May, 2015 Plant hunt summary

With some warmer days nestled in between cooler days, the month of May was very productive with a total of 25 counties surveyed.  A total of 258 species were documented.  The record was 420 species set in May, 2012.  The most new records for a county were added for Manitoulin with 33 plant species.  Of these, the most significant was provincially rare Ram's-head Lady's-lipper (Cypripedium arietinum).  According to the Flora of Manitoulin Island (3rd) published by the University of Waterloo in 2000, this record is new for where it was found.

Ram's-head Lady's-lipper (Cypripedium arietinum) 

(Photo: Dave Jolly)

The month of May was very productive with a total of 25 counties surveyed.  The most new records for a county were added for Manitoulin with 38 plant species.  I was pleased to work with Mr. Darryl Boyes on Manitoulin Island, who was very helpful with documenting the flora.  Five new plant species; Berry exciting (Corydalis shimienensis), Few flowered spike rush (Eleocharis pauciflora), Hair-like sedge (Carex capillaris), London Plane-tree (Platanus hybrida) and Straight-styled wood sedge (Carex radiata) were added to the database.  Additionally, a new county was surveyed - Renfrew - in eastern Ontario.  

While surveying Grey county Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) was added to Dave Jolly's Ontario master plant list.  Shown below is the trillium in the later stages of flowering.  At this stage, the petals are reduced to ribbons.

Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) 

(Photo: Dave Jolly)

Collectively, Dave has documented 1694 flowering date records and observed 69 families, 168 genera, 263 species since April, 2015.

Mr. Brian Popelier contributed 30 records during the month of April for Hamilton, Halton and Grey counties. His record of Daphne (Daphne mezereum) was new for Grey county.

Dean Fitzgerald discovered a flowering American beech (Fagus grandifolia) in Parry Sound county on May 13th.  This is a new record for this county.

A field practicum in Mississauga for staff of ACER was conducted on May 25th yielding 8 families and 8 genera covered in the Level 1 & 2 FBT tree & shrub courses.

Staff from ACER Nimesha Basnayaka (center), Mike McMillan (right)

(Photo: Dave Jolly)

Thank you to all contributors for this month's records.

You may find the plant hunt summary results at; May summary