Resurrection Ferns

 

Resurrection Fern (Pleopeltis michauxiana).
Green Cay Wetlands, Palm Beach County, Florida. 

Hiking through a hardwood hammock on the coast of Florida Resurrection Ferns (Pleopeltis michauxiana) grow on the trunks of many tree species.  This odd little fern can be found over much of the eastern United States and down into the tropics, but it is most abundant on the Coastal Plain of the Southeast.  Stands of Resurrection Fern can mantle the limbs trees as it lives its aerial life.  

Resurrection Fern.
Orchard View Park, Palm Beach County, Florida.  

Resurrection Ferns have roots that attach the plant to tree bark.  They make horizontal stem called the rhizomes that grow along the trunk and thrusts up the photosynthetic leaves called fronds.   The underside of the leaves have multiple brown spots called sori.  Each sorus contains dozens of sporangia that produce the reproductive spores of the plant. 

Sori, the spore producing structurers on the underside of a 
Resurrection Fern Leaf.
Orchard View Park, Palm Beach County, Florida

Spores are released from the sori and these microscopic reproductive structures float through the air.  If one lands on a favorable patch of bark, it can, after some complex reproductive antics, produce a new fern. 

With tree branches being the main location of growth, the Resurrection Fern has no contact with the soil. Resurrection Ferns do not parasitize the trees on which they grow but rather they are epiphytes, absorbing nutrients and water from the air or the surface of the bark.  

Resurrection Fern.
Orchard View Park, Palm Beach County, Florida. 

Dry Resurrection Fern.
A.D. Barnes Park, Miami-Dade County, Florida. 

Detail of dry Resurrection Fern.
A.D. Barnes Park, Miami-Dade County, Florida. 

When conditions are dry, Resurrection Ferns can undergo extreme dehydration.  They shrivel up, turn brown and can lose more than 75% of their water.  In contrast people that lose 10% of their water experience mental derangement and death occurs at about 20% dehydration.  When the rains come, dry, shriveled Resurrection Ferns can quickly absorb water.  They become green and active in a matter of hours.  The common name of the fern is a nod to their seeming return from the dead when going from dry to wet conditions. 

Resurrection Fern. 
Green Cay Wetlands, Palm Beach County, Florida.
 

Resurrection Ferns are a wonder, whether you see them shriveled and dead looking or green and vibrant.  This transformation really is like the plant returning from the dead.  

The Emergence of Brood XIX

 

Adult Periodical Cicada (Magicicada tredecim)
on the morning of its emergence.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina 

The eastern United States are abuzz with the coming of Cicada Brood XIX.  This spring, Periodical Cicadas (Magicicada sp.) are emerging from their 13-year underground sojourn as nymphs for a few brief weeks as large flying, mating and buzzing insects.  There are 15 different broods of Periodical Cicadas, and all are found in Eastern North America.   

Adult Periodical Cicada.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

The sound of thousands of male Periodical Cicadas calling.

Landsford Canal State Park, South Carolina. 

Periodical Cicadas have the longest life cycles any insects.  Some take 17 years to mature but this year, in the south we have13-year cidadas.  The genus Magicicada is composed  of 7 species. Brood XIX is made up of billions of Magicicada tredecim, Magicicada tredecassini, Magicicada tredecula and Magicicada neotridecim.   This is known as the Great Southern Brood and it ranges from North Carolina to Missouri although their distribution is quite spotty.  This spring there are no Periodical Cicadas near our home in Rowan County, North Carolina, but they are abundant in some areas of Mecklenburg County, a mere 45 miles away.   

Periodical Cicada.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Adult Periodical Cicadas are over an inch long, with red eyes, black bodies and translucent orange veined wings.  Males have a sound generating organ on the abdomen called the tymbal.  They vibrate the tymbal to produce a buzzing roar that can reach 100 decibels.  This wall of sound produced by the males attracts females and they mate.  The females cut small holes in tree twigs and lay their fertilized eggs in the stems.  These eggs hatch to produce nymphs, the first larval stage of the Periodical Cicada.  Nymphs drop to the ground and continue their development, feeding on sap from plant roots, growing and molting into larger nymphs.  This process continues for 13 years and during this time the cicadas can neither fly nor mate.  

Adult Periodical Cicada with two empty nymph exoskeletons.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Then the Periodical Cicadas begin to emerge.  The fifth nymph stage digs tunnels through the soil and crawls up tree trunks, shrubs and even stout grasses.  The back of the nymph exoskeleton splits, and the winged adult crawls out.  Over the course of a couple of hours the cicadas pump fluid to expand their wings to their full size and their exoskeleton hardens.  Then the Periodical Cicadas fly off to complete their life cycle. 

Adult Periodical Cicada with its nymph exoskeleton.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Two empty nymph exoskeletons. 
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Periodical Cicadas emerge in vast numbers, over a million per acre in some places.  All these cicadas emerging at the same time overwhelm their predators who cannot cause a significant dent in their numbers. The question of why Periodical Cicadas have 13 or 17-year life cycles has puzzled scientists for years.  Of particular interest is 13 and 17 are prime numbers.  

One theory holds that the long life cycle with a prime number makes it hard for predators of the cicadas to synchronize their life cycle to coincide with the abundance of the emergence.  Another theory is based on the distribution of the Periodical Cicadas and the history of glaciation in North America.  During the many ice ages, Periodical Cicada species were probably restricted to small refugia. There they lengthened their life cycle because of limited resources and timed their emergence based on prime numbers so they would not hybridize with other broods.  This year Brood XIX and Brood XIII (a 17 year cicada) will emerge at the same time.  These broods have not been present as adults at the same time since 1803, when Thomas Jefferson was president. There is little overlap of the ranges of these broods but in a small area of Illinois adults of both broods will be present.  Their long, prime-numbered life cycles act as a defense against hybridization between these groups. 

An empty nymph exoskeleton.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

The spectacle of the Periodical Cicadas will continue for a few more weeks and by mid-summer the adults will be gone.  But the nymphs of Brood XIX will begin their long wait underground and emerge again in 2037.        

Crossvine and Virginia Creeper

 

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) flowers.
Davidson County, North Carolina.

In the plant kingdom, vinyness runs in families.  The vine growth habit has evolved many times among the flowering plants and often the closest relatives of vine is also a vine.  

Crossvine in flower.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is a woody vine in the Family Bignoniaceae. This family is found around the world and with about 850 species and includes trees, herbs and many vines.  One of these is Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans), a vine that made an appearance in an earlier blog.  Crossvine is native to the southeastern United States. 

A spray of Crossvine flowers.
Davidson County, North Carolina. 

Crossvine produces a cascade of yellow and orange, trumpet-shaped flowers in the spring.  Like its relative Trumpet Creeper, Crossvine flowers are favorites of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). The flowers appear just as hummingbirds are returning from wintering in the tropics and nectar fuels the migration and mating of these tiny birds. The vine climbs using tendrils to latch on to tree trunks and each node bears a pair of leaves, each with two leaflets.  The name Crossvine comes from the distinctive X-shaped pith in a cross-section of the vine’s stem.     

Crossvine leaves.
Rowan County, North Carolina.

Crossvine leaves in winter.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Cross section. of Crossvine stem showing the X pattern of pith.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/Bignonia_capreolata.shtml

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is classified in the family Vitaceae.  This large family consists, almost exclusively of vines and has a worldwide distribution.  I devoted an earlier blog to Grapes (Vitis) the best-known members of this family.  The name Virginia Creeper has interesting origins.  The common name refers to its viny, creeping habit. The genus Parthenocisscus, is from the Greek parthenos meaning virgin (which is, of course, the basis for the state name of Virginia) and kissos meaning ivy.  The specific name quinquefolia is from Latin and meaning five leaves, named for the five leaflets on each Virginia Creeper leaf. 

Compound leaves of Virginia Creeper
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
with five leaflets.
Palm Beach County, Florida.

Virginia Creeper leavers.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Virginia Creeper is found in eastern North American from southern Canada to northern Mexico. The leaf structure of Virginia Creeper led to this nursery rhyme.  “Leaves of three, let it be.  Leaves of five, let it thrive”  This rhyme was to help children distinguish Virginia creeper from Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) that grows in the same area. Virginia Creeper vines grow on trees or walls and attach to these surfaces with short tendrils.  In spring, it produces small, inconspicuous white flowers.  These flowers develop into purple fruits that resemble grapes and are an important food source for a variety of birds.  In the fall Virginia Creeper leaves turn bright red. Because of its fast growth and its ability to climb, Virginia Creeper is planted as a ground cover, trained to arbors or grown up walls.   

Virginia Creeper fruits.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Crossvine and Virginia Creeper are common native vines that provide food and cover for wildlife.  These vines and other members of their families are important members of southeastern forest communities.  

Texas Hill Country: Springtime Flowers and Butterflies

 

Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texenis) 
and Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata).
Friedrich Wilderness Park,
Bexar County, Texas.

Driving northwest out of San Antonio a line of wooded hills appears on the horizon. This is the Balcones Escarpment, and it marks the beginning of the Texas Hill Country and the vast Edwards Plateau.  This area is dotted with ranches, forests of oak and juniper and grasslands. We visited the Texas Hill Country in April where we found a stunning show of wildflowers.  With these flowers came an abundance of butterflies.  

Western Green Hairstreak (Callophrys affinis) 
on Fineleaf Fournerved Daisy (Tetraneuris linearifolia).
Friedrich Wilderness Park,
Bexar County, Texas.

The iconic Texas wildflower is the Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis). This member of the Pea Family (Fabaceae) is found throughout Texas and adjacent areas of other states and Mexico. Texas Bluebonnets have palmately compound leaves and, for a few weeks in spring, clusters of blue flowers.  The flowers of Texas Bluebonnets reminded the American settlers of the bonnets the womenfolk wore to protect them from the sun.  

Texas Bluebonnet.
Kerr Wildlife Management Area.
Kerr County, Texas. 

Many other flowers and butterflies graced the fields and forests. Here is a small sample.

Texas Flax (Linum hudsonioides).
Bandera County, Texas.

  

Hill Country Rain Lily (Cooperia pedunculata).
Friedrich Wilderness Park,
Bexar County, Texas.

 

Texas Vervain (Verbena halei).
Kerr Wildlife Management Area.
Kerr County, Texas. 

 

Fineleaf Fournerved Daisy.
Bandera County, Texas.

 Prairie verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida).
Lost Maples State Natural Area.
Bandera County, Texas.

  

Texas Thistle (Crisium texanum).
Bandera County, Texas.

                        

White Prickly Poppy (Argemone albiflora).
Bandera County, Texas. 

Prairie Penstemon (Penstemon cobaea). 
Friedrich Wilderness Park.
Bexar County, Texas.

Antelope-horns (Asclepias asperula) with flowers closed.
 Kerr Wildlife Management Area.
Kerr County, Texas. 

Antelope-horns with flowers open.
 Kerr Wildlife Management Area.
Kerr County, Texas. 

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta). 
Friedrich Wilderness Park.
Bexar County, Texas.

Pink Evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa).
Bandera County, Texas. 

Texas Yellow Star (Lindheimera texana).
Bandera County, Texas. 

Plateau Nerve-ray (Tetragonotheca texana).
Kerr Wildlife Management Area.
Kerr County, Texas. 

 

Edwards Least Daisy (Chaetopappa bellidifolia).
Kerr Wildlife Management Area.
Kerr County, Texas. 

Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea).
Bandera County, Texas. 

Snapdragon Vine (Maurandya antirrhiniflora).
Bandera County, Texas. 

Question Mark (Polygonia interrrogationis).
Bandera County, Texas. 

Texas Bindweed (Convolulus equitans).
Bandera County, Texas.

Plateau Milkvine (Matelea edwardsensis).
Friedrich Wilderness Park.
Bexar County, Texas.

The Hill Country of Texas may seem harsh but it is a dazzling place in spring.  Dramatic displays of wildflowers grace the fields and roadsides.  These flowers in turn provide nectar and pollen for a profusion of butterflies.  All this happens before the heat of summer sets in and dries up the land.

Three Rare Texas Birds

 

Male Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia).
Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Kerr County, Texas 

Texas is rare bird central for the United States.  The long border with Mexico and the southern projection of the state means many tropical species drift into Texas.  Diane and I, along with two friends, visited the San Antonio area to view the total solar eclipse this April.  While we did not see the eclipse (it was cloudy) we did find some rare birds. 

We encountered Golden-cheeked Warblers (Setophaga chrysoparia) at Lost Maples State Natural Area and Kerr Wildlife Management Area.  These striking birds have black and white bodies, black crowns, black throats, a black eye line, and golden feathers on each side of the face.  Females are more subtlety colored but still have the golden cheeks.  Golden-cheeked Warblers nest only in Texas and arrive from Central American and Mexico in early spring.  Males stake out territories in the Juniper-Oak forests, singing throughout the day.  After raising their young the Golden-cheeked Warblers depart Texas for the mountains of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Golden-cheeked Warblers are an endangered species and face threats on both their breeding grounds and their wintering areas. In Texas, their nests can be parasitized by Brown-Headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) and in the tropics the Pine-Oak forests where they winter are being converted to agriculture. We were lucky enough to find male Golden-cheeked Warblers singing from exposed perches and gathering nest material.  

Male Golden-cheeked Warbler.
Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Kerr County, Texas. 

Black-capped Vireos (Vireo atricapilla) have a greenish-gray back and wings, white belly and breast and in the males a black cap with white spectacles.  Females and juvenile birds look similar, but their heads are gray.  These vireos breed in a small area of Oklahoma, central Texas and northern Mexico.  Black-capped Vireos winter in the scrub forests of western Mexico. Conservation efforts including Brown-headed Cowbird control and prescribed burns have allowed Black-capped Vireo numbers to increase in Texas and they are now listed as threatened rather than endangered.   We found Black-capped Vireos singing and skulking in the brush at Kerr Wildlife Management Area.

Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla).
Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Kerr County, Texas. 

An unexpected bonus bird turned up at Lost Maples State Natural Area.  A male Tropical Parula (Setophaga pitiayumi) was singing its buzzy song in the tops of the trees along Can Creek.  This tiny warbler is found throughout the American tropics but in the United States they breed only in south Texas.  Tropical Parulas have a blue back, white wing bars, a yellow throat and belly, and in the males, an orange breast.  Ironically, climate change may cause an increase in numbers of Tropical Parulas in the United States but reduce their numbers in parts of the tropics.  

Male Tropical Parula (Setophaga pitiayumi) singing.
Lost Maples State Natural Area, Bandera County, Texas

While the Texas Hill Country is not the Lower Rio Grande Valley, we had an excellent birding experience.  We saw some exciting birds in that slice of Texas.

Male Tropical Parula.
Lost Maples State Natural Area, Bandera County, Texas.