Louisiana Wildflowers

                                      
                                          

Virginia Meadowbeauty (Rhexia virginica)

Louisiana Wildflowers

                       
                                    

Lanceleaf Indian Blanket (Gaillardia aestivalis var. flavovirens)

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia) is widespread in Louisiana, but most varieties have varying amounts of red in the center and petals. Some petals are mostly red with a yellow tip, and some are mostly yellow with just a bit of red at the center. The particular variety in this photograph is the only one with solid yellow petals and a yellow center. All Gaillardia have the distinctive lobed petals you see here.

Lanceleaf Indian Blanket prefers sandier soil than other varieties, so it is not surprising that I find it plentiful at my beloved quarry. You'll find many photos from the quarry on this blog, but I probably have not properly labeled them all. Guess I really need to come up with a name for my beloved quarry and use it consistently! Suggestions anyone?

 

Summer Solstice Safari

                        
                                  

Painted Lady (Phyciodes tharos) on Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

                  
Today I had the rare privilege of hiking on Nature Conservancy land near Copenhagen, La. This preserve is not open to the public, but the Louisiana Native Plant Society got permission to visit, led by botanist Dr. Charles Allen.

What an amazing place and experience! We spent most of our time in a large plot of prairie thick with grasses and wildflowers. This was the only painted lady I saw. The bee balm was blooming everywhere, and we saw prairie clover, prairie conflower, purple coneflower and much more.
                         
This is one of my favorites from the morning. Many photos to come!
                 
        

Summer Solstice Safari

                   
                             

Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)

It was plenty hot, but we had a fantastic hike today at the Charles Allen Biological Station, led by Dr. Allen himself, with friends from the Louisiana Native Plant Society. It was our kick-off hike for the Summer Solstice Safari that continues through Sunday noon.

Tomorrow we will visit the Nature Conservancy reserve in the Copenhagen Hills that neighbor the CABS where we spent today. I am so excited! The Nature Conservancy is not open to the public, but Dr. Allen can take use in.

This beauty is tasting Brazilian vervain, a common wildflower in Louisiana that butterflies love.

              

Louisiana Natives

                                   
                                  

Barfweed (Lobelia spicata)

Lobelia has many common names, almost all of which are pretty good descriptions of what happens if you ingest it, heaveleaf, pukeweed & vomitwort being among them! Nevertheless, a lovely flower, "spicata" being a pale blue and a bit less common in Louisiana then appendiculata, according to my botanist friend Dr. Charles Allen. I found this specimen in the ditch along Hwy 463 in west-central Louisiana.
               
                        

Photographer's Journal

                                  
                                     

Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

I went to the woods looking for color last weekend for my online photography mentorship assignment. The week before, I had photographed fragments of corporate logos for my online friends to try to identify. You might be interested to know that even the international photographers in my online community were able to identify quite quickly most U.S. American fast-food trademarks from a photo of a mere fragment!

It was a fun game, but after several days of looking at corporate logos, I was ready to go looking for the subtler hues of nature in Louisiana in winter. What fun it was to find this red buckeye flower stalk with its wonderful reddish pink florets!

This treat for the eyes was photographed at the Charles Allen Biological Station near Copenhagen, La.