Mary Gray

I have been helping with a botanical inventory of Mary Gray in Fayette County, Indiana. (The park is located between Rushville and Connersville.) We collect a voucher specimen of an individual in flower or fruit to take back to the Ball State Herbarium. It is fun to look for new blooming flowers, like a meaningful treasure hunt.

Elephantopus carolinianus - Leafy Elephants Foot

Strange and pretty flower that I had not seen before. It is in the aster/sunflower family.

Polygala sanguinea - Milkwort

This was growing in a nice old-field, fire break with Spiranthes lacera and the Sabatia angularis.

Sabatia angularis - Rose Pink

The picture doesn't do justice to the gorgeous shade of pink on the petals. I had been looking forward to seeing Sabatia for a while.

Spotted Sandpiper - Actitus macularia

This individual seems to be transitioning from breeding plumage to nonbreeding plumage.

Corallorhiza odontorhiza - Fall Coralroot

The last find of the day was one of the highlights. It is maybe not the prettiest of Indiana orchids, but it is a cool plant. No leaves, no roots, and only six inches tall. It was growing in a dry upland, young forest.