Sitka Burnet:

Sitka Burnet is part of the Rose family and can be found in bogs or meadows around the southern part in Alaska. It can also be found in the Alaskan Range.  It’s a perennial plant that can reach 1-2’ in height containing toothed leaflets. Tiny flowers with 5 greenish-white sepals bloom in July and August. Leaves are edible when the plant is in its infant stages but become tough as they mature.

Pratt, Verna E. "White and Cream Flowered Plants." Field Guide to Alaskan Wildflowers. Anchorage, AK: Alaskakrafts Pub., 1989. 53. Print.

Dave's Garden. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014. <http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2003/10/04/Weezingreens/8f89ed.jpg>.

Horsetail:

Equisetum, commonly known as Horsetail is a slender potentially two feet tall plant with joint stems with whorls of branches. At their tips, a small spore-producing cone arises from separate stems. They can be found in moist woodlands, roadsides, swaps, mountains, and gardens. This plant is very old and can grow a new plant from any part of the old stem making this is very difficult plant to get rid of if unwanted.

Kavanagh, James, and Raymond Leung. The Nature of Alaska: An Introduction to Familiar Plants, Animals & Outstanding Natural Attractions. Phoenix, AZ: Waterford, 2005. Print.

OSU, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014. <http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-weeds/weedspeciespage/horsetail/early_habit_750.jpg>.

Thompson Pass

1.      9/24/14, 2:15 PM, Thompson Pass

2.      Weather: 61 degrees, felt like low 40’s, Windy 10-20mph, Sunny

3.      Geological Features: Chugach Mountains, Alpine tundra

4.      Plants:

·         Fireweed

·         Alpine Spirea (Luetkea pectinata)

·         Sitka Burnet (Sanguisorba stipulata)

·         Red Stem Saxifrage (Saxifraga Lyallii)

·         Siberian Aster (Aster sibiricus)

·         Alaskan Cotton (Eriophorum)

·         Peat Moss (Sphagnum)

·         Liverwort (Marchantiophyta)

·         Blueberry (vaccinium)

·         Willow (Salix)

·         Artic Willow (Salix artica)

·         White spruce (Picea glauca)

·         Moss Heather (Cassiope stelleriana)

·         Artic Kidney Lichen (Nephroma articum)

·         Turgid Aulacomnium (Turgidum)

·         Northern Rock Tripe (Umbilibaria)

·         King Bolete Mushroom (Boletus edulis)

·         Yellow Mountain Heather (Phyllodoce glanduliflora)

·         Reindeer Lichen (Cladonia rangiferina)

·         Artic Lupus

·         Lycopodium

·         Labrador Tea (Pyrola grandiflora)

Worthington Glacier

1.       9/23/14, 2:25, Worthington Glacier

2.       Weather: Sunny, Wind 10-15 mph, 52 degrees

3.       Geological Features: Chugach Mountains, Glacier streams and lake

4.       Plants:

·         Horsetail (Equisetum)

·         Alder (Alnus)

·         Willow (Salix)

·         Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

·         Algae

·         Filamentis

·         Shelf Mushroom (Laetiporus)

·         Deceiver Mushroom (Laccaria Laccata)

·         Moss (Bryophyta)

5.       Animals:

·         Duck flats: Cackling Goose

·         Lowe River: 8 Bald Eagles

·         Possible worm tracks in mud

·         Small dog or possible fox tracks

September 24, 2014 2:00 pm Thompson Pass

weather: clear, sunny, chilly, felt like 45 degrees (unless you laid down in the moss, that was pretty comfy)

geo: alpine tundra

animals: found a small hole in the ground, probably vole or ground squirrel

plants & such:

alpine spiraea Luetkea pectinata

sitka burnet Sanguisorba stipulata

red stemmed saxifrage Saxifraga lyallii

moss Lophozia sp.

siberian astor Astor sibiricus

alaska cotton Eriophorum Scheuchzeri

deceiver mushroom Laccaria laccata

bog blueberry Vaccinium uliginosum

arctic willow Salix arctica

moss heather Cassipe stellariana

turgid aulacomnium moss Aulacomnium turgidum

crowberry/mossberry Empetrum nigrum

king bolete mushroom Boletus edulis

yellow mountain heather Phyllodoce glanduliflora

white spruce Picea glauca

red alder Alnus rubra

I lost access to the guide book for the following:

northern rock tripe

ranger lichen

snow lichen

Works Cited:

Pojar, J., MacKinnon, A., & Alaback, P. B. (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Redmond, Wash.: Lone Pine Pub..

Pratt, V. E. (1989). Field guide to Alaskan wildflowers. Anchorage, Alaska: Alaskakrafts Pub..

Armstrong, R. H. (1981). A guide to the birds of Alaska (5th ed.). Anchorage, Alaska: Alaska Northwest Pub. Co..

Time: 2:20

Location: Alpine Tundra 

Weather: Sunny, windy, and dry, felt like 50 degrees

geological features: Mountains, water, gravel rocks, etc.

 Fireweed, Epilobium angustifoliumAlaska SpiraeaAlpine SpiraeaLophozia mossSitka burnetRed stem saxifrage
Siberian aster, Eurybia sibirica

Peat moss, Sphagnum

Alaska Cotton, Eriophorum angustifolium

Artic willow, Salix arctica

Turgid Aulacomnium, Aulacomnium turgidum

Crow berry, Empetrum nigrum

Green reindeer moss, Cladonia rangiferina

White spruce, Picea glauca

http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Empetrum+nigrum

Crowberry: 

The crowberry has green needle-like leaves that grow up to 7mm long. The have a purplish crimson, appearing in very early spring. The fruit is very juicy, almost blackberry like and has big white seeds, in very small clusters. Crowberries are found in low exposed coastal land with bogs, in mountains of slopes, sub alpine parkland, and in alpine tundra. 

Reference Guide. (1994). In J. Pojar (Ed.), Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast (p. 528). Canada: Lone Pine Publisher.

(no photo because phone is being a stupid)

September 23, 2014 2:00 pm Worthington Glacier

weather: sunny, partially cloudy

geo: alpine tundra

animals: cackling goose Branta hutchinsii, bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus, worm(?) tracks, flies(tiny grey ones)

plants (and such):

red alder Alnus rubra

willow Salix sp.

common fireweed Epilobium angustifolium

scouring-rush Equisetum hyemale

unidentified grass and small mosses

filament algae (of some sort)

deceiver mushroom Laccaria laccata

Pojar, J., MacKinnon, A., & Alaback, P. B. (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Redmond, Wash.: Lone Pine Pub..

Pratt, V. E. (1989). Field guide to Alaskan wildflowers. Anchorage, Alaska: Alaskakrafts Pub..

Armstrong, R. H. (1981). A guide to the birds of Alaska (5th ed.). Anchorage, Alaska: Alaska Northwest Pub. Co..