May04_2008

Botanical Glossary - Home - References Cited

Further investigations of Mushrooms and plants along the Skookumchuk Narrows Trail heading south toward the Rapids. “Skookumchuck” is a Chinook name meaning turbulent water or rapid torrent. The park was originally included as part of the Sechelt Provincial Forest in 1934 and remained provincial forest until the 1950’s when the Department of Recreation and Conservation studied the recreational and tourism potential of the site. As a result, the outstanding scenic and interesting features of the rapids (covering 40.5 ha) were removed from the provincial forest and established as a Class A park. Over the years, more area has been added to the park, to bring it to its current size of 123 hectares.
Conservation - This park protects south coast inlet shoreline, small islets, a small lake, maturing second growth hemlock and the phenomenal rapids.
Wildlife - Birds, ground squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, sea stars, urchin, anemone, chiton, flounder, red snapper, ling and rock cod, salmon species, crab, oysters, clams and mussels can all be found in the park.

Photos - A large crop of Collybia Butyracea (Buttery Collybia) The Buttery Collybia has a 5 to 8 centimeter cap that is reddish brown, purplish gray, double layered, turning to yellowish tan when dried. The cap starts off convex the expanding to umbonate, with smooth to greasy feel when touched. The gills are free to fixed, whitish, thin, crowded, with a crenate edge (having a notched or scalloped margin or edge). The stem is ocherous to grayish in color overall, conical in shape narrowing toward the top and has white and downy at the base. It has pinkish flesh or very light brown, then white, soft, and watery. The mushroom is edible, and I'm told it has a rancid odor and sweetish taste but is mediocre eating. It is found in wood debris or rotting logs or stumps in woos, with a preference to conifers.

Photos - Frames left and right: Mycena Galericulata (Common Mycena) in a moist bed of moss at trailside.

Center frame: Guepiniopsis Alpinus (Golden Jelly Cone) Golden Jelly Cone is a gelatinous mushroom, usually growing out of cracks in dead coniferous wood - often abundant during spring snow melt. Recognized by its conelike shape, golden yellow to orangish color and gelatinous body (looking a bit like a small, golf T). This jelly mushroom has no taste and is undesirable to eat.

Photos - L-R - This ugly looking sheet of lichen is Lobaria Pulmonaria (Lungwort) and is usually found growing on trees; It was used by early European physicians in the treatment of pneumonia and other lung related disease (also used by the Sechelt natives for similar reasons). Now this large leafed lichen with deep lobes is getting harder and harder to find.

Lysichiton Americanum (Skunk Cabbage, Swamp Lantern) Large, colorful, beautiful swamp plants, making the wet areas smell like a grow-op. Once was the principle early Spring food source for some North American natives - the young roots were steamed or roasted - leaves of older plants were used to line baskets, berry-drying racks and steaming pits. (The Lower Lillooet of the Pemberton area - in the transition area between Coast and Interior - formerly ate the long white roots in early spring. The roots were dug up with sharp-pointed sticks, washed, and boiled or steamed in underground pits. This has not been done for several generations.) Warning: Skunk cabbage (member of the arum family) contains contains sharp crystals of calcium oxalate, which if taken into the mouth become embedded in the mucus membranes and provokes intense irritation and burning. Prolonged cooking reduces the effects - never eat the root raw.

During our 4 kilometer hike to the Skookumchuck Narrows, we pass Brown Lake set with reflections of mountains and forest like a large jewel.

Click here for more photos of Skookumchuck Narrows Park for this day.