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.
