Valdez Glacier

Friday, June 15, 2012

Valdez Glacier

Katrina Moran
Natural History 104 Lab
6/14/2012
Our first field trip was to the Valdez Glacier in Valdez, Alaska.
The weather was somewhat windy with light showers.
Our class consists of three students and this was our first field trip of the summer semester.
The geological features of where we were observing had mountains surrounding the whole area. The glacier was right between two mountains and we could wake along the water shore. There was a lot of vegetation with little snow still left on the mountains and hills.
I am going to identify and list all the plants and animals I observed on our field trip in my blog today.

The first plant that I identified:
 DWARF FIREWEED, RIVER BEAUTY
Epilobium latifolium

Family: Evening Primrose/ Onagraceae
Habitat: Along streams or river bars and on scree slopes in the mountains throughout most of Alaska.
Blooming time: July and August
Description: Stems somewhat sprawling up to 20" tall. Leaves are lanceolate, alternate on stem, greyish-green, and somewhat fleshy.
Comments: Might be confused with Wild Sweet Pea. When I identified this plant, the flower did not bloom yet because it is not quite the blooming time for them yet.

Second plant I identified:

BARCLAY WILLOW 

S. barclayi

This willow is easily distinguished by its twigs, which are yellowish-green under their hairy coat, and by its saw-toothed leaves, which usually develop a whitish bloom underneath with age. 

Habitat: It could be found from Northern Southeast Alaska west to Prince William Sound and south to Mt. Adams, Washington. 

Comments: Twigs of Barclay's willow often end in rounded galls ('willow roses'), composed of deformed leaves and caused by insects. This is the only willow in Alaska that will have willow roses, also this willow might be confused with Variable Willow, but it could have characteristics of both. 

Third plant I identified:

BEAUTIFUL JACOBS LADDER

Polemonium pulcherrimum

Habitat: Dry, rocky areas, fields and roadsides, in Southeastern, Southcentral, eastern Central Alaska and the Aleutian Chain.

Blooming time: Late May to late June

Description: A low perennial plant, 8-14", with many flowers on branched stems. Leaves have 10-15 rounded leaflets. The flowers are joined at the base and have 5 rounded violet-blue petals that are white at the base and have yellow centers.

Comments: The Northern Jacobs Ladder, is less common alpine variety with sticky, hairy stems. 

Fourth plant I identified:

GROVE SANDWORT

Moehringia lateriflora 

Family: Pink/ Caryophyllaceae

Habitat: Woodlands and alpine slopes. Very common throughout most of Alaska, except the North Slope.

Blooming Time: Late May and June

Description: A small, rather delicate, upright plant, 4-7" tall, with small, opposite, oval leaves. The small flowers have 5 white petals.

Comments: This plant is easily mistaken for a Chickweed (Stellaria) which has 5 petals, each split, appearing to be 10 petals. 

Fifth plant I identified:

COMMON FIREWEED

Epilobium angustifolium, ssp. angustifolium

Family: Evening Primrose/ Onagraceae

Habitat: Meadows and woods throughout most of Alaska

Blooming time: July and August

Description: A tall plant, 2 1/2 to 5 feet, growing from deep horizontal roots. Leaves are lanceolate, and placed alternately on the stem which is usually simple, or occasionally branched. The bright pinkish purple flowers have 2 large, rounded petals at the base and 2 slightly smaller rounded petals above. The 4 sepals are long, narrow, pointed and purplish. 

Comments: The flowers are used to make honey and jelly. The leaves are edible, especially the new (red) shoots in the Spring. Inner stems are soft and pithy inside and are very nutritious. Varieties with white or pale pink flowers are sometimes seen.

Some of the animals I observed around the Valdez Glacier were apparently mosquito's. I saw a spider, he was all grey and very quick and about an inch long. There was not much wildlife that day.  

I picked a couple flowers to put in a plant press, one which was the Beautiful Jacobs Ladder. 

Overall, a very good first field trip and enjoyed learning about these 5 different plants and flowers I observed.

References: Two field guides, Alaskan Wild Flowers by Verna E. Pratt and Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska. Pojar, Mackinnon.