Wood Wakerobin

Wood Wakerobin

Trillium viride

Endemic to east-central Missouri and south-west Illinois, this trillium species can be found growing in woods with rich soils and on rocky slopes. It blooms in mid to late spring and there are lookalike trilliums; however, T. viride has a characteristic unique only to it - tiny, yet visible stomata that look like white dots all over the top of its leaves.

April 17th, 2024

St. Louis County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Amanita section Validae

I found this gorgeous, lemon yellow amanita mushroom in a healthy bottomland forest surrounded by pin oaks, river birches, and American elms.

July 26th, 2023

Arnold, Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

your photos are beautiful! (and i love love love that you include species info)

Thank you! I love sharing information on my posts so others may learn with me... even if it's one small, interesting piece of info at a time. I really appreciate the compliment about my photos, too. :)

#Wolves

I need to say a few words here about Wolves and their role in biodiversity. Because I like them, but most of all, they're a must in the wilderness.

Like every time we are standing on the edge of a hiking trail of a National Park, a protected territory, we all must beware of the consequences.

Au contrary to what most people may think of its surface, no matter how large it might be, isn't big enough to sustain a healthy Wolf population over a long term. This large Predator requires a massive home range to find the prey it needs to survive. Studies have shown that all the Wolf packs in Parks must travel outside its boundaries to meet their needs. And these large Canids are also victims of habitat degradation and fragmentation, not to mention deaths of human origin.

And for people who don't know, Wolves are considered as an umbrella species. Which means that efforts to protect it benefit the entire ecosystem, since the Wolf's territory encompasses the territories of many other species with a similar home range.

As for being an apex Predators, Wolves play an important role in biodiversity. Yes, their presence has been scientifically proven to increase the abundance and diversity of plants, mamal's Birds, Amphibiants, and Reptiles. Wolves help to control the amount of Prey on their territory; this prevents an overpopulation of herbivores, which could be detrimental to plant regrowth. Wolves also give a boost to several other animal species by leaving their partially carcasses for scavengers to feed on. Through its influence on the entire food chain and by curbing excessive grazing. So yes, the Wolf is a key species needed to preserve the balance of Ecosystem.

To conclude; Wolves are very wary and will run away from any human they detect through their remarkable senses of hearing and smell - they can sniff out their Prey from more than 2kms away. Several studies have shown that Wolves will try to avoid humans at all costs and flee when approached.

Just to say that all citizens have a responsibility to protect the Wolves.

Mexican Hat

Ratibida columnifera

I found this lonely blooming Mexican hat plant gleaming like a beacon light amongst a sea of non-native, invasive teasel growing in a dry, disturbed, almost waste-like land near Interstate 55 in Missouri.

This sombrero-resembling prairie coneflower is native to North America, where its historic native range primarily spanned the Great Plains and surrounding areas to the west, to Missouri on the very eastern edge of its adventive range. However, there are now naturalized populations east of Missouri. It's commonly grown in gardens and can escape from them. This species prefers dry, sunny habitats such as prairies, savannas and some disturbed areas with well-drained, neutral to alkaline soils. Its flowers provide food for an array of insect species, including bees, beetles, moths, wasps, and many more.

June 20th, 2023

Arnold, Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

Yellow Fairy Cups

Calycina citrina syn. Bisporella citrina

November 22nd, 2023

St. Charles County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline