You Don't Have to See It to Notice It: Wood Nymph, Moneses uniflora, Pyrole à une fleur

In my meanderings at the lake (my parents's property in the Upper Gatineau), I came across some Moneses uniflora (aka wood nymph, oneflower wintergreen, single delight, & many other names) that was well-placed for some photos.

Moneses uniflora

For those familiar with the property, it grows fairly abundantly in the cedar bush. Today's shots were taken by the metre-deep pond.

For those unfamiliar with the property, this plant is native to and found in temperate, moist coniferous forests in the Northern hemisphere [1] and was thus quite predictably found in an area where the water table is quite high (we know of at least one spring letting out in the area; the place is crisscrossed with little streams and puddles and is always very damp; it is not a place you walk if you plan to keep your feet dry), and which is populated primarily by Thuja occidentalis (white cedar). This is its native and natural habitat.

The pictures were taken quite close up (I had to lie down on the ground to take it and rose predictably quite damp as a result), so the size of the plant is not immediately obvious. In spite of its reasonable stature in the photos, Moneses uniflora is actually a very small, unpreposessing flower; the one I photographed here appeared to be quite typical of the population and was no more than 3 or 4cm high, though some sources seem to indicate that it can grow as big as 6 inches tall [2] (this may be more likely in warmer climates with longer growing seasons).

Moneses uniflora side view ; note the prominent pistil

It is very likely that people have walked by this plant many times without ever noticing it, small and plain as it is. But though people may walk by without taking note of it, it is possible that they still perceive its presence. It isn't visually dramatic, but it produces a strong and very pleasant fragrance [2] that, where it grows abundantly, sweetens the air. The scent of this flower is part of the sweet, moist, earthy smell I associate with the cedar bush.

The strong fragrance of the flower is attractive to bees, but the plant is in this respect deceptive; they will find no nectar in these flowers [2]. Nevertheless, the bees are able to collect pollen, which rather than being borne on the surface of the anther, is actually inside it. There is a pore at the tip of the anther through which pollen will fall when a bee shakes the anthers by vibrating its wings [2], thereby shaking the pollen loose -- this is called buzz pollination (which is a fascinating topic for another post).

Moneses uniflora

From a North American perspective, Moneses uniflora is native to much of the continent (US range map here, Canada range map here). It is endangered in Connecticut and Ohio, and threatened in Rhode Island [3]. It is secure in most of its native Canadian range, except Nunavut where it may be at risk and Newfoundland & Labrador, where its status has not been assessed [4].

A few sources suggest the Moneses uniflora's potential medicinal use against colds [2,5] and as an antibacterial agent [2].

Because of my mother's musical predilections, I associate all this summer heat with the Tragically Hip, whose music my mother frequently played when we were driving up to the lake. Here's to the beauty of a Canadian summer. I hope you all are able to make the most of it.

A Well-Known Plant: Yarrow - Achillea millefolium - Herbe à dinde

The star of the day is one of the most broadly-distributed and -recognized wildflowers around: Achillea millefolium (common yarrow, also many other names).

Achillea millefolium inflorescence

This species (actually a huge complex of subspecies) is native more or less to the northern hemisphere's temperate zones, but particular subspecies are native to more restricted areas. This helps to understand the US range map of this plant, which lists the species as both native and introduced on most of the North American continent. This is because some subspecies are native, and others are introduced (particularly from Europe). The Canadian range map is considerably less detailed, going for the simple statement that the plant is native to all parts of Canada. This plant is listed as weedy/invasive in the US [1] but does not have weed status in any of the provinces or territories where such statuses are conferred [2].

Achillea millefolium whole plant

One of the main reasons for Achillea millefolium's fame is its array of purported and variously justified medicinal uses. This plant is a very popular herbal remedy [3,4] with a very long history of use in traditional medicine [3,4,5,6,7,8] for a wide variety of ailments. Modern analyses and tests have confirmed its efficacy as an anti-inflammatory at least in vitro [9], and there is some speculation (which I mention in my previous post about this plant) that the salicylic acid in the plant may make it an effective painkiller [3]. Other claims about the plant's medicinal value are currently insufficiently assessed to make a judgement on.

Achillea millefolium inflorescence lateral view

Regardless of its particular efficacy as a medicine, I do enjoy a cup of tea with the flowers or leaves of Achillea millefolium from time to time. The flavour, though strong, is pleasantly herbal. There is evidence that prolonged use can be potentially harmful and that it is possible to suffer allergic reactions to the plant [3,4], so I do not recommend that anybody consume it too frequently.

Achillea millefolium being pollinated by flies

Achillea millefolium is a hardy, drought-resistant [3,4,5,6,8,10] perennial with an extensive root system [3,4,5,6,8] that makes it suitable for habitat restoration in areas where erosion control is needed [6]. It is an obligate outcrosser [3,6], meaning that it must be pollinated with pollen from a different individual in order to produce seed. It is pollinated by insects [3,8], including beetles, flies, syrphid flies, wasps, and bees [6].

Native Edibles : Flowering Raspberry - Rubus odoratus - Ronce odorante

Blooming right now are a number of the cane berries, a variety of species in the very large and economically important genus Rubus, which is in the family Rosaceae (rose family).

This genus has distinctive fruits which are aggregates (clusters that are kind of stuck together) of drupelets (fruit that consist of a fleshy layer surrounding a pit, which is composed of a shell exterior and a seed inside). This genus includes blackberries, raspberries, other cane fruit, and the star of the day: Rubus odoratus (flowering raspberry).

Rubus odoratus inflorescence

Rubus odoratus is native to North America, but has spread beyond its native range. Originally found in Ontario & Quebec [1], and in the eastern US [2], it is now also found in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick [1]. This species' conservation status is secure in its Canadian range [1], but it is endangered in Illinois and threatened in Tennessee [2].

I have posted about this plant before, but not in much detail.

Rubus odoratus broader view

Rubus odoratus has been introduced to Europe and is considered naturalized to several areas there now [3,4]. It success in areas outside of its native range is potentially attributable to some weedy characteristics, notably its seed set, which is large and composed of small, easily dispersed seed, and its rapid vegetative growth [5]. It was likely brought to areas outside of its range for its ornamental value [3]: it has large, attractive maple-like leaves and a long flowering period [3,6].

I cannot find much information about its pollination, but one usually reliable source indicates that this plant is of special value to pollinators (especially native bees), attracting large numbers of native bees, bumble bees, and honey bees, and that it provides shelter or nesting sites to some species of native bee [6].

Rubus odoratus visited by a Bombus sp. worker - note how full her pollen baskets are! She must have returned to the colony shortly after I took this shot to deliver her haul

I am in disagreement with several sources that state that the fruit of this plant is flavourless [5] or insipid [6]. I find the fruit tasty, if dry and a bit fuzzy on the tongue.