Georgia Trip to Montezuma Bluffs Natural Area and Indian Springs
|
|
 |
|
You can click on the thumbnail at left to view all the photos from the Georgia trip. Click on any of the images in the article to view a larger size.
|
|
 |
|
My wife Marcia and I have just returned from a weekend trip to Georgia which included visits to Montezuma Bluffs Natural Area and Indian Springs State Park. As President of the Hairstreak Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association, I organized this casual trip to see the Falcate Orangetip Butterfly. This species used to be seen in Florida along the Ochlockonee River, but has not been seen in recent years. Its demise in Florida may have been due to over-collection of the species. Each spring, we still look for the caterpillars and butterflies whenever we see stands of Cardamine, its host plant.
We passed stately historic homes and orchards of beautiful blooming peach trees as we traveled north of the town of Montezuma toward the Montezume Bluffs Natural Area on Friday afternoon. There is no sign announcing the Natural Area, only a sign for Crooks Landing.
|
|
 |
|
Almost immediately after stepping out of the vehicle near the boat landing, we saw several Falcate Orangetips flying along the trail. Several pairs were courting.
|
|
 |
|
That evening, Sonny P., Marcia, and I met Chris I., our host. He lives less than a mile from Montezuma Bluffs Natural Area and has “adopted” this site. His primary knowledge is botanical, but he also knows a lot about its natural history, geology, and fauna including the butterflies.
After eating dinner with Chris, he graciously took us to his home to see some of his plants in his landscape, many of which he has grown from seeds and cuttings. Of special interest to Marcia and me were Alabama Snow-wreath (Neviusia alabamensis), Alabama Croton (Croton alabamensis), Zizia (Zizia sp.), and Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) that were all blooming.
|
|
 |
|
Montezuma Bluffs Natural Bluffs
Joining us on Saturday at Montezuma Bluffs were Marty and Jim Q., and Cynthia and Eric S. Since it was too cool for the butterflies to be flying yet, we botanized until noon. We were very fortunate to have Chris lead us to all the neat spots of Montezuma Bluffs Natural Area that we would not have seen otherwise. During our hike, we saw several habitats including beech-magnolia slope forest, limestone bluffs, and the river floodplain along the Flint River.
|
|
 |
|
Group overlooking the ravine slope
We saw quite a few Relict Trilliums (Trillium reliquum), one of the other reasons Bill and I wanted to visit Montezuma Bluffs. We also saw a Relict Trillium with a yellow flower. The Relict Trillium, sometimes called Confederate Trillium, is a federally endangered species found mostly in Georgia, but also in a few counties of South Carolina and eastern Alabama. A relict species is a plant that has survived in isolation from an earlier time. In this case, it is a northern species that remained after the retreat of the glaciers.
|
|
 |
|
The limestone rocks in the area support many of the same species seen locally at Aspalaga Landing such as Round-lobed Liverleaf (Anemone nobilis). Also on the rocks was Alumroot (Heuchera americana), not found in Florida. The presence of many shells in the rocks also shows that Montezuma Bluffs was once covered by an ocean.
|
|
 |
|
The plants in the beech-magnolia slope forest were very familiar to us although some were different species or uncommon in Florida. Trees and shrubs we saw in addition to the predominate Beeches and Magnolias were Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), Two-wing Silverbell (Halesia diptera), Dogwood (Cornus florida), Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) (not found in Florida), Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix), and Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor).
|
|
 |
|
On the slope floor, we saw Heartleaf Ginger (Hexastylis arifolium), Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) , violets (Viola spp.), Atamasco Lily (Zephyranthes atamasca var. atamasca), Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Bedstraw (Galium sp.), Squawroot (Conopholis americana) , Grape Fern (Botrychium sp.), and Cutleaf Toothcup (Cardamine concatenata), the local host plant of the Falcate Orangetip.
|
|
 |
|
An unexpected botanical bonus was to see the Spotted Geranium (Geranium maculatum) in bloom. This is found in only one Florida County.
|
|
 |
|
Chris showed us one area that he has been tryiing to keep cleared of the invasive kudzu vines. The hard-earned reward was one slope densely covered by Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) and another slope almost entirely covered by Perfoliate Bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata). Both of these species are uncommon in north Florida and to see them en masse was quite awesome.
|
|
 |
|
Elsewhere, we saw Golden Ragwort (Senecio aurea) and White Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrichium albidum), both uncommon in Florida.
After our hike, we concentrated on butterflies and we did see more Falcate Orangetips. We also looked at many of the Cutleaf Toothcups (Cardamine concatenata) in hopes of finding a Falcate Orangetip caterpillar. There was a brief flurry of excitement when Jim did find a caterpillar on the host plant, but it turned out to be a geometrid moth caterpillar.
Another good find was a tattered Mourning Cloak that was flitting around an oak tree. It liked to sit in the hanging Spanish Moss, but did land on the tree to be photographed.
Probably the best find of the trip (other than the Falcate Orangetips of course) was an Eastern Comma sighted by Eric. No photos for me, but still a joy to see one. Sonny has graciously shared his photo. Other species seen were Pearl Crescent and Lace-winged Roadside Skipper.
|
|
 |
|
During a final jaunt along a trail, Cynthia spotted an Eastern Hognose Snake, a great way to end the day’s trip.
|
|
 |
|
Indian Springs State Park
Everyone else returned home on Saturday, but Bill and I continued to Indian Springs State Park where we briefly crossed paths with Virginia C., another Chapter member, as she was leaving after having successfully found Falcate Orangetips also.
We saw the Falcate Orangetips in an open grassy area near the start of the nature trail late that evening. The next morning, we walked the nature trail, planning to see the butterflies on the way out.
|
|
 |
|
The nature trail winds through a beech-magnolia slope forest where we saw a species of Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) not found in Florida, the leaves of Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata), blooming Cutleaf Toothcup (Cardamine concatenata), violets (Viola spp.), Bedstraw (Galium sp.), Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides), Round-lobed Liverleaf (Anemone nobilis), and lots and lots of Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) just beginning to bud out. A botanical oddity on the trail was one double-flowered Rue Anemone, the first seen by Marcia and me.
|
|
 |
|
Double-flower form of Rue Anemone
It was still in the upper forties when we returned to the grassy area where we saw the butterflies the previous evening. We did see some typical plant species in the grassy area, but no butterflies: morels (Morchella sp.), field pansies (Viola bicolor), bluets and innocence (Houstonia spp.), Japanese Mazus (Mazus pumilus), henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), and clovers (Trifolium spp.).
|
|
 |
|
While waiting for warmer temperatures, we took a gander at the springs and old CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) buildings. Indian Springs State Park is one of the oldest parks in the nation.
Homeward Bound
At 11:00 a.m., it still was only fifty degrees, a bit too cool to see any flying butterflies, so we decided to head homeward with another stop at Montezuma Bluffs to try to see the Comma (unsuccessful).
On the way home, we took a short stop at the Andersonville National Cemetery.
|
|
 |
|
Andersonville National Cemetery
We also saw our first huge stand of blooming Princesstrees (Paulownia tomentosa) along U. S. 19 north of Albany.
Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge
by B. Eugene Wofford
University of Georgia Press, 1989
ISBN 9780820324555
$26.95 Paperback
Another identification manual that is a must while botanizing in the Blue Ridge province is the Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge. Its wide range of habitats within the region extends from northern Georgia to southern Pennsylvania. Over 2000 species are included, representing all major plant groups including ferns, trees, monocots, and dicots. All the families, genera, and species are arranged alphabetically. (Yes!) Although lacking illustrations, the keys are simple to follow. The list of references is quite useful for those who wish to delve further into species identification. Hopefully, a new edition will update the species coverage and include updated taxonomic revisions.
Wildflower Books
New Pronouncing Dictionary of Plant Names. Florists’ Publishing Co.
Bell, C. Ritchie, and Bryan J. Taylor. Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants. Laurel Hill Press.
Blomquist, H. L., and H. J. Oosting. A Guide to the Spring and Early Summer Flora of the Piedmont, North Carolina, 6th ed. Blomquist and Oosting.
Chapman, V. J. Coastal Vegetation. The Macmillan Co.
Chase, Agnes. First Book of Grasses: The Structure of Grasses Explained for Beginners. Smithsonian Institution Press.
Clark, Lewis. Wild Flowers of the Arid Flatlands in the Pacific Northwest. Gray’s Publishing, Ltd.
Clark, Lewis J. Wild Flowers of the Pacific Northwest from Alaska to Northern California. Gray’s Publishing Ltd.
Conard, Henry S. Plants of Central Florida. Publication #1. The Ridge Audubon Society.
Duncan, Wilbur H., and Leonard E. Foote. Wildflowers of the Southeastern United States. The University of Georgia Press.
Duncan, Wilbur H., and Marion B. Duncan. Wildflowers of the Eastern United State. The University of Georgia Press.
Henderson, Peter. Henderson’s Handbook of Plants. Peter Henderson & Company.
Hitchcock, A. S. Manual of the Grasses of the United States. 2nd edition revised by Agnes Chase. Government Printing Office.
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press.
Hotchkiss, Neil. Common Marsh Plants of the United States and Canada. Bureau of Sport fisheries and Wildlife.
Hotchkiss, Neil. Underwater and Floating-Leaved Plants of the United States and Canada. Bureau of Sport fisheries and Wildlife.
Jaques, H. E. Plant Families: How to Know Them. Wm. C. Brown Co.
Jelks, Mary. Allergy Plants. Florida’s Fabulous. World-Wide Publications. 65 pp.
Larrison, Earl J., Grace W. Patrick, and William H. Baker and James A. Yaich. Washington Wildflowers. Seattle Audubon Society.
Lloyd, Francis E. The Carnivorous Plants. Dover Publications, Inc.
McDougall, W. B., and Herma A. Baggley. Plants of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone Library and Museum Association.
Niering, William A., and Nancy C. Olmstead. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Nourse, Hugh, and Carol Nourse. Wildflowers of Georgia. Univ. of Georgia Press.
Peterson, Roger Tory, and Margaret McKenny. A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co.
Perkins, Kent D., and Willard W. Payne. Guide to the Poisonous and Irritant Plants of Florida.
Rickett, Harold Wm. The New Field Book of American Wild Flowers. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
Rickett, ed., H. W. Wild Flowers of America. Crown Publishers, Inc.
Shuttleworth, Floyd S., and Herbert S. Zim. Non-Flowering Plants. Golden Press.
Spellenberg, Richard. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Starr Dana, Mrs. Wm. Ho+w to Know the Wild Flowers. Dover Publications, Inc.
Stupka, Arthur. Wildflowers in Color. Harper and Row, Publishers. 144 pp.
Taylor, Norman. F. Schuyler Mathews’ Field Book of American Wild Flowers. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
Ward, Daniel B. Checklist of the Vascular Flora of Florida. Part I. Technical Bulletin 726 July 1968. Agricultural Experiment Stations, Univ. of Florida.
Watts, May Theilgaard. Flower Finder. Nature Study Guild.
Wofford, B. Eugene. Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge. Univ. of Georgia Press.
Wunderlin, Richard P. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Central Florida. University Presses of Florida.
Wildflowers of Georgia
by Hugh Nourse and Carol Nourse
University of Georgia Press, 2000
ISBN 0820321796
$29.95 Hardcover
Having made my first trek to the mountains of Georgia in the springtime of 2000, I understood why the authors enjoyed the eight years that they photographed Georgia’s splendid wildflowers.
They divide the coverage of this large-format volume into four regions of the state from the coastal plain to the Blue Ridge mountains. Within each region, physiographic characteristics and floral diversity are emphasized. Photographs of 85 plants and habitats are intertwined with these discussions. The authors discuss parks, trails, and areas where one can enjoy numerous wildflower species during their blooming season. Read more
Wildflowers of the Eastern United States
by Wilbur H. Duncan and Marion B. Duncan
University of Georgia Press, 1999
ISBN 0820321079
$29.95 Hardcover
Many years ago, I bought my first plant photo identification book, Wildflowers of the Southeastern United States by Wilbur Duncan and Duncan Foote. Now tattered and worn, I have carried it far and wide through the eastern United States and have used it extensively along with the numerous other guides that I have acquired over the years. Unfortunately, it was out of print several years later. Nothing on the market filled the void until the publication of the Wildflowers of the Eastern United States. I am glad to see that it has been expanded to include all the states east of the Mississippi except for parts of south Florida.
Find Articles by Subject
About the PhotoNaturalist
Galleries
Image of the Week
 | ||