April24_2008

Botanical Glossary - Home - References Cited

East Vancouver Photos from a walk about through Hastings Park.

Photos - L-R - Mahonia Nervosa (Dull Oregon Grape) blossom buds near Hastings Park Pond in East Vancouver. A very common, stiff branched shrub in low to middle elevations. The leathery, evergreen, spiny leaves resemble English holly, turning reddish or purplish by winter time. Spring time sees bright yellow flower spikes, and usually by late summer, deep purple, edible berries are present in elongated clusters. The bark inside is bright yellow, due to the alkaloid berberine. The shredded bark was used for yellow dye for coloration in weaving by some natives. The bark and berries were known as a medicine for liver, gall bladder and eye problems. "Eating the berries in quantity was the only known antidote for shellfish poisoning" use caution, the alkaloid is very potent.

West Coast Wheel at Playland sits idle waiting for a new season - this was a new ride installed for the 2007 season at Playland. It replaces the old Eli Ferris wheel which are a common type of amusement park ride and may also be found at many urban parks and public places around the world.

Parthenocissus Quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper) with budding red leaves along the wall outside Hastings Racecourse - looking a bit like a relaxed, bony hand with red fingernails.

Photos - Frames left and right: A curious Vireo Huttoni (Hutton's Vireo) takes a closer look at me holding a long telephoto lens while looking for interesting things to eat. The Hutton's Vireo is a small, olive brown bird with a partial eye ring broken by a dark spot above the eye. It has two broad, white wing bars on darker olive brown shoulders and is about 4 1/4 inches to 4 3/4 inches in length. It likes to hang out in woods and adjacent bush from SW British Columbia to Guatemala. It feeds mainly on insects.

Center frame: Salix Alaxensis (Young Feltleaf Willow) leaves with staminate catkins. The leaves of this willow are narrowly elliptical to obovate, 2 to 4 inches at mature length, and about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Tops of the leaves are yellowish to whitish green and white and hairy below with smooth margins, a yellow midrib, and are sometimes wrinkled. The Feltleaf Willow usually grows in the northern portion of BC Province to the Alaska pan handle. It can grow to about 30 feet tall with the trunk on average of about 6 inches in diameter.

Photos - The Hutton's Vireo moves quickly from branch to branch of these bare branched shrubs next to Hastings Park Pond - a large portion of the Hastings Park has recently been returned to nature with a large amount of indigenous plants reintroduced. This has attracted a return beacon for birds and other wildlife that normally frequents wetland areas such as this.

Click here for more photos of Hastings Park in East Vancouver for this day.