Missouri Wildflowers, October 2011

Missouri! This is getting far afield from the Space Coast! However, this is the only place I have to show my photos, so here is where they'll be.

In late October, we visited several Missouri state parks near I-44 west of St. Louis, along the northern edge of the Ozarks. The prolific flowers of summer were mostly gone, but there were plenty of asters and a few isolated flowers still in bloom. I used the guide book, "Ozark Wildflowers" by Don Kurtz to help identify some of the wildflowers; however, I did not attempt to completely identify the species of most of the flowers.

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Asters

Our tour began in the Shaw Nature Preserve, which features wildflowers native to Missouri. Flowers of woods, fields, and prairies were represented. Asters were among the most abundant and visible wildflowers in Shaw.

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Black-eyed susan

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Unidentified

This flower looked similar to our greeneyes.

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Ironweed

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Lobelia

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Horsetail

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Partridge pea

This looked like our local partridge pea, except the stamens were dark red, instead of yellow.

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Closed gentian

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Phlox

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Bellflower

According to the Ozark wildflowers guide, this is American bellflower (Campanula americana, Campanulaceae). This flower is found throughout the east and mid-west U.S., including 3 counties in the Florida panhandle, bordering Alabama and Georgia.

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Monarch butterfly on dandelion

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Fire-on-the-mountain (Poinsettia cyathophora, Euphorbiaceae)

This is the same species as our local wild poinsettia. I had not realized it was so widespread. It's found throughout most of the U.S.

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Rose blossoms & hips

This is the first time I had seen rose hips with bristles.

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Unidentified

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Smartweed

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Snakeroot

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Sunflower

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Primrose

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Unidentified

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Violet

We found lots of violets, usually in areas of damp soil.

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Yellow ironweed (Verbesina alternifolia, Asteraceae)

This plant has an unusual seed head (see below under Seeds).

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Witch hazel

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Wild carrot

Most had gone to seed, but I did find a couple in various stages of blooming.

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American beautyberry

Bittersweet

Holly

Poke

??

Soda Apple

??

Swamp Haw

Autumn Fruits

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Seeds

Third from top, on left is wild carrot. Five from top, on right is yellow ironweed.

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