Springtime scrounging...

and persistence pays.

This is Leavenworthia exigua var. laciniata, gladecress.

http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/301CD41A-8321-4E5E-B501-87C4B85A5A47/0/gladecrees_factsheet.pdf

KY State Nature Preserves Commission staff are concerned about its extirpation, and were seeking sites that may be eligible for reintroduction if situations deteriorated where it is currently identified. They had not recorded its presence on these public lands for decades, and had thought it no longer growing there.

All present were pleasantly surprised and delighted that reports of its demise were exaggerated, and now we have some sturdy support for planning, improved land management, invasive species removal, and habitat restoration in this park.

See additional pictures from yesterday morning here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/714557/

These kinds of experiences are what boost the morale of the public lands managers who gut it out year to year to preserve and maintain open spaces for the enjoyment of all. I hope all who browse here know that already, and can be ambassadors for this work and these places. Extrapolating these values onto private lands can only increase the net benefit for future generations.

Here was the first Friday find.

Here's the kind of place gladecress hangs out.

A closeup of some of these little devils.

Cool find! A grad student I knew at Indiana University did research with Leavenworthia, but now I don't remember which species it was he used. Neat plants, though.

Patrick Alexander

Hi Patrick. I remember you have mentioned your past affiliation with Indiana and the midwest, so I hoped you might see this.

The glade communities are an odd lot (not that herbaceous plants are anywhere near my bailiwick), and associates on the dolomitic limestone outcrops are even more so.

We also found Viola septemloba var. egglestonii (Eggleston's violet, below) and Carex crawei (Crawe's sedge) in these same places.

Household names, all.

exigua means impoverished, poor, or meager. . . what do you suppose is meant by that? Looking at the other Leavenworthia, it doesn't seem poorer or more meager than those, really. Or is it? I like the little almost pentagonal leaves, it's neat. Nice to hear some good news, too.

I meant to answer this last night...but DG dumped my post after waiting fifteen minutes for it to load. Gremlins -- death to them all!

The Leavenworthia exigua and varietas may well be more meager (smaller in stature) than others in the genus; a better herbaceous person than me might be able to shed light on that.

The "impoverished, poor, and meager" in this instance I think rather refers to the growing environment that these Leavenworthia inhabit as their niche. Dolomitic limestone outcrops are pretty forlorn desolate areas, except for that small window of time exploited by KY gladecress. From its emergence late Feb - early March till it fades away in June, this little rascal (and a few others) take advantage of groundwater seeping out for moisture and leftover winter duff and some eroded soil particles for matrix. They make merry for a few months, and then go away as things dry out and get hot. Next year, seeds germinate and the cycle begins anew.

In addition to the Eggleston's violet shown above, here's the other rare little associate, Crawe's sedge, that I tried to post last night.

VV-- I saw a couple of glade habitats in Indiana, and really liked them. If I get a chance, I've got to do some poking around in Kentucky (and too many other places!) one of these days.

Patrick Alexander

Well, if you could pry yourself loose from such a gosh-forsaken place as NM and return to the heartland...

Maybe we could trade spaces for a few weeks. My all-of-one visit to NM was summer 2005 for about three days around Taos/Los Alamos environs. Too many great things to see, too little time. I crave another visit, especially out amongst the volcanic and mountain landscapes.

And I understand there are vineyards down your way...