SitkaNature: 1000 Species Project

Goatsbeard
Aruncus dioicus

This plant favors disturbed areas, and is quite abundant along some roadsides, where I most often notice it. I’ve also seen it growing along streams.

Unidentified Moth

This moth was flying around in the woods. It was fairly small, perhaps a couple of centimeters long.

Merten’s Coral-root
Corallorhiza mertensiana

This species is fairly common in the woods around Sitka. They lack chlorophyll, instead drawing their nutrients through association with fungi (at least that is what I assume mycotrophic means). These photos are not representative of the typical color form of this orchid. In fact, though I have seen variation in how dark the flowers and stems are, this is the only time I have ever seen a white and yellow version with none of the typical pink/purple coloration in evidence. This apparently means they are free of anthocyanin.

Other Photos

Unidentified Sedge
Carex sp.

This is probably a fairly easy sedge to identify, but I’m not particularly competent at graminoid identification. This was was a fairly large plant growing in a disturbed area along the boardwalk at Whale Park. I thought it might be Mertens Sedge (Carex mertensii), but the photos I found on-line looked different enough to make me doubt that.

Ghosts’ Ears
Exobasidium vaccinii

I am not positive about the species identification, but I’m pretty sure the genus is correct and the information I found on-line regarding fungal infection of False Azalea suggested this species. Assuming the species identification is correct, apparently the fungal galls (shown here) were occasionally eaten by some Native groups.

Other Photos