Now here's a tasty morsel: Indian Cucumber root

[SwampDonkey]

Hi folks:

ID this one.





Its found on dry hardwood ridge sites, usually shallow soils. Often found in patches because of its rhyzome root system. In my area the fruit is bright red, but it can be dark purple too as I've seen photos from other sources. Associated with beech and sugar maple. You'll end up heading down a couple paths to ID this one also.

good luck

[Paul_H]

I've had no luck whatsoever on this one.Is it an Eastern plant?

I'll keep plugging away at it :P

[SwampDonkey]

 @ Paul_H

:D  hehehe

Umm, don't hit me with a club when I ask you if there's sugar maple and american beech stands on the west coast.

 ;D

East of the Mississippi I suspects. That includes southeastern Manitoba by the way, since it comes from the Lake of the Woods in Ontario near Kanora and loops just east on Winnepeg for you geography buffs.  ;)

[Paul_H]

I'll have you know we have both Maple Sugar and  beaches,and probably more Nova Scotians than the Maritimes :D

[SwampDonkey]

Paul_H


Those darn Maritime emmigrants   ;D

[Paul_H]

I was working with a whole whack of them a few weeks back.There was seven of us in the shop before work and five were from NS. Had alot of fun. 8)

PS
I right clicked on the picture and checked properties to see if I could cheat : No luck.

[SwampDonkey]

Hi Paul:

Yeah, I already thought of that cheet  ;D


Glad you had fun with the Highlanders. Were ya all wearing your kilts?    :D   hehe

[Paul_H]

 Some of them are a little off kilter :D

[SwampDonkey]

@ Paul_H

 8) crazier than a bag of hammers I bet, eh?  8)

[Paul_H]

And they talk funny ;)

[SwampDonkey]

Ummm.......


     Did ya ID that plant yet?   :D

[Paul_H]

Yeah,it's a Maiden Hair Fern :P What was the name of that other one with the Red berries that we ID'd? I've forgotten.

[SwampDonkey]

hahhahaha   :D

Aralia racemosa Spikenard was the red berries

and maiden-hair fern was a previous post to this one  ;)  hehehe

[SwampDonkey]

Hi All:

Here's a little hint while search'n in your plant ID keys.

You should be hot on the trail between bunch berry Cornus canadensis  and star flower Trientalis borealis

You'll find star flower, painted trilium and false-lilly-of the valley  with this plant. All are monocotyledons which emerge in spring before trees leaves out.  Bunch berry and painted trilium both have stocked flower buds with 3 leafed whorls around the bud. This is on fertile plants only; sterile donkeys are impotent.   oops    (no stocked flower)  

     

[Paul_H]

I've had no luck with plant keys because they're like a computer and are only as good as the info you punch in. :
So I've been typing things like "herbaceous rhizomes understory red berries low growing annuals,eastern ridge shallow soils......." in google.

I did check bunch berry and among other things,lily of the valley.This one has been a real zinger.

I'm convinced there is no such plant.  Next. ;D

[Paul_H]

Is it Clintonia borealis?

[SwampDonkey]

Hi Paul:

hmmmm.....blue bead lilly, or yellow clintonia?

a big  NOPE  :D

That is lilly-like, concerning the leaves. This plant has leaves like star flower  or trilium.

Back to the books.  :P

You need Peterson's Guide to Wildflowers
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=681386

or

Peterson's Guide to edible wild plants

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=681414

This plant has an edible tuber as big as your pinky finger  8)

[Tom]

Would you believe...............

Indian cucumber root
Mediola virginiana

?

[SwampDonkey]

Hi Tom:

Suffer'n suck-a-tash he's got it.  


Indian Cucumber Root  8)

[Paul_H]

Thank you Tom,it's been driving me Mad ??? 8)