersweet (a few vines at forest edge)
CELTIDACEAE, hackberry family
Celtis occidentalis, hackberry (a few trees in the forest)
CHENOPODIACEAE, goosefoot family
Chenopodium simplex, maple-leaf goosefoot (forest edge); formerly C. hybridum and C.gigantospermum
COMMELINACEAE, spiderwort family
Tradescantia bracteata, spiderwort (forest edge)
CORNACEAE, dogwood family
Cornus drummondii, rough-leaf dogwood (abundant in forest, some almost treelike)
CYPERACEAE, sedge family
Carex lupulina, hop sedge (swampy woods; rare in Nebraska, known only from a few sites)
Carex tenera (swampy woods)
Carex, several other species
ELAEAGNACEAE, oleaster family
Elaeagnus umbellata, autumn olive* (common at forest edge; an invasive species)
FABACEAE, pea family
Amorpha fruticosa, wild-indigo (riverside)
Desmodium glutinosum, large-flowered tick-clover (common at woods edge and open places in woods; leaves resemble poison-ivy's)
Lotus corniculatus, bird's-foot trefoil* (in prairie at forest edge)
Medicago lupulina, black medick* (along path)
FAGACEAE, oak family
Quercus macrocarpa, bur oak (a few in the woods)
GROSSULARIACEAE, gooseberry family
Ribes missouriense, Missouri gooseberry (with many green fruits)
IRIDACEAE, iris family
Iris virginica variety shrevei, southern blue flag (one colony seen in flower)
JUNCACEAE, rush family
Juncus tenuis, path rush (common along paths)
LAMIACEAE, mint family
Glechoma hederacea, ground ivy* (along the paths)
Nepeta cataria, catnip* (woods edge)
Teucrium canadense, American germander (in the woods)
LILIACEAE, lily family
Smilacina stellata, starry false Solomon's-seal (common in the woods, some with immature fruits); now often called Maianthemum stellatum
MENISPERMACEAE, moonseed family
Menispermum canadense, moonseed vine (common in and at woods edge, many in flower; the male and female flowers are borne on separate plants)
MORACEAE, fig family
Morus alba, white mulberry* (common, including some with large, unlobed leaves but that are definitely not red mulberry, M. rubra)
OXALIDACEAE, wood-sorrel family
Oxalis stricta, yellow oxalis
PHRYMACEAE, lopseed family
Phryma leptostachya, lopseed (a few in the woods, not yet flowering)
PLANTAGINACEAE, plantain family
Plantago major or P. rugelii, or both (abundant along the paths; not in flower)
POACEAE, grass family
Bromus latiglumis, a brome (in the woods)
Dactylis glomerata, orchard grass* (in woods)
Festuca semiverticillata, nodding fescue (in woods)
Glyceria striata, fowl mannagrass (in wet woods)
Panicum oligosanthes var. scribnerianum, Scribner's panicum (along sunny paths)
Poa pratensis, Kentucky bluegrass (*?)
POLYGONACEAE, knotweed family
Rumex crispus, curly dock* (along paths)
PRIMULACEAE, primula family
Lysimachia nummularia, moneywort* (abundant in damp soil along paths); a garden plant now well-established at many places in the Platte Valley, from Platte County downstream
RANUNCULACEAE, buttercup family
Anemone canadensis, meadow anemone (common, in flower at woods edge)
Clematis virginiana, eastern Virgin's-bower (one vine seen, not yet in flower)
RHAMNACEAE, buckthorn family
Rhamnus cathartica, common buckthorn* (large shrubs; invasive)
ROSACEAE, rose family
Agrimonia gryposepala or A. pubescens, agrimony (not in flower)
Geum canadense, white avens (in woods)
Prunus serotina, black cherry (saplings in woods)
RUBIACEAE, madder family
Galium aparine, cleavers (senescent fruiting plants along paths)
Galium obtusum, bluntleaf bedstraw (common in swampy woods, in flower)
Galium triflorum, sweet-scented bedstraw (common in woods, about to flower)
SALICACEAE, willow family
Populus deltoides, cottonwood (trees throughout the forest, some huge)
Salix amygdaloides, peachleaf willow (trees by the river)
Salix exigua variety interior (=S. interior), sandbar willow (common near Platte River)
SMILACEAE, greenbriar family
Smilax hispida, prickly greenbriar, prickly catbriar (prickly vines in the woods)
SOLANACEAE, nightshade family
Physalis, ground-cherry (unidentified species, not in flower)
TILIACEAE, linden family
Tilia americana, American lindern (many saplings and a few larger trees)
ULMACEAE, elm family
Ulmus americana, American elm (common in the woods)
URTICACEAE, nettle family
Laportea canadensis, wood-nettle (common in the woods)
VIOLACEAE, violet family
Viola sororia, sister violet (in woods)
VITACEAE, grape family
Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper (abundant in the woods and climbing high into the trees)
Vitis riparia, riverbank grape (at woods edge near the river
(* = introduced, naturalized species)
ACERACEAE, maple family
Acer saccharinum, silver maple (abundant)
ADOXACEAE
Sambucus canadensis, elderberry (here and there)
ANACARDIACEAE, sumac family
Rhus glabra, smooth sumac
Toxicodendron radicans var negundo, poison ivy (everywhere on forest floor and climbing high into the trees)
APIACEAE, parsley family
Conium maculatum, poison hemlock* (common at edge of woods)
Cryptotaenia canadensis, honewort, (common in the woods)
Osmorhiza claytonia or O. longistylis, sweet cicely (2 species possible)
Sanicula canadensis, sanicle
Sanicula odorata, sanicle
Zizia aurea, golden alexanders (a few along the path)
APOCYNACEAE, milkweed family
Apocynum cannabinum, dogbane (abundant in prairie at woods edge)
Asclepias syriaca, with the dogbane (above)
ARACEAE, arum family
Arisaema dracontium, dragonroot or green dragon (a few in the woods)
Arisaema triphyllum, jack-in-the-pulpit (a few in the woods)
ASTERACEAE, sunflower family
Ageratina altissima, white snakeroot (common, not in flower; formerly called Eupatorium rugosum)
Erechtites hieraciifolium, fireweed (a few in disturbed places)
BETULACEAE, birch family
Corylus americana, American hazelnut (common at forest edge, some with young fruit)
BIGNONIACEAE, catalpa family
Catalpa speciosa, northern catalpa* (one tree in flower in the woods)
BRASSICACEAE, mustard family
Hesperis matronalis, dame's rocket* (a few along the path)
CAESALPINIACEAE, caesalpinia family
Gleditsia triacanthos, honey locust (a few trees in the woods)
Gymnocladus dioica, Kentucky coffee tree (one tree seen)
CANNABACEAE, hemp family
Humulus lupulus, hop (one vine seen in woods)
CAPRIFOLIACEAE, honeysuckle family
Lonicera maackii, Amur honeysuckle* (several at woods edge; an invasive species)
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, coralberry (common in woods)
CELASTRACEAE, bittersweet family
Celastrus scandens, bittersweet (a few vines at forest edge)
CELTIDACEAE, hackberry family
Celtis occidentalis, hackberry (a few trees in the forest)
CHENOPODIACEAE, goosefoot family
Chenopodium simplex, maple-leaf goosefoot (forest edge); formerly C. hybridum and C.gigantospermum
COMMELINACEAE, spiderwort family
Tradescantia bracteata, spiderwort (forest edge)
CORNACEAE, dogwood family
Cornus drummondii, rough-leaf dogwood (abundant in forest, some almost treelike)
CYPERACEAE, sedge family
Carex lupulina, hop sedge (swampy woods; rare in Nebraska, known only from a few sites)
Carex tenera (swampy woods)
Carex, several other species
ELAEAGNACEAE, oleaster family
Elaeagnus umbellata, autumn olive* (common at forest edge; an invasive species)
FABACEAE, pea family
Amorpha fruticosa, wild-indigo (riverside)
Desmodium glutinosum, large-flowered tick-clover (common at woods edge and open places in woods; leaves resemble poison-ivy's)
Lotus corniculatus, bird's-foot trefoil* (in prairie at forest edge)
Medicago lupulina, black medick* (along path)
FAGACEAE, oak family
Quercus macrocarpa, bur oak (a few in the woods)
GROSSULARIACEAE, gooseberry family
Ribes missouriense, Missouri gooseberry (with many green fruits)
IRIDACEAE, iris family
Iris virginica variety shrevei, southern blue flag (one colony seen in flower)
JUNCACEAE, rush family
Juncus tenuis, path rush (common along paths)
LAMIACEAE, mint family
Glechoma hederacea, ground ivy* (along the paths)
Nepeta cataria, catnip* (woods edge)
Teucrium canadense, American germander (in the woods)
LILIACEAE, lily family
Smilacina stellata, starry false Solomon's-seal (common in the woods, some with immature fruits); now often called Maianthemum stellatum
MENISPERMACEAE, moonseed family
Menispermum canadense, moonseed vine (common in and at woods edge, many in flower; the male and female flowers are borne on separate plants)
MORACEAE, fig family
Morus alba, white mulberry* (common, including some with large, unlobed leaves but that are definitely not red mulberry, M. rubra)
OXALIDACEAE, wood-sorrel family
Oxalis stricta, yellow oxalis
PHRYMACEAE, lopseed family
Phryma leptostachya, lopseed (a few in the woods, not yet flowering)
PLANTAGINACEAE, plantain family
Plantago major or P. rugelii, or both (abundant along the paths; not in flower)
POACEAE, grass family
Bromus latiglumis, a brome (in the woods)
Dactylis glomerata, orchard grass* (in woods)
Festuca semiverticillata, nodding fescue (in woods)
Glyceria striata, fowl mannagrass (in wet woods)
Panicum oligosanthes var. scribnerianum, Scribner's panicum (along sunny paths)
Poa pratensis, Kentucky bluegrass (*?)
POLYGONACEAE, knotweed family
Rumex crispus, curly dock* (along paths)
PRIMULACEAE, primula family
Lysimachia nummularia, moneywort* (abundant in damp soil along paths); a garden plant now well-established at many places in the Platte Valley, from Platte County downstream
RANUNCULACEAE, buttercup family
Anemone canadensis, meadow anemone (common, in flower at woods edge)
Clematis virginiana, eastern Virgin's-bower (one vine seen, not yet in flower)
RHAMNACEAE, buckthorn family
Rhamnus cathartica, common buckthorn* (large shrubs; invasive)
ROSACEAE, rose family
Agrimonia gryposepala or A. pubescens, agrimony (not in flower)
Geum canadense, white avens (in woods)
Prunus serotina, black cherry (saplings in woods)
RUBIACEAE, madder family
Galium aparine, cleavers (senescent fruiting plants along paths)
Galium obtusum, bluntleaf bedstraw (common in swampy woods, in flower)
Galium triflorum, sweet-scented bedstraw (common in woods, about to flower)
SALICACEAE, willow family
Populus deltoides, cottonwood (trees throughout the forest, some huge)
Salix amygdaloides, peachleaf willow (trees by the river)
Salix exigua variety interior (=S. interior), sandbar willow (common near Platte River)
SMILACEAE, greenbriar family
Smilax hispida, prickly greenbriar, prickly catbriar (prickly vines in the woods)
SOLANACEAE, nightshade family
Physalis, ground-cherry (unidentified species, not in flower)
TILIACEAE, linden family
Tilia americana, American lindern (many saplings and a few larger trees)
ULMACEAE, elm family
Ulmus americana, American elm (common in the woods)
URTICACEAE, nettle family
Laportea canadensis, wood-nettle (common in the woods)
VIOLACEAE, violet family
Viola sororia, sister violet (in woods)
VITACEAE, grape family
Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper (abundant in the woods and climbing high into the trees)
Vitis riparia, riverbank grape (at woods edge near the river
