James Bay Shorebird Project 2018

Longridge Point from 31 July to 13 August - Page 9 of 10

Flora

Low tide at Longridge Point - compare with high tide in the video. The extensive mudflats, tidal pools and rocky shoreline are refreshed twice a day by the tide, creating habitat for feeding shorebirds.

VIDEO: Longridge, flowers and more

Arctic or Polar Daisy Arctanthemum arcticum polar on 4 August.

Arctanthemum arcticum (Arctic Daisy) and the entity of this widespread Arctic/Sub-Arctic taxon occurring in southern James Bay is the subspcies polare (Polar Daisy). Many thanks to Don Sutherland for comments on identification for this flower and several more below.

White Admiral on Fireweed on 4 August 2018

Canada Buffaloberries (Shepherdia canadensis), also known as Soapberries.

Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia palustris)

Close-up Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia palustris)

“Northern Grass-of-Parnassus” (Parnassia palustris) now has the accepted common English name Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus, perhaps to better distinguish it from Parnassia parviflora (Small-flowered Grass-of-Parnassus and P. kotzebuei (no common English name), both of which are also northern in their distributions. (Don Sutherland pers. comm,)

Northern Green Orchid. Photo by Isabel Apkarian.

Frog Orchid. Photo by Isabel Apkarian

Pink Pyrola Pyrola asarifolia

Hooded Ladies-tresses

This Pyrola is Pyrola asarifolia, better known by its accepted English common name: Pink Pyrola. It is the abundant Pyrola at Longridge and a widespread Boreal species occurring south in cold wetlands and swamps into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest region. (Don Sutherland pers. comm.)

Marsh Cinquefoil. Photo by Isabel Apkarian.

Marsh Ragwort

We all were intrigued by this striking plant with hairy flower heads and top of stem. Don Sutherland commented: "This is Nabalus racemosus (formerly Prenanthes racemosa) with the accepted English common name Glaucous Rattlesnakeroot (aka Glaucous White Lettuce)."

Foxtail Barley

The marsh at camp contains lovely patches of Alkali Bulrush (Bolboschoenus maritimus ssp. paludosus), which is abundant in Ontario along the James Bay coast, but rare on the Hudson Bay coast. It also occurs locally in southwest Ontario around Lake St. Clair where it is found in salt-rich habitats. (Don Sutherland pers. comm.). This attractive bulrush was first pointed out to me by Riley Walsh.

Wolf-willow (Elaeagnus commutata) is common on sand dunes and along river shores from the Hudson Bay coast south locally to the north shore of Lake Superior and Lake Timiskaming. Not a willow at all, but a native member of the Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster Family), which includes such better-known and aggressive alien species as Autumn-olive (E. umbellata), Russian-olive (E. angustifolia) and Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides). (Don Sutherland pers. comm.)

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