Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala is one of two varieties recognized in E-Flora BC. The other is Caltha leptosepala var. biflora. However, the Flora of North America lumps the two together as Caltha leptosepala, and describes the taxon as "morphologically complex".

Intriguingly, this is one of the few members of the buttercup family that has a historical use of being eaten raw (most members of the family are poisonous). Plants of Coastal British Columbia notes that "the leaves and flower buds were eaten raw or cooked by Alaskan native people". The book also makes mention of the roots being boiled and appearing like sauerkraut (no mention of taste is given).

Thank you to marcella2@Flickr for today's photopgrah (particularly if fungus is your fancy)! Marcella2's photo stream on Flickr is definitely worth a gander (original image | Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool)!

Xylaria hypoxylon is a wood-dwelling ascomycete commonly known as stag's horn or candle-snuff fungus (previously featured on BPotD here: Xylaria hypoxylon). It is identified by its erect antler-like stroma; these are black at the base but whitish throughout the many body and upper branches. The branches are the site of asexual spore production, also known as conidia (note, though, that these are produced at a microscopic level).

Xylaria also produces sexual spores, via perithecia. The perithecia are embedded (in the case of Xylaria hypoxylon) in the black base of the stroma. From each perithecium, spores are released one by one when ripe through a small pore, called the ostiole.

Art resource link (added by Daniel): Three people have forwarded me the following link so far, so I thought I should share it more widely: Christopher Niemann's Bio-Diversity weblog posting on the New York Times.

Snowdrops (Galanthus) are small bulbous plants. They produce pairs of mostly strap-shaped leaves and a single, hanging flower on a short scape. All of the 19 species currently recognized have white flowers (Galanthus means "milk flower") with green markings. Details of these markings, whether the leaves are green, glaucous or glaucescent and whether they lie flat against each other at their base or are folded together at the margins help to differentiate species found in different habitats. They occur from western Europe into the westernmost side of Asia.

In suitable areas, in the wild or in gardens, snowdrops, notably the common Galanthus nivalis, multiply steadily. Open deciduous woodland in mid-northern Europe can become carpeted with plants, a spectacle in earliest springtime. Among such large populations, a careful observer can sometimes find variants in markings, in size and shape of flower and in season of bloom. These variants have been collected over a considerable period of time by enthusiasts (galanthophiles). Where several species are in cultivation the chances of variation are increased by hybridization and many named cultivars are presumed to be of hybrid origin. A very few show markings in yellow rather than green and also have yellow ovaries. These have proven demanding to grow but newer examples are promised to be more vigorous, though still rare.

Snowdrops bloom over a long period and individual flowers last a long time in the garden, in part directly due to the cold conditions at blooming time but no doubt due also to the paucity of pollinating insects and the unfavorable weather for their activity.

Not all snowdrops bloom in late winter or early spring. Today's subject is Galanthus reginae-olgae, whose flowers open in late October or early November before the leaves are fully emerged. It is native to Sicily, former Yugoslavia and to Greece where it was named for that country's Queen Olga (1851-1926), grand-daughter, cousin and niece of Russian Tsars. She married the second King of modern Greece. Among their grandchildren is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

The queen's snowdrop has alternated between being considered a subspecies of the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, and being a species in its own right. It is an interesting plant, blooming as it does at an unexpected time. It can be grown outdoors in Vancouver but is safer grown under protection from our wet winters, at least until more plants are available. Forms distinguished as Galanthus reginae-olgae subsp. vernalis delay their blooming until spring and are thus more similar to Galanthus nivalis.

Another species, differing in its narrow, greener leaves, also blooms in late autumn. This is Galanthus peshmenii, native to Turkey. Its bulbs, flowers and leaves are slightly smaller.

Thank you to Wendy Cutler@Flickr for submitting today's photograph (original image | Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool)!

Well-known by the scientific name Tournefortia argentea, tree heliotrope was renamed several times in quick succession -- the currently accepted name seems to be Heliotropium foertherianum, a name published by Diane & Hilger in 2003 through a revision of the Boraginaceae.

Tree heliotrope (also known as velvet soldierbush or octopus bush) is native to coastal regions of the Indian Ocean: tropical Asia, Madagascar, and northern Australia. It can also be found as a native plant further east into the Pacific, on islands and atolls of Malesia, Micronesia and southeastern Polynesia. Growing in rocky or sandy soils, plants of Heliotropium foertherianum (PDF) are found only in a narrow ribbon of oceanside vegetation; it is therefore termed a "strand plant". It is a modern introduction to Hawaiian Islands, where it is commonly called kiden.

The small white flowers are borne in many-branched, silky clusters of coiled spikes near the ends of branches (hence the common name, octopus bush). The small green fruits, which look like small pointed peas, turn brown when mature and divide into four nutlets.

Thank you to BlueRidgeKitties@Flickr for submitting today's photo (original image | Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool)!

As noted by the photographer on Flickr, Carolina horsenettle is in fact not a nettle, but instead belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Members of the Solanaceae are known for producing a diverse range of alkaloids, some of which can be toxic. In the case of Solanum carolinense, all parts of the plant contain solanine. Solanine is poisonous to humans and can irritate skin, causing a nettle-like rash. Given that the fruits of this plant look like small tomatoes, it is important not to mistake it!

Carolina horsenettle is considered to be a noxious weed in several states in the USA. It has the ability to spread vegetatively via underground rhizomes, as well as propagate by seed. Carolina horsenettle's status as a weed is further bolstered by the fact that is resistant to many herbicides; in fact, use of herbicides will often give horsenettle the advantage by removing competing weeds.

This species of beardtongue has a number of common names, including: Cascade beardtongue, Cascade penstemon, coast penstemon, and serrulate penstemon. It is distributed from Alaska to Oregon. Penstemon serrulatus is one of the few penstemon species that is native to both sides of the Coast-Cascade mountains (most western North American penstemon species are native only to east of the Coast-Cascades).

Chocolate lily is another species found solely within western North America (via Flora of North America: Fritillaria affinis).

Fritillaria affinis has long been known by the scientific name Fritillaria lanceolata, but the name has undergone relatively recent clarification (1980). When Pursh described Fritillaria lanceolata in 1813, he based it in part upon an illustration of Lilium camschatcence (which had already been renamed to Fritillaria camschatcensis in 1809). In other words, not only did the name Fritillaria lanceolata not conform to the general rules of taxonomic nomenclature, but it was also not originally (partially?) based on the species we now refer to as Fritillaria affinis. However, Fritillaria lanceolata became commonly used, for some reason. The name has now been clarified by Josef Robert Sealy, who credited Josef August Schultes (who first recognized the error).

The bulbs of Fritillaria affinis resemble tight clusters of white rice and were eaten by virtually all northwest coastal peoples of North America. The bulbs grow relatively close to the surface and are easily dug-up. Processing methods included cooking by steaming in a cedarwood box or boiling followed by mashing into a paste.

Known as both western stoneseed (Lithospermum literally means "stone seed") and western gromwell, Lithospermum ruderale is a fairly common species of open, dry plains, hillsides and shrub-steppe in western North America.

According to Mabberley's The Plant Book, the genus Lithospermum is distributed worldwide in temperate regions, except Australasia. Mabberley also notes that Lithospermum ruderale was the "inspiration for perfecting oral contraceptives". A perusal of Daniel Moerman's Native American Ethnobotany reveals that both the Navajo and Shoshoni peoples used it for that purpose. Wikipedia elucidates on Lithospermum, via Tilford's Edible and Medicinal plants of the West: "Gromwell contains estrogen-like compounds that disrupt the female hormonal reproductive system and suppress the normal menstrual cycle. Gromwell has been used for centuries as a female contraceptive, and Lithospermum arvensis is currently used in Europe for that purpose. Gromwell has dramatic and dangerous hormonal effects on the body and is not approved for use in the United States."

Mountain lady's slipper is another native of western North America, with its range extending east as far as south central Montana and north central Wyoming. Curiously, despite its main range extending as far north as central British Columbia in the interior and only to a small portion of southwestern British Columbia along the coast, it can also be found in the Alaska Panhandle -- a discontinuous distribution with a minimum gap of 750km.

The Flora of North America lists Cypripedium montanum as having a habitat of "mesic to dry (rarely wet) coniferous, deciduous, and broadleaf evergreen forests, openings, and thickets, around shrubs on open slopes". Today's photographs were taken along the exposed banks of a roadside, and all of the half-dozen or so plants I observed on this trip were covered in gravel-dust. More photographs of this species are available from the Burke Museum: Cypripedium montanum.

In Daniel Moerman's exhaustive Native American Ethnobotany, only one reference is made to a First Nations use of this species. Members of the Okanagan-Colville Nation purportedly used an infusion of the leaves and stalks as a reproductive aid (the infusion was "taken by a pregnant woman to have a small baby"). Source reference for this was a 1980 report by Nancy Turner and colleagues of the Royal British Columbia Museum, "Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington. As an incidental aside, Dr. Turner worked as a summer student at UBC Botanical Garden sometime in the 1970s.

Lastly, another note for local readers. I'll be presenting on Monday night (number five of at least seven this month), this time on the topic of "Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia" to the Langley Garden Club. If you'd like to attend, the meeting begins at 7:30pm in Murrayville Hall at 21667 48th Avenue (there will likely be a small guest fee to attend).

This is a plant that is at its best in tough environments--as long as it has good drainage! Commonly known as hairy manzanita, Arctostaphylos columbiana is found along the Coast-Cascade Ranges from Sonoma County, California, north to Vancouver Island and southwest coastal mainland British Columbia, with the largest population in southwestern Oregon. It is found primarily in evergreen forests and requires fire to break seed dormancy and maximize germination.

Hairy manzanita hybridizes with Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick) to produce Arctostaphylos × media. It also hybridizes with Arctostaphylos nevadensis (pinemat manzanita ) in the Mount Hood region of Oregon, where ranges of the two species overlap. Manzanita is Spanish for "little apples" alluding to the appearance of the small, brown fruits. Some native people reputedly ate the berries, although they are said to cause severe constipation.

A note for local readers by Daniel: Speaking of southwest Oregon, I'll be presenting tonight (late notice, I know) at the Native Plant Society of British Columbia South Coast meeting, held at VanDusen Botanical Garden. The topic is "A Botanical Journey through the Siskiyou Mountains", and I'll be presenting with (occasional BPotD contributor) Ron Long and Virginia Skilton. Meeting starts at 7pm, hope to see you there!

Thank you to Eric in SF@Flickr (also of Orchid Photos.org) for submitting today's photograph (original image | Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool).

Native to Mexico and northern South America, Crataegus mexicana is one of 135-280 species of hawthorns (the wide range is indicative of an ongoing taxonomic argument). The species pictured here, commonly called Mexican hawthorn, can often be found under the scientific name Crataegus pubescens, but that name has since been rejected in favour of Crataegus mexicana.

Mexicans often call this species tejocote. Many food products, like concentrated pulp, jam, jellies, and marmalades can be processed from this fruit, making it of economical importance. Some of the largest plantations of Crataegus mexicana flourish in Mexico, where upwards of 24 000 tons/year are produced. Cultivated forms of the tree can be nearly thornless and large-fruited, whereas the wild species is generally thorny and small-fruited.

Thank you to Stephen Buchan@Flickr for supplying today's photograph (original image | Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool) and the following summary of the plant community in the image:

"Tall, straight Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forming an open canopy with birch (Betula sp.). The luxuriant ground flora includes bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and heather (Calluna vulgaris), not to mention abundant mosses and lichens."

Abernethy Forest is located on the southern fringe of the Spey Valley to the north of the Cairngorms in the eastern highlands of Scotland. It is a remnant of the ancient Caledonian Forest, which constituted the westernmost outpost of the boreal forest in Europe. Believed to have formed at the end of the last ice age, the Caledonian Forest is estimated to have covered 15,000 square kilometers. Today, approximately 1% remains spread throughout a handful of isolated locations.

However, the forest is being extended southwards by both natural regeneration and restorative reforestation, a growing movement in Scotland. During my time as a tree planter in British Columbia, I remember when tree planting in Scotland would become a hot topic in planting camps; many planters set out overseas to reforest the rolling hills of Scotland.

Botany resource link (added by Daniel): Eva Johansson, of West Kootenay Plants, sent along the following link to my attention, and I think it's very worthwhile of sharing: Fritillaria imperialis (aka imperial crown) via Poemas del río Wang.

Thanks to Lotus Johnson aka ngawangchodron@Flickr for submitting today's photo (original image | Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool).

Prominently featured in this photograph are the cyathia (single: cyathium) of woodspurge. The cyathium is a kind of "false flower" consisting of a cup-shaped involucre bearing several minute stamens (male flowers) and a pistillate flower consisting of an ovary on a long stalk (pedicel). These features are characteristic of every inflorescence in the genus Euphorbia (and its closest relatives), and are found nowhere else in the plant kingdom.

Researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have studied the origins of the cyathium and concluded that it evolved from a more open grouping of flowers called a thyrse. In the thyrse of Euphorbia's ancestors, the terminal female flower was surrounded by cymes of male flowers. With this kind of precursor, researchers presume that the cyathia were eventually formed by a strong condensation of the inflorescence. One of the conclusions derived from this study was that the cyathium is neither a flower nor an inflorescence, but rather a "hybrid" in which regulatory genes that normally control features of individual flowers have overlapped into control of the inflorescence.

Thank you to Brent Miller aka foliosus@Flickr who submitted today's photograph and inspired today's Hallowe'en entry (original image | Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool)!.

Historically, Hallowe'en is thought to have its origins in Samhain, a Celtic festival marking the end of the "lighter half" & the beginning of the "darker half" in the Gaulish calendar. What better to mark the arrival of the "darker half" of the year than this haunting beauty, Tacca chantrieri. Native to southeast Asia, Tacca chantrieri carries the mischievous common names of bat or devil flower. Bat flower is a reference to the dark bracts with prominent venation, while devil flower refers to the filaments that can grow to 70cm, terminating in a "forked tail".

A menacing reputation follows this captivating, and somewhat unsettling, flower. Some people believe that the strange "eyes" appear to follow you around the room. Superstitions in southeast Asia include a belief that it is unlucky to look into the eyes of Tacca chantrieri and / or a belief that it brings death close to oneself and one's family.

For more photographs, see Tacca chantrieri at the Wikimedia Commons.

Daniel adds: I wanted to let you know that the garden's web site will be unavailable on Monday, November 2 beginning at ~9am PST. We are upgrading the server. I hope the outage is short, but it's impossible to predict what we may need to troubleshoot to get everything up and running again.