tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77163794946439032852024-03-18T05:47:44.503-04:00Sejarah Poaceae"The Story of Grasses - Celebrating Our Grasslands and other Open Ecosystems"BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-81067850662425901922024-02-10T09:38:00.003-05:002024-02-10T09:39:17.168-05:00New website is up but a work in progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiyyU_7IZcvn0JC40nRRVve5to0u-cAWfvkCTTe1IeUhj1r4XM-EqVuif5tuPzsknmqw5OpSXJ_xOIjsLxVSCStirNRibchpjF8x5KuEUoxuPY8sXnxxKrikaap9i8LvoiuA8j-Y8-hk6gH_6k-8QTX3c5CQU0ceaGpTlfeP0erKQBM2jGH04jS8hckk/s1000/DSC_1815.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiyyU_7IZcvn0JC40nRRVve5to0u-cAWfvkCTTe1IeUhj1r4XM-EqVuif5tuPzsknmqw5OpSXJ_xOIjsLxVSCStirNRibchpjF8x5KuEUoxuPY8sXnxxKrikaap9i8LvoiuA8j-Y8-hk6gH_6k-8QTX3c5CQU0ceaGpTlfeP0erKQBM2jGH04jS8hckk/w640-h428/DSC_1815.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It took awhile as I had to get use to the new system, but the new website is up, though a work in progress. I still need to work on the design, and I still need to add way to subscribe and to get the feeds up.</p><p>Nevertheless, I look forward to continuing our journey into the world of grasses and grass ecosystems. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://keyapa.com/sp/" target="_blank">Go to new website</a></span></b></p></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><br /> </p>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-75735395921410504392024-01-13T13:52:00.009-05:002024-01-13T13:59:44.658-05:00Celebrating in a new and better website<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWTEuzKR6Xnx39KLERFN_x071fGdk3JmQFe0aGPBXKyyVyfergNZ8cTiKeWaDLT1w8yi0OTOCouvN84BSde9tkn6iP0UR_LdLXXZ0rd1mpqCMLX4wGbzEXG-sOj686A-eTdufnOK8R1ukzNg5yqKty9OAHIiyhuCoeAAO5jI0LFhe_1ZY9BGLX7-N8CI/s1000/DSC_1065.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWTEuzKR6Xnx39KLERFN_x071fGdk3JmQFe0aGPBXKyyVyfergNZ8cTiKeWaDLT1w8yi0OTOCouvN84BSde9tkn6iP0UR_LdLXXZ0rd1mpqCMLX4wGbzEXG-sOj686A-eTdufnOK8R1ukzNg5yqKty9OAHIiyhuCoeAAO5jI0LFhe_1ZY9BGLX7-N8CI/w640-h428/DSC_1065.jpg" width="640" /></a><p></p><p>I've been busy with life this past holiday month, and have been working on some writing, including a new article about the awesomely quirky Orcutt grasses for a magazine, but I'll be moving the website to my own server starting this February.</p><p>It's been great here in googleland, but I want better control of the site and the only way to do that is to migrate it to something that I can fully control.</p><p>After awhile, perhaps the new site will eclipse this old version, much like the newest invader in Florida above (<i>Saccharum spontaneum</i>) has started to overshadow the less showy<i> Cenchrus purpureus </i>(with the yellowish inflorescence in the background and foreground). </p><p>I will certainly try my best to continue to celebrate the grasses and the amazing ecosystems that they create, and I will always push forward the idea that sharing information about their value is one of the best ways to preserve these ecosystems. Knowledge is power, as they say.</p><p>More information later.</p><p>Note: Wild sugarcane (<i>S. spontaneum</i>) is a very tall (3-4 meters) dominant species in grasslands in Asia (I have seen them a lot in the Philippines for example), and has recently been officially declared present in the United States (in Florida). The picture above was taken in Lake Okeechobee, FL.</p>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-3469374574298838472023-11-30T18:00:00.010-05:002023-11-30T19:14:28.072-05:00Cruising the Ocean and a Sea of Grass. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PUuABr-AQQaQzjgd-e3SfXeVD0mV0iTlBsuyXXmriTTgEjC4V5pqKCsN-DvBZ5P7OyxJZkzkuIdwhxzrBQYJawYaKHHQigOK_OSHL2xv0_cRdsNe5qYLzeHdWH6cD2GMZQ1StoZdoZlYyUwy6h_z6CSe_67_REAuvbFYjkUW6Lle_5emwR023_-e2zY/s700/20231120_140534.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="700" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PUuABr-AQQaQzjgd-e3SfXeVD0mV0iTlBsuyXXmriTTgEjC4V5pqKCsN-DvBZ5P7OyxJZkzkuIdwhxzrBQYJawYaKHHQigOK_OSHL2xv0_cRdsNe5qYLzeHdWH6cD2GMZQ1StoZdoZlYyUwy6h_z6CSe_67_REAuvbFYjkUW6Lle_5emwR023_-e2zY/w640-h288/20231120_140534.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out at the ocean from the balcony of a Celebrity cruise ship</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We took a cruise this month, and we had a balcony that allowed us to watch the ocean from our stateroom. I spent many hours just sitting and reading and watching the sea go by, and marveling at the immensity of the view outside.</p><p>Looking out at the ocean always makes me feel small, almost insignificant. Its vastness, its seeming permanence, puts many things into perspective. Paradoxically, it also imbues me with a deep serenity that makes cruising a favorite way to relax in between bouts of work.</p><p>In almost the same way, looking out across vast grasslands gives me the same feelings. There is this spot nearby with a large field of grass where I sometimes park my car and just spend an hour or two reading. The panorama might be a colorful green or a rust red instead of the dark blue of the seas, but the solitude and the tranquility of the landscape never fails to make me happy. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1Yw5DfndCJDQLNTvxm3s2h2ymPsTuktmbr2NdvD1ZCmcBDl1eq4jbzmkA9vbnXQ08iAEH1wkr20OEIaFcvkXLA_ae0fhWf67JaspacN0C4VnhLKUkzaTXetgAK5Pt-HBcNLiq86RFbF4hZH2kStvgeG0ADZ99xe-0smOkuR1MnfIJO-Bjcs22mb5lUA/s800/20230916_110152.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1Yw5DfndCJDQLNTvxm3s2h2ymPsTuktmbr2NdvD1ZCmcBDl1eq4jbzmkA9vbnXQ08iAEH1wkr20OEIaFcvkXLA_ae0fhWf67JaspacN0C4VnhLKUkzaTXetgAK5Pt-HBcNLiq86RFbF4hZH2kStvgeG0ADZ99xe-0smOkuR1MnfIJO-Bjcs22mb5lUA/w640-h288/20230916_110152.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I sit and read by a sea of grass</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>This equivalence between an ocean and vast grasslands is replete in literature and history.<div><br /></div><div>When European settlers first arrived, they encountered what many described with wonder and awe as a "sea of grass" that spread for 60 million ha, and stretched from the Rocky Mountains to what is now Indiana, and from Texas north into Canada. These were of course the prairies of that time, most of which have been diced and sliced and now occupy but a fraction of their previous immense area.</div><div><br /></div><div>But the feelings of almost religious wonder at the vastness of grasslands might actually be inherent in our makeup. In Egyptian mythology, the afterlife is depicted as an endless Field of Reeds (A'Aru), where the souls of people who have passed away can exist in a bountiful paradise. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBOUSCuFtKGqfPkHFWfe1nnM08oJPBLELGIePKctHkURvMTWbOuLpEzhpilfWc2YS1JmIbRsBHvwlHHjFEsd-Hyuauia9KTPbC-rdk5jARwmjmvoOHFmyzaaKcrKoHJ7P-DUF7T0f8jK7w_ro4dBfOy9w2E90DlZbmhrhAp4bTtiJWqyqSvCrxkojfEM/s920/field_of_reeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBOUSCuFtKGqfPkHFWfe1nnM08oJPBLELGIePKctHkURvMTWbOuLpEzhpilfWc2YS1JmIbRsBHvwlHHjFEsd-Hyuauia9KTPbC-rdk5jARwmjmvoOHFmyzaaKcrKoHJ7P-DUF7T0f8jK7w_ro4dBfOy9w2E90DlZbmhrhAp4bTtiJWqyqSvCrxkojfEM/w640-h266/field_of_reeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Field of Reeds (Moon Knight, Marvel)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>In a similar way, the acclaimed film Gladiator depicts the afterlife as a vast field of wheat, with the protagonist running his hands through the wheat in one of the most iconic scenes in the movie.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrw5YeyCwG8dQ5V8vHv2oZXUSPT_qyKkK1OsldUXPz4bk74JBcgXYGkvUgRi0hWhAJS6-m7JADEByXe_7vRrlmeMGEEw3_p-bsp1Sm7AiObzAyshzeOqDhP3e7x30lQR-8dzIQ9S_tBjhusp88wucOUdEmie6EEOID6YGCUAcbfmnYfcMdJp-Q6U-U6w0/s850/GLADIATOR_ELYSIUM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="850" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrw5YeyCwG8dQ5V8vHv2oZXUSPT_qyKkK1OsldUXPz4bk74JBcgXYGkvUgRi0hWhAJS6-m7JADEByXe_7vRrlmeMGEEw3_p-bsp1Sm7AiObzAyshzeOqDhP3e7x30lQR-8dzIQ9S_tBjhusp88wucOUdEmie6EEOID6YGCUAcbfmnYfcMdJp-Q6U-U6w0/w640-h276/GLADIATOR_ELYSIUM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The endless fields of wheat in the film Gladiator</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>In Dan Simmons' Hyperion, the planet Endymion contains a region called the Sea of Grass, which the protagonists must cross using so-called wind-wagons that surf above the meters tall "grass".</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawm1h-tjPtsM9eS_xKxbaQbQ4hUWrjD1wxiQO4NNJauZBqvor-pzB0_pi8U1dM4HKMJq9oUu0Jk2kbPPk7KP2hpax2aO-3jQn47Oly-EgKcU3gcX9PSqH6AYfjRshFDdDHkOGGzgcSR9SnC6z1xcN3dTZO5ObtmbspPi0E5lYkh7X2l77jAGpWw8F2B4/s425/91XrTM0aCML._SY425_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="277" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawm1h-tjPtsM9eS_xKxbaQbQ4hUWrjD1wxiQO4NNJauZBqvor-pzB0_pi8U1dM4HKMJq9oUu0Jk2kbPPk7KP2hpax2aO-3jQn47Oly-EgKcU3gcX9PSqH6AYfjRshFDdDHkOGGzgcSR9SnC6z1xcN3dTZO5ObtmbspPi0E5lYkh7X2l77jAGpWw8F2B4/w417-h640/91XrTM0aCML._SY425_.jpg" width="417" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan Simmons' Hyperion and The Sea of Grass</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><i>"My God," breathed Brawne Lamia.</i></p><p><i>It was as if they had climbed the last hill of creation. Below them, a scattering of docks, wharves and sheds marked the end of Edge and the beginning of the Sea. Grass stretched away forever, rippling sensually in the slight breeze and seeming to lap like a green surf at the base of the bluffs. The grass seemed infinite and seamless, stretching to all horizons and apparently rising to precisely the same height as far as the eye could see. There was not the slightest hint of the snowy peaks of the Bridle Range, which they knew lay some 800 kilometers to the northeast. The illusion that they were gazing at a great green sea was nearly perfect, down to the wind-ruffled shimmers of stalks looking like whitecaps far from shore.</i></p><p><i>"It's beautiful," said Lamia, who had never seen it before.</i></p><p>Barring aside the improbability of windwagons being borne on the tops of masses of plants (no matter how strong the culms), the idea of travelling above vast seas of grass to distant lands is irresistibly attractive, and even romantic. Perhaps such adventures will be possible in far-off places with less gravity than ours, but for now, I'm content to just spend time by my decidedly more earthly landscape.</p><p>*sighs and goes back to reading Hyperion, while gazing at the dark brooding masses of clouds now gathering above his Sea of Grass*</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5Mu9rkFealwuqF5XFW5TO7IbdqamCr-woct506M2J85JRvH1k-BFCZjvXX-M6QCh7s1TiXUi2ltjERGn1Hx5kD7Ew8oV85JMzXAnVaGDXqTjx39XJzCjJwpLzvQ5dPbs2zQ2QWx_dlKENzmko9pCiYZlIqrqN_yFeTlm062G7Z5M6csJ6EsGemDUAMg/s800/20231001_140710.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5Mu9rkFealwuqF5XFW5TO7IbdqamCr-woct506M2J85JRvH1k-BFCZjvXX-M6QCh7s1TiXUi2ltjERGn1Hx5kD7Ew8oV85JMzXAnVaGDXqTjx39XJzCjJwpLzvQ5dPbs2zQ2QWx_dlKENzmko9pCiYZlIqrqN_yFeTlm062G7Z5M6csJ6EsGemDUAMg/w640-h288/20231001_140710.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's that windwagon?</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-28998614489522869112023-11-25T09:50:00.005-05:002023-11-27T12:29:59.273-05:00The Muscovy Duck Intervention <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3jOG5dOECNddATRbhkLfnlwqbq91vCvd6TPhz9ksFu0PkJy-2ftvr_u8CfjYhI50ve_wVPLa7Fz3aFpeALtTMsdul1ZJvFMLK-rnrKcJVPKRbRuIKtTZeYMOMzJrJaHvHwRLdQ9VX-6zMW70q_70g0w28aOdgSXDvbKAgU42fRrXssWAwyhu0u-K_mY/s644/20231117_174851.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="644" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3jOG5dOECNddATRbhkLfnlwqbq91vCvd6TPhz9ksFu0PkJy-2ftvr_u8CfjYhI50ve_wVPLa7Fz3aFpeALtTMsdul1ZJvFMLK-rnrKcJVPKRbRuIKtTZeYMOMzJrJaHvHwRLdQ9VX-6zMW70q_70g0w28aOdgSXDvbKAgU42fRrXssWAwyhu0u-K_mY/w640-h314/20231117_174851.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mounds of <i>Zoysia matrella</i> (Manila grass) along banks of canal leading to the sea</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I was walking along the main thoroughfare Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard in Aruba last week when I came upon an odd sight in Wilhelmina Park.</p><p>The tiny <i>Zoysia matrella</i> (aka Manila grass) is a common turf grass in tropical countries, where it is sometimes known in the horticultural world by the incorrect name "Zoysia tenuifolia". It is in the subfamily Chloridoideae and forms thick beautiful sod using both aboveground stolons and underground rhizomes.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmqkUYGxj528uuNRkc8y3gnq9lZXQRjLZBjxIBEXHlxQos5bbZKgtfb-vNTuZfYmd00OO9bVYiue2s4hVsK0TkB6xDiDTAcvyap6PZ0TR45AFf9s9pEYZU4o4BHBJo97jBcbhVN2FBqfGd6DrMAipb4DnTfjjZjaD1JpQE1PGVei8AY_uClqoz0mxCzg/s700/DSC_1019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="700" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmqkUYGxj528uuNRkc8y3gnq9lZXQRjLZBjxIBEXHlxQos5bbZKgtfb-vNTuZfYmd00OO9bVYiue2s4hVsK0TkB6xDiDTAcvyap6PZ0TR45AFf9s9pEYZU4o4BHBJo97jBcbhVN2FBqfGd6DrMAipb4DnTfjjZjaD1JpQE1PGVei8AY_uClqoz0mxCzg/w640-h428/DSC_1019.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muscovy duck strutting in Wilhelmina Park, Aruba.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>I had been wandering around Wilhelmina Park, and was now looking at the river/canal that emptied into the sea, and lay between Governor's Beach and Renaissance Beach. Curious looking mounds of grass dotted the banks of the river, and so I walked gingerly to a particularly prominent cluster of these mounds. The mounds were soft to the touch and velvety looking, and rising from them were multitudes of very tiny flowerheads.</div><div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiWr9jex3X5mu95B1Q59q-hz0DZ56ua-TLvcueTDYuI3RTJAvuloOH_QyQyEibanOLyooP5fafOPsryrCJ5ZesN4MgrjTYqZduvCNGdgx2LOMwxnfUa1ru2yoSFmNvb-QKjDuOynekpYethEsUi-UEz5quUVbXFJrR3w7qO8UI4vA8Msx0bplbqujS_g/s800/DSC_0995.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiWr9jex3X5mu95B1Q59q-hz0DZ56ua-TLvcueTDYuI3RTJAvuloOH_QyQyEibanOLyooP5fafOPsryrCJ5ZesN4MgrjTYqZduvCNGdgx2LOMwxnfUa1ru2yoSFmNvb-QKjDuOynekpYethEsUi-UEz5quUVbXFJrR3w7qO8UI4vA8Msx0bplbqujS_g/w640-h428/DSC_0995.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Zoysia matrella</i> flowerheads</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I had never seen so many flowering <i>Z. matrella</i> before, and because they were so tiny (less than 5 mm length) I had to take some time photographing. I was so engrossed in my work that I almost jumped up in surprise when I heard a hissing sound almost next to me.</div><div><p>A really weird looking bird had suddenly appeared, and it was strutting back and forth close to me in what I took to be a threatening manner. In many ways it looked like a regular duck, but it had a red warty face that only a mother could love.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3VTrFvceTjYa6rRD60tE91EZP40hzRFUwpIRs80UPWcQPKbviWjVFGp54aaqGZDWKPQuoqiW4hSXtq4LdKTZOXW0weHGTRDNnDZqw4GQVEvooo7AdCWOqzm3U6HKPntmTsi60yF4ssw-2cPDQyQ1GU7St7v98Jl4AA_oPphP16H1sQ55VSy0MJtkIRI/s700/DSC_1004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="700" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3VTrFvceTjYa6rRD60tE91EZP40hzRFUwpIRs80UPWcQPKbviWjVFGp54aaqGZDWKPQuoqiW4hSXtq4LdKTZOXW0weHGTRDNnDZqw4GQVEvooo7AdCWOqzm3U6HKPntmTsi60yF4ssw-2cPDQyQ1GU7St7v98Jl4AA_oPphP16H1sQ55VSy0MJtkIRI/w640-h484/DSC_1004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Zoysia matrella</i> flowerhead showing white anthers and purplish stigma</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It was also hissing like a snake, and bobbing its head up and down rapidly. I stepped warily away from it and prepared to defend myself, but the bird simply continued to look at me and bob its head up and down.</p><p>Did it have some nest hidden near the river bank? Was I somehow trespassing into its territory?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5unOX6ia9flYneoRT2PFdRqFdmjV3jPVedXJkJaS_Bzb1Xm6p6iip8bX9lltdhpTY8nCw4vN-wT1EMwuDoiHUCGMcWfk9q-fHA1ck7E3FHNMzzD3Yre39uEGRrNo6pmPJlyCW_V3rvSiD6FgSS0lAk_XzH1f4Wxt1-UvovVM9qu0VHib9T0Otr6d2cGw/s700/DSC_1017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="700" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5unOX6ia9flYneoRT2PFdRqFdmjV3jPVedXJkJaS_Bzb1Xm6p6iip8bX9lltdhpTY8nCw4vN-wT1EMwuDoiHUCGMcWfk9q-fHA1ck7E3FHNMzzD3Yre39uEGRrNo6pmPJlyCW_V3rvSiD6FgSS0lAk_XzH1f4Wxt1-UvovVM9qu0VHib9T0Otr6d2cGw/w640-h428/DSC_1017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What I took to be the remnants of duck feathers next to <i>Z. matrella</i> flowerheads</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I wondered too whether the duck had been using the mounds as a nest, because I found remnants of what seemed to be bird feathers on the grass surface. Perhaps I really was invading its turf (no pun intended), and so I immediately vacated the area and went back to the nearby path.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was only much later when I googled and identified the critter, that I found out Muscovy ducks use the head bobbing motion as a friendly greeting. I also found out that this species could not quack like normal ducks, but instead hissed, and so there was nothing sinister about the sounds it was making!</div><div><br /></div><div>I felt sorry I was slightly mean to the duck. I had tried shooing it away from the mounds of <i>Z. matrella</i>, not knowing it was simply trying to be friendly. It may have been ugly as sin, but it meant well, and next time I'll learn to not so easily judge a book by its cover.</div></div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-1835806322652048292023-11-23T19:05:00.014-05:002023-11-27T12:30:08.825-05:00Buffelgrass invasion in the ABC (and why people should be worried)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrQTNgU7JecbyppH0I5lfQg8Zvg2bhuqWbw6VRPlJ6beyAa2edSyqNIWv9pQW9S8bwKmBgE21vueRKfuf13Z9jhy1HbOv_xaP1opN9AkXY3bWS0rZoVmHQgJmr6S1p5Mx91HeHt3taLLxa9k3H7rv_jVW52T6rJEXXKzfAG3JPMyOtQVCPH2l7sVLZ3E/s700/20231117_135956.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="700" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrQTNgU7JecbyppH0I5lfQg8Zvg2bhuqWbw6VRPlJ6beyAa2edSyqNIWv9pQW9S8bwKmBgE21vueRKfuf13Z9jhy1HbOv_xaP1opN9AkXY3bWS0rZoVmHQgJmr6S1p5Mx91HeHt3taLLxa9k3H7rv_jVW52T6rJEXXKzfAG3JPMyOtQVCPH2l7sVLZ3E/w640-h288/20231117_135956.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clusters of <i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i> (buffelgrass) with whitish flowerheads in Aruba</td></tr></tbody></table><p>To say that the southern Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao (which are fondly called the ABC islands) have a somewhat small number of grass species would be accurate, and these include quite a few invasive species that are also prevalent in many other Caribbean countries.</p><p>During my visit to these islands last week, one of the more prominent invasives was <i>Chloris barbata </i>(subfamily Chloridoideae), its digitate inflorescence a common sight in disturbed areas. This species was present not only in the most urban of areas, but it popped up even close to the beaches.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2um2T4AebxStue3D5VNHzg4HhshbDRe-y5kSelXy8DPEkA15fa655lENkuSpr9NDzwxLWzua038lD4EGh6u5wwqbgEu7Ei8yfhPRCYxeRHi5vo2RDLB6smmgCHRE6rQiHjqYR57A_Vue8H51oF32lesvcJ9yUiJBVGvVX1_8DhVkiazlPzC7boT0GVz4/s800/DSC_1054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2um2T4AebxStue3D5VNHzg4HhshbDRe-y5kSelXy8DPEkA15fa655lENkuSpr9NDzwxLWzua038lD4EGh6u5wwqbgEu7Ei8yfhPRCYxeRHi5vo2RDLB6smmgCHRE6rQiHjqYR57A_Vue8H51oF32lesvcJ9yUiJBVGvVX1_8DhVkiazlPzC7boT0GVz4/w640-h428/DSC_1054.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloris barbata</i> in Bonaire's Te Amo beach</td></tr></tbody></table><p>But a more ominous invasive in the ABC is <i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i> (of the subfamily Panicoideae, syn. <i>Pennisetum ciliare</i>, aka buffelgrass in the USA), which has been notorious for its ongoing threat to the iconic Saguaro in the southwest USA. This species crowds out native vegetation, and because it exists in dense clusters, it can create continuous fuel sources for fires. Such fires are deadly to the Saguaro and other desert plants, which have not evolved to live through it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7nzVuDbx6RZ-yuL26q9KxqKyL7LHcf8jg8qNit8GrKPercIXMoT3hG2XlVWINfwCjebb4OPLh3Z1hCSot6dywaMQtUsM5IaqjEZGlFEJiBmhrtNzZ8tptuizYffQ4V5LvGkpJklcIgUkPG60Kpagt7EapENQAY62qhs_qFL84AUrJ1r0xuiX1IUtLfc/s800/DSC_1034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7nzVuDbx6RZ-yuL26q9KxqKyL7LHcf8jg8qNit8GrKPercIXMoT3hG2XlVWINfwCjebb4OPLh3Z1hCSot6dywaMQtUsM5IaqjEZGlFEJiBmhrtNzZ8tptuizYffQ4V5LvGkpJklcIgUkPG60Kpagt7EapENQAY62qhs_qFL84AUrJ1r0xuiX1IUtLfc/w640-h428/DSC_1034.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i> near Mambo Beach in Curacao </td></tr></tbody></table><p><i>C. ciliariis</i> is from Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia, and it was brought to the USA as a source of cattle forage and erosion control. It can tolerate arid conditions, and is thus a good fit in the semi arid environments of the ABC islands.</p><p>During a bus excursion around Aruba, I saw large fields of what I took to be this species beyond the main urban areas. But even in the very midst of the few towns that dotted these islands, I found <i>C. ciliaris</i> hiding in plain sight.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2vJSm5ENwBA9YO2uOpn9a3KJs7NMJIUlVDiRHJyvgNVgrQ12CO6RMb7VRFSHEhFFTQbEjdryxECMa_gNjd8GgsbfGC0PenmaH0egteTexELUZCJA_KxyHeXgZ4Q77O_LUFjPzkn8BcEGro4db2K39xK_G6XmzP72YsxTOLbtpHyX_ZuoEbjQXzI975M/s800/20231118_110445.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="800" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2vJSm5ENwBA9YO2uOpn9a3KJs7NMJIUlVDiRHJyvgNVgrQ12CO6RMb7VRFSHEhFFTQbEjdryxECMa_gNjd8GgsbfGC0PenmaH0egteTexELUZCJA_KxyHeXgZ4Q77O_LUFjPzkn8BcEGro4db2K39xK_G6XmzP72YsxTOLbtpHyX_ZuoEbjQXzI975M/w640-h388/20231118_110445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i> in middle of road in Curacao</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In Curacao, rows of this grass lined the canals emptying into Mambo Beach, and I even found it in the middle of a street in front of the Maritime History Museum!<br /><p>The presence and continued proliferation of this species in the islands should be worrisome to authorities and to the inhabitants. The history of <i>C. ciliaris</i> in the American Southwest has demonstrated its ability to overwhelm native habitats, and <a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2023/08/how-invasive-grasses-killed-hundreds-of.html" target="_blank">the recent huge fires in Hawaii that killed hundreds</a> is a warning about what can happen if people are surrounded by fire-prone invasive grasses. The fact that buffelgrass has been recorded as burning up to 871 °C, and indirectly recorded to temperatures of 900 °C. (MacDnald et al, 2013), is testament to its potential threat to the environment and people.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiu8lKO5MvymdDLtU0A5-m4QCtrpt494HSVkdOSP50kNDEz_hQPgWa3AszZ22aIRyTI_gChytydr7XYwysGoL8VvwJX_l_aKn6D0vDvqoHU4p9lT6zFbqTMz6b5xOPjwVfUq6hD0pTchSnqdfy_VF8yvZ2KaOLUTPVxaNrhRgpfM7rTDRvWJvi0AUpow/s700/DSC_0986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="700" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiu8lKO5MvymdDLtU0A5-m4QCtrpt494HSVkdOSP50kNDEz_hQPgWa3AszZ22aIRyTI_gChytydr7XYwysGoL8VvwJX_l_aKn6D0vDvqoHU4p9lT6zFbqTMz6b5xOPjwVfUq6hD0pTchSnqdfy_VF8yvZ2KaOLUTPVxaNrhRgpfM7rTDRvWJvi0AUpow/w640-h428/DSC_0986.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masses of flowering <i>C. ciliaris</i> in Aruba</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Hopefully, the authorities in the island have been taking steps to address this before it has the potential to become a major problem.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nIQpYuH4ENRlJzq4TNnjdjoWCShCSqViJGqHhgpwxH3_S9B_6hLB6P-_KyehlSHdUBjTHPoUe9GWxDirs4e5c8BfNtuTUsNrWQ3DF93OWwmW-k-McqlSJ5qsfM1qOA24kVVX-BKRUu11z66CDje-ry26JWYPMu9vWstDZz42M4sEY4dnEOsiAxlRZf4/s700/DSC_0984.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="700" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nIQpYuH4ENRlJzq4TNnjdjoWCShCSqViJGqHhgpwxH3_S9B_6hLB6P-_KyehlSHdUBjTHPoUe9GWxDirs4e5c8BfNtuTUsNrWQ3DF93OWwmW-k-McqlSJ5qsfM1qOA24kVVX-BKRUu11z66CDje-ry26JWYPMu9vWstDZz42M4sEY4dnEOsiAxlRZf4/w640-h420/DSC_0984.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>Literature cited</b></p><p>McDonald, C.J., McPherson, G.R. Creating Hotter Fires in the Sonoran Desert: Buffelgrass Produces Copious Fuels and High Fire Temperatures. fire ecol 9, 26–39 (2013). https://doi.org/10.4996/fireecology.0902026</p><p><br /></p></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-68960167878752381252023-11-10T19:40:00.005-05:002023-11-10T19:54:10.093-05:00Help pass the North American Grasslands Conservation Act of 2022<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KUCRgm4Mo9e9Cz_48XwLYAGx6aPjo4n67Jzrp1zxVEy6rBA_AlRwarJsZUxoaLWKGgVhyphenhyphenMjmlkR2otXpTzZ6g7HGs-WkGV8m3zPD0IeJtq8ENjVbh_cWOk3RhUpQ2g1KJpiVqUROuvrIUlu3lN_XdXY6B3bxfcPfibb9sut-Y1HWGZosNPNhJNBjAjI/s640/Great_plains_storm_-_Great_Sand_Dunes_National_Park.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KUCRgm4Mo9e9Cz_48XwLYAGx6aPjo4n67Jzrp1zxVEy6rBA_AlRwarJsZUxoaLWKGgVhyphenhyphenMjmlkR2otXpTzZ6g7HGs-WkGV8m3zPD0IeJtq8ENjVbh_cWOk3RhUpQ2g1KJpiVqUROuvrIUlu3lN_XdXY6B3bxfcPfibb9sut-Y1HWGZosNPNhJNBjAjI/w640-h427/Great_plains_storm_-_Great_Sand_Dunes_National_Park.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A storm is passing over the nation's grasslands (image by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/collins_family/37126898590/" target="_blank">Christian Collins</a>, Wikipedia)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b> What is the North American Grasslands Conservation Act of 2022?</b><p></p><p>In 2022, Senators Ron Wyden, Amy Klobuchar, and Michael Bennet introduced a bill which would take bold actions to conserve and restore native grasslands in North America through voluntary, science-based efforts. This will help conserve grassland ecosystems in order to sequester carbon, prevent wildfires, and stop the further loss of wildlife. It will also address and support the interests of various stakeholders, including ranchers, farmers, Native American Tribes, sportsmen and sportswomen, rural communities, and others.</p><p><b>Why is this needed now?</b></p><p>Grasslands, including sagebrush shrub-steppe systems, are some of the most threatened ecosystems in North America and in the world. In 2021 alone, more than 800,000 ha (2 million acres) of native grasslands in the Great Plains and Northern Great Plains were converted to agricultural cropland (mostly wheat and corn). This area is significantly larger than the entire state of Delaware, and it was lost in just a single year! </p><p>If we are to save these open ecosystems that are essential wildlife habitats and critical for rural economies and carbon sequestration, then we must act now.</p><p><b>What will it do?</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p>The Act would initiate the following actions in support of its overarching goal to conserve native grasslands:<div><ol>
<li><i>Create a North American Grasslands Conservation Council</i><br /><br />This council will help develop an overall conservation strategy, as well as recommending and selecting specific grassland projects. It will be composed of Federal, State, Tribal, and conservation organizations, in addition to different farming, ranching, and grazing groups.<br /><br />
</li><li><i>Establish Regional Grasslands Conservation Councils</i><br /><br />These numerous councils will give recommendations, support, and advise on grasslands projects for their specific regions. They will be composed individuals from regional conservation organizations, ranchers, Tribes, and State wildlife agencies.<br /><br />
</li><li><i>Formulate a North American Grasslands Strategy<br /><br /></i>The Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service will coordinate with the councils to develop an overall strategy to conserve grasslands, including:</li><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>identifying areas at high risk for grassland habitat loss</li><li>spotlighting conservation areas with high potential</li><li>identifying at risk populations of grassland obligate bird species</li><li>establishing specific goals for enhancing grasslands</li></ul><br />This strategy would not exist in a vacuum, but draw on existing local, State, Tribal and regional conservation plans and wildlife action plans. <br /><br />
<li><i>Establish a grant program for grassland conservation</i><br /><br />This will support projects for conservation, restoration, management, and education activities, and can include:<br /><br /><ul><li>prescribed burns</li><li>management of invasive species</li><li>grazing management training programs</li><li>projects that conserve intact grasslands at risk of conversion to cropland, residential or commercial development</li></ul><div><br /></div>
</li><li><i>Support native seed crop research</i><br /><br />The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture will carry out research relating to native seed crop systems, in order to help improve our understanding of native seed technologies and promote adoption of native seed cropping systems on rangelands. <br /><div>Some examples of such research include:<br /><br /><ul><li>agronomic research to improve the understanding of native plants as seed crops</li><li>research on plant seed physiology to improve seed quality, storage, and seeding success in the landscape</li><li>development of best management practices and technologies for seed production, seed storage, and reseeding success in the environment.</li></ul><br /></div></li>
<li><i>Establish a program to study regenerative grazing</i><br /><br />The Act will establish a program to holistically study the ability of regenerative grazing practices on Forest Service and BLM lands to mitigate climate change. Some regenerative grazing practices include:<br /><br /><ul><li>silvopasture</li><li>season of use</li><li>forage and biomass management</li><li>range monitoring methods</li></ul><br />Using such practices on test and live projects can then allow assessment of their effects on soil health, carbon sequestration, watershed biodiversity, and air quality </li>
</ol><div><b>How can you help?</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>All it takes is a couple minutes and nothing more from your end. </div><div><br /></div><div>The link below to the North American Grasslands Act website will have a form that can match you with the relevant local elected officials and automatically send them an email letter showing your support for grasslands.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://actforgrasslands.org/take-action/" target="_blank">Go to the North American Grasslands Conservation Act website and Take Action</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-60076438205329647942023-10-31T21:44:00.007-04:002023-10-31T21:50:02.316-04:00An Enchanted Hike Through the Enchanted Mesa<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sHU304WaBMbnLPzizreX98x1vJmiKzurUkXlYNU1AtM3g8ZjFkyhg7fE7ZvVGyYpnAnh6msH2HFSPWFCReqpbbChydvOR_V6PaRfaqA3pguYa2L6S7y6t0x4U_odX3-Va0QFfo6SlojCLiubRS5eA3LGJmWgH8QH6f8A42FNgrKdhTxIY3F0Edw8I78/s900/a20230712_174015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="900" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sHU304WaBMbnLPzizreX98x1vJmiKzurUkXlYNU1AtM3g8ZjFkyhg7fE7ZvVGyYpnAnh6msH2HFSPWFCReqpbbChydvOR_V6PaRfaqA3pguYa2L6S7y6t0x4U_odX3-Va0QFfo6SlojCLiubRS5eA3LGJmWgH8QH6f8A42FNgrKdhTxIY3F0Edw8I78/w640-h288/a20230712_174015.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tall flowering grasses line the path</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I could spend tons of posts on the beauty that we saw when we stayed in the Boulder, Colorado area this last summer, but one of the more notable periods of our stay was when many of the so-called wheatgrasses were in flower.</p><p>The <a href="https://bouldercolorado.gov/trailhead/enchanted-mesa" target="_blank">Enchanted Mesa trail</a> in the Flatirons hiking area is considered a moderate trail, but I remember it was relatively easy and flat. You also get some good spectacular views along part of the way.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Dqt3b8muLzkRNrvNGZ6TWkh-TE31O5LNAAp0Jidhv3cxPfbmfvrDaMpP7gb2Q99h3vrshZWko9n9tBa_d5hrWZrdnezAFF_9zEbCxMqlpsVVR11sSlqUA2F9Tz9c1FGUyaa2KSzZqfQxkekzlCpGRMnmZU94NyPfCz-9iOUPfgsARY3I2a1rhjtrZ3s/s1000/DSC_1176.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Dqt3b8muLzkRNrvNGZ6TWkh-TE31O5LNAAp0Jidhv3cxPfbmfvrDaMpP7gb2Q99h3vrshZWko9n9tBa_d5hrWZrdnezAFF_9zEbCxMqlpsVVR11sSlqUA2F9Tz9c1FGUyaa2KSzZqfQxkekzlCpGRMnmZU94NyPfCz-9iOUPfgsARY3I2a1rhjtrZ3s/w640-h428/DSC_1176.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The arching flowerheads of <i>T. intermedium</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>But the best part of hiking this trail is that large parts of it lie in savanna grassland, and in mid-July, the path is lined by masses of tall flowering grasses. <div><br /></div><div>These include the wheatgrasses <i>Pascopyrum smithii</i> and <i>Thinopyrum intermedium</i>, whose arching flowerheads are positively ethereal against the filtered sunlight, as well as the usual <i>Bromus inermis</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksne9-7rSunUcKHdd8VPAWVXO018ftJlwm0rB4B_mfqBf_nGqcmamJmAVfIXayvL3vpD0zjeTNS5-LRvXYTH-AeQr7NqhhaF-GsdWqcNZ_HlhAz9lTi30Cb3QT9jNJq__KnvwYW6G-VE9fjaKpagAZPA9haa_ARYe_z-9CYf5cREC-Z8X58tQNkVJWMA/s1000/DSC_1165b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksne9-7rSunUcKHdd8VPAWVXO018ftJlwm0rB4B_mfqBf_nGqcmamJmAVfIXayvL3vpD0zjeTNS5-LRvXYTH-AeQr7NqhhaF-GsdWqcNZ_HlhAz9lTi30Cb3QT9jNJq__KnvwYW6G-VE9fjaKpagAZPA9haa_ARYe_z-9CYf5cREC-Z8X58tQNkVJWMA/w640-h428/DSC_1165b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I was accompanied by my wife in the hike, and although she is not a die hard grassophile like myself, even she had to marvel at the scenery and comment on it.</div><div><br /></div><div>In fact, many of the hiking trails in the area had the same grasses in flower, and another notable hike that we did was at the <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/red-rocks-trail" target="_blank">Red Rocks trail</a>. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKevSlqKzTrGPToXUsxnlHvViU9FKpUyTlJponxZUa_8Vr-6ivS8NrxGEturGO5SptKuwytaZvnJCJioNK-m64Il_qJJx4F0Y0jZNP2VsvfrSLKbemnl8STeV0UFhkwvUnQ_rcZdw3kfkiK5UBedQmZxe4CWjbKcfxUF4VL0LoHgkcCFeSJW276Kvd0k/s900/a20230718_180257.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="900" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKevSlqKzTrGPToXUsxnlHvViU9FKpUyTlJponxZUa_8Vr-6ivS8NrxGEturGO5SptKuwytaZvnJCJioNK-m64Il_qJJx4F0Y0jZNP2VsvfrSLKbemnl8STeV0UFhkwvUnQ_rcZdw3kfkiK5UBedQmZxe4CWjbKcfxUF4VL0LoHgkcCFeSJW276Kvd0k/w640-h288/a20230718_180257.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Rocks Trail in July </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In this case, the sight of the ancient red rocks rising above the flowering grasses that surrounded them was almost a religious experience, especially with the grasses dancing in sinuous waves to the gusting wind.</div><div><br /></div><div>So the next time you're in the Boulder area in July, be sure to lace on your hiking shoes and take an enchanted trip to the Enchanted Mesa!</div><div><p>.</p></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-91829343797037907202023-10-29T11:24:00.014-04:002023-10-29T16:10:35.130-04:00The Ancient Fire and Grazing Grasslands of Madagascar<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrntLHNQKaVd-JJMdT4IsSkphc-mED_zw2xOGHqe5DF4fC68FJyYZ98VRZGXe-Lf8e2H5Nz9Zl-YL8o3GKQRsiGqYM0w0RF-wM4iicu8SEVbEes_xKh4iel0y08e8B5fjiUOCS5MPjFJTBWUWD8rgqgYoj3zYcETHBiqy19SmkQm7Wug_IDRYd4TPee2E/s900/bog3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="900" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrntLHNQKaVd-JJMdT4IsSkphc-mED_zw2xOGHqe5DF4fC68FJyYZ98VRZGXe-Lf8e2H5Nz9Zl-YL8o3GKQRsiGqYM0w0RF-wM4iicu8SEVbEes_xKh4iel0y08e8B5fjiUOCS5MPjFJTBWUWD8rgqgYoj3zYcETHBiqy19SmkQm7Wug_IDRYd4TPee2E/w640-h306/bog3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two types of grassland, side by side</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Whenever I take a walk outside, I am always struck by how various grass communities (whether natural or artificial) seem to have very distinct physical appearances. In today's suburban world of course, the most visible grass communities are the lawns that grace many homes. They're composed of grass species that are short and adapted to lots of mowing. But go to some nearby natural area like a pine and wiregrass savanna, and now much taller grasses dominate. </p><p>The grass species that are found in each type of community can vary significantly, and this difference was a topic investigated by researchers in Madagascar. In this country, the vast old growth grasslands (which includes savannas) are in peril due to misguided afforestation efforts by some. This is because the common misperception (as in many other countries in tropical areas that were once colonized) is that these grasslands are the products of human activity and derived from areas that were once forests.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP56WfARx8dCvEzPAwOJEQSm9oWzrSjXm2CuE-ssuJ4WoTKx64q5iXojf-2HRzghTj-HzTIHnvbRcsYGRQihhhQ5uuPkReUNXsKILOTnG1jCi7L3SRGhu6IB7rbHiuA0AQZC22xuMBUsYgArk8vXymOL5inObatGbn96xI4AdYZc5lUfezwIIP5B0A6EA/s1000/DSC_0031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP56WfARx8dCvEzPAwOJEQSm9oWzrSjXm2CuE-ssuJ4WoTKx64q5iXojf-2HRzghTj-HzTIHnvbRcsYGRQihhhQ5uuPkReUNXsKILOTnG1jCi7L3SRGhu6IB7rbHiuA0AQZC22xuMBUsYgArk8vXymOL5inObatGbn96xI4AdYZc5lUfezwIIP5B0A6EA/w640-h428/DSC_0031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cynodon dactylon</i>, a major component of the grazing grassland. Yes, that's Bermudagrass, a common turf grass in the USA and elsewhere.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In their study, they examined (1) whether some species were associated together more often than not to form a specific assemblage or community. They also looked at (2) the functional attributes of each species with regards to flammability, palatability and tolerance to fire and grazing. These were:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Plant height - taller plants tend to be more flammable<br /><br /></li><li>Leaf thickness - thicker leaves tends to be less palatable<br /><br /></li><li>Leaf C/N ratio - leaves with higher C/N ratios tend to be more flammable<br /><br /></li><li>Leaf shape - wide short leaves are preferred by grazers as more palatable, while long narrow leaves ignite easily and burn more intensely<br /><br /></li><li>Plant bulk density - high bulk density grasses provide more forage per bite, whereas low density grasses provide more aeration for fires.</li></ul><p></p><p>They found several fascinating and important things:</p><p>First, they found that, indeed, species tended to cluster together into distinct spatial assemblages. Some species tended to be found together with the same group of species more often than not, and only in certain locations.</p><p>Secondly, they also found that the species they studied in Madagascar could be divided into 3 distinct functional groups. The first functional groups showed adaptions for grazing, and are mostly short grasses with high bulk densities, and leaves that are short, wide, and thin. Many of these are mat-forming, using either rhizomes or stolons. The second functional group is adapted for fire, and is comprised of tall bunched grasses with thicker leaves, low bulk density and low leaf width to length ratios. They also found a distinct and third functional group that were intermediate between the two extremes. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhov_sFzMmN-oMr-4rv7UA5wOuwoJQochoEc1XK_HJvrR2_rn4d7eQSDqPfOAwllWE0GwFKFvXr0hjcXr3b37EcwrZFISN2BDVy3xeyFcMMOfOCxoFiMZSNtCba7v5yW_Ojfu6rBPbzBf9qAgTsrhAlD8-I3DTowadUL1iqOeEZu0cF38irNng-3j4wRQQ/s900/DSC_0150.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhov_sFzMmN-oMr-4rv7UA5wOuwoJQochoEc1XK_HJvrR2_rn4d7eQSDqPfOAwllWE0GwFKFvXr0hjcXr3b37EcwrZFISN2BDVy3xeyFcMMOfOCxoFiMZSNtCba7v5yW_Ojfu6rBPbzBf9qAgTsrhAlD8-I3DTowadUL1iqOeEZu0cF38irNng-3j4wRQQ/w640-h428/DSC_0150.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fire adapted grass (<i>Imperata cylindrica</i>)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Finally, and most importantly, they found a relationship between the spatial assemblages and the functional groups. The functional group of a species influences which assemblage contains it (see table below).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefidwjd5Rktsr2_QzACOw5pmx9AfJV8ZsAtNTSvn9J1NQYGIqLq85UgX1ypqhDzff1WcCsKHKCmCumCqEaK8jFFtQatgwSmkaHfm-Vv7Vk8gOuiZPSHkI5Mo7eLsDEF_uyoLL2paGS_-YAdCgYP8tOK8BnHRBTAjyE68-AghvEHxb5L5MkpiWD3mz1SA/s999/assemblage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="999" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefidwjd5Rktsr2_QzACOw5pmx9AfJV8ZsAtNTSvn9J1NQYGIqLq85UgX1ypqhDzff1WcCsKHKCmCumCqEaK8jFFtQatgwSmkaHfm-Vv7Vk8gOuiZPSHkI5Mo7eLsDEF_uyoLL2paGS_-YAdCgYP8tOK8BnHRBTAjyE68-AghvEHxb5L5MkpiWD3mz1SA/w640-h174/assemblage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solofondranohatra CL et al, 2020</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Thirteen of 14 species in the grazing functional group (92.85% of the total species exhibiting grazing adaptations) were found in assemblage 1. In contrast, 12 of the species in assemblage 2 were from the fire functional group, and none were from the grazing functional group. They also found relatively high levels of endemism in each assemblage.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>All these findings support the view that the various Madagascar old growth grasslands have been shaped by either fire or grazing, and that the levels of endemism, diversity, and evolutionary ages of the species means that these complex assemblages were formed and have been in existence millions of years before the advent of human activity in the island. Humans only entered the picture in this area around 10,500 before the present (BP), and only made significant changes to the landscape around 2300 years ago. Thus, it is likely that many of the grasslands in Madagascar are not secondarily derived due to human activity, but are natural and ancient environments. </b></div><div><br /></div><div>This study again highlights the importance of not simply taking as gospel the widespread belief that all grasslands in tropical areas are secondarily derived, and a product of human activity and degradation of forested areas. It should give pause to those who want to go full on ahead with afforestation efforts without careful study. Beyond the stupidity of destroying ancient habitats and the diverse plants and animals within and replacing them many times with commercial timber, such projects have so far yielded mostly massive failures, mainly because they try to introduce plants to areas that are not conducive to their survival, instead of trying to address the underlying economic and societal conditions that foster the destruction of forests and the creation of real secondary grasslands.</div><div><br /></div><div>Note: Interestingly, the researchers noted that the loss of the ancient grazers that maintained the grazing-adapted grasslands, may have been ameliorated by the introduction of cattle and other new grazers by humanity.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Reference:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Solofondranohatra CL, Vorontsova MS, Hempson GP, Hackel J, Cable S, Vololoniaina J, Lehmann CER. 2020 Fire and grazing determined grasslands of central Madagascar represent ancient assemblages. Proc. R. Soc. B 287: 20200598. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0598</div><div><br /></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-91637514559383806462023-10-22T15:22:00.015-04:002023-10-22T23:18:24.131-04:00Creepy Corn Day (aka Halloween)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4EZDecRXl6MScoeYOlxzXBIJPGXw-2BVRwoGKt1lGZfAx1o2n2zvWy1kQyiVNh5JT83SnrNxzOlCUk_tevVBWgXYDR_1Id76-eIeJoKoW7dJYMZcSAsICgkP3exy3V7DpV20yDLD5Ojd_ps-xM7DMw2SXNMnX2w9ziBIBsTxzVzA6Ibfi83QyXME_cY/s512/20231016_162946bb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4EZDecRXl6MScoeYOlxzXBIJPGXw-2BVRwoGKt1lGZfAx1o2n2zvWy1kQyiVNh5JT83SnrNxzOlCUk_tevVBWgXYDR_1Id76-eIeJoKoW7dJYMZcSAsICgkP3exy3V7DpV20yDLD5Ojd_ps-xM7DMw2SXNMnX2w9ziBIBsTxzVzA6Ibfi83QyXME_cY/w626-h640/20231016_162946bb.jpg" width="626" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corn stalks for sale at Lowes in New Jersey </td></tr></tbody></table><p>It's that time of the year again when spooky shenanigans slither into the normal daily lives of people. It's when kids in costumes defy the odds and gather candies from strangers, and the Simpsons treat us to another round of entertaining stories about really weird stuff. </p><p>Yes, it's Creepy Corn Day (aka Spooky Corn Day, aka Halloween), which should be that celebration's official name, given that so much of the traditions associated with this day are related to the species <i>Zea mays</i> (corn/maize).</p><p>This was the thought that came to me while I was walking outside a Lowes in New Jersey last week and I saw another bunch of dried corn plants for sale. It made me wonder about all the other things during Halloween that involved this grass.</p><p><b>Corn Shucks</b></p><p>The dried bunches of corn that I saw are called corn shucks, and they were traditionally used by farmers during the end of the harvest to dry out the corn and to clear land for other plantings. The dried stalks were later used for bedding and feed for animals, and the corn itself was milled. During modern times, mechanical harvesters have obviated the need for this, but their common use in the past made people associate them with Fall and Halloween. Plus, they truly do look kinda spooky.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyrk-6LzEGrvSSQu_tKmbCu_qg0PRRIJRl-7EgJ4crrx6ImfD85WMwWG1w_GRWGnkTEIMMoRI69eZrR0VJAgmjxoEnVdD-aMDbDrxqAvVk9vW_FB2STnujGNmu0SGg-VpPzQWzwadoqLPf6wouAzk5e3Wn3wRr0rE6Va6nl2G9P_fowCVoGN50Gar-pg/s1047/DSC_0956.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyrk-6LzEGrvSSQu_tKmbCu_qg0PRRIJRl-7EgJ4crrx6ImfD85WMwWG1w_GRWGnkTEIMMoRI69eZrR0VJAgmjxoEnVdD-aMDbDrxqAvVk9vW_FB2STnujGNmu0SGg-VpPzQWzwadoqLPf6wouAzk5e3Wn3wRr0rE6Va6nl2G9P_fowCVoGN50Gar-pg/w428-h640/DSC_0956.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're gonna get ya!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Candy Corn</b></p><p>I was not so familiar with this particular Halloween tradition, but it seems is very popular with kids. It's a type of candy that boasts a whopping 28 grams of sugar per handful, and is made out of various ingredients, including (you guessed it!) corn syrup. It is the most popular candy treat during Halloween in many states, and in 2019, it was estimated that more than 95% of holidays shoppers bought some of this confectionary. More than 9 billion of the candy is produced each year!</p><p>The candy seemed to have been first created by the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia in 1880s, but its popularity and association with Halloween did not occur until the 1950s, when the tradition of handing out candies to visiting children became popular.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnXjuqjJCKeCybwCB4pbWOH6mhfuWm_uXqW53uzTnjaH-VEJNQJdR6qYPBFDnpt1vUFrdxNNVnp1p9q-5Z3KslU3Sp-3WXbiu4OF4BjcUyDiX1uOt6i-k7Y9zYQ45v3JavCkF1C99OsmbDM79Q99ECFXRyeQegJp3In3rkzjJcxSWazWAJr9Xb5mVKxg/s626/626px-Candy-Corn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="626" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnXjuqjJCKeCybwCB4pbWOH6mhfuWm_uXqW53uzTnjaH-VEJNQJdR6qYPBFDnpt1vUFrdxNNVnp1p9q-5Z3KslU3Sp-3WXbiu4OF4BjcUyDiX1uOt6i-k7Y9zYQ45v3JavCkF1C99OsmbDM79Q99ECFXRyeQegJp3In3rkzjJcxSWazWAJr9Xb5mVKxg/w640-h490/626px-Candy-Corn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candy Corn</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Corn Mazes</b><br /><p>The idea and implementation of plant mazes has been with us since ancient times, but the use of corn fields to create mazes during the Autumn was not started until the early 1990s.</p><p>In 1993, a man named Don Frantz was flying over a corn field when the idea came to him. It didn't hurt that he had been involved in other creative endeavors, including shows in Broadway and the Super Bowl halftime show. Frantz and another man named Adrian Fisher created the first corn maze in Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. They named it "The Amazing Maize Maze", and the maze was modeled in the shape of a dinosaur named "Cornelius the Cobasaurus".</p><p>The popularity of corn mazes spread, and today they are another staple of Halloween...ahem...I mean, Creepy Corn Day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_maTVOXEuqKcLBREoyXPTnQ8T5HlYwScqjAUo9lVDPcaW9vPZke9jCw4h9wgZXfpangFccsH5RFeUJR0Q1fzNKBsMCFetKR4R7elYVWaiKBTzxzla3tm9Hz4gYvDvLvz74di0t3NDOf2xV9zZkPChK-HQ3JwWh9WNRh4kliP1GncPyw_EyhSHiy_L3ok/s400/the_maze2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="279" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_maTVOXEuqKcLBREoyXPTnQ8T5HlYwScqjAUo9lVDPcaW9vPZke9jCw4h9wgZXfpangFccsH5RFeUJR0Q1fzNKBsMCFetKR4R7elYVWaiKBTzxzla3tm9Hz4gYvDvLvz74di0t3NDOf2xV9zZkPChK-HQ3JwWh9WNRh4kliP1GncPyw_EyhSHiy_L3ok/w446-h640/the_maze2.jpg" width="446" /></a></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-72554780249384121982023-10-14T09:41:00.003-04:002023-10-14T09:59:57.488-04:00Following Buffaloes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDsY0ducp5gmTUoBzvhohVTYWTc5zhY6RRZHqP6iyLc9kUw2nIah8dgY48Zir_O1iYb0hPWt2X2XwPq7Ca8iwYFKdCkgywd2Kf6jC6KdEMKk2jcMTOhPyB58OsGgpS_Pu46ivxlMrc0vYRti0V7igim5qoP_9-bVLqtMEFm_ky0vsBCmV6a0r_6JB1DE/s900/DSC_0996.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="900" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDsY0ducp5gmTUoBzvhohVTYWTc5zhY6RRZHqP6iyLc9kUw2nIah8dgY48Zir_O1iYb0hPWt2X2XwPq7Ca8iwYFKdCkgywd2Kf6jC6KdEMKk2jcMTOhPyB58OsGgpS_Pu46ivxlMrc0vYRti0V7igim5qoP_9-bVLqtMEFm_ky0vsBCmV6a0r_6JB1DE/w640-h460/DSC_0996.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male flowerhead of <i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua dactyloides</i> (Colorado)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In 1977, a movie called Star Wars was just starting out on its path to becoming one of the most successful science fiction franchises in history. Marty McFly had yet to drive his DeLorean back to the future; Arnold Schwarzenegger was a relatively unknown bodybuilder whose metamorphosis into the Terminator was years into the future, and even E.T. had no need to phone home just yet.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DYQf3lOAsBFG0c6shrjSZJq0nmmjZoP0a6slsKtqkFkBlidL74sWywrHbY8iVa5w417Ai1HwpsZ6_F8YpHLBXD8Q1icrkgdYxuUtiVoboTOwqRFa4SyaIub87phLQS62TifxiQShyphenhyphenbhJJvNXMSuAT-u2_K8JK_BU4DI9pBDM7Tb9rEcJSvhhAxUXgRg/s1000/DSC_1010.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DYQf3lOAsBFG0c6shrjSZJq0nmmjZoP0a6slsKtqkFkBlidL74sWywrHbY8iVa5w417Ai1HwpsZ6_F8YpHLBXD8Q1icrkgdYxuUtiVoboTOwqRFa4SyaIub87phLQS62TifxiQShyphenhyphenbhJJvNXMSuAT-u2_K8JK_BU4DI9pBDM7Tb9rEcJSvhhAxUXgRg/w640-h428/DSC_1010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male flowerheads of <i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua dactyloides</i> (Colorado)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In this same year, in a university town in New Jersey, plant clippings from a garbage bin that was being emptied by trash collectors accidentally fell onto a lawn of Kentucky Bluegrass (<i>Poa pratensis</i>). The clippings had come from a nearby Rutgers University greenhouse that was housed in the Nelson Biological Sciences building. A grass species from the high plains of Oklahoma and Kansas was being grown there for turf studies, and its introduction into the heavily trampled and disturbed grounds of the Rutgers Busch Campus was in hindsight a fortuitous event (Quinn, 1998).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM3-OOG0STO0c4Inxh7lWQaQymhhM07ez5Iz2ONPT9uvSYBE9KD0POU9Jz9BtKt0M0VBt6UKOetwQCV0OReEJCLBpdnJOYU7PBuAIG7TUXLEhgo2WZia6rroiFgJFZg6V0adnqYiRUH1BOJYryPTNeYF05ldjJsCdKWpKTE56p-BYgfnF87fd95jSUgI/s800/20231011_140342b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM3-OOG0STO0c4Inxh7lWQaQymhhM07ez5Iz2ONPT9uvSYBE9KD0POU9Jz9BtKt0M0VBt6UKOetwQCV0OReEJCLBpdnJOYU7PBuAIG7TUXLEhgo2WZia6rroiFgJFZg6V0adnqYiRUH1BOJYryPTNeYF05ldjJsCdKWpKTE56p-BYgfnF87fd95jSUgI/w640-h288/20231011_140342b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front lawn of Library of Science and Medicine at Rutgers Busch Campus. Red arrows point to <i>B. dactyloides</i> clusters</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Forty six years later, I knelt on the same grounds in front of the next door Rutgers Library of Science and Medicine (LSM) building and examined tiny male flowerheads of <i>Bouteloua dactyloides</i> (commonly called buffalo grass in the USA). They marked the occurrence of the same plant(s) that had escaped almost five decades earlier, and their expansion and spread using both stolons and seeds moved me. I felt a sense of being connected through time by this humble native grass to that past accident so long ago.</p><p>It was relatively easy to determine the extent of the spread at this time of the year. The species starts to brown earlier during autumn, and it stood out against the still darker green masses of other turf grasses. I could see clearly that it was now present on different lawn areas that were separated by concrete paths, and that some of the irregularly shaped clones were quite large.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI4pdfxqaMvOovyUblY5R3n5uxkfT36lDWBJznSWNh2o6RhKOWfGT1Psghzz6erVrl62Wns9cNunPSD2dOaZswdIyKz7Y2JNLZmZysSNrbOuyOw8A2uYGelD6bxZIg6a4AktsdnmJwyvRDPvueac_qjaua37sMfoT8qN3Cw7UyBC3MNz4yT-XsJ4NoX4/s669/20231011_140421b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="669" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI4pdfxqaMvOovyUblY5R3n5uxkfT36lDWBJznSWNh2o6RhKOWfGT1Psghzz6erVrl62Wns9cNunPSD2dOaZswdIyKz7Y2JNLZmZysSNrbOuyOw8A2uYGelD6bxZIg6a4AktsdnmJwyvRDPvueac_qjaua37sMfoT8qN3Cw7UyBC3MNz4yT-XsJ4NoX4/w640-h602/20231011_140421b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mobile phone pic of male flowerheads of <i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua dactyloides</i> in lawn of Library of Science and Medicine, Rutgers University Busch Campus. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I noted the GPS coordinates and measured the sizes of the clusters that I could ID as <i>B. dactyloides</i>. Many were vaguely round, oval, or rectangular in shape, with diameters of half a meter for the smaller ones, and sizes that approached bedroom size for some of the larger ones.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgbtkX1HxrtKgald10FAEuFGjy8_hvX5d0nc9CHiDWKqxokngfd2a5x_-Duh5PfaHiou1DG_4Ykn0H085oVINzTiOKIlnRhSHXF8-taIqAX5kLZ3yERAvwtueq_4LzA72-gSL2NIukPMUnBvKalSCxcN5vBX-Mcg4SSB2vUuVw1jjll87oce1wB_Cf6w/s800/bd12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgbtkX1HxrtKgald10FAEuFGjy8_hvX5d0nc9CHiDWKqxokngfd2a5x_-Duh5PfaHiou1DG_4Ykn0H085oVINzTiOKIlnRhSHXF8-taIqAX5kLZ3yERAvwtueq_4LzA72-gSL2NIukPMUnBvKalSCxcN5vBX-Mcg4SSB2vUuVw1jjll87oce1wB_Cf6w/w640-h288/bd12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room size cluster of <i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua dactyloides</i> (light brown area) next to Rutgers Library of Science and Medicine</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The survival of the original plant for almost half a century is notable, because <i>B. dactyloides</i> has been touted as a low-maintenance, drought tolerant, and native alternative to the usual European grasses that dominate the northeast lawns in the USA today. I myself considered its use on my own lawn in NJ at one time some years ago. </p><p>Unfortunately, its intolerance to shade and its inability to be competitive in rainy wet areas has always raised questions as to whether it would be a successful replacement to the proven imported turf grasses. In this case, not only had it survived for almost half a century, but it had managed to spread significantly against formidable opposition from forbs and other types of grasses such as <i>P. pratensis</i>. This helps prove that it is possible to use this species as turf grass and for erosion control in disturbed soil in the Northeast.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhm0JOg5bbTxac7nvFoDb87tF8ZAD7Ovs3RImtKImrfTFu41nyDCZ3zZQtcL8kZAEoUOvYDhOZ_ggv-rVT6DUhc_4QSDOeeQSAPA6h8mczr5iNN_zSUBeFLAa6kjV97jIeor18Rpew7RW-FrNd20EweOpkB7CpUhUd9OQmmpY0Xst0fBn42UeQc6nKl1o/s900/DSC_0990.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="900" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhm0JOg5bbTxac7nvFoDb87tF8ZAD7Ovs3RImtKImrfTFu41nyDCZ3zZQtcL8kZAEoUOvYDhOZ_ggv-rVT6DUhc_4QSDOeeQSAPA6h8mczr5iNN_zSUBeFLAa6kjV97jIeor18Rpew7RW-FrNd20EweOpkB7CpUhUd9OQmmpY0Xst0fBn42UeQc6nKl1o/w640-h488/DSC_0990.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female reproductive structure of <i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua dactyloides</i> (Colorado)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As an important aside, I know some people follow trees over time, but there are many herbaceous plants that can exist for very long periods, and it is just as rewarding to follow their lives over time. In fact, the longest lived organism in the world is a herbaceous seagrass, which has been calculated to be 80,000 to 200,000 years old (Arnaud-Haond et al, 2012)! It is amazing to think how the world has seen so much change during that astounding duration. </p><p>In the same way, although spanning an exponentially shorter span, when I first laid my eyes on the spreading clusters of <i>B. dactyloides</i> in front of the LSM library a couple days back, I truly felt an emotional attachment to them. I studied at this same university in the 1990s, and I had likely passed by the same individual many times on the way to my studies. It made me feel the ticking of time with a more visceral emotion than mere objective contemplation, and it humbles me that this clonal individual might still be flourishing and thriving and growing when I'm long gone from the world. </p><p><b>Literature Cited:</b></p><p>Arnaud-Haond S, Duarte CM, Diaz-Almela E, Marbà N, Sintes T, Serrão EA. Implications of extreme life span in clonal organisms: millenary clones in meadows of the threatened seagrass Posidonia oceanica. PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e30454. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030454. Epub 2012 Feb 1. PMID: 22312426; PMCID: PMC3270012.</p><p>Quinn, J. A. (1998). Natural Expansion of Buchloe dactyloides at a Disturbed Site in New Jersey and Its Implications for Turf and Conservation Uses. The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, 125(4), 319–323. https://doi.org/10.2307/2997245</p>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-48278377247405415412023-10-10T14:50:00.008-04:002023-10-10T14:55:34.548-04:00Grasses all day, every day, and grasses ever after, amen!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClhzGIGZ4ROkT175Yfg8kU9L9U2L1EkrkhwcNkAvtDOafrPfH0XQygdWdwo2WPmiotjq7svOGJYCyq14g5Q_Vc2BvU62O1kUo9Vunw4nWZGvkg7KTCpU8LwsNGosKPWsB_ETQ-EKnUMdGBNskDS40FDbvdtZz90FDnhZM-GsYvg2ZMR9piSigpdC1rSY/s648/20230827_072558.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClhzGIGZ4ROkT175Yfg8kU9L9U2L1EkrkhwcNkAvtDOafrPfH0XQygdWdwo2WPmiotjq7svOGJYCyq14g5Q_Vc2BvU62O1kUo9Vunw4nWZGvkg7KTCpU8LwsNGosKPWsB_ETQ-EKnUMdGBNskDS40FDbvdtZz90FDnhZM-GsYvg2ZMR9piSigpdC1rSY/w593-h640/20230827_072558.jpg" width="593" /></a></div><p>My life, as well as the lives of billions of other people, are intertwined with grasses...we are touched by them....from the time we wake up in the morning, to the time we sleep at night.</p><p>This was what I tried to convey <a href="https://www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2022/4/3/ep-363-celebrating-the-grasses" target="_blank">during a talk with Matt Candelas of In Defense of Plants</a>.</p><p>In my case, when I wake up in the morning, I (like literally billions of other people around the world) encounter members of the grass family, or derivatives of it, throughout the day.</p><p>The first thing I do in the morning is eat a bowl of oatmeal, and oatmeal of course is from the grass <i>Avena sativa</i>. </p><p>When I eat my bowl of oatmeal, I put some sugar into the mix of fruits, and around 80% of sugar in the world is derived from a grass, sugarcane (<i>Saccharum officinarum</i>).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNny7nyzF7_S5wORcII8S5fV11NAtKbnIWmqSH27zlrdDQCUvF0SjTm_dhCkrsqxiqO30B02QmxS8CxJmuf6_7nI6Ufp13TJpyDu83xgP-kzVIPcqBnT9FawrehgINhTg-C1dP118i8L35NWRksF1SDru59nA_xfBOcfMu4ilfp-v3KsYUnUucGSdhBQ/s600/20230929_131244.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNny7nyzF7_S5wORcII8S5fV11NAtKbnIWmqSH27zlrdDQCUvF0SjTm_dhCkrsqxiqO30B02QmxS8CxJmuf6_7nI6Ufp13TJpyDu83xgP-kzVIPcqBnT9FawrehgINhTg-C1dP118i8L35NWRksF1SDru59nA_xfBOcfMu4ilfp-v3KsYUnUucGSdhBQ/w640-h436/20230929_131244.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I walk out to my car, and I'll see suburban lawns stretching to the horizon, and the turf grass of course is a mix of various grass species. In Florida it would be <i>Stenotaphrum secundatum </i>(St. Augustine grass)<i>, Paspalum notatum </i>(Bahia grass) and maybe <i>Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass), </i>while in the Northeast you get various mixes of<i> Poa pratensis </i>(Kentucky bluegrass)<i>, Festuca spp,</i> and<i> Lolium spp.</i></p><p>Such species are what people normally think of when you mention the word "grass" to them. Ornamental grasses also fall into this category of grasses that are used in landscaping.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BLPZr1f1E1uZ_CZ31RJMiT9sad_y1fuEIdebnMtg9ed-Nglbl191wO1q0QefesAVQFILvE8O1OT6JL_B8XcVhHODv2qsFC7eYtdl3Rs8lm8prC7e9MowSqcZ_bGbBKGSlyjLaGlmJvK1Ru7WhsVqpBKvGOuyUYNbQPuvVuIHJweX-sypw0bnEbAr2CU/s900/bog4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="900" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BLPZr1f1E1uZ_CZ31RJMiT9sad_y1fuEIdebnMtg9ed-Nglbl191wO1q0QefesAVQFILvE8O1OT6JL_B8XcVhHODv2qsFC7eYtdl3Rs8lm8prC7e9MowSqcZ_bGbBKGSlyjLaGlmJvK1Ru7WhsVqpBKvGOuyUYNbQPuvVuIHJweX-sypw0bnEbAr2CU/w640-h322/bog4.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>When I drive my car to work, the ethanol in my gasoline tank is likely as not made from Zea mays. In fact, around 40% of all corn production is used as bioethanol!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ObumPyVon-zVcEyM5fy4a4Yahb2Y25qZWnxz1YE1BhW-4PDMb4mf9GhSKDMAPdacrlkYc_6J_CRSTN4p0gN12qkufN1slhrLq1SsbzS89JtNEie2f1T-15AhiyI4yzAkAcvCVatIU9PxgVVuJ8348fuTVogVGX6njEES55x4jGJk_n8BRwnPzjCmVG8/s700/20230901_144154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="700" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ObumPyVon-zVcEyM5fy4a4Yahb2Y25qZWnxz1YE1BhW-4PDMb4mf9GhSKDMAPdacrlkYc_6J_CRSTN4p0gN12qkufN1slhrLq1SsbzS89JtNEie2f1T-15AhiyI4yzAkAcvCVatIU9PxgVVuJ8348fuTVogVGX6njEES55x4jGJk_n8BRwnPzjCmVG8/w640-h288/20230901_144154.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>During lunch, I might go out and get a burger, and where would that be without the bread that frames the delicious ingredients between them? Bread of course is from a grass that we call wheat, (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> and its ilk).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQfVyI31bsEc1DaMGda-sU6VF6vxvCO0G2NQTbiWpnW9rHWVVFXAKgcUjGSgO_bPcpVgdRsh9gAbfrWileddcc9ki0FSIv-aaubFX6gpQ4KaWiAbw7EZC-BOGc7ve0tZFn82ngrP4zMzBFtfjw3mtm9FTF1-GQM6i-nKDyWPiCg2VN-IKHkhz3cNf_pw/s457/daves-single%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQfVyI31bsEc1DaMGda-sU6VF6vxvCO0G2NQTbiWpnW9rHWVVFXAKgcUjGSgO_bPcpVgdRsh9gAbfrWileddcc9ki0FSIv-aaubFX6gpQ4KaWiAbw7EZC-BOGc7ve0tZFn82ngrP4zMzBFtfjw3mtm9FTF1-GQM6i-nKDyWPiCg2VN-IKHkhz3cNf_pw/s16000/daves-single%20copy.jpg" /></a></div><p>Maybe I also eat some snacks for lunch, and if you are brave enough to look at the ingredients of your candy or chips, you'll probably find something called high fructose corn syrup in it. This is a very common ingredient of packaged foods, because it adds to the sweetness of the food, and this is of course derived from a grass that we already mentioned above, <i>Zea mays</i> (corn/maize).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVOiY1fw2lujUmc-noTXPGkVdTtQdwmdIfa5zLb0pKmfcXEllBuQc25E5FteQi7ZSQt6vsNuFUFomoQGTzrDeNwqWo7zIR-Ps23Rgz0uv73rBd2OQhr2lJal8uRLHs3es_oyxK7CM0nCmqnFhpWuC-9xKiSC-SbOnxmtnQRaKU9lBIJyfWOI_iIZk55s/s600/Basically-Corn-Macro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVOiY1fw2lujUmc-noTXPGkVdTtQdwmdIfa5zLb0pKmfcXEllBuQc25E5FteQi7ZSQt6vsNuFUFomoQGTzrDeNwqWo7zIR-Ps23Rgz0uv73rBd2OQhr2lJal8uRLHs3es_oyxK7CM0nCmqnFhpWuC-9xKiSC-SbOnxmtnQRaKU9lBIJyfWOI_iIZk55s/s16000/Basically-Corn-Macro.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>In fact, if you live in the USA, your body is probably mostly derived from that single grass species. Here is a great documentary that explores in some depth the ubiquity of <i>Z. mays</i> in American life. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tbRHGHYMGpU" width="320" youtube-src-id="tbRHGHYMGpU"></iframe></div><p>Finally, during some part of the day, I'll probably eat rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i>) during either lunch or dinner (and sometimes breakfast too!). Rice is, of course, one of those grasses that have been essential in the creation and and molding of entire civilizations (which I'll look into next time).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNOIfb8aWvHMhDH6UcNyV4St7jG5txif756B5ga77yVZw1a32eCTvp9KApI7YVyUVTB3hsHNzenlpvXPS7pU93Nx1RNpMQPZvJgF9aiqEEAYKyRCbFptbFYdb3Sfm8AQH3mJDoWYov0DqXwFXNWfniar6jRrY4Hmr5pUOzzEfGpY6QvsI-llUyYHop-Y/s800/20230826_141021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="800" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNOIfb8aWvHMhDH6UcNyV4St7jG5txif756B5ga77yVZw1a32eCTvp9KApI7YVyUVTB3hsHNzenlpvXPS7pU93Nx1RNpMQPZvJgF9aiqEEAYKyRCbFptbFYdb3Sfm8AQH3mJDoWYov0DqXwFXNWfniar6jRrY4Hmr5pUOzzEfGpY6QvsI-llUyYHop-Y/w640-h412/20230826_141021.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And I'm not even including all the times we use bamboo implements and tools!<div><div><br /></div><div>So no matter how you look at it, the family Poaceae is by far the most influential and important plant family in the world. It's grasses all day, every day, and grasses ever after, amen!</div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-54690879687623669892023-09-29T21:37:00.025-04:002023-10-01T09:40:08.364-04:00How I do botanical backgrounding in photographs<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0jdx9bDQPEPHuIX2G8LkL086LmsDC3FpR4DOjvLwyOO7ZuDPGPYC3fpa0qD22y4dc24vJLUmHu9oQpxQJtOuLjynUEqnCkvdls-m4J3HB_Es2XpDCUw2SHU1T9j61u9fqfXr6Cgjg23qIoHVnOtJSCo_qQUn1dEF05eJtQeEt1KEtBXWVErwBGCUioU/s900/DSC_0241b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0jdx9bDQPEPHuIX2G8LkL086LmsDC3FpR4DOjvLwyOO7ZuDPGPYC3fpa0qD22y4dc24vJLUmHu9oQpxQJtOuLjynUEqnCkvdls-m4J3HB_Es2XpDCUw2SHU1T9j61u9fqfXr6Cgjg23qIoHVnOtJSCo_qQUn1dEF05eJtQeEt1KEtBXWVErwBGCUioU/w640-h428/DSC_0241b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cynodon dactylon</i> (Bermuda grass) in Parque del Amor, Lima, Peru. The beach is down below a cliff, and you can see the waves as they rush to shore.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><i>Note: I am by no means an expert at photography, so apologies for any mistaken notions I may have, but here are a few things I've learned.</i></p><p>I am a big fan of macrophotography, and I have been doing it for several years now.</p><p>But sometimes I want to show more than just the specimen, especially when the picture I am taking includes scenery that is well known or significant.</p><p>In this case, my goal is to have a sharp foreground showing the specimen(s), but with a soft blurry background that does not take away the scenery completely. In order to accomplish this, you need to create something called a <b>shallow depth of field</b>. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF6EMNFgr59BvdNfjQzCFEiMheBGyuMSulPGhXL4p7uqAudDC1tO4kK17K3kD_bkr_ta-Uk1T1W64yxENKlNgW-1GQKeBz-NRHy3bO_ExShxAF1f_C7a7lzMGqUW_Jv5Prg4VMKEGti1rglMyrQRnFM1-N91SvqUoIblZknUZw6t7my8x59DPHkRzvEU/s1000/DSC_1140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF6EMNFgr59BvdNfjQzCFEiMheBGyuMSulPGhXL4p7uqAudDC1tO4kK17K3kD_bkr_ta-Uk1T1W64yxENKlNgW-1GQKeBz-NRHy3bO_ExShxAF1f_C7a7lzMGqUW_Jv5Prg4VMKEGti1rglMyrQRnFM1-N91SvqUoIblZknUZw6t7my8x59DPHkRzvEU/w640-h428/DSC_1140.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bromus tectorum</i> (cheatgrass) in foregound of Continental Divide scenery in Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, El Dorado State Park, Colorado, USA.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Creating this shallow depth of field is more an art than a science, and it involves fiddling with various settings in your DSLR camera, as well as correctly positioning yourself and your subject. This includes:</p><p><b>1. Aperture</b></p><p>This refers to the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor, and the metric it uses is called the f-stop. <b>The lower the f-stop, the greater the amount of light that reaches the sensor, and the shallower the depth of field (the blurrier the background)</b>. </p><p>For example, an f-stop of 3 means more light gets to the sensor, which creates a shallower depth of field than if the f-stop is 9. So using an f-stop of 3 would get you a blurrier background compared to using an f-stop of 9, all other things being equal.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaMI3s2XhA-6r_8K5-5fnx_MqM2zzL4wBejN-x9ZpmULqYLm_9Fdl2uH-KNIdsujndqhGsvN9bAW2k5eY25xK6e6EIrz0T4ZVbWJEEkKyn5yMjzuS5j-sFpvfehnqNC30_YHuleXi3wqoAfDO8el6RdHkRIeuKfAUT_53XowQ9eLJIFAvvt5sKrJuooI/s1000/DSC_1964.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1000" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaMI3s2XhA-6r_8K5-5fnx_MqM2zzL4wBejN-x9ZpmULqYLm_9Fdl2uH-KNIdsujndqhGsvN9bAW2k5eY25xK6e6EIrz0T4ZVbWJEEkKyn5yMjzuS5j-sFpvfehnqNC30_YHuleXi3wqoAfDO8el6RdHkRIeuKfAUT_53XowQ9eLJIFAvvt5sKrJuooI/w640-h386/DSC_1964.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dactyloctenium aegyptium</i> in foreground and our cruise ship in background (in Costa Maya, Mexico)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>2. Focal length</b> </p><p>This refers to how wide your angle of view is, and it also affects the magnification. It is measured in millimeters (mm), and the rule of thumb is that <b>the longer the focal length, the greater the magnification, the narrower your field of view, and the shallower the depth of field (the blurrier the background).</b></p><p>So, a focal length setting of 100 mm provides greater magnification, a narrower field of view, and a shallower depth of field than a lens with a focal length of 20 mm.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6otczj1fZeFnA6dSSfpiKHgLhrlRxb4xGu-juhoxT8r9W5Ra4EPZuKz3N6gTMSVw016m8Pk-zwJ4Ek509nNrlDzUxhFsh7y0197-aq_u_uQZ4GilQX5kNBSpBCb0j_WUVjY_dHkU0LEZrpFSeaqlBoA7yqT5E4GSKAFMujU76MwPqMtYIwSb9MaPmU8/s1000/DSC_1001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6otczj1fZeFnA6dSSfpiKHgLhrlRxb4xGu-juhoxT8r9W5Ra4EPZuKz3N6gTMSVw016m8Pk-zwJ4Ek509nNrlDzUxhFsh7y0197-aq_u_uQZ4GilQX5kNBSpBCb0j_WUVjY_dHkU0LEZrpFSeaqlBoA7yqT5E4GSKAFMujU76MwPqMtYIwSb9MaPmU8/w640-h428/DSC_1001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bouteloua dactyloides</i> (Buffalograss) in foreground of Buffalo Bill sculpture in Oakley, Kansas.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>3. Distance between camera and specimen</b></p><p>There are also things you can do beyond just fiddling with your camera settings to create a soft blurry background and a sharply focused subject. The distance you keep between your camera and the actual specimen also makes a big difference.</p><p><b>The smaller the distance between the camera and the specimen, the shallow the depth of field (the blurrier the background). </b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UkSPcbIz94zs2HcTaMlAJsnbLP8cqZWayAObqoNNzFqkoJndhM1OmwTTkTf5yfJXYCHbwpUfy2gG4EMriF4jf02NBczVI7pxWY7ULNwoGqhxj29es6sx4_r4NY8hC_ZGXhIo18rFbPoaw69UK-GqzqWpnw23Gj5LRDGYLE83xQIXLXRimBT6QN1W8W0/s941/DSC_0908.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UkSPcbIz94zs2HcTaMlAJsnbLP8cqZWayAObqoNNzFqkoJndhM1OmwTTkTf5yfJXYCHbwpUfy2gG4EMriF4jf02NBczVI7pxWY7ULNwoGqhxj29es6sx4_r4NY8hC_ZGXhIo18rFbPoaw69UK-GqzqWpnw23Gj5LRDGYLE83xQIXLXRimBT6QN1W8W0/w612-h640/DSC_0908.jpg" width="612" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sporobolus michauxianus</i> (formerly <i>Spartina pectinata</i>) near Lower Bluestem Trail, Boulder, CO, USA. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Putting all these factors together, the golden rule of botanical backgrounding therefore is:</p><p><b><i>In order to get a shallower depth of field (blurrier and softer background) while maintaining a sharp focus on the specimen, you need a lower f-stop, a higher focal length, and a shorter distance between camera and specimen.</i></b></p><p>Here's an example of how focal length, aperture, and distance to the specimen can affect the depth of field and how blurry the background gets using the same specimen and background.</p><p>In the first pic below, the specimen is <i>Avena barbata</i>, with the Moras Salt Mines in the Sacred Valley of Peru in the background. The f-stop used here is 8, the focal length is 20 mm, and I was standing relatively far away from the specimen when I took the pic. Notice how relatively clear the background is when compared to the actual subject of the photo. This makes the picture too "busy", and detracts from the focus of your photograph, which is the grass in the foreground.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh8LndjkJwWsVsjQN-Th8pmpKm8H0T1sD5zvNVPuSwenzkcIpFLvPc4KnLuc8Ms3PjemMzaNg2j7b6b-D0X32iqrjAfT6sux63uj8gFeLUUak_0bo25yt2od792DTLCgrkfgsEjwmrQ_Sk5021nUGoY9s_PwqyPyqtjq6gvVc0qzW2VzKfErj_nKVIwk/s900/DSC_0578.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh8LndjkJwWsVsjQN-Th8pmpKm8H0T1sD5zvNVPuSwenzkcIpFLvPc4KnLuc8Ms3PjemMzaNg2j7b6b-D0X32iqrjAfT6sux63uj8gFeLUUak_0bo25yt2od792DTLCgrkfgsEjwmrQ_Sk5021nUGoY9s_PwqyPyqtjq6gvVc0qzW2VzKfErj_nKVIwk/w640-h428/DSC_0578.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Avena barbata (?)</i> in the Moras Salt mines in the Sacred Valley of Peru</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now compare that picture above with the picture below. This is the same specimen, but this time I am using an f-stop of 2.8, a focal length of 100 mm, and I am closer to the specimen. Notice how relatively clear the specimen is, but how blurry the background has become. Normally, I would not want a photo like this when I'm doing botanical backgrounding of my photo (too shallow a depth of field and thus too blurry in back), but it does illustrates how aperture, focal length, and distance to the specimen heavily influences the depth of field and the contrast between subject and background. </p><p>It also highlights how much of an art it is trying to get a good optimal mix between a too-clear background that steals focus from the subject, and one that is a completely unrecognizable blur. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKZYBICa_vSN5oL4hWGFWDfv2e5r1IskINordnPyAWKX2-P0clBYwmyuqG1qt9BL6h34MV26rvtwhAcds0-XYVejD-jZh_p0VryYLMGmJaINfZ_gh4gF_4g8nbHvAPBKEr26-GDwh9DM33zQcNchge7u4NS1XL_Ttg7ZYRHuSH1GEXZRP8f2v6KLRmU8/s900/DSC_0586b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKZYBICa_vSN5oL4hWGFWDfv2e5r1IskINordnPyAWKX2-P0clBYwmyuqG1qt9BL6h34MV26rvtwhAcds0-XYVejD-jZh_p0VryYLMGmJaINfZ_gh4gF_4g8nbHvAPBKEr26-GDwh9DM33zQcNchge7u4NS1XL_Ttg7ZYRHuSH1GEXZRP8f2v6KLRmU8/w640-h428/DSC_0586b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Avena barbata (?)</i> in the Moras Salt mines in the Sacred Valley of Peru</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Sounds relatively simple right? Now good luck with your pics, and I hope this short article helps you when you are taking botanical photographs and want a good background for it.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>My camera is a Nikon D3400, and for macrophotography I use a Tokina AT-X pro lens.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>ps.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>I should note that taking the types of backgrounding pics where the specimen is very close to the ground means more than just worrying about focal length, aperture, and distance to specimen. Most times I need to lie flat on the ground to take pics, or take "blind" pics (taking pics without looking into viewfinder) after adjusting the settings, hoping for a photo that is in focus. Someone mentioned that there is visual equipment that will allow you to take pics while holding the camera at awkward angles, but I don't have that (yet). In the meantime, this is hard work and not as easy as I make it out to be above. </i></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-63764448049453147442023-09-24T15:25:00.024-04:002023-09-26T20:07:05.620-04:00Guardians of the Weed Field<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8Bd4oVFzWHv7x8LukqqQRBcOBWtb9lQ64DobFH15mhnsaz4NhHmTMlMeBuYZzYIhZphD9VxLQ9I1n8ITjqGvN4HeEHXzmCLY8sgTYoiST_7rjFQWmOjo8W6Kv2_Pv7KhH8iJSrQSgWR7flhKBfWHF5zL6OEw3hUqSukln9xJbLjxifsnOEKb42cslMU/s960/118776365_321562719091279_35732286717187592_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8Bd4oVFzWHv7x8LukqqQRBcOBWtb9lQ64DobFH15mhnsaz4NhHmTMlMeBuYZzYIhZphD9VxLQ9I1n8ITjqGvN4HeEHXzmCLY8sgTYoiST_7rjFQWmOjo8W6Kv2_Pv7KhH8iJSrQSgWR7flhKBfWHF5zL6OEw3hUqSukln9xJbLjxifsnOEKb42cslMU/w480-h640/118776365_321562719091279_35732286717187592_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Lovecraftian Field of Cogongrass</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><i>This was written in March of 1986 for a paper, but the events in it happened almost a decade earlier, in the late 1970s. The weed field in the story was dominated by the usual dominant species in the Philippines, probably Imperata cylindrica (cogongrass) and Saccharum spontaneum (wild sugarcane).</i></p><p>I remember the day they burned the field down.</p><p>I was a fifth-grader then, perhaps only 10 years of age, and on my way to my school's elementary school library. Lunchtime had just began, and for the next hour or so I would eagerly wade through a Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew mystery; I had not yet discovered science fiction books (in the guise of the ever popular Star Trek series) and the lives of those teenage detectives seemed to me the height of adventure. It was while thinking of these same detectives that I noticed faint wisps of smoke rising from beyond one of the school's many playgrounds.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MVv6OSOgy94ap7NdXDAMmfPl3ZxHZW5Ny5UwXjOWOWZq3egQubpRt_uwCiUl_UQ8EFRdoMS86psbua8GmHB2wZqnVJUcEVi8oi4qE7vl6FFyKkiSQk2WQMuWY1jaCJksO_RI-KRU7gRjb9CQU9VmRM_FNlZsZq8KI-ir80AbpMM4uF9vM9oTAFjbdJU/s723/nancy2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MVv6OSOgy94ap7NdXDAMmfPl3ZxHZW5Ny5UwXjOWOWZq3egQubpRt_uwCiUl_UQ8EFRdoMS86psbua8GmHB2wZqnVJUcEVi8oi4qE7vl6FFyKkiSQk2WQMuWY1jaCJksO_RI-KRU7gRjb9CQU9VmRM_FNlZsZq8KI-ir80AbpMM4uF9vM9oTAFjbdJU/w442-h640/nancy2.jpg" width="442" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>To one side of my school there lay a wild tangle of rank grasses and thorny plants - a virtual no-man's land that was part of the school property. This weed field extended from the school's side and half way to the horizon and was some 50 meters across, which made it one really gigantic monster to my over-active 5th grade imagination.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfw-LbDfUqyXqSPc2Odb-xhv6kYspxr5HDbwIXmTLp82Lw4n2iF4NsSUYZHDROJjPasnEGn0d3PQGUuX69lEwO7OMfcI5cPxMwl_szg0CYxx1cep5ani0Zb-8xOu_9uZB7LnI5TjgTQAKNRpsNLG1ghT8YTzId2lNTf9coGhOE1x5JJ-Y1tYmwXBkc540/s1000/DSC_1349.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfw-LbDfUqyXqSPc2Odb-xhv6kYspxr5HDbwIXmTLp82Lw4n2iF4NsSUYZHDROJjPasnEGn0d3PQGUuX69lEwO7OMfcI5cPxMwl_szg0CYxx1cep5ani0Zb-8xOu_9uZB7LnI5TjgTQAKNRpsNLG1ghT8YTzId2lNTf9coGhOE1x5JJ-Y1tYmwXBkc540/w640-h428/DSC_1349.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Saccharum spontaneum</i>, Philippines</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Nestled between this field and the school was a small area that had been cleared of the meters high weeds, and here we students did our gardening; we toiled and troubled over our sickly-looking vegetable plants, all the while wondering about the "jungle" that nearly surrounded us and the positively gruesome creatures that we knew lived within it. Like normal pre-teens however, the thought of what lay concealed within that wild land did not repulse us but drew us towards it, and we once dared each other to walk into the field and stay there for an hour or so, a peso to the fellow who came out whole and alive. Finally, one or two takers walked into the field when our Practical Arts teacher was conveniently busy with something else, but they were soon dragged back by this enraged gentleman (who had threatened us all with F grades if we failed to reveal the whereabouts of our missing classmates) and sent to the principal. Needless to say, we never tried that stunt again. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsX1r7xCWtKZMoN0DRrk4IjWMtJFfbIMnolLhtSdnbIqV0_1rgdlIyo7HR6aTiNUSlnfCz6XooyCI2mCQKL-2alzosk2U-xDoliDtohcKNxQUJuMBN4Qpil3ORFZRhhvoCqqkZygL7dJJY8VGjsefQPKXMs3jwLHgYmkRZv6GOb0piP4JemQRf4IW2ZAY/s800/cogon1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsX1r7xCWtKZMoN0DRrk4IjWMtJFfbIMnolLhtSdnbIqV0_1rgdlIyo7HR6aTiNUSlnfCz6XooyCI2mCQKL-2alzosk2U-xDoliDtohcKNxQUJuMBN4Qpil3ORFZRhhvoCqqkZygL7dJJY8VGjsefQPKXMs3jwLHgYmkRZv6GOb0piP4JemQRf4IW2ZAY/w640-h480/cogon1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Imperata cylindrica,</i> Philippines, from <a href="http://amazinglingsat.com/" target="_blank">Amazing Lingsat</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now I could see smoke rising from the weed field; it came from half a dozen or so fires that raged throughout the land. Plants that were once so tall and proud now became blackened ash that filled the air and rained all over the side of the school nearest to the field. A growing crowd of excited students watched as men from the school started new fires in an effort to hasten the weed field's demise, their tiny figures barely visible in the distance as clouds of ash and smoke rolled in from the burning field to cover a nearby playground. I thought at first that the fires would spread to the school proper, but the men obviously knew what they were doing and somehow controlled its spread.</p><p>I stayed watching for a while longer, then continued on my way to the library. The afternoon passed, and it was soon time to go home. But my school bus was late (as usual) and so I decided to see what had happened to the weed field.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJsQGW-NEAQ_PbXwXfOlZVg_j86z91O2Rl-NN3mnuvYEOXFzWtswEapQY-12YKUiyTTbjKjg1E4Odjp504dZAsK9sYpEyz2UXW6PzdfRY4Y_jo5QG-lmGCYP5qQ8nqje10DXIQ_uZ9rcUH9LrKLWK7deKNJ5ChFbtWdaFHWgJ6XYYE5m6I9KE3BEMS5U/s800/bene.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJsQGW-NEAQ_PbXwXfOlZVg_j86z91O2Rl-NN3mnuvYEOXFzWtswEapQY-12YKUiyTTbjKjg1E4Odjp504dZAsK9sYpEyz2UXW6PzdfRY4Y_jo5QG-lmGCYP5qQ8nqje10DXIQ_uZ9rcUH9LrKLWK7deKNJ5ChFbtWdaFHWgJ6XYYE5m6I9KE3BEMS5U/w640-h426/bene.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing field in school. From D. Gamboa and E. Nacion.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>While I was busy slaving away in my hot, stuffy classroom, the workmen had done their work - more than half of the field had been converted to ash. The weed field looked fearsome and awe-inspiring no more; in fact, it looked downright pitiful that fateful afternoon - a victim of my school's expansionist policies. I learned later that a school chapel would be built over the ashes of the field.<p>I found the weed field's creatures that day. They were stored in glass jars filled with formaldehyde, their scaled bodies coiled tightly in death. The jars stood like brooding sentinels on open wooden shelves. There were dozens and dozens of the slain creatures, from foot-long green snakes to pythons reaching three meters in length. They had escaped the fires only to be caught and killed by the ever-vigilant workers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxNfyZWANTTLDfYfXVrAXFuunJtx98ZOOY4HZKGErjwyZIQABTxEJ4iAJg7ziV-CmYPTDiiFCl51Xwq0eWyNBTwiIw9CSXh4hcIgdaLRweM_ZrhHvN7Ogk2BJtckp0MoTc8DkUuLl2mfQKnzJP66GAespH_dIW4wFfYbQ_wwNF6E3qQgCDNHnOKf_304/s743/jars.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxNfyZWANTTLDfYfXVrAXFuunJtx98ZOOY4HZKGErjwyZIQABTxEJ4iAJg7ziV-CmYPTDiiFCl51Xwq0eWyNBTwiIw9CSXh4hcIgdaLRweM_ZrhHvN7Ogk2BJtckp0MoTc8DkUuLl2mfQKnzJP66GAespH_dIW4wFfYbQ_wwNF6E3qQgCDNHnOKf_304/w602-h640/jars.jpg" width="602" /></a></div><p>I remember feeling sorry for these misunderstood "monsters", who we children had feared and perhaps even hated for so long. In death, they did not seem menacing even to my young eyes, but instead seemed so pitiful. They were the guardians of the weed field and they had guarded it well for so long; and when their home died, they had died loyally with it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeUGGMEUJF8kWA3WTbdW1EX8BFmsVROlu2G7DDRDY7-TzrW-0mGYAwvQ5uqfS8oxIq6pqDMxzpBgidolLzH6J9gVDTHTGN4C03ROKXZCnW1603GrUOdaG2TfjAO8nMvS05XOCQFZ2PcxEZ2yGK0_XGyZtXbE5Fkhex5WQS1Q4IXJT_g1XrF_MOmE5PV0/s900/snake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="900" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeUGGMEUJF8kWA3WTbdW1EX8BFmsVROlu2G7DDRDY7-TzrW-0mGYAwvQ5uqfS8oxIq6pqDMxzpBgidolLzH6J9gVDTHTGN4C03ROKXZCnW1603GrUOdaG2TfjAO8nMvS05XOCQFZ2PcxEZ2yGK0_XGyZtXbE5Fkhex5WQS1Q4IXJT_g1XrF_MOmE5PV0/w640-h416/snake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-40664657211616123512023-09-18T10:59:00.006-04:002023-09-26T22:13:35.671-04:00Second update on the rapid expansion of an invasive grass in Florida<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u34CIN4VpfgYB6YQA39bXSEejZjglyWzP-iLsYzw_CwIUIYa79ZDXQ-YjU_gY-hzRgX115-r737mm_ML_H0NS8bPcyX7t2GssYh7haTTbn6K-wVPEr3Hx3LTxAEFBlRPzHNIPa8wqF2AWq04YX6t8LWzwaSTWXEHJ8HvXd5BRFFLtY0yGXOMZDfDtQc/s800/cogon1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u34CIN4VpfgYB6YQA39bXSEejZjglyWzP-iLsYzw_CwIUIYa79ZDXQ-YjU_gY-hzRgX115-r737mm_ML_H0NS8bPcyX7t2GssYh7haTTbn6K-wVPEr3Hx3LTxAEFBlRPzHNIPa8wqF2AWq04YX6t8LWzwaSTWXEHJ8HvXd5BRFFLtY0yGXOMZDfDtQc/w640-h480/cogon1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hillside with cogon grass. From Amazing Lingsat</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The previous 2 posts on this topic:</p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2021/12/update-on-rapid-expansion-of-invasive.html" target="_blank">Update on the rapid expansion of an invasive grass (December 30, 2021)</a></p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2021/04/rapid-expansion-of-invasive-grass-as.html" target="_blank">Rapid expansion of an invasive grass as viewed using Google StreetView (April 4, 2021)</a></p><p>About 20 months after the last update (December 30, 2021), I again visited the same location and checked on the pace of expansion of the <i>Imperata cylindrica</i> cluster.</p><p>The cogon grass cluster had been expanding at a rate of 0.6 meters per month to one side, and during the last check, it had moved 6 meters to the west (left) of a green optic cable marker (see pic below).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55_J6iWlQhQ-hU9eI-WsiRxHoxfn4WlKRK33A0jCaRfVHCs3WtY5Hr10ZgqvXNkgwTng4rtGw9oOQAWzMNl6mSNmmmXeo_nWNS4rkatltRjPwMWTrv5F254EQ390qYCJgBvNiGAtof6-yfPqSDp9jP5GyT0PwGtsgJm7QkPezCTls7ICCPYCOodwygMQ/s1310/update.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55_J6iWlQhQ-hU9eI-WsiRxHoxfn4WlKRK33A0jCaRfVHCs3WtY5Hr10ZgqvXNkgwTng4rtGw9oOQAWzMNl6mSNmmmXeo_nWNS4rkatltRjPwMWTrv5F254EQ390qYCJgBvNiGAtof6-yfPqSDp9jP5GyT0PwGtsgJm7QkPezCTls7ICCPYCOodwygMQ/w488-h640/update.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><p>When I visited yesterday, the cluster had expanded laterally another 6 meters before encountering a large low lying tree (see pic below).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWLd_JnS13YiGFr9WVRs5vthePqwj5Tf6SbSmpsS3n0-J846MVTovX59xBPla7G3fwMvrQ-V28sTgetUOrZDHcjC1JZTHYErEv2hAoE-ct8oNuK7__gIZGAeUMt-FZV2ahNVcKV_zFx1pu-utwKbBoi76pd9Wci3r6JPnPfsoKNjkSU4gDHmaESTtb2Y/s800/20230917_124410.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWLd_JnS13YiGFr9WVRs5vthePqwj5Tf6SbSmpsS3n0-J846MVTovX59xBPla7G3fwMvrQ-V28sTgetUOrZDHcjC1JZTHYErEv2hAoE-ct8oNuK7__gIZGAeUMt-FZV2ahNVcKV_zFx1pu-utwKbBoi76pd9Wci3r6JPnPfsoKNjkSU4gDHmaESTtb2Y/w640-h288/20230917_124410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cogon has continued lateral expansion all the way to tree on west (left). September, 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The cogon ramets had crowded to the right of the crown of the low lying tree, but has not yet been able to bridge the shadow gap and cross to the other side.</p><p>However, I found isolated ramets huddling under the tree's shadow, with the one furthest west about 3 meters in from the crown edge. In addition, the cogon cluster is at the same time growing around the tree from behind. The result of these two activities means that sooner or later, the cogon will make its way to the unshadowed west side of the tree. at which point it should again commence its rapid lateral movement.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq_t6vIdciJV8vrOG93JW-n0GdB_C-e5xssYAJdSjcig6EIcjdWOSHmJlD7BgXuGxGi1yHFUYPuS7dw7aV_o5x9iLkYdQ6wp9WuGxGAgad41zDT-Iu43b5-xexySqYCaPCnGU502mzYFAOe6YdJIzl4emqoNABLAy8_OlxRTZuzWQowreuJs7GuqFYlI/s759/20230917_124817.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="759" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq_t6vIdciJV8vrOG93JW-n0GdB_C-e5xssYAJdSjcig6EIcjdWOSHmJlD7BgXuGxGi1yHFUYPuS7dw7aV_o5x9iLkYdQ6wp9WuGxGAgad41zDT-Iu43b5-xexySqYCaPCnGU502mzYFAOe6YdJIzl4emqoNABLAy8_OlxRTZuzWQowreuJs7GuqFYlI/w640-h304/20230917_124817.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cogon slogging under the tree's shadow towards the other side. September 2023.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The expansion rate of 0.6-0.7 meters per month that I had calculated in previous posts was based on an unshaded environment. It's been 20 months since I checked in Dec 2021, and in that time, the cluster has moved around 9 meters sideways, which comes out to 0.45 meters per month. This is noticeably slower than before, but obviously understandable given the shaded territory that it is trying to cross.</div><div><br /></div><div>An interesting side topic is the ability of the species to traverse shaded environments. Although there are some indications that cogon grass is able to tolerate some shading, the presence of ramets deep into the shade of the tree might be explained by something more interesting.</div><div><br /></div><div>As a rhizomatous species, cogon grass may have clonal integration. That is, researchers have found that clusters of interconnected ramets have attributes that cannot be found in non-clonal species. Not only does information flow between the members of the genet, but nutrients and water can be translocated throughout the entire network of ramets. This ability to actively and deliberately move information and other materials allows these clonal grasses to withstand stresses in heterogeneous environments that separated individual plants cannot. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thus in this case, the ramets under the crown of the tree might be sustained by photosynthates flowing to it from the unshaded and larger clones.</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>More information on clonal integration is discussed here:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2022/01/the-fascinating-foraging-and-behavioral.html" target="_blank">The fascinating foraging and behavioral specialization of clonal grasses</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I've been rather lax in checking up on this fascinating invasion recently (has 20 months gone already!!), but in future I'll try to update it every 6 months or so. </div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-57170638713605555722023-09-14T14:17:00.003-04:002023-09-14T22:29:46.228-04:00Life in the Cracks Part Deux (Vertical Edition)<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2xrrL2k2LeDqOryvKJBA1fEM964zPMOrCNqhBTXOlquBc65xnWfHIfY7wbgGdTnaxE2tkxV2U95xhe01dRzsOWoA2NVKXX05ngCKT3fpKwepsyJlyXpY3m9TTJM5byyzJh2LS9GxXvpnyxbMDfjDL5WReqxCXvh67T1jHgTcQIF_J5RuYQGomJW99lc/s800/DSC_1317.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2xrrL2k2LeDqOryvKJBA1fEM964zPMOrCNqhBTXOlquBc65xnWfHIfY7wbgGdTnaxE2tkxV2U95xhe01dRzsOWoA2NVKXX05ngCKT3fpKwepsyJlyXpY3m9TTJM5byyzJh2LS9GxXvpnyxbMDfjDL5WReqxCXvh67T1jHgTcQIF_J5RuYQGomJW99lc/w640-h428/DSC_1317.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p>The very first article I posted was in July 2019, when I marveled over all the varied life that existed around us without being noticed.</p><p>In that post, I highlighted <i>Digitaria</i> spp weeds that had sprouted up from the cracks in the parking lot of an office complex.</p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2019/07/its-cracked-life.html" target="_blank">Life In the Cracks</a></p><p>I was reminded of this again while walking around a park in Broomfield, CO last month, and I noticed a wayward individual grass that had somehow germinated from an extremely narrow vertical crack going up the side of a bridge.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-cAhofeG6Ege4kOqDO9-7Vg4Qj_dYs2jQ8JnAyQz8aOxV4qOYbJT9D4B5MVNBrnt8h-349Yaj4sStd0LkLCBbbCAXS-FNcwsMSSlG1-Ko8kUn1uGurAwOnGder53XI4dRi2ZrSxwiHGgBKETYFv6eFvFJSGGnNYLcLOHxmhV_w68IWF-jF5OY97_H3M/s800/DSC_1321.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-cAhofeG6Ege4kOqDO9-7Vg4Qj_dYs2jQ8JnAyQz8aOxV4qOYbJT9D4B5MVNBrnt8h-349Yaj4sStd0LkLCBbbCAXS-FNcwsMSSlG1-Ko8kUn1uGurAwOnGder53XI4dRi2ZrSxwiHGgBKETYFv6eFvFJSGGnNYLcLOHxmhV_w68IWF-jF5OY97_H3M/w640-h428/DSC_1321.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base of the culm comes straight out of the narrow crack.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There were no other vegetation at all in the long crack, and given that it hadn't rained in a bit, I had to wonder how the specimen was surviving at all. The other question that sprung to my mind was how it got there in the first place, and the most likely explanation was that a wind blown seed had fond its way into the crack, and had been lucky enough to take root before it could be dislodged.</p><p>It was a <i>Setaria</i> sp (<i>Setaria viridis</i>?), members of which seem to have a proficiency when it comes to such an epiphytic lifestyle. I have seen members of this genus proliferating along walls in New Jersey as well, although none of those were in the same precarious situation as this lone Broomfield individual.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8eKF4l-owY-glecMpiAIbI7ljblCjubOUa7WmqJqMojGPSzx504ZoR-WAL5HZEGsKpVN_Y5IAtSo6fsKOiDTtva4nn2l5sES6muf_CMpXAnBgU01eo8uNmAH3d4lKyXUjg0FOCo_csNuhDphkFdWgKcGhOYerkcG-WKwXA3F7WWwPwo9gITAucltXu4/s800/DSC_1324.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8eKF4l-owY-glecMpiAIbI7ljblCjubOUa7WmqJqMojGPSzx504ZoR-WAL5HZEGsKpVN_Y5IAtSo6fsKOiDTtva4nn2l5sES6muf_CMpXAnBgU01eo8uNmAH3d4lKyXUjg0FOCo_csNuhDphkFdWgKcGhOYerkcG-WKwXA3F7WWwPwo9gITAucltXu4/w640-h428/DSC_1324.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowerhead of the specimen</td></tr></tbody></table><p>To most people, such minor miracles as this are not even noticed, or acknowledged. At most their eyes might hover fleetingly over the lone survivor, then dismiss it as just another weed and continue on.</p><p>But when I first saw this, I was amazed. Life, it seems, will always find a way. It will grow and exist if there is any way at all to do so, no matter how unusual or surprising its method. Life is persistent; it is dogged and stubborn. It will turn up in the most unexpected of places, and surprise us.</p><p>I hope I never get tired of having such feelings of amazement at the wonder of life.</p><p>ps. as an aside, the ability of members of the Poaceae to survive in what seemingly are epiphytic conditions again highlights the question of why the family does not have more real epiphytes, like the members of the Orchid and Bromeliad families. There are only a grand total of perhaps 2 grasses that are considered truly epiphytic, out of a membership of around 12,000 species. Why have grasses, which are so dominant in many other places, failed to capitalize on this niche?</p><p>The answer to the question seems to be tied to the fact that the Poaceae are mainly wind pollinated, and that such a mechanism is not optimal in the wet, humid and closed environments that are favored by true epiphytes. For more on this topic, click below:</p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2020/12/calling-all-orchid-wannabees-where-are.html" target="_blank">Calling all orchid-wannabees: Where are the epiphytic grasses???</a></p>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-78040889369306730142023-09-10T09:41:00.018-04:002023-09-10T10:36:30.314-04:00A Short History of Ornamental Grasses<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYo7u4P9H5ypnZt1nKnrpo-pyqFQX4kVFGswKwXx90I7O1AjAhgI-Rjrjxtr0JVaf7aKNbw-gPeXUBg1HO7qOgDtey2IkQIg6AQZrkogDZ5_QCrsdwAbaFq1HaPFZkpnA9aog-id8ntPtXjnn6QXHp7bvxAwktmuHO0-0nvOjpA89RUkc1_hVJQ5JVAQ/s800/f20230904_152609.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYo7u4P9H5ypnZt1nKnrpo-pyqFQX4kVFGswKwXx90I7O1AjAhgI-Rjrjxtr0JVaf7aKNbw-gPeXUBg1HO7qOgDtey2IkQIg6AQZrkogDZ5_QCrsdwAbaFq1HaPFZkpnA9aog-id8ntPtXjnn6QXHp7bvxAwktmuHO0-0nvOjpA89RUkc1_hVJQ5JVAQ/w640-h288/f20230904_152609.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park, in St. Louis</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Ornamental non-bamboo grasses have become such a ubiquitous feature of suburban and urban landscapes nowadays, that it might surprise some people that their widespread use is a relatively new phenomenon here in the USA.</p><p>This was brought home to me after I visited the <a href="https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/parks/parks/Worlds-Fair-Pavilion.cfm" target="_blank">World's Fair Pavilion</a> in <a href="https://www.forestparkforever.org/visit" target="_blank">Forest Park, St. Louis</a> last week.</p><p>The park itself is amazingly large, but what interested me most was a building that was surrounded by large stands of beautiful ornamental grasses. This World's Fair Pavilion was built in 1909 from proceeds of the World's Fair that was held in 1904. It's built on top of a hill and is surrounded by a large expanse of lawn and other plants.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_V4t1WskJYqtMhCzlQOfcz_ynDgCyxaKSI4mqxqxJKrOrxHQ9KFsvIwJF5Ys0DZrB6fof4WOu00fFqVsG0fFzehGHpCxUc8IwPsHC2zMvvJAF-e_cLxcqIuw0UnvcXmjPdnu2Y4S3MCSuU99FJ6iOwSYh4-6WaOoRSN4AqcVbkKKrQjODLK-mUBvJik/s800/f20230904_150832.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="800" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_V4t1WskJYqtMhCzlQOfcz_ynDgCyxaKSI4mqxqxJKrOrxHQ9KFsvIwJF5Ys0DZrB6fof4WOu00fFqVsG0fFzehGHpCxUc8IwPsHC2zMvvJAF-e_cLxcqIuw0UnvcXmjPdnu2Y4S3MCSuU99FJ6iOwSYh4-6WaOoRSN4AqcVbkKKrQjODLK-mUBvJik/w640-h316/f20230904_150832.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gigantic <i>Panicum virgatum</i> in Forest Park, St. Louis</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The largest <i>Panicum virgatum</i> specimens I have ever seen in masses graced both sides of the area in front of the pavilion. There were also stands of <i>Miscanthus sinensis</i>, as well as the usual stately <i>Calamagrostis. </i>These ornamental grasses dominate the landscape today, but pictures of the same pavilion from the 1930s showed no signs of the stately and graceful grasses. Instead, shrubs and bushes and trees were the norm (see image below).</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1R5Xt2kicKI1hcgFEjhfMccZjqpFcsfcvKISH-EsdKUAvMDTYWnKXWmZwmDbdMmlGYwjG7DvDN6aStjbn6jk912RuRzv-Hgn9oftlJRguIpq6U2cxLIBgingJt12YMG44dCLUtdyqboCiJmquOkMlrEYTo0h6_yADrwS9oyACSMjz4XjLUbnmod6w2k/s1024/vintage1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1024" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1R5Xt2kicKI1hcgFEjhfMccZjqpFcsfcvKISH-EsdKUAvMDTYWnKXWmZwmDbdMmlGYwjG7DvDN6aStjbn6jk912RuRzv-Hgn9oftlJRguIpq6U2cxLIBgingJt12YMG44dCLUtdyqboCiJmquOkMlrEYTo0h6_yADrwS9oyACSMjz4XjLUbnmod6w2k/w640-h465/vintage1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pavilion in the 1930s. From the <a href="https://shsmo.org/" target="_blank">Missouri Historical Society</a>. Note the lack of ornamental grasses.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The drastic change in the landscaping is significant. Although the use of bamboo for landscape decoration was popular even during ancient times, ornamental non-bamboo grasses did not enjoy the same popularity. However, during the 1930s, the renowned German nurseryman, Karl Foerster pushed for their use in Germany and Europe. He collected grass seeds and plants from all over the world, and after cultivating them in his nurseries he introduced them to the market.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AQin6ZOdK9oY97CT0MMiO-I_iMCyM33cHN-KBAZ0lCFNpbkuFmPZP2EI8dZcv-fw6gVWNpm8H9Yr7xIPCrWTVp98pgg7JvofVTlsq1-TXIAvAwvbCWroTUttnIR7sYsdM9Dv-tUl3qAQywcBYn6e2FtFhxEyHlojLGavw41iynDEIdoDX6-c0B5ur7s/s900/f20230904_151445.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="900" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AQin6ZOdK9oY97CT0MMiO-I_iMCyM33cHN-KBAZ0lCFNpbkuFmPZP2EI8dZcv-fw6gVWNpm8H9Yr7xIPCrWTVp98pgg7JvofVTlsq1-TXIAvAwvbCWroTUttnIR7sYsdM9Dv-tUl3qAQywcBYn6e2FtFhxEyHlojLGavw41iynDEIdoDX6-c0B5ur7s/w640-h288/f20230904_151445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Calamagrostis</i> to the left, <i>Panicum virgatum</i> to the right. In Forest Park, St. Louis</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Among the many plants he introduced, perhaps his most famous creation is the outstanding ornamental grass Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster', which he released to the market in 1950 as a natural hybrid of <i>C. epigejos</i> (native to Europe, Asia and Africa) and <i>C. arundinacea</i> (native to Eurasia, China and India).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhh__PkOa-QiyQf5O4lpVU5als5eLne6O40zVYYyjYa_W_DOwQ-H0zJ905x0pKNlsDuRfOEMEvL8-8W1amlM6mzH7P9g3kWxQSVdElzrrtmCYKss9EDbREBwAPUR3gy2KdIf1moIYrunLMn-BCVN4v-yHn9bK6CFal8MhZX4yWMPmAvqoaL0QkKMI_hjU/s756/or.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="756" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhh__PkOa-QiyQf5O4lpVU5als5eLne6O40zVYYyjYa_W_DOwQ-H0zJ905x0pKNlsDuRfOEMEvL8-8W1amlM6mzH7P9g3kWxQSVdElzrrtmCYKss9EDbREBwAPUR3gy2KdIf1moIYrunLMn-BCVN4v-yHn9bK6CFal8MhZX4yWMPmAvqoaL0QkKMI_hjU/w640-h342/or.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Calamagrostis</i> in background, <i>Cenchrus setaceus</i> in foreground, in Colorado</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This rise in the use of ornamental grasses in Europe was not mirrored in the USA until much later, but various growers were instrumental in pushing for this new paradigm.</p><p>In the early 1960s, Kurt Bluemel began the introduction of ornamental grasses into America through his nursery in Maryland, called <a href="https://www.kurtbluemel.com/" target="_blank">Kurt Bluemel Inc</a>. Educated in Germany and Switzerland, Bluemel was passionate about grasses, and by the time he passed away decades later, he was well known as Der Gras König, the Grass King. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y1cyj4fjTnqBNFmKf7Sqz-RWvPdXtGsetrzLv9uEybmC4oKvvB9X1CPlpSU369ogk_Mxkn-L3MrYudUpuQbpW9QRUFi1QwvgZKPdz20MrJcNH3OuUf5LwF2O_nrOujJ12clXx-INslUisuTpSjwjZphHItmDLcz6XABu0oSFPOm3lfo6SR_eM3wbb9w/s609/kurt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="429" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y1cyj4fjTnqBNFmKf7Sqz-RWvPdXtGsetrzLv9uEybmC4oKvvB9X1CPlpSU369ogk_Mxkn-L3MrYudUpuQbpW9QRUFi1QwvgZKPdz20MrJcNH3OuUf5LwF2O_nrOujJ12clXx-INslUisuTpSjwjZphHItmDLcz6XABu0oSFPOm3lfo6SR_eM3wbb9w/w450-h640/kurt.jpg" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Kurt Bluemel. From Baltimore Sun.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>He is said to have carried his first grass specimens in his luggage when he came to America, and his collaboration with Wolfgang Oehme, a German-born landscape architect based in Towson, was highly influential in creating a growing appreciation for ornamental grasses in the country. Some of his notable works include creating the savannas at Disney World's Animal Kingdom, and Busch Gardens. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXog16EC8OYD4Sio2GUhC4Cc2lgLy0HGqDgmRu_hEW0J68E80HT8qK1UJUFuBUI8Qwr4GKeKsQMPKy6l2UcEh9-imipfrWAkk0feMjAS6pUr6JV3USbi8yW3B9M_AqYC8sYUgTukyZ2F-4u949nvX5I8LHnUlGahlnoaXd7UNVIH4Uch1hKFk_2SWZNg/s900/DSC_0992.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="900" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXog16EC8OYD4Sio2GUhC4Cc2lgLy0HGqDgmRu_hEW0J68E80HT8qK1UJUFuBUI8Qwr4GKeKsQMPKy6l2UcEh9-imipfrWAkk0feMjAS6pUr6JV3USbi8yW3B9M_AqYC8sYUgTukyZ2F-4u949nvX5I8LHnUlGahlnoaXd7UNVIH4Uch1hKFk_2SWZNg/w640-h402/DSC_0992.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Panicum virgatum</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>By the 1980s, the momentum behind ornamental grasses had finally reached a crux, and an influx of growers finally pushed it into the mainstream. In 1986, John and Jill Hoffman established the <a href="https://hoffmannursery.com/" target="_blank">Hoffman Nursery</a> in North Carolina, which specialized in ornamental grasses. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeUH7g5-Mwgq5VWY9K-_X8TM1GB8urhvAYPb4DtrLtS6dbQ0xc66i_f1I8v5uZlEKuckNNfkeR-vCA9DM4ObwfNY6K1_VnE221Xq6JjfipYoLwHoFeBCKHdjw5ZDkzQ-tCo_gY60WPEjw9yFauSPyUr3Q7f8eUGkke4iexAPCOGDWS2_0ptIP66juVNk/s800/John_Hoffman_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="800" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeUH7g5-Mwgq5VWY9K-_X8TM1GB8urhvAYPb4DtrLtS6dbQ0xc66i_f1I8v5uZlEKuckNNfkeR-vCA9DM4ObwfNY6K1_VnE221Xq6JjfipYoLwHoFeBCKHdjw5ZDkzQ-tCo_gY60WPEjw9yFauSPyUr3Q7f8eUGkke4iexAPCOGDWS2_0ptIP66juVNk/w640-h450/John_Hoffman_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Hoffman. From Hoffman Nursery.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>John's interest in ornamental grasses was stoked during a visit to Germany, where he met the plant breeder Ernst Pagels. Pagels was an enthusiastic supporter of grass-filled gardens, and this along with the support of his mentor, J.C. Raulston at North Carolina State University, fueled his passion. Today, Hoffman Nursery is one of the largest suppliers of ornamental and native grasses in the country.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSmUnHE43hacwyyQbDDDsRg3XpToy1md9j2kOForw8RDJ38-DfqYRHSF5dTlbIePOQNdrgxfSpYPxixPo5qbqedKCIOkcetofuGDNeBse8RyE41AlvHEaulAvDOmxKX8Vkupo5wqS2-FsEAGWNmLWVrx3c0X5xUaOE-AnLfkcdHIFRB9G-avVambE3-o/s1000/DSC_1244.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSmUnHE43hacwyyQbDDDsRg3XpToy1md9j2kOForw8RDJ38-DfqYRHSF5dTlbIePOQNdrgxfSpYPxixPo5qbqedKCIOkcetofuGDNeBse8RyE41AlvHEaulAvDOmxKX8Vkupo5wqS2-FsEAGWNmLWVrx3c0X5xUaOE-AnLfkcdHIFRB9G-avVambE3-o/w640-h426/DSC_1244.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Miscanthus sinensis</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The trend towards landscaping with grasses then moved from the East Coast to the West Coast through the efforts of people like horticulturalist John Greenlee. In order to complete an oak savanna project in California in the 1980s, he travelled to Kurt Bluemel's Nursery in Maryland, where he was astounded by the hundreds of varieties of ornamental grasses that were on display. He ended up trucking a load of the grasses in a tractor trailer from Maryland to California, and after a stint in Brazil with the renowned landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx (who is also held in high esteem in the aroid community), he finally opened the first ornamental grass nursery in the West Coast.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPx6LuMFEJfYnqnkL4bg9-BFuYulwPYb9OaC_S_tY6cvHL95dMRs_lU6EN1JtgBJixwMciTyu69bSGmDV_bkLoYFxc9RRPWBJHZulNUuoIffgBUjlaGESe4Q6dVz32V5_g0TK36KId8L8PYYSbI6okvlZWlJtBZuRdixWtduW7ZWfZXo7syFs81V1HII/s709/JTG_John-Greenlee-708X466.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="709" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPx6LuMFEJfYnqnkL4bg9-BFuYulwPYb9OaC_S_tY6cvHL95dMRs_lU6EN1JtgBJixwMciTyu69bSGmDV_bkLoYFxc9RRPWBJHZulNUuoIffgBUjlaGESe4Q6dVz32V5_g0TK36KId8L8PYYSbI6okvlZWlJtBZuRdixWtduW7ZWfZXo7syFs81V1HII/w640-h422/JTG_John-Greenlee-708X466.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Greenlee. From Greenlee Meadow Collection.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Fast forward to today, when people routinely use ornamental grasses both in residential and commercial landscaping. And although many of the varieties used are the showy exotics (such as <i>Miscanthus sinensis and Cenchrus setaceus</i>), the use of native grasses as ornamentals (such as <i>Trypsacum dactyloides</i> in Florida, and <i>Bouteloua gracilis</i> in Colorado) is also widespread.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-36EjSbVJfTkdJQDY4JYTx86FLPOFsR-iHRhFV7iqcVTbbAIebLEraL_GKbC3rfE3R_1ma-gOCEFmLopQ5oa-lU_IFw7iBf6xb5d2mLPIoweovyQi_SP0i4S-UeBqki6ErZ3YcizjLsh7Mzq1eLt1binM7ZqSjtU1vGeFyctgliblnbBoZPV6449Iug/s1000/DSC_0918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1000" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-36EjSbVJfTkdJQDY4JYTx86FLPOFsR-iHRhFV7iqcVTbbAIebLEraL_GKbC3rfE3R_1ma-gOCEFmLopQ5oa-lU_IFw7iBf6xb5d2mLPIoweovyQi_SP0i4S-UeBqki6ErZ3YcizjLsh7Mzq1eLt1binM7ZqSjtU1vGeFyctgliblnbBoZPV6449Iug/w640-h406/DSC_0918.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua gracilis</i><span style="text-align: left;"> in Colorado</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>Meanwhile, new varieties and species continue to be introduced into the market. Not only do they contribute linear structure to a design, but their ease of maintenance, resistance to herbivores like deer, and their ability to impart movement to an otherwise static landscape, make ornamental grasses perfect components for any project.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwmZ9RDU_rF9q9828V9WM1-sjsUbFVWb0BVQDR8X5fJXCMAExH7MuTaru5HKfxQiVAOT3eUE3VHwV7Vm9hTZtzG69NmbMzRtHifAloSl6Ss117BjrlNJ1hazoUjl2Xb6p5K_Vpsm0KNpR_58fYQTEK0fGPYaYrDlQJsMYoORbEv9JvtuTsCL-WvzVWnI/s800/f20230904_152506.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwmZ9RDU_rF9q9828V9WM1-sjsUbFVWb0BVQDR8X5fJXCMAExH7MuTaru5HKfxQiVAOT3eUE3VHwV7Vm9hTZtzG69NmbMzRtHifAloSl6Ss117BjrlNJ1hazoUjl2Xb6p5K_Vpsm0KNpR_58fYQTEK0fGPYaYrDlQJsMYoORbEv9JvtuTsCL-WvzVWnI/w640-h288/f20230904_152506.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out from the pavilion in Forest Park, St. Louis. White flowerheads are <i>Miscanthus sinensis</i> cultivars</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-3511563307278880602023-08-31T16:48:00.012-04:002023-08-31T17:50:06.641-04:00Update on Cogon Grass Reversion in Colorado<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelo0lxU2b3i2xLL3Fle_sDtJ2qe0Mp1SQhyhL_78cVAxNzEh5gz3CWd0yYSHsgU0TmS9l_vNlw_1H88yVQrWXRuMKgy3O3IL1IGKBRYlhB0eSrX6XF7HngOKk1DURI7ZdqRMKrlXxaMK2xnlNrR3QSymzVIJYouKp9pZkYheHjnplDhTeN_eWWOzSJ2I/s900/DSC_1147.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelo0lxU2b3i2xLL3Fle_sDtJ2qe0Mp1SQhyhL_78cVAxNzEh5gz3CWd0yYSHsgU0TmS9l_vNlw_1H88yVQrWXRuMKgy3O3IL1IGKBRYlhB0eSrX6XF7HngOKk1DURI7ZdqRMKrlXxaMK2xnlNrR3QSymzVIJYouKp9pZkYheHjnplDhTeN_eWWOzSJ2I/w640-h428/DSC_1147.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p>The previous article to this is here:</p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2023/07/cogon-grass-in-colorado-alarming-case.html" target="_blank">Cogon in Colorado: An Alarming Case of Natural Reversion from the Ornamental Variety</a></p><p>We will be heading back to the east this weekend, but before we leave I spent some time surveying the community for any other reversions.</p><p>I found a total of 17 clusters of <i>Imperata cylindrica</i>, and 12 of them had putative reversions. This means that more than 70% of the plantings gave rise to wild type Cogon grass. I mapped all the clusters for use later.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTmQWN1_spfbkJC5thVDxSTmAlKzmYkqkDZpzx5B-sEafc3qw7Rvm0cklXVqfg2DnD-3M66mFPX3RGcxjtqRMrL1XIK41JpdDX_CxbHD-0of3ZsyciGHLcytYo5jSBaxLPBDtlNA0pBMckz2ZegjqqCiAoXKDgDYArCMxxyDp2BouvnFS7ixmhnbwOgE/s800/20230802_094408.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="800" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTmQWN1_spfbkJC5thVDxSTmAlKzmYkqkDZpzx5B-sEafc3qw7Rvm0cklXVqfg2DnD-3M66mFPX3RGcxjtqRMrL1XIK41JpdDX_CxbHD-0of3ZsyciGHLcytYo5jSBaxLPBDtlNA0pBMckz2ZegjqqCiAoXKDgDYArCMxxyDp2BouvnFS7ixmhnbwOgE/w640-h378/20230802_094408.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cogon grass fills a planting area. The "hole" in the middle of the mass is because of the presence of a large sculptured rock</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I determined that there was a reversion event by checking whether there were flowerheads and/or the body form had changed to all-green, along with a concomitant increase in height and size. Out of the 12 reverted clusters, a couple had flowerheads, but still had the reddish leaves and smaller size, but most of the reversions were distinctly different in vegetative form than the ornamental.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyk69qG7qcoRBJYZ-2uvYW-yjza3vV0EJCcG4MlPydfRFDhrX1zoibEfBg_4HTac6TYEy1O_aeOmwYutpBzEwpHk1JhX8pDE-7GM3YtOnfb4388zIsSSxfvLrvN4oM75rBOjejwL7j4-UN3gVmOeaXmhQOZfOP_OmvDOlmS7Oi_6mPdyfRyrJIl16Tf-A/s800/DSC_1057b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyk69qG7qcoRBJYZ-2uvYW-yjza3vV0EJCcG4MlPydfRFDhrX1zoibEfBg_4HTac6TYEy1O_aeOmwYutpBzEwpHk1JhX8pDE-7GM3YtOnfb4388zIsSSxfvLrvN4oM75rBOjejwL7j4-UN3gVmOeaXmhQOZfOP_OmvDOlmS7Oi_6mPdyfRyrJIl16Tf-A/w640-h428/DSC_1057b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A short-statured bush is being choked by the surrounding cogon</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This reversion of an ornamental form to the dangerous wild type again highlights the problem of ornamentals that are still being sold (including in big box stores) to consumers, even though some of the species are illegal in certain states (and in the case of cogon grass, the species is considered a federal noxious weed).</p><p>Unfortunately, the ornamental variety with its red-tinged leaves are beautiful, and even the wild type can be attractive. This is because the blades are quite straight and seem to rise up directly from the ground, and when I showed my wife the imposing stands of reverted cogon grass, she mentioned that they looked nice.</p><p>But not only is cogon grass a menace to native species, but it is also prone to causing large fires, and is thus a potential danger to people and human habitation.</p><p>Samples have already been given to the state university, and once it has been positively identified, actions to clear the infestations should begin.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hzEABFIGfa-AGcDATLTZpzxnnwPYdEI95rHuDLAR9AJiXGpPEq9IcFDktsPPjCBXTXqQAd-DSOYbVi_DxRnMchjGLxevTRktPHVGENQQC9ixFYePTLiA0m1B0nsjPZTJ9UtOHVIY21ORndkH1TvgfvLXUP1IEvVokN5kQd3uxXPzrpT6QS7oqCxlcHw/s900/DSC_1176.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hzEABFIGfa-AGcDATLTZpzxnnwPYdEI95rHuDLAR9AJiXGpPEq9IcFDktsPPjCBXTXqQAd-DSOYbVi_DxRnMchjGLxevTRktPHVGENQQC9ixFYePTLiA0m1B0nsjPZTJ9UtOHVIY21ORndkH1TvgfvLXUP1IEvVokN5kQd3uxXPzrpT6QS7oqCxlcHw/w640-h428/DSC_1176.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-76630579761227458122023-08-24T17:48:00.010-04:002023-08-24T19:36:27.912-04:00Hybrid Prairie Lawns in Colorado<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTVnLh62l1krOJ5iJUg8w4yCR2klYri9A0V-87RGx_e0dGFLAAAbef6MbCyWowc6IzUsWzJMVlI1vzcMV6AHoaLVk1mU7bG5Ik_74a_p4NiSMMdkwZSWxG5YWb4w-5BtKlnF3tNDh5k-9t869koO6cTVHPoh3Pn9v0Y07WrMsZgAlVahLdjJr1ZZmWWE/s900/bog3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="900" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTVnLh62l1krOJ5iJUg8w4yCR2klYri9A0V-87RGx_e0dGFLAAAbef6MbCyWowc6IzUsWzJMVlI1vzcMV6AHoaLVk1mU7bG5Ik_74a_p4NiSMMdkwZSWxG5YWb4w-5BtKlnF3tNDh5k-9t869koO6cTVHPoh3Pn9v0Y07WrMsZgAlVahLdjJr1ZZmWWE/w640-h306/bog3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turfgrass to the left, natural field to the right, in front of residential complex in Broomfield, CO. The field is actually closer to the complex, which is to the right.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>One of the things that has most impressed me during my stay here in Colorado has been the way they have managed to integrate natural components into the suburban and even urban landscape.</div><div><p>The so-called <a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2023/07/the-case-for-urban-open-spaces.html" target="_blank">Open Spaces is one aspect of this</a>. but I also found smaller examples that were even more immediate and accessible to people.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBQg1mqA35_jeGlX0DnTME1_bdhToIWX-dGeeQCOdK9DSskffj5CowCJK75Wv46TwLM9bRYU7tWXTBLJuHcSRacwzLRuKRfhDNejMJUQmqD2hf-fp-qju9R01TvTo7N9ru-Tpt8m_PU_SyOa2taRhwRg-NsQKMVrY9qMuJfC4-CibxK5B05twtaDGGgY/s900/bog4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="900" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBQg1mqA35_jeGlX0DnTME1_bdhToIWX-dGeeQCOdK9DSskffj5CowCJK75Wv46TwLM9bRYU7tWXTBLJuHcSRacwzLRuKRfhDNejMJUQmqD2hf-fp-qju9R01TvTo7N9ru-Tpt8m_PU_SyOa2taRhwRg-NsQKMVrY9qMuJfC4-CibxK5B05twtaDGGgY/w640-h322/bog4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turfgrass to the left, natural field in front of residential complex to the right</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>In many places I've visited, including Broomfield and Boulder, landscapers have integrated traditional lawn and ornamentals with natural fields of grass and forbs around residential and commercial buildings. In the picture above for example, traditional turf grass that remain cropped close to the ground stands next to an open field. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFXpjs-2Y5KYz5L3qnxEjLBetjDlidFAsWGWZfE9gzPw99ns9YOuzs0-Do_lmA4re3stUGiSd9eFRjmR7gj7_Ahawo7KAvPmmIOBV23RTnCeP6AQbMYnRG3crcKWZY5dWYBCJ8-ip-Zcw_sJNK6Xu9XzQ8F4RR2WkaMAAxCcNZzNEwnNtD5NquHdDLdU/s900/bog2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="900" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFXpjs-2Y5KYz5L3qnxEjLBetjDlidFAsWGWZfE9gzPw99ns9YOuzs0-Do_lmA4re3stUGiSd9eFRjmR7gj7_Ahawo7KAvPmmIOBV23RTnCeP6AQbMYnRG3crcKWZY5dWYBCJ8-ip-Zcw_sJNK6Xu9XzQ8F4RR2WkaMAAxCcNZzNEwnNtD5NquHdDLdU/w640-h316/bog2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turfgrass lawn backstopped by natural grass field, in front of residential building<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>These hybrid prairie lawns (HPL) are quite attractive, and the natural fields pull the eye away from the rather dull and relatively boring turfgrass. Unlike turfgrass lawn, the natural fields changes in appearance over the course of the season, with more green tints in the earlier parts of the year, before the golden light browns of summer and fall as the grasses senesce. Another big positive is the significant savings to the property owner, since the fields are not irrigated, and mowing of the fields is kept to a minimum.<p>As far as I can tell, the fields in HPLs are kept quite natural, with most of the grasses being the usual naturalized exotics such as <i>Bromus inermis</i>, mixed in with natives such as <i>Panicum virgatum</i> and <i>Sorghastrum nutans</i>.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrRuSToY17xT-KWavoupUGLNErPzUqw8Vfz0T3lGfjO43rz-AZOEGKZhKF31xCYFE46hR476XFfBBuxyvNlZtgtxMKoMXovxKxUN0he8Qhv2oC7dwEhC61ltXaQMys_VHfpUSv9jH5Hk6O1SPq_jhyFpqPNLO3VDPfKAC-MCnYgK32tTSb8GNDExpurI/s900/DSC_0947.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="900" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrRuSToY17xT-KWavoupUGLNErPzUqw8Vfz0T3lGfjO43rz-AZOEGKZhKF31xCYFE46hR476XFfBBuxyvNlZtgtxMKoMXovxKxUN0he8Qhv2oC7dwEhC61ltXaQMys_VHfpUSv9jH5Hk6O1SPq_jhyFpqPNLO3VDPfKAC-MCnYgK32tTSb8GNDExpurI/w640-h424/DSC_0947.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bromus inermis</i>, which is normally a big part of fields here</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I kept wondering whether the HPL concept would fly in some other states. This part of Colorado is lucky because the area is naturally high desert, where open savanna and pure grasslands are natural parts of the landscape.</p><p>In a place like New Jersey for example, which does not normally have lots of natural grasslands, any space left untended would soon become a big mess of brambles and forbs and weedy plants, which isn't as "attractive" as prairies. Energy and money would be needed to maintain a "cleaner" look, and this would probably discourage landscapers from exploring possibilities.</p><p>I did notice even here in Colorado that parts of some natural fields have a proliferation of weedy looking forbs in them, but on the whole, the system seems to maintain a nice equilibrium of small and medium tall grasses, with some forbs mixed in.</p><p>This plus the heavily maintained turfgrass next to it proves that such HPLs are a great alternative to the more boring landscapes with pure turfgrass. </p><p> Now, that's a "lawn" that I would love to have all year round.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXQgM3BLuGQnBTDGbhgTYCFExlfjDlCrYDbwDlzDjmiNrTu5if5KUSsT9u5_DvUNH66NNZR3EH86_4aQeyPxquKijgQLdJHnX7EHi2prHPXEmyVPR0F0R5YEHKourOKE_auSNDYvnOtOda3VdQ1qr4fNLycfVFdec06IFDTs9DYt2pCMyXBO1Ybopnoc/s900/DSC_0992.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="900" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXQgM3BLuGQnBTDGbhgTYCFExlfjDlCrYDbwDlzDjmiNrTu5if5KUSsT9u5_DvUNH66NNZR3EH86_4aQeyPxquKijgQLdJHnX7EHi2prHPXEmyVPR0F0R5YEHKourOKE_auSNDYvnOtOda3VdQ1qr4fNLycfVFdec06IFDTs9DYt2pCMyXBO1Ybopnoc/w640-h402/DSC_0992.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Panicum virgatum</i>, another species that forms part of the field</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-27651843347679713232023-08-17T17:06:00.006-04:002023-08-17T22:53:17.266-04:00Barley and Millet: Yes, Some Foods Do Grow like Weeds<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63VtLRHcoeskHIOKC7q2LTJR7zEYvP9uZS9jhjDQSbaoXmXqJHUUFVwLucI3TIp4Rq-PfBDPv6eqD9Wk8r8Y8lVn7TlWyK6dzZ8RyyS0BEBnjBuMeGyNp6fmCzoZ7FzSFmpsi4rGtQgXoDKDjQlEogCRS8_-RWvGQNHHYbBdMWUn-Wk0W3Jf98Qg5mHg/s900/DSC_0881.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63VtLRHcoeskHIOKC7q2LTJR7zEYvP9uZS9jhjDQSbaoXmXqJHUUFVwLucI3TIp4Rq-PfBDPv6eqD9Wk8r8Y8lVn7TlWyK6dzZ8RyyS0BEBnjBuMeGyNp6fmCzoZ7FzSFmpsi4rGtQgXoDKDjQlEogCRS8_-RWvGQNHHYbBdMWUn-Wk0W3Jf98Qg5mHg/w640-h428/DSC_0881.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hordeum vulgare</i> (Barley)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Barley is the 4th largest in terms of grain production, behind the other grass crops such as maize/corn, rice, and wheat. The species was domesticated around 10,000 years ago in the Eurasian region, and most barley is used for animal fodder, with the rest being used as food or for the making of fermented products such as beer. </p><p>I was walking along one of the sidewalks here in Broomfield, CO, when I noticed quite a few attractive looking grasses along the sides of a building construction site. They weren't the usual <i>Hordeum jubatum </i>(commonly called foxtail barley here), which is pretty abundant in the area, and instead looked like some kinda short wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujvUrxOq7O0ORwDxfQatORCDTmalWD7MT8AEN_Wo9Sta0EMci12Nai0EEr-w83NLvi6Z22D2no8NQouc5Si50CbIQFqVjmu2Xq9s9OxHr2SKXPTmniY1gIzDtwdb6igHyAEtS-5RIOKHZDAa5YVt5Qc60p6qeTOeTKRyVKmnYaRTvsVzRJtcM9vRULOs/s1403/DSC_0985.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujvUrxOq7O0ORwDxfQatORCDTmalWD7MT8AEN_Wo9Sta0EMci12Nai0EEr-w83NLvi6Z22D2no8NQouc5Si50CbIQFqVjmu2Xq9s9OxHr2SKXPTmniY1gIzDtwdb6igHyAEtS-5RIOKHZDAa5YVt5Qc60p6qeTOeTKRyVKmnYaRTvsVzRJtcM9vRULOs/w320-h640/DSC_0985.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spikelets of <i>H. vulgare</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Intrigued by the specimens, I started looking more into it. In terms of identification, I like trying to figure out the various wheat-like species only about a bit more than I like trying to make some sense of the different wheatgrass species. But after poring over identification guides and some apps, I finally decided that what I was looking at was the common barley.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQVS0msHA0-PxXELX4LDTcQiEj3oHMMlTrgvAQTXaiyek8blS2-H0FJo3vVQOKfD5MQnCOw2A6TrTmFMpq1FK32nkoRdfwTKMAbPZ26Rf_HP3sGwUylDk1RJo6qeZTn7FrwHNf4xEoQ69P2WAeGntad5pfKFM49P74YcG8t-zg5Vz-OMfai4ruy246fY/s900/DSC_0981.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="900" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQVS0msHA0-PxXELX4LDTcQiEj3oHMMlTrgvAQTXaiyek8blS2-H0FJo3vVQOKfD5MQnCOw2A6TrTmFMpq1FK32nkoRdfwTKMAbPZ26Rf_HP3sGwUylDk1RJo6qeZTn7FrwHNf4xEoQ69P2WAeGntad5pfKFM49P74YcG8t-zg5Vz-OMfai4ruy246fY/w640-h474/DSC_0981.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well-developed auricles of <i>H. vulgare</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><i>Hordeum vulgare </i>is an annual from the subfamily Pooideae, and the fact that this crop species also grows as a weed is a revelation to me. It's like coming upon a vast field of rice that grew naturally, without any help from the hand of people. Nevertheless, it turns out that this species, even though cultivated for millennia, does indeed have the capacity to still grow adventitiously along roadsides and other off-field areas.</p><p>The specimens seemed to be concentrated in that small block, as I have not really seen it elsewhere in the area, which is also intriguing. In fact, close to this cluster (the next block over) I found a second grass species that is also used as a food crop.</p><p><i>Panicum miliaceum</i> (commonly called Proso Millet) is in the subfamily Panicoideae, and is just one of the many species that make up the group of food crops called "millet".</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa6eofddXs_0dRldJq9Khzp_BZfDXZNIItHlGyKpvvGhGyOF7dSTiyJ9gdqAI-P_z7_Jc8IsltsM2bKmbVy5aMxk9yaJWRKiIssjopDfiTjGJfhSK3UjtdBBFw70cE-ey93Kw8rzdrc38N756VP3j7iCk5HFeI6ePBoPNP5wXcXASVTv96HwUPNts9gA/s900/DSC_1131.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa6eofddXs_0dRldJq9Khzp_BZfDXZNIItHlGyKpvvGhGyOF7dSTiyJ9gdqAI-P_z7_Jc8IsltsM2bKmbVy5aMxk9yaJWRKiIssjopDfiTjGJfhSK3UjtdBBFw70cE-ey93Kw8rzdrc38N756VP3j7iCk5HFeI6ePBoPNP5wXcXASVTv96HwUPNts9gA/w640-h428/DSC_1131.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Panicum miliaceum</i><span style="text-align: left;"> (commonly called Proso Millet)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Proso millet was first domesticated around 8000 years ago in Northern China. There are some suggestions that this species, because of its ability to be harvested in as little as 45 days after planting, as well as its ability to produce crop in very little moisture, may have formed the bridge between hunter gatherer lifestyles and more sedentary agriculture. <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZ54si0ZqfWs43afXKkK0vIp1KCKOTkdAUhA0VcuPM-H8ooKaInZBauTI-TJCEAxuSz3tkLIwkaSKpDoZWd0w6sMO0bz_XI9BUKRQsb-XuKG9ncmika4gfYgV6PzLR7DLPfugD1V9_BkA5IGfBcI4u51UpPwTsO5GmbxFgCfmV1Epff7uTCx8wM2oAzo/s1619/DSC_1149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1619" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZ54si0ZqfWs43afXKkK0vIp1KCKOTkdAUhA0VcuPM-H8ooKaInZBauTI-TJCEAxuSz3tkLIwkaSKpDoZWd0w6sMO0bz_XI9BUKRQsb-XuKG9ncmika4gfYgV6PzLR7DLPfugD1V9_BkA5IGfBcI4u51UpPwTsO5GmbxFgCfmV1Epff7uTCx8wM2oAzo/w277-h640/DSC_1149.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Panicum miliaceum</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>The domesticated crop has a tendency to revert to wild type, and the single specimen that I found was growing near a construction site, next to some landscape plantings on the sidewalk. It formed an arresting sight, with the heavy flowerheads drooping in thick bunches almost to the ground.<div><br /></div><div>It is tempting to imagine how these food crops were first domesticated. Perhaps some hunter gatherers who had missed out on snagging a large prehistoric herbivore were dejectedly slouching back home, when they chanced upon fields of <i>Panicum miliaceum, </i><span>their tops overflowing with ripe grains. Or perhaps the discoverers of this new food crop were women who had been searching for edible berries and other vegetable goodies. Maybe people were getting tired of the vagaries of hunting and searching for food, and decided that planting food crops close to you might be a better idea. Or maybe a plant started as a weed infesting earlier crop plants, but was later seen to be another good food source and thus domesticated. This was what happened in the case of oats (<i>Avena</i> spp), which started as weeds in barley and wheat fields. The study of how agriculture started is endlessly fascinating, and one that I'll likely get into in a future post.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div>As an aside, the sight of food crops like these still growing wild reminds me that humanity's time here on earth is but a blip in the much larger time periods that some species inhabit. If ever our kind dies out, whether through disease or war or some unlikely event that we cannot fathom, it's likely that many of our "domesticated" plants will revert back to their wild ways, their brief tenure as indentured "servants" to the "raging apes" soon forgotten in the dim corridors of time. </div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-9635142761911517542023-08-15T11:59:00.020-04:002023-08-17T19:48:51.027-04:00How Invasive Grasses Killed Hundreds of People in Hawaii During America's Deadliest Fire in a Century <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qWWHIU9jbVTkg3GPBjU5EzGnz8fJOjv3CyyXKLDa6eQtRoL6KDNLsf4su51nBHMgAMh_EcL7GYeOnH78lwpQKGRalHZ9aYUs1Vv6SdHZW76E8KeDPxQIhfijyJxzdDvQujOlhK4oQxsro3CCYCPFYT_1j31LTniCbDR3hiU7GP4cGQsWJmK1V7yZLpg/s640/fire.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qWWHIU9jbVTkg3GPBjU5EzGnz8fJOjv3CyyXKLDa6eQtRoL6KDNLsf4su51nBHMgAMh_EcL7GYeOnH78lwpQKGRalHZ9aYUs1Vv6SdHZW76E8KeDPxQIhfijyJxzdDvQujOlhK4oQxsro3CCYCPFYT_1j31LTniCbDR3hiU7GP4cGQsWJmK1V7yZLpg/w640-h360/fire.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildfire near Yosemite National Park, United States, in 2013. (Wikipedia, public domain)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Invasive grasses have long been known to create grass-fire cycles that allow these species to expand rapidly across the environment. In such a process, the grasses provide abundant tinder material for fires, whether started naturally via lightning or through artificial means. Generally, they are optimized for utilizing and promoting fires due to several factors:</p><p>(a) their creation of <b>high fuel loads</b>, which refers to how much fuel is present and available to burn. Grasses in general, and invasive grasses in particular can form very high density clusters.</p><p>(b) their <b>low live to dead biomass</b>. Annual invasive grasses in particular create vast fields of very dry dead matter after they flower and seed. </p><p>(c) their <b>high surface to volume ratios</b>. Grasses generally have thin blades, which means they have a lot more surface area compared to their interior volume. Higher values are correlated to shorter fuel ignition times, and hence faster fire spread rates.</p><p>Add in the fact that grasses typically recover rapidly following fires, and the result is that fires kill off most of their potential competitors, and allow the grasses to expand their range and continue the cycle ad infinitum.</p><p>A prime example of such a cycle is one undergone by <i>Taeniatherum caput-medusae</i> (medusahead grass), which along with <i>Bromus tectorum</i> (cheatgrass) and others <a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2020/05/how-invasive-annual-grasses-like.html" target="_blank">have devastated vast areas of sage habitats in the Great Basin</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWu88WT6ta-Ph_yzL-84tk7xIV4i_r2xoJvxOV-GcCtA3M3SugB4cxNqGikqjtet7txFVU5eb4OjiwQGWKY8prOPTHcBqiKqZGdlSnOpIu6x_jn-be5JRA5vTBiGxNaJJSK2q011liRACTXpJK-cTMQ-L74qqAD55tRRp76Hn0Yo8v2RsGgzNLtwuhcY/s1300/cycle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1300" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWu88WT6ta-Ph_yzL-84tk7xIV4i_r2xoJvxOV-GcCtA3M3SugB4cxNqGikqjtet7txFVU5eb4OjiwQGWKY8prOPTHcBqiKqZGdlSnOpIu6x_jn-be5JRA5vTBiGxNaJJSK2q011liRACTXpJK-cTMQ-L74qqAD55tRRp76Hn0Yo8v2RsGgzNLtwuhcY/w640-h492/cycle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Hawaii is no stranger to invasive grasses, most of which were deliberately introduced as potential forage or as ornamentals, but have since escaped into the wild and have outcompeted the natives in the islands. These include <i style="font-weight: bold;">Megathyrsus maximus</i><b> (called Guinea Grass in that area), </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Melinis minutiflora</i><b> (called Molasses grass in some places), and <i>Cenchrus setaceus</i> (called fountain grass in some places).</b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKusmpjRFbxhqnpLbBM1ZLZNqqQEpC0QbXt2wpmk2mNlLaeHVtYmUHMVDBndkH1ir3BGF05bNGHOKlDr7m-Kg_cPHQcup2xd42zXaZdIahsl5JZk8Jg4RBad8A2N9nhPIBmlLGlzvxHUikjNuGtV0rRoycjs-ru6P-8j-ws0hdQvLGCGgk606WUj1UnZ4/s1000/DSC_1370.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKusmpjRFbxhqnpLbBM1ZLZNqqQEpC0QbXt2wpmk2mNlLaeHVtYmUHMVDBndkH1ir3BGF05bNGHOKlDr7m-Kg_cPHQcup2xd42zXaZdIahsl5JZk8Jg4RBad8A2N9nhPIBmlLGlzvxHUikjNuGtV0rRoycjs-ru6P-8j-ws0hdQvLGCGgk606WUj1UnZ4/w640-h428/DSC_1370.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px; text-align: left;">Megathyrsus maximus</i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.88px; text-align: left;"> spikelets (inset inflorescence), with purple stigmas and yellow-orange anthers</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Last week, a massive fire destroyed the town of Lahaina in Maui and became the deadliest fire in the USA in a century. As of this writing, 99 people have been confirmed dead, but officials warn that the final tally could be double or triple that.</p><p>The initial cause of the fire is not known, but <b>changes in the climate in Hawaii (including long-term declines in average annual rainfall and drought), coupled with the spread of invasive grasses to produce vast grasslands, are thought to be major factors in creating and maintaining the large wildfires after its initial start.</b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuTTlUCh1GfUYX8RsT24A1MKkS3bN6XXzxx_i1fgQB3yRDeTktBwU17aD2yoPm6gAyuT4I2xJ_UvKZiMGErwd6ZgCzugjW8qB1cHZZEu63cbaZ9B2eE99oqE1XhikgnJmZ9ePTzI-0opBCG31AUbYJ-SAdTpqy7p6UcHw-FVTSHveJz-CQeM8DRNNCAo/s900/DSC_1588.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuTTlUCh1GfUYX8RsT24A1MKkS3bN6XXzxx_i1fgQB3yRDeTktBwU17aD2yoPm6gAyuT4I2xJ_UvKZiMGErwd6ZgCzugjW8qB1cHZZEu63cbaZ9B2eE99oqE1XhikgnJmZ9ePTzI-0opBCG31AUbYJ-SAdTpqy7p6UcHw-FVTSHveJz-CQeM8DRNNCAo/w640-h428/DSC_1588.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Escaped<i> Cenchrus setaceu</i>s rows in Mulholland Dr, in Los Angeles, California</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It's been a few years since I travelled to Hawaii, but I watched the popular <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_(2004_TV_series)" target="_blank">TV series Lost</a> a couple years back. This show was mostly shot in Hawaii, and it was interesting to see how many times I saw what seemed to be large expansive stands of <i>Megathyrsus maximus</i>, which is a large species and thus easier to see identify. The clusters were not only in savanna habitats, but also seemed to exist as smaller groups within forested areas.</p><p>I also remember visiting California this year, and seeing masses of escaped <i>Cenchrus setaceaus</i> along the roadsides in San Diego and even in Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, where they doubtless increase the likelihood of spreading and exacerbating any incoming fire.</p><p>In the end, this major tragedy again highlights the importance of not only implementing measures to curb and address global climate change, but it should also focus people's attention on the importance of stopping the spread of invasive grasses. </p><p><b>Perhaps most people may (sadly) not care about the destruction of sage brush habitats by such invasive grasses, but they surely will care about people's homes and lives being lost to the same types of invaders. A good start would be to enact legislation that will address this problem now, including banning or regulating the sale of invasive ornamentals and forage.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YA28m8oYwQg" width="320" youtube-src-id="YA28m8oYwQg"></iframe></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-71355929170272702932023-08-09T16:07:00.011-04:002023-08-09T18:15:56.380-04:00Here come the Four Horsemen of the Prairies<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlXXB4e15CjJw-kVoCe3ww20P2vQ-1f7hPLW0C4wuTSlPQOeZbKBiFQodyp8XfLc5-gwg8es1d1hWtYg9u7mKUu-yxnmQz0nOC4OM3o2JSio1qhwhBuJV1FdiKe0Vu9KpJlUc4yNPY9I1d9VDiYidQXrfsYI_K7kQ1c1q22pr9MvnTAyDC7IF18DceAw/s900/DSC_0992.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="900" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlXXB4e15CjJw-kVoCe3ww20P2vQ-1f7hPLW0C4wuTSlPQOeZbKBiFQodyp8XfLc5-gwg8es1d1hWtYg9u7mKUu-yxnmQz0nOC4OM3o2JSio1qhwhBuJV1FdiKe0Vu9KpJlUc4yNPY9I1d9VDiYidQXrfsYI_K7kQ1c1q22pr9MvnTAyDC7IF18DceAw/w640-h402/DSC_0992.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Panicum virgatum </i>in Open Space area, in Broomfield, CO</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Colorado is short grass territory (or at the least the eastern part of the state is), but as summer here is getting into full swing, I noticed that some of the iconic tallgrass prairie species are starting to show themselves.<div><br /></div><div>The Four Horsemen of the Prairies refers to four species that tend to dominate the prairies farther east. The ensemble cast includes <i>Andropogon gerardii</i> (Big Bluestem), <i>Panicum virgatum</i> (Switchgrass) , <i>Schizachyrium scoparium</i> (Little Bluestem), and <i>Sorghastrum nutans</i> (Indiangrass).<br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1N7Of1R4ToJTAyKP2mszFlhMgsHhVe09iJCmlcTrUtGrRrYRP57VjOv_siEx6dP411XSht-tc46sUWaSShjFii_nRLXUzVJ9nAluNaVjQWasguS9fMCZ5SBHRNb_nagPKoSjL467n9JMBd5xaQN0Q3qLIaWJZZiHobP30Yg_9uUCUbEUhzqQImev_-s/s900/DSC_1155.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1N7Of1R4ToJTAyKP2mszFlhMgsHhVe09iJCmlcTrUtGrRrYRP57VjOv_siEx6dP411XSht-tc46sUWaSShjFii_nRLXUzVJ9nAluNaVjQWasguS9fMCZ5SBHRNb_nagPKoSjL467n9JMBd5xaQN0Q3qLIaWJZZiHobP30Yg_9uUCUbEUhzqQImev_-s/w640-h426/DSC_1155.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sorghastrum nutans</i> in Broomfield, CO</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I must admit that I was not really looking for them, engrossed as I was by the more western oriented species here, but I was walking along one of the Open Spaces in Broomfield when I spotted what looked to be <i>Panicum virgatum</i> in flower. The largish specimens lined part of the path, and a quick check of the flowerhead confirmed the identity.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've always been a fan of this species as an ornamental, but seeing it in situ always is a treat, especially when in flower.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9ItPqAn4p_HjoqcuXYeiZRy_bjrtWDYycd2LRN-_kq_CGBe5njvQhMmx4_V4HbnTXV9PVsEVrMoV5g6T9WJNK56APhbqtMOqKVCWklw-zSWfMKJhU7giNrrPKLRvpWJYaYh41aJkyRAArvOcrdvitFzFBN9a5Z_OrK18MXG4hOR4L3nK6Rz0Xov9RIA/s900/DSC_1159.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9ItPqAn4p_HjoqcuXYeiZRy_bjrtWDYycd2LRN-_kq_CGBe5njvQhMmx4_V4HbnTXV9PVsEVrMoV5g6T9WJNK56APhbqtMOqKVCWklw-zSWfMKJhU7giNrrPKLRvpWJYaYh41aJkyRAArvOcrdvitFzFBN9a5Z_OrK18MXG4hOR4L3nK6Rz0Xov9RIA/w640-h426/DSC_1159.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sorghastrum nutans</i> in Broomfield, CO</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The second "horseman" I saw was one that for one reason or the other, I have not encountered much. This time, I found a slew of <i>Sorghastrum nutans</i> (Indiangrass) flowering along a sidewalk in Broomfield, CO, as well as in the various trails around Boulder.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many people consider it a beauty, but personally, the fleshy colored and awned flowerheads of the species has never struck me as particularly attractive. Nevertheless, I was enchanted by the small flowerheads, which had escaped the mower blades by virtue of being shielded underneath some metal handhold along the path.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVkPnP5Ftn7C0KJrozz_yQ-Gye5O7YNm4OhNK93Xuz4ztBQDoQdwW-8TFwVwO3JZuBlG1utxZKtx5RY8sGKZPUIzUFj6IS9M_nUMiG3ah22SZeF-wAVhRWK7GdU33D4lMQl8jHmnvjrHc5awQxYx6OxxnnRe23bcmrnQMLbgr-WOMvvYQCxUIYyP8OHs/s900/DSC_0945.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVkPnP5Ftn7C0KJrozz_yQ-Gye5O7YNm4OhNK93Xuz4ztBQDoQdwW-8TFwVwO3JZuBlG1utxZKtx5RY8sGKZPUIzUFj6IS9M_nUMiG3ah22SZeF-wAVhRWK7GdU33D4lMQl8jHmnvjrHc5awQxYx6OxxnnRe23bcmrnQMLbgr-WOMvvYQCxUIYyP8OHs/w640-h428/DSC_0945.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Schizachyrium scoparium</i> along sidewalk in Broomfield, CO</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>And then there's <i>Schizachyrium scoparium</i> (Little bluestem), which I have owned as an ornamental and is an attractive plant to me. Unfortunately, the single specimen I have stumbled upon so far was still in the earlier stages of flowering, but I am looking forward to seeing more of this species going forward. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVP4IvrVXK7KpKnhcSHI3TtZiTC-Hxv5LkFgEF7Peksdng2Pu-DLKVe2_fp-fiJPntm1MTDZaMUzgpzA0jHqwMeul0iyeYDJvvld6q5YCi6MIHLcXEOfIh0ADnnupZGNnunJQrnwJ0Bfzys8RWAaZUsM2EhsX6tqu_hYHpS9IlUjvjoBOiW7bVYA5l_Xo/s1000/DSC_1152.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVP4IvrVXK7KpKnhcSHI3TtZiTC-Hxv5LkFgEF7Peksdng2Pu-DLKVe2_fp-fiJPntm1MTDZaMUzgpzA0jHqwMeul0iyeYDJvvld6q5YCi6MIHLcXEOfIh0ADnnupZGNnunJQrnwJ0Bfzys8RWAaZUsM2EhsX6tqu_hYHpS9IlUjvjoBOiW7bVYA5l_Xo/w640-h480/DSC_1152.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladybug on <i>Bothriochloa ischaemum(?).</i> Where art thou <i>Andropogon gerardii?</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I was also on the lookout for the biggest horseman of all - <i>Andropogon gerardii</i> (Big Bluestem), but all the lookalikes I found at first seemed to be of some other species...specifically, <i style="text-align: center;">Bothriochloa ischaemum, </i><span style="text-align: center;">which is called yellow bluestem or King ranch Bluestem (in Texas).</span></div></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd8rukqEK61xtA-S5wxQz7KCENQF2hMbdYCezVfH2MIfg9S628WqTCe92ituAX_6RvZ8pkaXTJQQj_LbhEq764q50Z2BTuxP16t0_jDS4A2__DWKu1PeAoxGTXcYiOT89OhXiw6YJUCGfdIESHjDHXijIUHAltOHRsbhiULczEs_o6RAk-tIHg1e3oZY/s900/DSC_0961.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd8rukqEK61xtA-S5wxQz7KCENQF2hMbdYCezVfH2MIfg9S628WqTCe92ituAX_6RvZ8pkaXTJQQj_LbhEq764q50Z2BTuxP16t0_jDS4A2__DWKu1PeAoxGTXcYiOT89OhXiw6YJUCGfdIESHjDHXijIUHAltOHRsbhiULczEs_o6RAk-tIHg1e3oZY/w640-h428/DSC_0961.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Andropogon gerardii</i> near Enchanted Mesa Trail, Boulder, CO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>There are trails in that city called Lower and Upper Bluestem trails, and so I expected to find bluestems in the area, which I did. Unfortunately, most seemed to be yellow bluestem (<i style="text-align: center;">Bothriochloa ischaemum) </i><span style="text-align: center;">at this time.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">It did not help that my identification skills aren't the best, but I finally found specimens of this large species during one of my hikes in Boulder. Not, as it turns out in the bluestem trails, but in trails closer to </span>Chautauqua Park. Perhaps later in the season this tallest of the Four Horsemen will make its presence more widely known.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdQMex_36oeze1arBGjBwulUkNS6jqjLLm2ATfq-SBUsbV6affwdmd1i-xBjDD1me7zHcuxdjxiJG7YIIfraZ3P5J4NIDAWYRHLmLDA3-RNAfCubVMtui5uwbEOxJo-6JYRjpu_UyfTOug2XjoC8A02DteKFzd_0WWgzl0i2s265DdRPAM8IUvrSlqXQ/s941/DSC_0908.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdQMex_36oeze1arBGjBwulUkNS6jqjLLm2ATfq-SBUsbV6affwdmd1i-xBjDD1me7zHcuxdjxiJG7YIIfraZ3P5J4NIDAWYRHLmLDA3-RNAfCubVMtui5uwbEOxJo-6JYRjpu_UyfTOug2XjoC8A02DteKFzd_0WWgzl0i2s265DdRPAM8IUvrSlqXQ/w612-h640/DSC_0908.jpg" width="612" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sporobolus michauxianus</i> (formerly <i>Spartina pectinata</i>) near Lower Bluestem Trail, Boulder, CO</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Finally, I also found a really tall and attractive species that I identified as </span><i style="text-align: center;">Sporobolus michauxianus</i><span style="text-align: center;"> (formerly </span><i style="text-align: center;">Spartina pectinata</i><span style="text-align: center;">). This is commonly called Prairie Cordgrass here, and it has amazing</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">pinkish anthers! When I first saw it from a distance I thought it was some weird <i>A. gerardii</i>, but I'm happy to have met the acquaintance of another spectacular looking member of the Poaceae during my trip to Colorado.</span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3VsGgnpAWtTWZIUdAeezlveyZRBK8-iQyPlNOw47uc-Irf236qBX2h5iUYjd3_n1qdBc_oAc9DzUf9YosJ5d9-M-ALzzGgJ1p6TxHm6Zag-dP7QeGgOlyr9rTHbx3xIgbJXQbCKEeyxEk-ARf5mcGJrRDfkaiGhC5b1N6zHKA-VjPnWRiuw2sKJaJe8/s900/DSC_0922.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="900" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3VsGgnpAWtTWZIUdAeezlveyZRBK8-iQyPlNOw47uc-Irf236qBX2h5iUYjd3_n1qdBc_oAc9DzUf9YosJ5d9-M-ALzzGgJ1p6TxHm6Zag-dP7QeGgOlyr9rTHbx3xIgbJXQbCKEeyxEk-ARf5mcGJrRDfkaiGhC5b1N6zHKA-VjPnWRiuw2sKJaJe8/w640-h376/DSC_0922.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sporobolus michauxianus</i> (formerly <i>Spartina pectinata</i>) near Lower Bluestem Trail, Boulder, CO</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-54080013328754974902023-07-25T15:54:00.025-04:002023-08-31T16:52:10.722-04:00Cogon in Colorado: An Alarming Case of Natural Reversion from the Ornamental Variety<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVqspJK5uQi7f1vrGQWiUXJ1NgjNxuPnFBUUQV-YLmUBUK8hGqESm2AYHbZ_Bk6m3ktIhzrh34ky9fKEWLiiMnceTI3IcyPQKmnTqVJ1TATOhcb9CRj1GFyEDWi3pxx78tLvCEKABcgJCMe1yZNcbtBsBTvDjtOFpD7iZKQxiT-WkhqsORYVg3i3LJtQ/s900/DSC_1150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVqspJK5uQi7f1vrGQWiUXJ1NgjNxuPnFBUUQV-YLmUBUK8hGqESm2AYHbZ_Bk6m3ktIhzrh34ky9fKEWLiiMnceTI3IcyPQKmnTqVJ1TATOhcb9CRj1GFyEDWi3pxx78tLvCEKABcgJCMe1yZNcbtBsBTvDjtOFpD7iZKQxiT-WkhqsORYVg3i3LJtQ/w640-h428/DSC_1150.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2023/08/update-on-cogon-grass-reversion-in.html" target="_blank">Click here for a new update to this article.</a></p><p>The highly aggressive <i>Imperata cylindrica</i> is <a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2020/09/a-lovecraftian-field-of-cogon.html" target="_blank">normally considered an invasive weed</a>, but it is sold as an ornamental in some places due to an attractive variety called Japanese Blood Grass or Red Baron.</p><p>This variety has reddish leaves and is significantly smaller than the wildtype form. It is also notably less competitive than the latter. In addition, <a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2020/05/a-very-rare-flowering-of-japanese-blood.html" target="_blank">flowering in this variety is extremely rare</a>, and it is cold tolerant. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWRx_1kEN5a7WaocUXNRCvbNYBZ8RsaETy-7HC-e1X3mLYXiMUOHVF7OAgGIVhfMsZZm5m7gWb6ORaITUQpA7XqUI0R9hFE7DoDk_Mbg5rCKat2ViyoXQeg98SX9hwP7HXEVf4RKaBtOjbO76URk5_2lSm-l9WlH8tEY-N57y2kBjZE7JOyVWEw2zmbw/s1200/DSC_0298.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="1200" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWRx_1kEN5a7WaocUXNRCvbNYBZ8RsaETy-7HC-e1X3mLYXiMUOHVF7OAgGIVhfMsZZm5m7gWb6ORaITUQpA7XqUI0R9hFE7DoDk_Mbg5rCKat2ViyoXQeg98SX9hwP7HXEVf4RKaBtOjbO76URk5_2lSm-l9WlH8tEY-N57y2kBjZE7JOyVWEw2zmbw/w640-h306/DSC_0298.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ornamental form in New Jersey</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The problem with the ornamental variety is that it has been shown to <a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2020/05/the-two-faces-of-imperata-cylindrica.html" target="_blank">revert to the aggressive green form under certain environmental conditions</a>, and so this variety cannot be sold, traded, or grown in certain states that have major cogon grass problems. The fear is that it might hybridize with the green form to form very aggressive, and cold tolerant, varieties that can become problematic even in cooler areas.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6b7smgdKrJteMOp2yzrtBE3Ccp-M5Y1nQeRwUSjln-ILHSbYnVq1ndyCy9vjcc3Btqk1xlqXEztbrJ-MDEpy-uWtFqO5DBuK5xlnWTLIWq0JzoGHyi8X_V7N5sPLA94OOGyzetaA_m-o4Nz75yd30kB8Fr1ShaN4jNaswrF2b4jMtR63g7O5sKQrUTlA/s800/DSC_0901.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6b7smgdKrJteMOp2yzrtBE3Ccp-M5Y1nQeRwUSjln-ILHSbYnVq1ndyCy9vjcc3Btqk1xlqXEztbrJ-MDEpy-uWtFqO5DBuK5xlnWTLIWq0JzoGHyi8X_V7N5sPLA94OOGyzetaA_m-o4Nz75yd30kB8Fr1ShaN4jNaswrF2b4jMtR63g7O5sKQrUTlA/w640-h428/DSC_0901.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cogon grass stand in Broomfield, CO. The dense mass has started to insinuate itself into the nearby shrubbery.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p>Natural conversion from the ornamental to the green form is probably very rare, and in the many years that I have known it in New Jersey, I never encountered such an event. However, I was walking along a street in Broomfield, CO, when I had to do a double take and take a closer look at a stand of grasses. Rising from the dense mass were flowerheads that looked similar to the distinctive inflorescence of <i>I. cylindrica</i>. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuPoR-OQwelpGJHjJVBgkTxuXhCPMd3mkN8bMhacmPDp9tMRNSElurw-OyF7Ngc2rqkvDRP4Lcike583cn5GVTJ0-mdssnb5yv3KYzngGoBDpil1gpuqlH64CYYxhov082TI6TcjbHtg2AXkFEEZ_tvxEXkpQq7ZHTgo5Vpafe8VBMr-dtvCrImX1Aew/s900/DSC_1176.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuPoR-OQwelpGJHjJVBgkTxuXhCPMd3mkN8bMhacmPDp9tMRNSElurw-OyF7Ngc2rqkvDRP4Lcike583cn5GVTJ0-mdssnb5yv3KYzngGoBDpil1gpuqlH64CYYxhov082TI6TcjbHtg2AXkFEEZ_tvxEXkpQq7ZHTgo5Vpafe8VBMr-dtvCrImX1Aew/w640-h428/DSC_1176.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spent flowerhead</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Most had already lost their spikelets, but a few still had the characteristic fluffy white seeds of the species sticking to them.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1G0b9VJmLvro0HFtu3LPXXSIVYyS0-0YIOZ4Gm3eNIKthjLZYozdTdDzasqRSTVVlQlNxMpUppa0mov6mtrDkJiUje7UE8OL4sJJ6-41RgOhab0nW9v0N3Z-HlO24yrfBzriOHN7Wd5EVgF3zvi9tcDxgcTgn3vUJY0H51wr7on777eloFwGigYPKRkQ/s900/DSC_1147.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1G0b9VJmLvro0HFtu3LPXXSIVYyS0-0YIOZ4Gm3eNIKthjLZYozdTdDzasqRSTVVlQlNxMpUppa0mov6mtrDkJiUje7UE8OL4sJJ6-41RgOhab0nW9v0N3Z-HlO24yrfBzriOHN7Wd5EVgF3zvi9tcDxgcTgn3vUJY0H51wr7on777eloFwGigYPKRkQ/w640-h428/DSC_1147.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White hairy seeds of <i>I. cylindrica </i>from the reverted stand</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There was no trace of red blades in the stand, and the grasses were up to more than 1 meter tall, which is significantly taller than I've ever seen the ornamental variety grow. All indications pointed to the fact that these were wild type cogon grass. In fact, the stand looked exactly like any cogon grass stand in Florida, the dense mass almost excluding all other plants from living in it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j-JoPohfrtZ8FzfevC8cqwX4KpYBkFbs640ViV7ErAv4OystOFxZF04oKdWdWWB5XLEmV_Uweu-F0vHtfHmunE3vEnsu-_XzqzwdhKqGRrkODYTR6-Qfqr-RFTh7-kOq_bVR5gFj2Sb9buX-fTTI85z0wO2WgNk_biC-5QZPfh0hyMSnzOGjTOTnObE/s900/DSC_1266.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j-JoPohfrtZ8FzfevC8cqwX4KpYBkFbs640ViV7ErAv4OystOFxZF04oKdWdWWB5XLEmV_Uweu-F0vHtfHmunE3vEnsu-_XzqzwdhKqGRrkODYTR6-Qfqr-RFTh7-kOq_bVR5gFj2Sb9buX-fTTI85z0wO2WgNk_biC-5QZPfh0hyMSnzOGjTOTnObE/w640-h428/DSC_1266.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spent flowerhead with a few fluffy seedheads still attached</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I surveyed the area and found at least two stands of reverted cogon grass in the vicinity. In the second stand, there was a mixture of both ornamental and green forms, with the green forms sprouting multiple flowerheads as well. In both stands, a few other plants managed to hold onto their spots, including <i>Bromus inermis</i>, which is normally one of the dominant naturalized exotics here in the Boulder area. Most will probably succumb to the much denser and more aggressive <i>I. cylindrica</i> over time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIa8dDQOUbbQdcURCrGuIEDLOQ1iBS6kNqPkksiUyTE6BG_7w42ztmjX_vu5RNMBDSkzj89qmW7vCnIGtIBYV9E6f74GlUy1-asmT4jIdMh-zOGoQ0ZSsXH-kPNFQQgwzGOLHwf5Cl3YHK_CxreiMo3s1EgecqbKGU7Z23LeUDc6VZgdkCCRZsC8BBg6E/s800/DSC_0903.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIa8dDQOUbbQdcURCrGuIEDLOQ1iBS6kNqPkksiUyTE6BG_7w42ztmjX_vu5RNMBDSkzj89qmW7vCnIGtIBYV9E6f74GlUy1-asmT4jIdMh-zOGoQ0ZSsXH-kPNFQQgwzGOLHwf5Cl3YHK_CxreiMo3s1EgecqbKGU7Z23LeUDc6VZgdkCCRZsC8BBg6E/w640-h428/DSC_0903.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dense mass of reverted Cogon grass fills up all the available space. The brown flowerheads to one side are from a few <i>Bromus inermis</i> that have survived in their midst</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Broomfield, CO is definitely not a subtropical or tropical location, so to say that I was surprised to find green-form cogon grass in the place would be an understatement. The ornamental variety of cogon grass seems to be used here though, probably because the assumption is that the cold and snow would keep it in "safe mode".</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYcvSwb3NQ_N70H8rTBTFaoYwkyaoWIq5wjobioE6WlD9VcjRcgxOWRPJw1CAqj7ugnn1Mc6QJAVF55bVZUz0PAYq1Uv5A8TGG9lwDTqic4se4SwYcoTyjyQunbfQZ9SDuPehdRlXYG-ctNUacnVOa5fxeRGYyfO_qZ48zaWrrdj-101F2_EyxlKIx4w/s900/DSC_0923.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYcvSwb3NQ_N70H8rTBTFaoYwkyaoWIq5wjobioE6WlD9VcjRcgxOWRPJw1CAqj7ugnn1Mc6QJAVF55bVZUz0PAYq1Uv5A8TGG9lwDTqic4se4SwYcoTyjyQunbfQZ9SDuPehdRlXYG-ctNUacnVOa5fxeRGYyfO_qZ48zaWrrdj-101F2_EyxlKIx4w/w640-h428/DSC_0923.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reverted wild type form is significantly taller than the ornamental form, and is green in color.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>However, the record heat prevalent in the southwest right now is probably increasing the average temperature in this area as well. Add in the wet winter and spring this year, and conditions might be optimal enough for the ornamental variety to revert. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQFRFU0zIpO4GJNRBYVags3RW_UaIjf5eGnPKMJEwQ8ecpu_mWtNgv5ydfXwkprKD3GjH-Sp256OynX8-zhXbQXdcv4U8sN7VmhiEQhtYU44rCdass-N_x3NYFYKx5gKby_TifwkupQtlx5pYcnt5J1WabAbh7DPpPnII1Ambr2ay9_Wa9zJg23ZOlhA/s800/DSC_0912.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQFRFU0zIpO4GJNRBYVags3RW_UaIjf5eGnPKMJEwQ8ecpu_mWtNgv5ydfXwkprKD3GjH-Sp256OynX8-zhXbQXdcv4U8sN7VmhiEQhtYU44rCdass-N_x3NYFYKx5gKby_TifwkupQtlx5pYcnt5J1WabAbh7DPpPnII1Ambr2ay9_Wa9zJg23ZOlhA/w640-h428/DSC_0912.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ornamental form between <i>Calamagrostis </i>spp.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The origin of the cogon grass is likely ornamental forms that had been planted along the sidewalk. I found a couple of these sandwiched in between the usual <i>Calamagrostis</i> ornamentals. </p><p>The question on whether these naturally-reverted forms will continue to survive is important. Will the cold and winter of Colorado convert these back to the ornamental form going forward, or will the warming climate allow it to flourish and start aggressively taking over swathes of the environment?</p><p>Time will tell.</p><p>Note: I have contacted the relevant authorities who can handle these clusters, so they will probably be extirpated going forward.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVZ5wooLnPKb8L7qs4eqdnlsCzJiGnyzVapWFYb1_WNe6pf5kieppLxdW6l7fceCPRF4SaQaIVNriKiVBP4nxAF_AQ13rF8FAwFLNPTMmTiHJpbIO6DyXnGySDLOvWmXt0US_aiE3AdlvP4M2Mm-5hIbI28gBA5rA0LdtAYnovE-mniS9J_mL1hgDjYQ/s900/DSC_1243.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVZ5wooLnPKb8L7qs4eqdnlsCzJiGnyzVapWFYb1_WNe6pf5kieppLxdW6l7fceCPRF4SaQaIVNriKiVBP4nxAF_AQ13rF8FAwFLNPTMmTiHJpbIO6DyXnGySDLOvWmXt0US_aiE3AdlvP4M2Mm-5hIbI28gBA5rA0LdtAYnovE-mniS9J_mL1hgDjYQ/w640-h428/DSC_1243.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unlikely pairing of <i>Bromus japonicus</i> and <i>Imperata cylindrica</i> "Japanese Blood Grass"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-3161964336818771622023-07-21T16:12:00.001-04:002023-07-21T16:13:10.323-04:00A Beautiful Bouteloua Bonanza<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbLIR8SBDyR1p-HGTx6HGuZwQ9syryw4nmcozGltNgqvtAlxf7gXkv1Qv4aXZm8r0PmXRxp4Ao4evoCsEl0F3DfmuoUSMIAnMeaIVN2CkupPC5P7jK2vXtiktGr1wbPTbFmdhIBrIINXSraE_GLp-eKe5FLfLFVI8wG-67aE7py6xjHvo4PHTctG0t_M/s1000/DSC_1211.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1000" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbLIR8SBDyR1p-HGTx6HGuZwQ9syryw4nmcozGltNgqvtAlxf7gXkv1Qv4aXZm8r0PmXRxp4Ao4evoCsEl0F3DfmuoUSMIAnMeaIVN2CkupPC5P7jK2vXtiktGr1wbPTbFmdhIBrIINXSraE_GLp-eKe5FLfLFVI8wG-67aE7py6xjHvo4PHTctG0t_M/w640-h450/DSC_1211.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua curtipendula </i><span style="text-align: left;">(side oats grama)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><p>Species from the genus <i>Bouteloua</i> (from the subfamily Chloridoideae) are one of the dominant plants of the shortgrass prairie.</p><p>These relatively small grasses include <i>Bouteloua gracilis</i> (blue grama grass), <i>Bouteloua dactyloides</i> (buffalo grass), and <i>Bouteloua curtipendula </i>(side oats grama)</p><p>The shortgrass prairie is an ecoregion that is semi-arid, with cool winters and warm summers. It occupies a slice of land in North America to the west of the more famous tall grass prairies, with a region of mixed grasses between them. As indicated by the name, the ecoregion is dominated by short-statured grasses such as <i>Bouteloua</i> spp.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcK8DRG6L0GWguakx2scQBV6R2U0ltuplD6eYvuaRxg-aa7R_awkBLVEK4UI2Cq4oFhl-Fa_k8NREsgAVx-Sn4CiiDKWyFhK1C96CsKZZx48Dr3eOQo-sG5XZivp4X72uGvDBrQGj9I1BIUO2Wx8zCosgQuarMR82lc9zFoKme-_cnlH_FZI4NDVN4vI/s653/sgp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcK8DRG6L0GWguakx2scQBV6R2U0ltuplD6eYvuaRxg-aa7R_awkBLVEK4UI2Cq4oFhl-Fa_k8NREsgAVx-Sn4CiiDKWyFhK1C96CsKZZx48Dr3eOQo-sG5XZivp4X72uGvDBrQGj9I1BIUO2Wx8zCosgQuarMR82lc9zFoKme-_cnlH_FZI4NDVN4vI/s16000/sgp.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modified from wikipedia <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55800786" target="_blank">By User: TheshibbolethHowpper</a> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A lot of the attention on prairies in general are focused on the tallgrass species, such as <i>Andropogon gerardii</i>, <i>Schizachyrium scoparium</i>, <i>Panicum virgatum</i>, and the like, but as I travelled through the states with mixed and short grass prairies, I fell into serious liking (even loving!) for the short-statured grasses that are found in these expansive areas.</p><p>Both <i>B. gracilis</i> and <i>B. dactyloides</i> are really small grasses, but their reproductive structures are quite distinctive and in my eyes quite beautiful. The inflorescence of <i>B. gracilis</i> (blue grama grass) is small, but easily seen with the naked eye even from the height of a person, since they usually occur in masses. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeR3PkJARWT_LCr8f5Yrx7GzBbvJcNa24Spi0-NAwZKAJzdsJAH66s2OzVTg4SHXFWtePpZUXOyP8SUJJTbcI-uOHbsD9yDv9kKhIoJL5sBUxcbRx724z53uFC1o5sicKop6PTYADa2L8vp6bNL6QrkxSaIFaQ4MJHNmKamfeCIUspgUyu3uFgCS3x2nc/s900/DSC_0881.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="900" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeR3PkJARWT_LCr8f5Yrx7GzBbvJcNa24Spi0-NAwZKAJzdsJAH66s2OzVTg4SHXFWtePpZUXOyP8SUJJTbcI-uOHbsD9yDv9kKhIoJL5sBUxcbRx724z53uFC1o5sicKop6PTYADa2L8vp6bNL6QrkxSaIFaQ4MJHNmKamfeCIUspgUyu3uFgCS3x2nc/w640-h516/DSC_0881.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B. gracilis</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The species is especially attractive when the bright green anthers start poking out from the spikelets, and I have seen this species used quite liberally as ornamentals here in Colorado, and elsewhere, such as western Kansas. I remember my first experience with this species was in New Mexico several years back. At the time, I had never seen such an odd looking inflorescence.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NtN-XrI-Wdz55a9LgP3kqgGxWvlR-Uy116oBJuEIeE_vW8dbkxzgxPpfzd3yXozHn6YOyycHiLjI1CAbq3my_OSVJnL04I5_cKoFCFbgpd2urtitQorqSv6_IEML0jey6KMJwyoChhjWgXmTVXFM5PIyPKJqiNplJfbmIyiqh3VZn_2IBPvkleetwH4/s1000/DSC_0918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1000" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NtN-XrI-Wdz55a9LgP3kqgGxWvlR-Uy116oBJuEIeE_vW8dbkxzgxPpfzd3yXozHn6YOyycHiLjI1CAbq3my_OSVJnL04I5_cKoFCFbgpd2urtitQorqSv6_IEML0jey6KMJwyoChhjWgXmTVXFM5PIyPKJqiNplJfbmIyiqh3VZn_2IBPvkleetwH4/w640-h406/DSC_0918.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B.gracilis </i>with green anthers and ant on top!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><i>B. dactyloides</i> (buffalo grass) is even more unusual when it comes to reproduction. It is one of the few grasses that are mostly dioecious, with some individuals having only female flowers, and some individuals having only male flowers. In addition, most grasses have perfect flowers, which contain both male and female reproductive parts in the same flower, but <i>B. dactyloides</i> flowers are mostly unisexual, either having male OR female parts. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIFcPU1dzaGCK3fT9dSNlw4hHzj6ryHBXkw-sKmHzsbdu9p3h1wU7Jl1P1s-oY9IKl5W4u2FhDhgfeLXMw-rbGI7DTMfPc_Oqtz3d_zifz3dZwxh6QZhCwrh7JjzHbWc1gQq4Bu3XWHO-byWtuLQXYl7HL21nQJp-ryAt2bCz-LF0qW2n2GGilECtAzw/s1000/DSC_1010.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIFcPU1dzaGCK3fT9dSNlw4hHzj6ryHBXkw-sKmHzsbdu9p3h1wU7Jl1P1s-oY9IKl5W4u2FhDhgfeLXMw-rbGI7DTMfPc_Oqtz3d_zifz3dZwxh6QZhCwrh7JjzHbWc1gQq4Bu3XWHO-byWtuLQXYl7HL21nQJp-ryAt2bCz-LF0qW2n2GGilECtAzw/w640-h428/DSC_1010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B.dactyloides </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The staminate (male) flowerheads are distinctive, with bright orangey anthers. Unlike <i>B.gracilis</i>, it is a bit harder to spot <i>B. dactyloides</i> by its flowerhead from a distance, but I've found that experience seeing the grass many times does help.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOISQPjzEmzXWkwUbmJ17LimJuEAd7a8OBzYOJbzDG457dbennDPSzLwXWJ-nMgqvYmc7WBJm1lhjiYO6S-iNNnW3hOEJgT0yQl2SHiB-mrSbCLHKSsAnN-Sm2pey24C7q9QYl5hyIXC-p0sNMoKqxfbfMxJygfH21fXVVGz9PPXaQftmyKn8yqzdp1Fs/s1000/DSC_0998.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1000" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOISQPjzEmzXWkwUbmJ17LimJuEAd7a8OBzYOJbzDG457dbennDPSzLwXWJ-nMgqvYmc7WBJm1lhjiYO6S-iNNnW3hOEJgT0yQl2SHiB-mrSbCLHKSsAnN-Sm2pey24C7q9QYl5hyIXC-p0sNMoKqxfbfMxJygfH21fXVVGz9PPXaQftmyKn8yqzdp1Fs/w640-h464/DSC_0998.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B.dactyloides</i> male staminate flowerhead</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The female pistillate structures of <i>B. dactyloides</i> are even more unusual. They are hidden beneath the leaves, the 3 to 5 spikelets protected by spikes. Each spikelet has only one floret, and once fertilized the entire spike structure falls to the ground.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52dxoaf1Q5zNeOmKx0akjWmP5Q4CYfxPRXKRZlv0gxkMVo920ChJB1QxeIDNt49ZtDN7xrw8Z0Hdo--SQrc4onSxpl2OXoWKaL7-Lo5BGqU9bxH2uHvOJ-EGJZOtN_z7OM_DHTHjY1dZjAHT_OWpsJlIm5tfs3qfkZCvrhetx3asRT_wBysok50MXP88/s900/DSC_0990.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="900" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52dxoaf1Q5zNeOmKx0akjWmP5Q4CYfxPRXKRZlv0gxkMVo920ChJB1QxeIDNt49ZtDN7xrw8Z0Hdo--SQrc4onSxpl2OXoWKaL7-Lo5BGqU9bxH2uHvOJ-EGJZOtN_z7OM_DHTHjY1dZjAHT_OWpsJlIm5tfs3qfkZCvrhetx3asRT_wBysok50MXP88/w640-h488/DSC_0990.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B.dactyloides</i> female pistillate flowerhead</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The species has been used as turf grass, and I remember wanting to see whether I could use it in my lawn in New Jersey. The main problem with its use as a lawn is that it does tend to brown and go into hibernation as the cold approaches, which would be slightly problematic in a suburban environment used to green lawns all year round.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHeVhjBxvIgUYF5sdnQR8_F_h7nhf5KYF8tqhfltvVAMHYXSrug7jO4AjiUMQn55JwEFwfOvYWl4CPm9Edw2rPTtYejIaC5OBEzD7h3DrnoYe3GpCLe9dE6HzAUb1kuqAEKhjk4ghOktIpbJs_915CAn1ToLENylmjza4kulfTPz3ZTXuJdDG7WFwX8E/s900/DSC_0996.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="900" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHeVhjBxvIgUYF5sdnQR8_F_h7nhf5KYF8tqhfltvVAMHYXSrug7jO4AjiUMQn55JwEFwfOvYWl4CPm9Edw2rPTtYejIaC5OBEzD7h3DrnoYe3GpCLe9dE6HzAUb1kuqAEKhjk4ghOktIpbJs_915CAn1ToLENylmjza4kulfTPz3ZTXuJdDG7WFwX8E/w640-h460/DSC_0996.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B. dactyloides</i> staminate spikelet</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Finally, perhaps the most beautiful species in the genus that I've seen so far is <i>Bouteloua curtipendula</i> (side oats grama).</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a somewhat larger species than the two others, and its inflorescence is a long spike. The spikelets have iridescent violet and green hues interspersed with cream, and look like streamlined and aerodynamic hood ornaments on a race car.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjETQlI_Em8pdfBLeX0M2ZvI3QvvvNtIZ3Jq-y0k0vrrNximqinoFAyMAgvFlNdLohny581zTtipSEZKkuQ8LWCDf_Ym5tM9x9pyRJoNFZhSZbjwBdjuit3sWh4nIgYr0tEydpMEK0EDs_ZIdSZc176L7CMh0sepPE8jk9Ec1sLQASPq0zpRuulX4QlR0/s1000/DSC_1066.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="1000" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjETQlI_Em8pdfBLeX0M2ZvI3QvvvNtIZ3Jq-y0k0vrrNximqinoFAyMAgvFlNdLohny581zTtipSEZKkuQ8LWCDf_Ym5tM9x9pyRJoNFZhSZbjwBdjuit3sWh4nIgYr0tEydpMEK0EDs_ZIdSZc176L7CMh0sepPE8jk9Ec1sLQASPq0zpRuulX4QlR0/w640-h334/DSC_1066.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua curtipendula</i><span style="text-align: left;">a (pre-anthesis)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The appearance of orange anthers later simply adds to the alluring look of this species. I usually see specimens of this species as lone individuals, unlike <i>B. gracilis</i> and <i>B. dactyloides</i>, which are more rhizomatous and spread out.as clusters or colonies. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXxvoBewl8wTu3Q3o6B-bgbIliQXehN1_kagiarKcdhmXvp1e7avhte7ikEFn_GNh1YsNe5tDBDa4OhG1GpRtFltxoJ_0Noefr1r7SskLCY8jxK-1Fy7oS5sqRAeZezBwEtYgWZVhelRGXze3oVtR0ryVFtcLisBaQ81GiNup0AmZPk_N1T5Ymap8XSE/s900/DSC_0909.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXxvoBewl8wTu3Q3o6B-bgbIliQXehN1_kagiarKcdhmXvp1e7avhte7ikEFn_GNh1YsNe5tDBDa4OhG1GpRtFltxoJ_0Noefr1r7SskLCY8jxK-1Fy7oS5sqRAeZezBwEtYgWZVhelRGXze3oVtR0ryVFtcLisBaQ81GiNup0AmZPk_N1T5Ymap8XSE/w640-h428/DSC_0909.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua curtipendula</i><span style="text-align: left;">a with orange anthers and white stigma</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>There are other species in the genus here in Colorado, such as <i>Bouteloua hirsuta, </i><span>which has a rachis that extends well past the spikelets, and I am hoping that I get to see and photograph these as well in the short time that I am here. But in the meantime, I spend time marveling at the various little beauties that I find as I hike the the hidden and not so hidden pathways in the area.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOPyIC1pnO_0W4aE3hIzam9cvrfm7EW6lrVPO3kL89CWXPO-NW3uANIasr-U6HyMNzVxOzIeA1I8UXoW9snuImQVuz9Jib1N4BiccK3P_LixysC5dQYdziQI466Flav5ZvlEQDQQseTU4dmzT441NaloRFhOdwswtW-hIJmv3GARPrIcl-GLo7uFH1hY/s900/DSC_0913.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="900" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOPyIC1pnO_0W4aE3hIzam9cvrfm7EW6lrVPO3kL89CWXPO-NW3uANIasr-U6HyMNzVxOzIeA1I8UXoW9snuImQVuz9Jib1N4BiccK3P_LixysC5dQYdziQI466Flav5ZvlEQDQQseTU4dmzT441NaloRFhOdwswtW-hIJmv3GARPrIcl-GLo7uFH1hY/w640-h534/DSC_0913.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua gracilis </i><span style="text-align: left;">with green anthers</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-25575826292066734482023-07-16T12:01:00.012-04:002023-07-17T06:53:06.654-04:00More Evidence of Potential Animal Pollination In some Grasses<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NnBD19gwd9w0m_pQALN4IeS5Q-32AqDETDRRHXiGKvtGDtQZiJzCEJhXhoDDq2XFwaK66vXNvVxPZ1hSrmDiw_JRH_Z6QATLS6KaL5ADibI3rVi4Pw40EJOAEeOUrR1-OZhdBOt6xA5e84WU9ceY8Y0rU1g-9HF9RUNw2Y0zTRuiReDV81VRrEHsjXE/s705/DSC_0903.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="636" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NnBD19gwd9w0m_pQALN4IeS5Q-32AqDETDRRHXiGKvtGDtQZiJzCEJhXhoDDq2XFwaK66vXNvVxPZ1hSrmDiw_JRH_Z6QATLS6KaL5ADibI3rVi4Pw40EJOAEeOUrR1-OZhdBOt6xA5e84WU9ceY8Y0rU1g-9HF9RUNw2Y0zTRuiReDV81VRrEHsjXE/w578-h640/DSC_0903.jpg" width="578" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple stigma on the upper left of the hoverfly, as it looks around for yellow anthers</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In previous posts, the topic of animal pollination of grasses was discussed.</p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2022/08/life-without-animal-pollinators-why.html" target="_blank">Life without Animal Pollinators: Why Grasses Embraced the Wind</a></p><p><a href="https://grass.keyapa.com/2020/06/bee-mimicking-fly-on-flowers-of.html" target="_blank">Bee mimicking fly on flowers of Phalaris arundinacea cultivar</a></p><p>I was looking at what I thought to be a small specimen of <i>Andropogon sp.</i> here near Boulder, Colorado, when I noticed that many small insects were landing on the flowerhead and spending time perusing through the yellow anthers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbPfoAL5CJHKTz7gah00bb9qFnuwcxjkBNFwwUh9DSsInXtfEPsvRuwZVmTd3Md3OEMGdXVE_vntMCtDTd2-mTFWOSyQ7rd9bzjhbdituQmz1cHI6ttP3xM5rz7-00oqJCkUalbOJz5XyzE7CJ87_01vEIr2mQrwPqTdYJJ4ShTTWm3fevWLvOkRsUg0/s900/DSC_0913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="900" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbPfoAL5CJHKTz7gah00bb9qFnuwcxjkBNFwwUh9DSsInXtfEPsvRuwZVmTd3Md3OEMGdXVE_vntMCtDTd2-mTFWOSyQ7rd9bzjhbdituQmz1cHI6ttP3xM5rz7-00oqJCkUalbOJz5XyzE7CJ87_01vEIr2mQrwPqTdYJJ4ShTTWm3fevWLvOkRsUg0/w640-h378/DSC_0913.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The insects that buzzed and crawled among the yellow anthers and purple stigma seemed to all be hoverflies, similar to those that I had seen frequenting the flowerheads of <i>Phalaris arundinaea</i> in New Jersey. <div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5rIqWlWVsS42cYGam0SR_8jGMc_MsnEC2oauinEjpLzergEYHX-Mj6zX1oucIie9In4xHYMLcgE780Bdy1JZIb3ob5tVo5pnBolj_8NYHt96mJWMnvHcg8vOLXKLFVwpCv4nq59xYvJCFX351WzGEe71oa2pcqNPyLvPJn4ghYQzXFzw0xzNfVW7zrI/s900/DSC_0897.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="900" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5rIqWlWVsS42cYGam0SR_8jGMc_MsnEC2oauinEjpLzergEYHX-Mj6zX1oucIie9In4xHYMLcgE780Bdy1JZIb3ob5tVo5pnBolj_8NYHt96mJWMnvHcg8vOLXKLFVwpCv4nq59xYvJCFX351WzGEe71oa2pcqNPyLvPJn4ghYQzXFzw0xzNfVW7zrI/w640-h520/DSC_0897.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoverfly eyes a good meal</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As I noted in the previous posts, the insects seem to eat the pollen directly using its extended proboscis, and this could facilitate pollination when pollen sticks to it and transfers to a stigma during its visit to another flower.</p><p>Like all grasses, <i>A. gerardii</i> relies on wind pollination for the dispersal of its pollen, and the reason behind its lack of dependence on animals <a href="0https://grass.keyapa.com/2022/08/life-without-animal-pollinators-why.html" target="_blank">is discussed elsewhere</a>. But it would not make sense to turn down the services of insects and other animals when they could enhance delivery, and this is perhaps what is happening in this case.</p><p>Interestingly enough, there have been reports of other insects such as bees also rummaging among grass flowerheads, but I have yet to see such cases.</p></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716379494643903285.post-28335966324490894332023-07-11T23:51:00.021-04:002023-07-13T16:27:16.015-04:00The Case for Urban Open Spaces<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvAwEG2cv9L2wsjhpigFZqJoYdScAfpdNfQ9c85vrWc3t8zztUJ_OJBHQUmJSKiYcKhs5O54y30d5c_heKIxro4OxuxF8WLEmVCHG_l-xNXUJUxiMbtEP2xMwu3lOQiXjAZ0uP7vI4JMVkjfx6OIfm4LRX5nnMFGluCvuU1fy2J6MfxNaFEY0JqbQLag/s1000/DSC_0998.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1000" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvAwEG2cv9L2wsjhpigFZqJoYdScAfpdNfQ9c85vrWc3t8zztUJ_OJBHQUmJSKiYcKhs5O54y30d5c_heKIxro4OxuxF8WLEmVCHG_l-xNXUJUxiMbtEP2xMwu3lOQiXjAZ0uP7vI4JMVkjfx6OIfm4LRX5nnMFGluCvuU1fy2J6MfxNaFEY0JqbQLag/w640-h464/DSC_0998.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bouteloua dactyloides</i> staminate spikelet (from another location)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of the first things I noticed here in Colorado is the prevalence of land called "Open Spaces". These Open Spaces are preserved land that is not developed, although they may be adjacent to the usual parks and other recreational locations.</p><p>According to the department that <a href="https://bouldercolorado.gov/government/departments/open-space-mountain-parks/about#main-content" target="_blank">manages these areas</a> in the city of Boulder:</p><p><i>The open space lands teem with native plants and wildlife and are home to threatened and endangered species. They serve as a buffer between Boulder and nearby development. They sustain agriculture uses and add untold benefits to the natural environment - clean air, water, and earth. The lands shape the urban mosaic of the Boulder Valley and provide residents with passive recreation opportunities. Trails are used by walkers, hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders, dog walkers and other passive recreational uses.</i></p><p>I visited one of these <a href="https://www.broomfield.org/285/Open-Space-and-Trails" target="_blank">Open Spaces in nearby Broomfield</a>, which has kept their city beautiful by preserving large tracts of land. In the Open Space that I visited there, walking paths crisscrossed the place, and people were jogging, walking their dogs, and generally just enjoying nature. I did some botanizing one morning, and found many native grasses, although they were outnumbered by the usual naturalized exotics that have become ubiquitous wherever humanity has taken hold.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XvXq-jMVreOK5iDjN659e-5wtHD0t33DK2O2flhRb_GIYBbfaOCKh8700riHvCCSkayDH2mCWl2UJWUzL7P2pS7CmJFjRvQwfhZOdw6Us1-TwgT1r6t07n_i3dvwUAH2Q57naPehengP5OUQQNCSp4qPkHiEE-AHhNmdQQbv93TyPNs9HRD00HpnLxs/s900/20230711_165040.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="900" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XvXq-jMVreOK5iDjN659e-5wtHD0t33DK2O2flhRb_GIYBbfaOCKh8700riHvCCSkayDH2mCWl2UJWUzL7P2pS7CmJFjRvQwfhZOdw6Us1-TwgT1r6t07n_i3dvwUAH2Q57naPehengP5OUQQNCSp4qPkHiEE-AHhNmdQQbv93TyPNs9HRD00HpnLxs/w640-h288/20230711_165040.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of an Open Space in Broomfield, CO</td></tr></tbody></table>I spent an enjoyable morning just walking the paths and looking at the critters, and managed to identify some of the major species during my botanizing. As always, I am always open to corrections of my identifications.<p>One of the most notable denizens of the area was <i>Bromus inermis</i>, which existed in large clusters and is commonly called Smooth Brome. You can identify it not only by the recognizable spikelets and habit, but by a W crimp in the middle of the leaves. This species is an introduced forage grass, but it has become somewhat invasive in many places.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBDiay4xeryL6u9x16q6mwbjLBJskdj3HJC5BAHmBn_Cqcw9v5_5IiuVxcW92Is6YLQcgdzjpRqKx4V-_KMf6LMRKPqOkUjUjfIfoj-F8KW0IgB9BRSJ2ECuuy8RXiGioNZcuQtPbnDgPUoqbg31LI3XC6u4AJYzIdqBXSBNkKcHlNNd08mtkybUIV8I/s900/DSC_0947.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="900" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBDiay4xeryL6u9x16q6mwbjLBJskdj3HJC5BAHmBn_Cqcw9v5_5IiuVxcW92Is6YLQcgdzjpRqKx4V-_KMf6LMRKPqOkUjUjfIfoj-F8KW0IgB9BRSJ2ECuuy8RXiGioNZcuQtPbnDgPUoqbg31LI3XC6u4AJYzIdqBXSBNkKcHlNNd08mtkybUIV8I/w640-h424/DSC_0947.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Bromus inermis</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The native <i>Pascopyrum smithii</i> (called Western Wheatgrass here) was also quite abundant. It is rhizomatous, and so exists in the area in large groupings.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7x_9Yh1_5LwtfSvrtdIwWcTqT8pIPPwvmcn7kcMpohJDfvKiX7G8Dn82EV0vPFBYzHHpV5rLcYG_w2DddiC8CUKKxt00MgdMwzGlTmRbk01vtshqnJ4ablkfulRMJthjxo8klcy_GGA4sCp77JQBDSXJKzbe-3VwuUun4X8MrrAI_6xMn8vbYeqAJMJk/s900/DSC_1080.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7x_9Yh1_5LwtfSvrtdIwWcTqT8pIPPwvmcn7kcMpohJDfvKiX7G8Dn82EV0vPFBYzHHpV5rLcYG_w2DddiC8CUKKxt00MgdMwzGlTmRbk01vtshqnJ4ablkfulRMJthjxo8klcy_GGA4sCp77JQBDSXJKzbe-3VwuUun4X8MrrAI_6xMn8vbYeqAJMJk/w640-h428/DSC_1080.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Pascopyrum smithii</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Close to it I also saw <i>Thinopyrum obtusiflorum</i>, which looks somewhat similar, but is significantly taller than its neighbor. This species is not native, but had been introduced from Eurasia. It has a few common names, such as tall wheatgrass, rush wheatgrass, and Eurasian quackgrass.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggktlMSnOn7dUAlsFgzJdcOcv0BwcSWBPdRsvcPtxTFAV_IIg3NGGaf4sn-WX5hdSqpbIXnh2wk7XeK1-bYOaiPU0xxw6fxaPCTazkGqc0eybV7TQguv02yQCz_QCNvxQUUCQcDOCGawnrsJK7RiEhBuU1qTwW9k2n_IFSt5H04KfN6EKgELHLb9Q-a18/s1000/DSC_1165b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggktlMSnOn7dUAlsFgzJdcOcv0BwcSWBPdRsvcPtxTFAV_IIg3NGGaf4sn-WX5hdSqpbIXnh2wk7XeK1-bYOaiPU0xxw6fxaPCTazkGqc0eybV7TQguv02yQCz_QCNvxQUUCQcDOCGawnrsJK7RiEhBuU1qTwW9k2n_IFSt5H04KfN6EKgELHLb9Q-a18/w640-h428/DSC_1165b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Thinopyrum obtusiflorum</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Another naturalized Eurasian species was also quite abundant. <i>Agropyron cristatum</i> is called crested wheat grass, and the sight of its flowerheads <i>en masse</i> was quite attractive.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhmOkcsz4GQtPPyjePlOuPn84FG1sJIHuSjGV_vz670wgFF7FHSoQYLlyrRsVqruuLlHWQsaK2djwfKCoEkUAgHqQPVm5E_kr2RTlhrJjvC_bTEnASYP3lahjIbNmeNTb07V76XtnS5dQy1STl8SEt5w_0GaM8JHAPUM5HHvCTs9YUPeseeI_J6uz5SU/s900/DSC_0964.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhmOkcsz4GQtPPyjePlOuPn84FG1sJIHuSjGV_vz670wgFF7FHSoQYLlyrRsVqruuLlHWQsaK2djwfKCoEkUAgHqQPVm5E_kr2RTlhrJjvC_bTEnASYP3lahjIbNmeNTb07V76XtnS5dQy1STl8SEt5w_0GaM8JHAPUM5HHvCTs9YUPeseeI_J6uz5SU/w640-h428/DSC_0964.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Agropyron cristatum</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div>There were also stands of what I first took to be escaped cultivated plants. but which may instead be a native called <i>Hordeum brachyantherum</i> (meadow barley). These were one of the taller species in the community, dwarfing everything but some of the <i>Thinopyrum obtusiflorum</i> specimens<i>.</i><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLsja4Tm54LyjR_xd3YAQZ3TSUXexVCg7j-iP2DZ6zavGHT8QLHtSiPA9NBx1jP0nDXEh3H4lE8cwge3ABgSPEFycImfyGN5W_m4EYo0XNjEFXRm3BO9xWHl0DurjIteBywBo_7Qlfpxl9-GP6RmSwPCMak0KC5WLRiCcJRDsz2DDYJRUhz5mHrs4h0c/s900/DSC_0976.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="900" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLsja4Tm54LyjR_xd3YAQZ3TSUXexVCg7j-iP2DZ6zavGHT8QLHtSiPA9NBx1jP0nDXEh3H4lE8cwge3ABgSPEFycImfyGN5W_m4EYo0XNjEFXRm3BO9xWHl0DurjIteBywBo_7Qlfpxl9-GP6RmSwPCMak0KC5WLRiCcJRDsz2DDYJRUhz5mHrs4h0c/w640-h490/DSC_0976.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Hordeum brachyantherum</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The smaller species I found along the sides of the path, and included native grasses from the genus <i>Bouteloua</i> (which has become one of my fav genera, and which I'll explore more in a later article).</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Bouteloua gracilis</i> (called Blue Grama grass here) was in evidence along the margins, their distinctive flowerheads dangling bright green anthers. This species is one of the dominant inhabitants of the short grass prairies in Eastern Colorado.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoQNMVNM75FSTSkiXtL9p0mrZtPtNjQ5RMiJwssgLp5EKgXl2w94ui66PJJj13xlQfc3AIu54ev7Z4V8WeV6v9V7f6232fixft6MadZC9Zb5CjSHXi2E0JqWpE4bjSofcgdGyPAB1E7jMmsAk86QGNA0EQv2rIm3QUwRY_5uZ-IUQV7-0eZrR9nTTe9Y/s900/DSC_0913.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="900" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoQNMVNM75FSTSkiXtL9p0mrZtPtNjQ5RMiJwssgLp5EKgXl2w94ui66PJJj13xlQfc3AIu54ev7Z4V8WeV6v9V7f6232fixft6MadZC9Zb5CjSHXi2E0JqWpE4bjSofcgdGyPAB1E7jMmsAk86QGNA0EQv2rIm3QUwRY_5uZ-IUQV7-0eZrR9nTTe9Y/w640-h534/DSC_0913.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua gracilis</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div>I also found some specimens of the equally diminutive <i>Bouteloua dactyloides </i>(called buffalo grass here), another dominant species of the short grass prairies that has been used as turf. More on this later, but it is one of the few dioecious grasses, with some individuals having only staminate flowers, and others only pistillate flowers.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIyeuzJe3HN0ZU9aLUBQZnfQVX0H40Q_pf6pv1o-zAObWScFmMsw209VLG6nS4RDCichLA9FN7ul4sInegP_e15rNZY5fD8J57H8DDB-yNN5aPBYkjdwJPhmWfJ8wqbjF0UUeCNMgEN8jYQQfp-5atjFxW6KqvHFfIVzNiw153TVphLgNA8D1978R4DM/s900/DSC_0996.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="900" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIyeuzJe3HN0ZU9aLUBQZnfQVX0H40Q_pf6pv1o-zAObWScFmMsw209VLG6nS4RDCichLA9FN7ul4sInegP_e15rNZY5fD8J57H8DDB-yNN5aPBYkjdwJPhmWfJ8wqbjF0UUeCNMgEN8jYQQfp-5atjFxW6KqvHFfIVzNiw153TVphLgNA8D1978R4DM/w640-h460/DSC_0996.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Bouteloua dactyloides</i><span style="text-align: left;"> (staminate spikelet)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Other species that I found included the natives <i>Panicum capillare</i>, <i>Bouteloua curtipendula, </i>and <i>Hordeum jubatum</i>, as well as a few clusters of the invasive <i>Bromus tectorum</i>. In a creek, I even found a lone cattail (<i>Typha</i> sp, not Poaceae) surrounded by the invasive <i>Phalaris arundinacea</i> (Reed Canary Grass).</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU109SlBIGwIu3Hvh2JbrOVYJPob_BL1tbq0T1B6YhR3UoNzy1qv1TgUlXm7DTrBkOlSz2Pc-5nM4Lr8_5XKvrBk8dDGH5CuY1SzrvtdA4UEhaB7-_yEzeldC7Khc8ZEwEc7foSA09mtY3HKpxxD2UYfhq-9NJjUfyQThek7qrIgjfo-_yVsS3Mlu2Cv0/s900/DSC_1091.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="900" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU109SlBIGwIu3Hvh2JbrOVYJPob_BL1tbq0T1B6YhR3UoNzy1qv1TgUlXm7DTrBkOlSz2Pc-5nM4Lr8_5XKvrBk8dDGH5CuY1SzrvtdA4UEhaB7-_yEzeldC7Khc8ZEwEc7foSA09mtY3HKpxxD2UYfhq-9NJjUfyQThek7qrIgjfo-_yVsS3Mlu2Cv0/w640-h428/DSC_1091.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Phalaris arundinacea</i> surrounds a lone cattail (<i>Typha</i> sp)</td></tr></tbody></table><div>The variety of species was fantastic, and I loved the time I spent botanizing. All in all, I have to say that I am fully and heavily in support of creating such Open Spaces. I would rather see natural areas like these preserved, than more gated communities, mini-malls, McMansions and parking lots. </div><div><p>As noted above, some of the advantages include:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>They serve as home to threatened and endangered species.</li><li>They serve as a buffer between a city and nearby development.</li><li>They sustain agriculture uses and add untold benefits to the natural environment - clean air, water, and earth.</li><li>The lands shape the urban mosaic and provide residents with passive recreation opportunities. Trails are used by walkers, hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders, dog walkers and other passive recreational uses.</li></ul><p></p><p>In addition, I believe Open Spaces give an airy and open vibe to a city, provide habitats for a large variety of plants and animals, and serve as a shining example of how nature and people can coexist together.</p><p>Kudos to the city of Broomfield, Boulder, and all the other enlightened communities in Colorado that have the foresight and the perseverance to protect the natural beauty of the land!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaBtSrzg78zVanEVbg4JKdyvh2Hi_UTnhmGkElQGKoj1boIgIbN39JorEdIiw5I-DEEsX6LtVet8CSXFlnpFWCO4iW8kq0_YlCMW58IO9zFOCCoUhMzWPuYgFCKgGZJnepZXorKsyz7smBixZZpb-n22s0le83uf1-Cf_LHePBTmcAG-r2ZScIew4ZEw/s1000/DSC_1010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaBtSrzg78zVanEVbg4JKdyvh2Hi_UTnhmGkElQGKoj1boIgIbN39JorEdIiw5I-DEEsX6LtVet8CSXFlnpFWCO4iW8kq0_YlCMW58IO9zFOCCoUhMzWPuYgFCKgGZJnepZXorKsyz7smBixZZpb-n22s0le83uf1-Cf_LHePBTmcAG-r2ZScIew4ZEw/w640-h428/DSC_1010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div>BanyanWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11670269057329577541noreply@blogger.com0