August25_2010

Botanical Glossary - Home - References Cited

Photos - L-R - The edge of a swamp on the south side of Mission Creek between the Greenway trail and the creek equiped with algae, frog's eggs and mosquitos galore.

Looking a bit out of place with the greenry are a small group of Three Phase Pole Top Transformers. The three round, bucket shaped objects on this power pole are Three Phase Pole Top Transformers and have three surge protectors on the cross brace above. These transformers would take the power from substations which has been reduced, using step-down transformers, from 60,000 volts to anywhere between 4,000 and 25,000 volts. This is a level suitable for factories and other large industrial buildings. Electricity needs to be reduced one more time for people to use in their homes.

A Sambucus Caerulea (Blue Elderberry) branch with cream white blossoms. Blue Elderberry usually has 5 to 9 leaflets, flattop clusters of white flowers in spring that yield blue fruits with whitish bloom - this tree likes dry to moist, open areas of central BC to southern California in low to middle elevations. Favorite fruit to Blackbears and Interior Indian tribes who would gorge on raw, ripe berries or crush berries into fruit cakes with other ripe berries to be dried and stored for winter.

Photos - Frames left and right: A small stand of Verbascum Thapsus (Great Mullein) that have not yet started to blossom. Associated with disturbed ground is was introduced from Eurasia and has spread across North America. The leaves and flowers of the Mullein contain large amounts of mucilage, which is soothing to membranes - strongly anti inflammatory. Leaves (filtered to remove fine, fuzzy hairs) and roots have been traditionally used to make medicinal teas for treating chest colds, asthma, bronchitis, coughs and kidney infections. They were also used in poultices for ulcers, tumors and hemorrhoids. Dried, chopped leaves have been used for spasmodic coughing when smoked. The roots were said to stimulate urination. Also, the large, fuzzy leaves were used as an alternative to toilet paper.

Center frame: A close up of Vacinium Ovalifolium (Oval-leaf Blueberry) leaves and bell-shaped blossoms. This low growing deciduous shrub only grows to about 2 meters tall. It is slender, spreading, and erect, with reddish to yellowish, angled, grooved twigs when young, often grayish when old. The leaves are alternate, oval, to 4 cm long, blunt-rounded at both ends - the margins usually lack teeth green above, paler beneath. Flowers are rather pinkish, globular, and urn-shaped (bells) about 7 mm long. (single bells, in axis of leaves-appearing before leaves, but sometimes with leaves) The fruits are blue-black 6-9 mm across and very edible. This berry was highly regarded by the coastal aboriginal tribes as delicious, early ripening fruit. They were often eaten fresh, or dried into cakes,tasting a lot like dark raisins. The berries were often eaten with oil or oolichan grease, or preserved by soaking in fish, or animal grease. Vaccinium spp. foliage is relatively high in carotene, manganese, and energy content and makes great tea.

Photos - L-R - A stalk with four blossom heads; Lupinus Arcticus (Arctic Lupine) is similar to the large leaved Lupine that grows profusely in the Pacific Northwest except that this Arctic Lupine has much smaller leaves. This species of Lupine is quite small and usually found in higher elevations or Alpine areas. Note the bunches of lance-shaped leaves in groups of eight at the stem terminals in fan shapes.

Solidago Canadensis (Goldenrod) Goldenrod is a bright yellow, roadside flower sometimes seen in large groups in meadows, thickets, forest edges and openings in low to middle elevations. The stems and flower heads were used by interior tribes for a tea against diarrhea - crusaders in Europe used Golden Rod as a substitute for tea. The leaves can be eaten as greens.

A close up of leaves and ripening berries of Amelanchier Alnifolia (Saskatoon) beside the trail. The Saskatoon berries were prized highly by most natives in the Pacific Northwest as easily digested and quite tasty raw or mixed with other berries in dried cakes for later consumption. The interior tribes used the wood for arrows, digging sticks and drying racks. The stems are smooth, dark-gray to reddish in color, flowers are large, white, drooping or erect, in leafy clusters.

Click here for more photos of Mission Creek Greenway for this day.