Local nature-related nonprofit groups

Blue Ridge Permaculture Network-- they promote permaculture. This is planting in such a way that you don't need to plow; creating permanent gardens from perennial crops mimicking the way plants grow in nature, thus reducing soil loss.
http://www.blueridgepermaculture.net/

Flora of Virginia Project-- they were created to make the Flora of Virginia, a compendium/book of every single plant species in Virginia-- truly a massive undertaking. They have contributed toward and been helped by many other groups such as the Virginia Plant Atlas and Virginia Native Plant Society.
http://floraofvirginia.org/

Ivy Creek Foundation-- maintains the Ivy Creek Natural Area and provides free educational events and programs there throughout the year.
http://ivycreekfoundation.org/

Living Earth School-- programs for youth and adults on sustainable living, primitive skills, and nature
http://livingearthva.com/

Local Food Hub-- like the Heritage Harvest Festival, this organization is more concerned sustainable agriculture than nature, but the two subjects often go together and are interrelated. The Local Food Hub provides access to "nutritious, locally farm sourced food for everyone".
http://localfoodhub.org/

Natural Heritage Foundation-- concerned with preserving and protecting local areas of important, delicate habitat (biodiversity hotspots, etc)
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/

Piedmont Environmental Council- they "promote and protect the Virginia Piedmont's rural economy, natural resources, history and beauty."
http://www.pecva.org/

Rivanna Conservation Society-- their mission is to "safeguard the ecological, recreational, historical, cultural and scenic resources of the Rivanna River and its tributaries."
http://rivannariver.org/

Rivanna Master Naturalists- a program that trains and organizes Virginians to participate in natural resource education, citizen science, and stewardship projects to benefit the environment. You undergo a training course to become a Master Naturalist (gaining deep knowledge of many disciplines of natural science), and in response you are expected to give back.
http://www.vmn-rivanna.org/

Sierra Club- promoting conservation of the natural environment through legislative, administrative, and electoral means
http://virginia.sierraclub.org/piedmont/

Southern Environmental Law Center-- they are so good! They are winning court cases left and right throughout the South
https://www.southernenvironment.org/

StreamWatch- with the help of volunteers, they engage in community water monitoring
http://streamwatch.org/

Thomas Jefferson Foundation-- they put on a Heritage Harvest Festival each year at Monticello, celebrating the heritage crops grown back in the day using sustainable methods.
http://heritageharvestfestival.com/

Virginia Native Plant Society, Jefferson Chapter-- educating us about and protecting the native flora
-http://vnps.org/jefferson/
-https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jefferson-Chapter-Virginia-Native-Plant-Society/132951300094979

Wild Virginia-- they focus on preserving wild forest ecosystems in Virginia's national forests and are currently working to stop hydraulic fracturing (fracking), which would pollute our local water
http://www.wildvirginia.org/about-us/

Wintergreen Nature Foundation-- their mission is to "enhance understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the natural and cultural resources of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia."
http://www.twnf.org/

Xerces Society-- a society dedicated to protecting invertebrates, especially butterflies, and their habitat.
http://www.xerces.org/


-------------GOVERNMENT GROUPS-------------

Albemarle County Parks Department
http://www.albemarle.org/department.asp?department=parks

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
www.deq.virginia.gov

Virginia Department of Forestry
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries-- lots of information on individual wildlife and fish species (a whole booklet in Bobwhite Quail, for example) and information about habitats for wildlife
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/

Tracks! Mysteries in mud, sand, leaves, earth and much more

Ooo, tracks! What fun. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a mysterious footprint in the earth and trying to discover what made it and what its creator was doing at the time of its creation.

Often times, of course, we do not know all the answers (especially if we are relative beginners, like yours truly, this blog's creator!). Field guides can help only so much. Unless we are lucky enough to see the animal in the act of the creating the marking in question, we often have only a vague idea of what the tracks of a particular creature look like. Here are some basics of tracking, and illustrative footprints. Test yourself by writing down what you think left each track or sign. Signs can include scat, scrapes, burrows, gnawed plants, and much more.

First of all:

http://m.almanac.com/content/animal-tracks-identification-critter-pictures
^some pictures of common animal tracks in sand on the Farmer's Almanac website

www.naturetracking.com
^hundreds of pictures of different animal tracks and sign-- the captions tell you what left it!

http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/north-american-animal-tracking-database
A database where naturalists go to share and identify tracks-- it has thousands of pictures

-----------------------------------------------

List of possible critters you could be tracking (from big tracks to small):

1) Human
2) Black Bear
3) Domestic livestock: Horse, Cow, Mule, Donkey, Sheep, Goat, Pig
5) Domestic dog
6) Coyote
7) White-tailed deer
8) Red fox
9) Gray Fox
---------
Near the Water:
13) Beaver
14) Muskrat
15) Mink
16) River Otter
-----------
10) Bobcat
14) Raccoon
13) Virginia Opossum
15) Long-tailed Weasel
16) Striped Skunk, Spotted Skunk
17) House Cat
18) Woodchuck
19) Cottontail Rabbit
20) Big birds like the American Crow, Wild Turkey, and Great Blue Heron
21) Snakes
22) Squirrels: Gray Squirrel, Eastern Fox Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Southern Flying Squirrel
23) Moles
24) Small rodents: Mice (Deer Mouse, House Mouse, White-Fronted Mouse, Eastern Harvest Mouse), Voles (Meadow Vole, Woodland Vole, Pine Vole, Common Red-backed Gapper's Vole), Shrews, Rats (Norway Rat, Black Rat, Eastern Wood Rat, Marsh Rice Rat), Southern Bog Lemming
25) Eastern Chipmunk
26) Frogs and toads
27) Small birds
28) Bats (most common is Little Brown Bat)
29) Lizards
30) Salamanders, newts, and efts
31) Insects
32) Bacteria... just kiddin'! Unless you're using a microscope

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Resources:

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/images/media/pdfs/AnimalTrackfinal.pdf

>Search "animal track id" on Google for some more images

http://www3.ag.purdue.edu/entm/wildlifehotline/pages/TrackID.aspx

--------------------------

John Muir's guidebook to animal tracks is good, but it costs money. (My goal here is to provide and recommend mostly free resources.)

-----------------------


1. Who am I?

2. Who am I? (The big track on top of the smaller ones)




3. Who am I?

4. Do you know what animal left this scat and print?

5. Scat (below)

6. Who left this?

7.

8.

9.



10. Who made the big track?

11.

12.

13.

14. TO BE CONTINUED
Scroll down for answer key




























Answer Key:

1. Striped Skunk
2. Gray Fox
3. Dog
4. Horse
5. Gray fox
6. River Otter
7. Raccoon
8. Great Blue Heron
9. Striped Skunk
10. Black Bear
11. Opossum
12. Gray Fox
13. Raccoon

Complete List of Edible Plants of Albemarle County

DISCLAIMER:

I have yet to go through and  describe which parts of the plants are edible, and how to use them. Plants listed as edible may have poisonous parts, or require processing to render them nontoxic. Please use a reliable Edible Plants Guide to identify them and to learn which parts are edible and how to prepare them. Please don't sue me if you pick one of these, pop the leaves into your mouth raw, and end up in the hospital!

*Also: the plants that have one or more question-marks next to their names are ones whose edibility has not been verified. In other words, they may be edible, but they are not listed as edible by a reliable source or I am unsure as to whether they are truly safe. I would avoid them if you are going out foraging, especially since there are literally hundreds of other edible plants out there that are reliably and verifiably safe for consumption.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)?

Maple (Acer species)

Yellow & Purple Giant Hyssop (Agastache nepetoides and Agastache scrophulariifolia)

Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata)

Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)

Water-plantain (Alisma subcordatum)

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Wild Garlic/Wild Onion (Allium species)

Yellow Alyssum (Alyssum alyssoides)

Amaranth (Amaranthus species)-- avoid collecting these in fields where nitrogen fertilizer is sprayed.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier species)

Hog Peanut- Amphicarpaea bractata

Groundnut or Hopniss—Apios americana

Lyre Leaf Rock Cress—Aribodopsis lyrata

Mouse-ear Cress—Aridopsis thaliana

Devil’s Walkingstick-- Aralia spinosa

Burdock—Arctium species (Arctium minus and Arctium lappa)

Chokeberry

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)-

Asclepias, Milkweed— (Asclepias syriacus)-- I recommend Samuel Thayer's "The Forager's Harvest" for preparation info and in order to figure out the difference between it and toxic milkweeds/dogbane

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

Oats (Avena Sativa)

Early Winter Cress (Barbarea verna)

Common Winter Cress, Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)

Barberry- Berberis thunbergii, Berberis bealei

Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)

Black Birch (Betula Lenta)

River Birch (Betula nigra)

Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Sicklepod, Canada Rock Cress (Boechera canadensis)

Smooth Rock Cress (Boechera laevigata)

Water Shield (Brasenia schreberi)- differs from yellow pond lily because it does not have a split leaf, and the stem attached to the middle of the oval floating leaf. Lotus has leaves out of water whereas the Water Shield is always floating. Also distinguished from Fragrant Water Lily and Floating Hearts and pond weeds by the clear gel coating on the underside of the leaf and stem.

Field Mustard (Brassica rapa)

Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera)

Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)—check to make sure it doesn’t have green sepals to avoid the toxic Fig Buttercup lookalike.

Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Slender Toothwort (Cardamine angustata)

Cut-leaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

Spring Cress, Bulbous Bittercress (Cardamine bulbosa)

Wavy Bittercress (Cardamine flexuosa)

Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

Small-flowered Bittercress (Cardamine parviflora)

Pennsylvania Bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica)

Spiny Plumeless Thistle (Carduus acanthoides)

Musk Thistle, Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans)

Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Field Thistle (Cirsium discolor)

Pasture Thistle (Cirsium pumilum)

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Hornbeam, Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)

Hickory (Carya species)

American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)

Allegheny Chinkapin (Castanea pumila)

New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)?

Common Hackberry, Northern Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)

Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)

Evening Primrose

Cherry species

Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum, Cerastium fontanum), Sticky Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium glomeratum), Gray Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium brachypetalum), Little Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium semidecandrum)

Chickweed—tell from lookalike scarlet pimpernel by round, not square, stems. When flowering, it's easy to tell the difference-- pimpernel has red flower to chickweed's white.

Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Devil’s Bit (Chamaelirium luteum)

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femenina, Athyrium asplenioides)

Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

Lamb’s-quarters, Pigweed (Chenopodium album)-- avoid collecting these in fields where lamb's quarters is sprayed.

Woodland Goosefoot, Standley’s Goosefoot (Chenopodium standleyum)

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)

Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata)

Fringe Tree, Old Man’s Beard (Chionanthus virginicus)

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Hardy Orange (Citrus trifoliata)

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare)

Speckled Wood Lily (Clintonia umbellulata) (?)

Bastard Toadflax (Comandra umbellata) (?)

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis)

Slender Dayflower, Erect Dayflower (Commelina erecta)

Virginia Dayflower (Commelina virginica)

Horseweed (Conyza canadensis)

Bunchberry (Cornus Canadensis)

American Hazelnut (Corylus americana)

Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)

Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli)

Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris)

Small-flowered Hawksbeard (Crepis pulchra)

Wild Chervil, Honewort (Cryptotaenia Canadensis)

Dittany, Wild Oregano (Cunila origanoides)

Blue Waxweed (Cuphea viscosissima)- edible oil source

Dodder (Cuscuta) (??)

Queen Anne’s Lace, Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

Chinese Yam (Dioscorea polystacha)

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

Rocktwist (Draba ramossissima) and Whitlow-grass (Draba verna)—mustard

Epazote, Mexican Tea, Wormseed (Dysphania ambrosioides)

Jerusalem Oak Goosefoot (Dysphania botrys)

Clammy Goosefoot (Dysphania pumilio)

Viper’s Bugloss, Blueweed (Echium vulgare)

False Daisy, Yerba-de-tajo (Eclipta prostrata)

Autumn Olive (Eleagnus umbellate)

Silverthorn (Eleagnus pungens)

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens)—flowers as a trailside nibble

Fireweed, Pilewort, American Burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius)

Common Stork’s Bill, Redstem Filaree- Erodium cicutarium

Yellow Trout Lily, American Trout Lily- Erythronium americanum

Dimpled Trout Lily- Erythronium umbilicatum?

Buckwheat- Fagopyrum esculentum—don’t confuse with Mikania scandens, Climbing Hempweed

American Beech- Fagus grandifolia

Wild Buckwheat, Black Bindweed (Polygonum convolvulus, Fallopia convolvulus)

Fennel- Foeniculum Vulgare

Wild Strawberry- Fragaria virginiana

Galinsoga- Galinsoga quadriradiata

Bedstraw (Galium species)

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

Black Huckleberry- Gaylussacia baccata

Honey Locust- Gleditsia triacanthos

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

Sunflowers (Helianthus species)

Day-Lily, Tiger-Lily (Hemerocallis fulva)—orange, six petals, bare stem

Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Hibiscus (Hibiscus species)

Hawkweed? Hieracium?

Jagged Chickweed (Holosteum umbellatum)?

Michaux's Saxifrage (Hydatica petiolaris)?

Virginia Waterleaf- Hydrophyllum virginianum

Cat’s Ear- Hypochaeris radicata

Jewelweed- Impatiens capensis, Impatiens pallida

Wild Potato Vine- Ipomoea

Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Summer Cypress, Burning Bush- Kochia scoparia

Golden Rain Tree- Koelreuteria paniculata?

Potato Dwarf-Dandelion- Krigia dandelion

Dwarf-Dandelion, Virginia Dwarf-dandelion- Krigia virginica

Wild Lettuce species- Lactuca species

Henbit- Lamium amplexicaule

Purple Dead-Nettle- Lamium purpureum

Wood Nettle- Laportea Canadensis, Stinging Nettle- Urtica dioica, Urtica gracilis-- don't confuse nettles with False Nettle, which has no stingers along the stem, and which has all the seeds clustered around the stem rather than spreading out like Wood Nettle, or Clearweed (Pilea pumila), or Virginia Copperleaf

Duckweed- Lemna species (chiefly Lemna minor), and (?) Greater Duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza)

Field Pepperweed, Field Peppergrass, Cow Cress- Lepidium campestre

Lesser Swinecress- Lepidium didymium

Poor Man's Pepper- Lepidium virginicum

Oxeye Daisy- Leucanthemum vulgare

Canada Lily- Lilium canadense

Turk's Cap Lily- Lilium superbum

Spicebush- Lindera benzoin

Flax species- Linum specoes

Sweet Alyssum- Lobularia maritime

Honeysuckle (Lonicera)—just nibble the sweet nectar

American Bugleweed (Lycopus americanus), Northern Bugleweed (Lycopus uniflorus), Virginia Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus)

Loosestrife (Lysimachia)?

Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera)?

Canada Mayflower, False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum canadense)?

False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum)

Apple- Malus pumila

Mallow- Malva neglecta

Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea)

Indian Cucumber-Root (Medeola virginiana)

Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

Minniebush (Mensiezia pilosa)?

Perfoliate Pennycress- Microthlaspi perfoliatum

Winged Monkey Flower (Mimulus alata), Allegheny Monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens)

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

Carpetweed (Mollugo verticillata)

Monarda species: Monarda clinopodia, Monarda fistulosa, Monarda punctate, Monarda xmedia,

White Mulberry (Morus alba), Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari comosum—Tassel Grape-Hyacinth, Muscari neglectum—Grape-hyacinth)—don’t confuse with the similar Common Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), which has poisonous bulbs

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)-

Fragrant Water-Lily (Nymphaea odorata)

Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Southern Sundrop (Oenothera fruticosa)- edible flowers

Cutleaf Evening Primrose (Oenothera laciniata)

Little Evening Primrose, little Sundrops (Oenothera perennis)???

Eastern Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa)

Golden Club (Orontium aquaticum)

Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytonia)

Aniseroot (Osmorhiza longistylis)

Hop-Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis species)

American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)

Field Poppy, Long-headed Poppy (Papaver dubium)?

Pennsylvania Pellitory, Rock Pellitory (Parietaria pensylvanica)?

Passionflower, Maypop (Passiflora incarnata)

Yellow Passionflower (Passiflora lutea)—not too tasty

Paulownia, Princess-tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Arrow-Arum, Tuckahoe (Peltandra virginica)- time-intensive to make edible

Ditch Stonecrop (Penthorum sedoides)?

Perilla, Beefsteak Plant (Perilla frutescens)

Lady’s Thumb, Spotted Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria maculate, Polygonum persicaria)—don’t confuse with other Smartweeds such as Persicaria pensylvanica, which are inedible

Water Pepper, Marsh-Pepper Smartweed (Persicaria hydropiper)—don’t confuse with Persicaria hydropiperoides

Wild Bean- Phaseolus polystachios

Fall Phlox, Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)—don’t confuse with other species of Phlox, which are inedible

Common Reed (Phragmites australis)

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Longleaf Ground Cherry (Physalis longifolia)

Common Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

Pine—Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata), Table Mountain Pine (Pinus pungens), White Pine (Pinus strobus), Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana), Pitch Pine (pinus rigida), and Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda). Pitch Pine and Loblolly Pine, being higher in turpentine, are not the ones you want to eat.

Blackseed Plantain (Plantago rugelii)—identical to Common Plantain (Plantago major), which does not grow in our area, and many edible plant guides confuse the range of Common Plantain by taking into account places where Plantago rugelii grows, or use the two interchangeably.—don’t confuse this with the hairy Virginia Plantain (Plantago virginica)

English Plantain, Narrowleaf Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)—don’t confuse this with the Virginia Plantain (Plantago virginica).

Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

White Poplar (Populus alba)

Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata)

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

White Lettuce, White Rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes alba)—don’t confuse with Cankerweed, Lion’s Foot (Prenanthes serpentaria)

Tall White Lettuce, Tall Rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes altissima)— don’t confuse with Cankerweed, Lion’s Foot (Prenanthes serpentaria)

Self-heal, Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)?

American Wild Plum (Prunus americana)

Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia)

Sweet Cherry, Bird Cherry (Prunus avium)

Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus)

Hortulan Plum (Prunus hortulana)

Mahaleb Cherry, Rock Cherry, Perfumed Cherry (Prunus mahaleb)

Canada Plum (Prunus nigra)

Peach- Prunus persica

Black Cherry- Prunus serotina

Choke cherry- Prunus virginiana

Kudzu (Pueraria Montana)

Carolina False Dandelion (Pyrrhopappus carolinianus)

Pear (Pyrus communis)

Oaks (Quercus spp.)

 Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)

Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

Appalachian Gooseberry (Ribes rotundifolium)

Red Currant (Ribes rubrum)

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Marsh Yellowcress (Rorippa palustris)

Stalkless Yellowcress, Sessile-flowered Yellow Cress (Rorippa sessiliflora)

Rose species (Rosa spp.)—Pasture Rose, Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina), Memorial Rose/ Lucie Rose/Dorothy Perkins Rose (Rosa luciae), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris),

Common Blackberry, Allegheny Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis), Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus discolor), Pennsylvania Blackberry/Prickly Blackberry (Rubus pensylvanicus)

Dewberry (Rubus flagellaris), Bristly Dewberry/Swamp Dewberry (Rubus hispidus)

Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

Flowering Raspberry, Purple-Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus)

Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)

Cut-leaf Coneflower, Common Cut-leaf Coneflower, Green-headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)—don’t confuse with inedible Rudbeckia triloba, Rudbeckia hirta (Black eyed Susan), or Rudbeckia fulgida

Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)

Curly Dock (Rumex crispus)

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)—warning—scientists found that a compound in this plant, safrole, is a carcinogen.

Arrowhead—Broad-leaved Arrowhead, Wapato, Duck Potato (Sagittaria latifolia), Narrowleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria graminea),

Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia lyrata), Nettle-leaf Sage (Salvia urticifolia)

Black Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)—don’t eat Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)

Rye- Secale cereale

Cliff Stonecrop- Sedum glaucophyllum

Stringy Stonecrop- Sedum sarmentosum

Wild Stonecrop, Woodland Stonecrop- Sedum ternatum

Maryland Wild Senna, Southern Wild Senna (Senna marilandica)

Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris)

Tall Tumble-Mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum)

Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale)

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)- inner bark dried and ground into flour,

Greenbriers (Smilax species)—Catbrier (Smilax bona-nox), White-leaf Greenbrier, Sawbrier (Smilax glauca), Carrion-flower (Smilax herbacea), Common Greenbrier, Bullbrier, Horsebrier (Smilax rotundifolia)—young shoots, leaves, and tendrils edible raw or boiled.

Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum)—don’t confuse with toxic nightshades like Solanum carolinense, Solanum dulcamara, Solanum lycopersicum, Solanum rostratum, Solanum sarrachoides

Solidago?????? Tea?????

Spiny-leaf Sow Thistle (Sonchus asper)

American Mountain-Ash (Sorbus americana)

Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)?

Chickweed (Stellaria species)—Common Chickweed (Stellaria media), Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera)

Amberique Bean, Beach Bean, Trailing Wild Bean (Strophostyles helvola) and Pink Wild Bean, Perennial Wild Bean (Strophostyles umbellata) (???????)

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)-

Field Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), Roadside Pennycress (Thlaspi alliaceum)

Basswood, Linden (Tilia americana)

Ohio Spiderwort, Smooth Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis), Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)

Yellow Salsify, Goat’s Beard (Tragopogon dubius), Purple Salsify, Oyster Plant (Tragopogon porrifolius), Meadow Salsify, Showy Goat’s Beard (Tragopogon pratensis)

White Clover (Trifolium repens), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)—don’t confuse with Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) or Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum)

Fewerwort, Horse-Gentian, Wild Coffee? (triosteum perfoliatum)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Cattail (Typha latifolia), Narrow-leaf Cattail (Typha angustifolia)

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)

Wild Oats/Bellwort???????????? (Uvularia perfoliata, puberula, or: *sessifolia?)

Blueberry (certain Vaccinium species)—Northern Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum), Early Lowbush Blueberry/Hillside Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum)

Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum)

European Corn-salad, Lamb’s-lettuce (Valerianella locusta)

Beaked Corn-salad (Valerianella radiata)

Tapegrass, Water-Celery (Vallisneria americana)?

Northern Corn-salad (Valerianella umbilicata)

Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolia), Arrowood (Viburnum dentatum), Downy Arrow-wood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum), Southern Wild Raisin, Possom-Haw (Viburnum nudum)????????????

Black Haw (Viburnum prunifolium)

Violet (Viola species)—do not eat the ones with yellow flowers. The most common one is Viola sororia, the Common Blue Violet found on lawns. Edible species in our area include Viola affinis, Viola bicolor, Viola canadensis, Viola cucullata, Viola fimbriatula, Viola hirsutula, Viola macloskeyi, Viola odorata, Viola pamata, Viola pedata, viola primulifolia, viola sagittata, viola sororia, and viola striata

Wild Grape (Vitis aestivalis, vitis labrusca, vitis riparia, vitis vulpina)

Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

Brazilian Watermeal, Pointed Watermeal (Wolffia brasiliensis), Columbian Watermeal (Wolffia columbiana)

Eastern Turkeybeard, Beargrass (Xerophyllum asphodeloides)???????

Oriental False Hawksbeard (Youngia japonica)

Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)

Complete List of Grasses, Sedges, Rushes, and Reeds of Albemarle County, Virginia

Agrostis gigantean= redtop

Agrostis hyemalis= Winter Bentgrass, Ticklegrass

Agrostis perennans= Autumn Bentgrass

Agrostis scabra= Rough Bentgrass

Aira caryophyllea= Silver Hairgrass

Aira elegans- Elegant Hairgrass

Alopecurus carolinionus- Carolina Foxtail Grass

Andropogon gerardii- Big Bluestem, Turkeyfoot

Andropogon glomeratus- Bushy Bluestem

Andropogon gyrans- Elliott's Bluestem

Andropogon ternarius- Splitbeard Bluestem, Silvery Bluestem

Andropogon virginicus- broom sedge

Anthoxanthum odoratum- Sweet Vernal Grass

Aristida dichotoma- Curtiss' Three-awn Grass, Fork-tip Three-awn Grass

Aristida oligantha- Prairie Three-awn Grass

Aristida purpurascens- Purple Three-awn Grass, Arrow-feather, Three-awn Grass

Arrhenatherum elatius- Tall Oatgrass

Arthraxon hispidus- Joint-head Grass

Avenella flexuosa- Wavy Hairgrass

Brachyelytrum erectum- Bearded Shorthusk, Common Shorthusk

Bromus catharticus- Rescue Grass

Bromus ciliatus- Fringed Brome Grass

Bromus inermis- Awnless Brome Grass, Smooth Brome

Bromus japonicus- Japanese Brome Grass

Bromus pubescens- Eastern Brome Grass

Bromus racemosus- Smooth Brome

Bromus sterilis- Poverty Brome

Bromus tectorum- Downy Brome

Bulbostylis capillaris- Common Hairsedge

Calamagrostis coarctata- Nuttall’s Reedgrass

Calamagrostis porter- Porter’s Reedgrass

Chasmanthium laxum- Slender Woodoats

Cinna arundinacea- Common Wood Reedgrass, Sweet Wood Reedgrass

Coleataenia anceps- Beaked Panic Grass

Coleataenia rigidula- Tall Flat Panic Grass

Cynodon dactylon- Bermuda Grass

Dactylis glomerata- Orchard Grass

Danthonia compressa- Mountain Oatgrass

Danthonia sericea- Silky Oatgrass

Danthonia spicata- Poverty Oatgrass

Dichanthelium species- Panic grass

Digitaria species- Crabgrass

Echinochloa crus-galli- Barnyard Grass

Eleusine indica- Indian Goosegrass, Yard Grass

Elymus canadensis- Nodding Wild Rye

Elymus glabriflorus- Southeastern Wild Rye

Elymus hystrix- Bottlebrush grass

Elymus repens- Quackgrass, Dog grass

Elymus riparius- Riverbank Wild Rye

Elymus villosus- Hairy Wild Rye, Downy Wild Rye

Elymus virginicus- Virginia Wild Rye (most common)

Eragrostis capillaris- Lacegrass

Eragrostis cilianensis- Stinkgrass

Eragrostis curvula- Weeping Lovegrass

Eragrostis frankii- Sandbar Lovegrass, Frank's Lovegrass

Eragrostis hypnoides- Creeping Lovegrass

Eragrostis minor- Little Lovegrass

Eragrostis pectinacea- Tufted Lovegrass, Carolina Lovegrass, Western Lovegrass

Eragrostis pilosa- India Lovegrass

Eragrostis Spectabilis- Purple Lovegrass, Tumblegrass

Erianthus alopecuroides- Silver Plumegrass, Woolly Plumegrass

Erianthus brevibarbis- Spiral-awned Plumegrass, Short-beard Plumegrass

Festuca filiformis- Slender Fescue
Festuca rubra- Red Fescue
Festuca subverticillata- Nodding Fescue
Festuca trachyphylla- Hard Fescue
Lolium arundinaceum- Tall Fescue

Vulpia myuros- Rattail Fescue

Vulpia octoflora- Six-weeks Fescue

Glyceria melicaria- Slender Mannagrass, Melic Mannagrass

Glyceria septentrionalis- Eastern Mannagrass, Floating Mannagrass

Glyceria striata- Fowl Mannagrass

Gymnopogon ambiguous- Eastern Beard Grass

Holcus lanatus- Common Velvet Grass

Hordeum pusillum- Little Barley

Leersia oryzoides- Rice Cutgrass

Leersia virginica- White Grass, White Cutgrass, Virginia Cutgrass

Lolium perenne- Rye Grass

Eleocharis species- Spikerush

Microstegium vimineum- Japanese Stiltgrass

Miscanthus sinensis- Chinese Silvergrass, Eulalia, Maiden Grass

Melica mutica- twoflower melicgrass

Muhlenbergia capillaris- Long-awn Hairgrass, Hair-awn Muhly

Muhlenbergia frondosa- Smooth Wirestem Muhly

Muhlenbergia schreberi- Nimblewill

Muhlenbergia sylvatica- Woodland Muhly

Muhlenbergia sobolifera- Rock Muhly, Cliff Muhly

Muhlenbergia tenuiflora- Slender Muhly

Panicum amarum- Sea-Beach Grass, Beach Panic Grass

Panicum capillare- Witch Grass

Panicum dichotomiflorum- Spreading Panic Grass, Fall Panic Grass

Panicum philadelphicum- Philadelphia Panic Grass

Panicum verrucosum- Warty Panic Grass

Panicum virgatum- Switchgrass

Paspalum dilatatum- Dallis Grass

Paspalum floridanum- Florida Paspalum

Paspalum laeve- Field Paspalum

Paspalum pubiflorum- Hairy-Seed Paspalum, Hairy-Seed Crown-Grass

Paspalum repens- Water Paspalum, Horsetail Paspalum

Paspalum setaceum- Thin Paspalum, Slender Paspalum

Patis racemosa- Black-seed Ricegrass

Pennisetum alopecuroides- Fountain Grass

Phalaris arundinaceae- Reed Canary Grass, Ribbon Grass

Phleum pratense- Timothy

Piptochaetium avenaceum- Eastern Needlegrass

Poa alsodes- Grove Bluegrass

Poa annua- Annual Bluegrass

Poa atumnalis- Autumn Bluegrass

Poa bulbosa- Bulbous Bluegrass

Poa compressa- Flat-stemmed Bluegrass

Poa cuspidata- Early Bluegrass, Short-stemmed Bluegrass

Poa nemoralis- Wood Bluegrass

Poa pratensis- Kentucky Bluegrass

Poa sylvestris- Woodland Bluegrass

Poa trivialis- Rough Bluegrass

Schizachyrium scoparium- Little Bluestem

Secale cereale- Rye

Setaria faberi- Nodding Bristlegrass, Japanese Bristlegrass

Setaria italica- Foxtail-millet, Italian Bristlegrass

Setaria parviflora- Knotroot Bristlegrass, Knotroot Foxtail

Setaria pumila- Yellow Bristlegrass, Yellow Foxtail

Setaria viridis- Green Bristlegrass, Green Foxtail

Sorghastrum elliottii- Slender Indian Grass

Sorghastrum nutans- Indian Grass, Yellow Indian Grass

Sorghum- Johnson Grass

Sphenopholis nitida- Shiny Wedgegrass

Sphenopholis obtusata- Prairie Wedgegrass

Sphenopholis pensylvanica- Swamp Wedgegrass

Sporobolus indicus- Smut Grass

Sporobolus vaginiflorus- Poverty Dropseed, Sheathed Dropseed

Trichophorum planifolium- Bashful Bulrush

Tridens flavus- Purpletop, Tall Redtop

Tripsacum dactyloides- Eastern Gamagrass

Triticum aestivum- Wheat

SEDGES

Carex species

Carex aestivalis

Carex aggregata

Carex albicans

Carex albursina

Carex amphibola complex

Carex amphibola

Carex appalachica

Carex atlantica ssp. atlantica

Carex blanda

Carex bromoides ssp. bromoides

Carex caroliniana

Carex cephalophora

Carex cherokeensis

Carex communis var. communis

Carex comosa

Carex conjuncta

Carex crebriflora

Carex crinita var. crinita

Carex debilis

Carex digitalis

Carex digitalis var. digitalis

Carex echinata ssp. echinata

Carex festucacea

Carex flaccosperma

Carex flexuosa

Carex frankii

Carex glaucodea

Carex gracilescens

Carex gracillima

Carex granularis

Carex hirsutella

Carex hirtifolia

Carex intumescens var. intumescens

Carex jamesii

Carex laevivaginata

Carex laxiculmis var. laxiculmis

Carex laxiflora

Carex leavenworthii

Carex leptalea

Carex lupulina

Carex lurida

Carex mesochorea

Carex molestiformis

Carex muehlenbergii

Carex nigromarginata

Carex oligocarpa

Carex pensylvanica

Carex platyphylla

Carex prasina

Carex retroflexa var. retroflexa

Carex retroflexa var. texensis

Carex reznicekii

Carex roanensis

Carex rosea

Carex rugosperma

Carex scabrata

Carex scoparia var. scoparia

Carex shortiana

Carex sparganioides

Carex squarrosa

Carex stipata var. stipata

Carex striatula

Carex stricta

Carex styloflexa

Carex swanii

Carex tonsa

Carex torta

Carex tribuloides var. tribuloides

Carex umbellata

Carex virescens

Carex vulpinoidea

Carex willdenowii

Cyperus species- Flatsedges

Cyperus bipartitus

Cyperus compressus

Cyperus echinatus

Cyperus erythrorhizos

Cyperus esculentus

Cyperus flavescens

Cyperus iria

Cyperus lancastriensis

Cyperus lupulinus complex

Cyperus odoratus var. odoratus

Cyperus polystachyos

Cyperus retrofractus

Cyperus squarrosus

Cyperus strigosus

Dulichium arundinaceum- Three-way Sedge

Kyllinga pumila- Low Spikesedge

Rhynchospora capitellata- Brownish Beaksedge

Rynchospora globularis- Clustered Beaksedge

Rynchospora recognita- Round-headed Beaksedge

REEDS/RUSHES

Juncus species- Rush

Juncus acuminatus

Juncus biflorus

Juncus coriaceus

Juncus debilis

Juncus dichotomus

Juncus effusus

Juncus marginatus

Juncus scirpoides

Juncus secundus

Juncus subcaudatus

Juncus tenuis

Luzula bulbosa- Bulbous Woodrush

Luzula echinata- Spreading Woodrush

Luzula multiflora- common Woodrush

Schoenoplectus pungens- Common Threesquare, Chairmaker's Rush

Schoenoplectus purshianus- Blunt-scale Bulrush, Weak-stalk Bulrush

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani- Soft-stem Bulrush

Scirpus atrovirens- Dark Green Bulrush

Scirpus cyperinus- Woolgrass

Scirpus expansus- Woodland Bulrush

Scirpus georgianus- Georgia Bulrush

Scirpus pendulus- Reddish Bulrush

Scirpus polyphyllus- Leafy Bulrush

Scleria muehlenbergii- Pitted Nutrush

Scleria oligantha- Little-headed Nutrush, Few-flowered Nutrush

Scleria pauciflora- Carolina Nutrush, Papillose Nutrush

Scleria triglomerata- Tall Nutrush

Sparganium americanum- American Bur-reed