curly dock

This is an example of Rumex crispus in the family of polygonaceae:

Found by the sidewalk circling the JSU stadium on May 4th of 2007, this plant is an alien to the US and Canada.  Found everywhere, it isn't much to look at from a distance and closer inspection yields a similar experience.  It seems that this invader lacks both beauty and charm, relying on the brute force of numbers to survive in this new world.  It is an example of the panicle flower arrangement. 

purple deadnettle

A cousin of a henbit deadnettle, Lamium purpureum is of the family lamiaceae:

This plant was found at Mule Jail March 16, 2008.  While not much to look at on its own, it can grow en mass and turn a field a pleasant shade of purple.  This is another example of the cyme flower arrangement.

spotted sandmat

This is Chamaesyce maculata in the family euphorbiaceae:

While native the the lower 48, C. maculata appears to have been introduced to Canada.  This little native was recorded on the side of the road around the JSU stadium on October 4th of 2006.  An example of the cluster arrangement, this has a diminutive flower: a scant one millimetre in diameter. Tiny.

corn gromwell

Buglossoides arvensis, bellow, of the family boraginaceae is an invasive species to the US and Canada:

This particular invader was found by the interstate 55 north on-ramp at High St. in Jackson MS.  The above photograph was taken March 4, 2007 on a blustery day.  Close inspection of the photograph leads one to believe the focus is off or the subject's motion was too grate, but no, the flower is simply bland where usually the stamen and pistil are found.  This flower arrangement is an example of cyme.

green carpetweed

This is an example of Mollugo verticillata in the family caryophyllaceae:

A plant native to the United States and its Caribbean territories, though it was introduced to Canada.  M. verticillata is an example of the cluster flower arrangement.  This unique example was discovered growing in a crack in the sidewalk outside the JSU stadium on October 10th 2006.  It is one of the first plant I photographed.

Oldfield toadflax

This is Nuttallanthus canadensis in the family scrophulariaceae:

 
This specimen was found on the Brandon property April 4, 2009.  A native plant found here in the U.S. and Canada and is an example of the raceme flower arrangement.

ponyfoot

This lilliputian flower belongs to Dichondra carolinenses in the family of convolvulaceae:

This little plant is an example of an axillary flower arrangement.  This particular plant was found on the Brandon property on April 4th of 2009.  This is diminutive flower roughly a quarter the diameter of a US penny.

groundnut

Here is the Apios americana of the family fabaceae:

I found this plant on the side of Mule Jail road by South Lake.  This vine has a raceme flowering arrangement and is found throughout the Midwest and Eastern seaboard.  A. americana blooms between June and August; this specimen was taken the 7th of September.

orange day lily

This is a delta flower, Hemerocallis fulva in the liliaceae family:

This is not a native plant, it invades, but it is quite beautiful.  I spied this on the side of the road between Indianola and Shaw, Mississippi on a very pleasant afternoon in June of 2008.  As an invasive plant, H. fulva falls under the category of weed.  Given the number of native flowering plants that are callously dismissed as weeds, I feel a certain satisfaction in labeling what many would insist is a flower what it truly is: a weed.  Next time you feel the urge to complain about common flowering plants remember that they may be native, thus unworthy of the term weed.  Instead, say, "the flowers I don't like" unless you are certain they're alien.

And the next time you see a day lily in someones garden, be sure to compliment them on their selection of weeds.

woodland lettuce

This is Lactuca floridana in the family asteraceae:

Found at the Mississippi Petrified Forest, one of the best attractions of the state, on August 21, 2008 while my sister and I walked the nature trail.  L. floridana is native the the US and Canada.  This specimen was tall, about 8 feet (~2.4 metres) and growing in the middle of a pine forest.  In the shadow of the trees the flower appeared to be floating.

This is another flower that my sister Meredith had to wait for me to photograph.

rabbit-foot clover

This plant is Trifolium arvense in the fabaceae family:

I found this specimen on a blustery day in May of 2009.  Quite a few covering the side of the road on hwy 49 between Indianola and Yazoo.  The constant wind made photographing this little plant rather difficult.

T. arvense an invasive species that has prospered on the N. American continent making its way up both coastlines into Canada.  Its flower blooms in a head arrangement.

chamber bitter

This is a plant with a small flower, Phyllanthus urinaria of the family euphorbiaceae:

It is an introduced species that looks vaguely fern-like.  Interestingly, it's flower is not conspicuous, rather grows out of the bottom of the stem that the leaves sprout from.  There is a leaf for every flower and they alternate as the stem grows outward.  On a longer stem, the full progression from bud to fruit can be seen, stage by stage, the youngest part distal.  These flowers are an example of the axillary arrangement. 

meadow beauty

The following is a specimen of Rhexia mariana in the family melastomataceae:

Though, again, the distinction between R. mariana, R. alifanus, and R. virginica is less than clear from the photographs available to me.  I decided on R. mariana chiefly because of where I found this specimen: off of Old Brandon Road bridge (Flowood side) in a ditch, the habitat preferred by R. mariana.  The second cue is the shape of the pistil, it hang down and has a nub on the end unlike R. alifanus, which has a curl and flare at the end of the pistil.  However, I can discern little difference between R. virginica and R. mariana.  If anyone happens upon this post and can shed some light I'd be grateful.

As to the specimen at hand, it is an example of a solitary flower arrangement and the plant is regardless of exact species, classified as a herb.  This genus is native to the US and all can be found throughout the Southeast and excepting R. alifanus, into the northern reaches of the Midwest and even southern Canada.  I found this on July 14, 2008 on a rather sweltering day.

camphorweed

This is an example of Pluchea camphorata in the family asteraceae:

Though one may argue that it is Pluchea odorata, however the leaves of this plant have significant serrations and are broader than the examples of  P. odorata I've seen online.  Furthermore, the common name for P. odorata is sweetscent and this flower had no distinct odor.  One thing that is lacking in current online references is a discussion of the genus of plant species and means to distinguish them during field observation (if any exists).  It may be that they are in fact the same plant and variations in soil condition or climate induce the different characteristics observed, who knows? 

Regardless the label man has applied, this plant is an example of the head arrangement and as far as this specimen is concerned, it was engaged in its reproductive cycle on Sept. 8 of 2009 when I captured it with my CCD, yearning as plants only a plant can, for a pollinator to come along and propagate its kind.

slender lespedeza

An example of Lespedeza virginica in the pea family, fabaceae:

Found on the back road to my parents house in Brandon Mississippi, this plant was host to a spider who was tending an egg sack and had turned the plant into a honeybee death trap as illustrated here.  In the photo above you can see the fibers laid by the nefarious arachnid.  As for L. virginica, it is a native of the United States and found as far north as Canadia.  Classified as a herb with the raceme flower arrangement, the plant shown here was about 4 and a half feet tall (~ 1.4 metres for thems what cares) and somewhat past is flowering prime.

columbine

Here is the plant Aquilegia canadensis in the family ranunculaceae:

This is an example of a solitary flower arrangement.  While this plant as a species, is found in Mississippi, this plant as a specimen was not.  This photograph was exposed on June 21, 2009 in the general vicinity of Honey Rock, Wisconsin, by an unknown road while my sister waited in her car for me to indulge my hobby for the 4th or 5th time that day.  Of note, the typical orientation of this flower is vertical, this particular bloom was the only example on the plant to be horizontal.  I chose this bloom because it shows the pistil and stamen nicely despite not being representative of A. canadensis positional preference.

Wild azalea

Here is Rhododendron canescens of the family ericaceae:

This is a native shrub and is found as far north as Pennsylvania.  The flower above was found on the Brandon Property off of Shiloh road southeast of the city of Brandon Mississippi (the same Brandon mentioned in Apocalypse Now).  I was made aware of the this particular plant by Virgina last year at the start of April and took this picture on April 3, 2009.

grape hyacinth

Here is the flower Muscari botryoides in the family liliaceae:

The flowers are in a raceme arrangement.  This plant was introduced from yonder and is classified as a weed, though it is a rather attractive.  I have seen examples of M. botryoides throughout Mississippi.  This example was taken in my front yard in Jackson, Mississippi on April 3 of 2010.  As a sample, it is less than prime, though I was unsatisfied with the other examples I have, I may replace this picture.

American beautyberry

This is Callicarpa americana of the family verbenaceae:

This plant is most noticeable in the late summer when its berries are ripe and a brilliant purple.  According the the USDA site these are edible and slightly aromatic.  I have seen the berries for a few years now and sought to  find the flower that produces them.  This picture was taken on the 4th of July in 2009 along Mule Jail road.

devil's darning needles (a.k.a. virgin's bower)

Here is a vine, Clematis virginiana in the family of ranunculaceae:

This plant was found at Mule Jail on September 7, 2008.  This is an example of a cyme flower arrangement.  Native to the US and Canada east of the Rockies, what intrigues me more than the plant is the two common names that I found for the plant.  It is possible that they could be read as antonyms, but perversely, they might also be synonyms...

lanceleaf plantain

This plant is called Plantago lanceolata of the family plantaginaceae:

and was found in Jackson, near UMC, growing where some sidewalk concrete had gone missing.  This photo was taken during the late afternoon on day in March of 2007.  This plant is invasive and quite successful being found throughout the US, Canada, even in Greenland.

Carolina silverbell

This is Halesia carolina of the family styracaceae:

This example was found at Mule Jail on March 23, 2008.  It is a flowering tree whose flowers are found in a fascicle arrangement and is native to the southeast United States.

Globe flatsedge

Here is Cyperus echinatus in the family of cyperaceae:

This specimen was found in a swampy area off the Pearl River just south of the reservoir in Mule Jail on September 8th of 2008.

Hoary bowlesia

Here is the flower of the plant Bowlesia incana in the family of apiaceae:

It is a small plant.  You may find it just about anywhere you look here in Jackson, this was found in a weed patch by the sidewalk in downtown Jackson.

Field burweed

This is Soliva pterosperma of the family asteraceae:

This plant was captured in my parents yard on April 21, 2009.

Flatwoods plum

Here is Prunus umbellata of the family rosaceae:

This photo was taken on Mule Jail road spring of 2007.

angularfruit milkvine

here is matelea gonocarpa of the family asclepiadaceae:

whose flower arrangement is a simple umbel. this particular specimen was found near Mule Jail cabin, though it was passed by once before I realized that it was indeed a flower. it is a pretty flower once you notice it, but it does not stand out, as flowers go. this plant is a vine and I've only seen it creeping along the ground. this bloom was captured in May of 2009, but I have not noticed any since then.

chinaberrytree

here is melia azedarach of the family meliaceae:

whose flowers are arranged is called a panicle. I found this tree on the north side of I-20 on the back road to my parents house in Brandon. there where a large number of blooms and a subtle scent similar to honeysuckle, but muted. this plant is not native to the United States.

heal-all

here is prunella vulgaris of the family lamiaceae:

whose flower is arrangement is a spike. this plant is native to the United States. i found this example at the Brandon property, early May of 2009.

butterfly pea

here is clitoria mariana of the fabaceae family:

this flower is as most of fabaceae, a raceme arrangement. this photograph was taken at Chapel Hill in south Hinds county here in Mississippi on September 15, 2007. a very pretty flower to come across in the wild.

bulb bittercress

here is cardamine bulbosa of the family brassicaceae:

this is an example of a raceme flower arrangement. this was taken near the Jackson International Airport, in Pearl, in February of '07. c. bulbosa is a common roadside flower here in Mississippi in the spring time. i have seen it throughout the state, in the woods and along the road. it hasn't any smell to speak of, but is quite pretty, especially if you find it in large numbers.

chicory

here is a flower, cichorium intybus of the family asteraceae, that is from West Virginia:

this was taken while driving home from visiting my brother Duff in Pittsburgh. this particular example of c. intybus was captured on July 23rd 2007. it is an example of the head flower arrangement. this is probably the bluest flower i've come across to date.

broadleaf wild leek

this is allium ampeloprasum of the family liliaceae:

whose flower is arranged as a simple umbel. this particular example was captured at Chapel Hill in south Hinds county on May 20th 2007. there was a faint smell of garlic/onion in the air, as i moved about the smell intensified and was most pleasing. the plant is suffuse with the aroma and the slightest bruise will bring the luscious odor forth.

indian heliotrope

this is heliotropium indicum of the family boraginaceae:

this little plant was found in the woods of Mule Jail in July of '08. it flowers bloom in a cincinnus arrangement.

spotted burclover

ere is medicago arabica another from the family of fabaceae:

again, the flower arrangement is that of raceme. this is a small flower, roughly half the size of a dime. the plant that grows this particular organ is a clover that has 3 leaves, typically, each with a crimson spot in the middle. it forms a pretty clump of color on the ground.

bigpod sesbania

here is sesbania herbacea of the family fabaceae:

s. herbacea's flower arrangement is that of raceme, which is proving a popular choice among the flowers i photograph. this example was found on the banks of the Pearl River here in Jackson, MS and yes, that is a sandy beach it is growing in. this was taken in September of '06 on a cloudy day.

spoonleaf purple everlasting

here is gamochaeta purpurea of the family asteraceae:

whose flowers are arranged in a head. this is a rather plain looking plant from a distance, one whose flowers are not so noticeable, even from up close. however, given a bit of time and some contemplation, this flower begins to be beautiful.

smooth hedgenettle

this is stachys tenuifolia of the family lamiaceae:

this flower is arranged as clusters. this was taken April 21, 2009 in my parents back yard. this plant was one of five to ten dozen plants that abut the fence. the sun had already moved behind the house so the back yard was shadowed, but the sky was a crystal clear blue.

pyrenees star of bethlehem

here is ornithogalum umbellatum of the family liliaceae:

this flower was found on the side of the road in Jackson. the picture was taken in March of '07. this flower looks a lot like false garlic, though only from a distance. this is another flower which presents as a raceme arrangement.

honeyvine milkweed

here is cynanchum laeve of the family asclepiadaceae:

this flower was photographed at the JSU stadium in September of '06. this plant had a faint, but pleasant smell, reminiscent of honeysuckle. c. laeve's flower is a corymb arrangement.

downy phlox

this is phlox pilosa of the family polemoniaceae:

this is in the Mississippi Delta just outside of Grenada, in March of '08. phlox is fairly common in the spring around here, it's one of the road side flowers and can be white, pink, purple or blue. very pretty. it has a tendency to grow at the borders of fields just at the tree line.

roundfruit hedgehyssop

here is gratiola virginiana of the family scrophulariaceae:

this little cute-e-poo was growing on the road at chapel hill in March of '07. it is a small flower, just about 8 mm long, but they grow in groups and so stand out. they don't have much of a sent to them, either, but they certainly appear eager to help out.

passion flower

this is passiflora incarnata of the family passifloraceae:

this was taken off of the Old Brandon road in Jackson, MS on June 14th of '08. there were quite a number of these fellas in the thicket and 20 times their number in mosquitoes.

virginia sweetspire

here is itea virginica of the family grossulariaceae.


This photo was taken at Mule Jail on the south end of the lake. This little plant seems to have a terrific fall foliage, however, i've yet to experience it. i suspect that it is my lack of being in the woods during the fall. it is something i'll have to look for and photograph this coming fall.

white-flowered vetch

here is vicia caroliniana of the family fabaceae:

native to the lower 48, this particular plant was found in the woods at Mule Jail. this vine is a rather pretty plant. i have not observed the same tendency as its purple cousin to bunch up and produce copious amounts of flower.

yellow thistle

here is cirsium horridulum of the family asteraceae:

i know, i know, it's not yellow. neither is the picture of the plant on the USDA site. not sure how c. horridulum garnered the moniker "yellow thistle", it did, though and we just have to accept it as it is. otherwise the name might change. this plant is native to the United States and this picture was taken just south of South Lake in Mule Jail.

c. horridulum is kind of like a big dandelion, just not yellow and it has prickles all over it, what it does do, like the dandelion, is turn into a giant fuzz ball of seeds with feathers. i've seen examples of c. horridulum almost as tall as i am (5'11 & 3/4"). if you're out in the woods and you keep an eye out, you'll see these massive cabbage-with-thorns growing here and there, those will eventually sprout the above decoration and eventually turn into giant fuzz balls themselves.

so get out in the woods and start hunting for thorny cabbages

oakleaf hydrangea

here is hydrangea quercifolia of the family hydrangeaceae:

yet another native of these United States, this plant was found at Chapel Hill in south Hinds county, May of 2007. a beautiful plant that is shade intolerant, according to the USDA plant database. this, however, i am dis-inclined to believe as this particular specimen was found in the 10 foot deep creek under a full forest canopy. this was not the only example in this creek bed, as a matter of fact, the only place i've seen this plant is in this creek. and anyone whose clambered down the steep banks of the Chapel Hill creek can attest the copious amount of shade to be found there.

combleaf yellow false foxglove

here is aureolaria pectinata of the family scrophulariaceae:

This particular plant was photographed the day of my dear sweet cousin Hilary's wedding to her manly counterpart compatriot and constant companion: Trey or as the French would say: Three.

as for the plant, it is native to the United States and can be found throughout the south, but not above the Mason-Dixie line. at least, a. pectinata has yet to be documented above the Mason-Dixie line. this little plant was found growing in Brandon, Mississippi, by the side of a road.

pink fuzzybean

here is strophostyles umbellata of the family fabaceae:

this vine is native to the lower 48. this picture was taken on the banks of the Pearl River, about a mile south of the Ross-Barnett on September 5th, 2006 3 minutes before 8:00 p.m.

sebastian bush

here is sebastiania fruticosa of the family euphorbiaceae:

native to the United States, s. fruticosa is a pretty plant with unusual flowers. this particular plant was found near the Pearl River in Jackson, Mississippi, April of 2007. s. fruticosa is listed as being severely toxic, so don't eat it, however, if you find yourself in the woods and you're all stopped up down below, you can chew on the roots for a laxative effect.