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Post by endodoc on Sept 4, 2007 22:20:02 GMT
We took a trip to the bog state park in mid central Minnesota and took some photos  Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea were everywhere   Possible Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea f. heterophylla  Drosera rotundifolia  Drosera intermedia  Utricularia cornuta  |
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Post by Aidan on Sept 4, 2007 22:31:53 GMT
Thread moved to North America board.
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matti
Full Member
Posts: 216
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Post by matti on Sept 7, 2007 10:43:38 GMT
Were did my post go?. EDIT: Sorry, I just wanted to know if the spamming-post boosting is nessesery, my mistake.  |
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Post by pinglover on Sept 7, 2007 14:01:49 GMT
That is not an appropriate question to ask in a thread. In the future, please be so kind as to direct that type of a question to a moderator via the private messaging feature provided to all members.
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Post by twoton on Sept 8, 2007 13:29:38 GMT
What question is inappropriate to ask in a thread, pinglover?
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Post by Aidan on Sept 8, 2007 13:38:11 GMT
Hans - Being intimately involved in running a forum, you have a good idea of what's going down.
Enough of the off-topic posts. endodocs thread is being ruined for no good reason.
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Post by pinglover on Sept 8, 2007 13:47:49 GMT
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Post by Michael Catalani on Sept 8, 2007 14:44:32 GMT
Very nice pics!
I just love that boardwalk construction. It looks like its some form of expanded metal, like they use in some bridge construction sites. This will allow sunlight to pass through to the ground below the boardwalk.
The one problem I've seen with elevated wooden boardwalks in CP sites is that the ground below the boardwalk is so dark that it seriously upsets the ecosystem immediately below the boardwalk. This type of boardwalk looks like it would keep the light levels elevated, at least to the point of a semi-shaded area that naturally occurs in the location around shrubs. It's also probably better for airflow, and would probably last longer with a minimum of maintenance as compared to the wooden boardwalks.
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Post by pinglover on Sept 8, 2007 15:32:34 GMT
You know, you raise very good points. To which I would add that wood is slippery and I've slid off the sides and done face plants a few times. The material used for this boardwalk wouldn't be slippery. The point to most boardwalks is to keep the foot traffic at a site to a minimum. Sort of defeats the purpose when people slip and lose their balance ending up in the vegetation.
Recently, I've been seeing recycled plastics being used for boardwalks. Although they are step up from wood that needs to be replaced frequently, they also block light. I like the boardwalks used at this site very much.
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Post by endodoc on Sept 8, 2007 23:15:56 GMT
Michael,
Thanks for the compliment, the site is well maintained by the Dept of Natural Resources; the boardwalk is a raised metal construction, anchored very well so as not to heave with the freeze and thaws seen in the harsh Minnesota climate. Light does penetrate the boardwalk and allows CP's to grow underneath; the CP's are not the vibrant red seen in those that grow in full sun.
pinglover
Minnesota has some wooden boardwalks that have failed due to the climate, I think this system, although expensive, is the best solution for this area
regards
ed
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Post by pinglover on Sept 9, 2007 4:20:10 GMT
I'm in Illinois. All the boardwalks I have been on are wood and they suffer the same fate as those in Minnesota. The boardwalks I have been on in Wisconsin and Michigan are either wood or that new recycled plastic. So far I have not been on one boardwalk made of the materials you photographed.
I recently visited another natural area. I haven't posted photos of the site yet but I believe we may have run across one Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea f. heterophylla too. The petals were long gone but the flower scape remained and I found absolutely no veining what so ever on the plant even when we gently moved the sphagnum away to check. That was really exciting for me to find that plant out of hundreds on the site although my friends weren't as impressed. I have one of these plants that I bought from Dangerous Plants a few years ago and have always been enamored with it although the person who sold it to me teases me with no mercy about my fondness for what he refers to as "bleached death". Nice to see someone else who has an appreciation for "bleached death" purps. Glad you posted the photo.
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Post by endodoc on Sept 10, 2007 12:09:09 GMT
Pinglover
I realize the ID for heterophylla must involve pulling back the sphagum moss and examining the cladophyls at the growth points, we were unable to reach the plant and unwilling to disturb the moss for the Id; so I kinda sorta think the plant is heterophlla, not really sure. I agree, most folks were not that impressed, oh well; hope you will post your pics
I hope we will see more of these metal boardwalks, however, I am sure this is not within the budget system of the state
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Post by pinglover on Sept 10, 2007 13:27:29 GMT
If you ever get a chance to pull away the sphagnum to get a peek, you might want to. You think you might be disturbing the sphagnum but it pulls away easily as one big mat just like sheering a sheep and you can put it all back exactly as it was just as easily. I was on a roll that day with sphagnum once I learned you don't unduly interfere with it by pulling it back and away from plants. I pulled sphagnum away from a Cypripedium acaule on top of a hummock to get at it to see. I got a good look at its root structure and was able to nestle that plant back in the top of the hummock easily enough too. I'm definitely used to seeing those in different habitat and the root structure was as expected, very different. It's really neat to see how some purps are virtually enveloped in the sphagnum. Although I've seen purps growing in sphagnum before as you pictured, I had never pulled the sphagnum away from the plant to get a good look-see. The tops of the pitchers peeking from sphagnum was neat to me. Some were so buried it was like playing a game of "Find Walso". The flower on f. heterophylla is the give away to its identity. It's yellow. You just have to get there when it's in bloom.
Nobody was impressed when I found mine. They barely paused to look in favor of looking for more orchids. Party poops!
Regarding the boardwalks you photographed, I can't help but wonder if they aren't more economical in the long run. The State might get bit in the butt with a higher cost out the gate but 10 or 15 years later when the state is replacing the wooden boardwalks, I can't help but wonder if the metal boardwalks come in at a dead heat or better.
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Post by endodoc on Sept 14, 2007 12:11:54 GMT
pinglover
next time I come across these guys, I will look a little closer, it would be interesting to examine the root structure in nature a little more in detail. I have seen photos of the forma heterophylla flower, a very nice yellow to yellow green color; no flower on this guy.
State government in some cases can be focused more on the short term rather than long term, not sure if more boardwalks are in the budget.
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Post by pinglover on Sept 14, 2007 13:16:54 GMT
Oops, meant "Find Waldo" not "Find Walso". That will teach me for never taking the time to spell check!
I meant the root structure on the Cypripedium acaule growing in the sphagnum was very different than acaule found occurring in its more common habitat. It went virtually straight down. Wasn't expecting to see that. I thought that might be an isolated occurrence so I went and checked a few more and sure enough, they all seemed to go straight down. The root structure of the purp was very similar to what you would expect to find had the plant been growing elsewhere. The pH in this area was around 4.0.
My f. heterophylla blooms yellow. I haven't noticed any yellow-green color in it but that would be nice too.
All I know is that if I had the money, I'd go with the boardwalks you photographed above on my property. As it stands now, I have no boardwalks and probably never will because of the costs. You kind of have to fend for yourself making it through the conifers while maneuvering through hummocks. Quaking bogs are so much fun, I just love getting slapped in the face with branches. It's a real ankle twister kind of walk and it's pretty dense there for a while before it opens up a little bit by the lake so you frequently find yourself clinging to a tree. Lends new definition to the term "tree hugger".
edited for spelling- will I ever learn ;)
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