Destruction at Split Rock Golf Course

Parks does it again. Now the issue is natural areas within golf courses (that were originally carved out of...natural areas). Split Rock Golf Course in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx is now under new management. It seems there was nothing in the contract about leaving things as is . These folks want every blessed inch within the fence to be golf turf. Arck! And we had just gotten the other company to stop mowing the rare purple milkweed!
Surveying the damage...


Persimmons - a state listed rare tree. Now you see them...



Now you don't! Chipped into a woody pulp. It goes on...I just don't have the stomach for this anymore.

Beavers in the Bronx

Of course, this is not the Bronx, it's the Catskills, but you get the idea.

After decades of absence, a male beaver and lodge seen in the Bronx River...amazing!

Frozen toes in PBP

Today I visited The Meadow in Pelham Bay Park. I dressed so warmly, but instead of wearing my insulated boots I wore my summer field shoes - aka my old running sneakers. With only one pair of socks, I was dancing up and down to keep my toes limber. Hard to do when the high is only 25 F.

Anyway, this area became a meadow when the area was scraped for fill soil to create Orchard Beach - another of Robert Moses' handiworks. This time, though, the results aren't all that bad. It created a wet depression that is home to quite a nice assortment of plants, especially those that are rare in the city and the state. The clusters of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) are such a treat in the winter.
I found several of the hard empty shells before I saw the walnut tree (Juglans nigra). It is pretty easy to id in winter. It has big, stout, sparse branches and dark deeply furrowed bark. Hundreds of Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) stems surrounded its base.

This little bluestem (Schizachyrium sp.) turned out to be the coastal species (littorale) - shore little bluestem. Pelham is outer coastal plain. The "interior" species (S. scoparium) is found across the borough in western Bronx in Van Cortlandt Park.

Lots of pasture rose (Rosa carolina) where we entered (see first photo) but this is multiflora rose (R. multiflora), one of the worst invasive plants in the state. Looks pretty here though, no?

Soundview Park, BX

Today I visited Soundview Park, targeting specific sections to see if there was any vegetation of interest. Most of the sections I looked at were fill soils with mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) as the dominant species - exotic, invasive, nada.

The area that had the most interesting vegetation was the jetty. My presumption is that the jetty is similar to high quality (clean) sandy fill - no nutrients, no weeds.
Soundview Park is in the south Bronx, where the Bronx River opens into the East River. This sections is estuarine, meaning the water is brackish. The salinity levels of the Bronx River diminish (becomes freshwater) a little further north, near the Bronx Zoo. So, as expected, much of the vegetation I saw was typical of salt marsh/maritime areas. The grounsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia) and marsh elder (Iva fructens) seen above are testament to the presence of saltwater. It was a rather nice saltmarsh, small, and no botanical surprises.
Seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)


The park has been derelict for so long the the locals feel comfortable squatting on city land, whether for boats...


Or the dead. Dead what? I don't know. I don't think I want to know. After we passed the memorial, there was a wretched smell - a giant, rotting dead dog. People, I don't make this stuff up.

Scary Seton Falls Park

A little early for Halloween - scary but true story...

While monitoring vegetation in Seton Falls Park in the Bronx along Rattlesnake Creek approximately 100 yds from the falls area, I noticed 3 boys, about 13 years old, congregating nearby. When I asked if they needed some help, they responded with lewd and threatening comments, and then ran off. I was a little rattled, after all I was in a ravine, unseen (and probably unheard) from the street. About 10 minutes later, they returned to throw rocks at my head. Charming. At this point I ditched the field work and called the police as I promptly left the park. Once the two officers arrived, they drove around a bit to look for the kids, but no luck.

In the midst of the melee, I did come across new plant finds for the park: large-toothed aspen (Populus grandidentata) and the forb ditch stonecrop (Penthorum sedoides). Both are native, the latter is NYC-rare.

Rare Plant Hunting

Today I romped around Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. I located NYS-listed rare plants Eastern gama grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) and common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) on an upland copse in Goose Creek Marsh. I noted something interesting – that the Eastern gama grass only appears ringing the upland perimeter of Phragmites, which is highly invasive. Where Phragmites was not observed, gama grass was also absent. T. dactyloides was noted as bearing seeds, but it was too early for the persimmon’s fruits.

Also found a patch of Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense). This patch was very small in both size and number of leaves (ramets). Given the undisturbed nature of the site and the seemingly high habitat quality, one would expect to find the plant extensively clonal here - aka a much larger patch. This population will be incorporated into my study of habitat quality using mayflower as an indicator species for forest quality.

New plant listings found and identified from this trip include: climbing hempweed (Mikania scandens), water plantain (Alisma subcordata), three-nerved joe-pye weed (Eupatorium dubium); these are all NYC rare and new finds for the borough. I also found the NYC willow herb (Epilobium coloratum) and the not rare but still cool tussock sedge (Carex stricta).

Guess what I found!

Somewhere in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx...

Schreber's aster (Eurybia schreberi {formerly Aster s.})

This native species has adapted to life on forest floors by being colonial. That is, it reproduces vegetatively, producing a leafy carpet. When it's happy, it will put up flowers, which are white. Easily confused with large-leaved aster (E. macrophylla), which has light blue blooms. But let's say you missed the boat on the flowers, as I did...what to do? Examine the basal leaves closely. Both species have heart-shaped bases. However, in E. schreberi, if you spread the bases, there is a rectangular shape between the lobes. Large-leaved is simply heart shaped. Obscure? You bet. That's why we botanists make the big bucks. It's important to differentiate between the two, since Schreber's aster is rare in New York State. Both species are uncommon in NYC.

Rough-leaved goldenrod (Solidago patula)

But that was just a teaser. I knew that plant was there. The "guess what I found" is this goldenrod. "They are a dime a dozen," you are thinking. Friend, you would be wrong.

Sure, Canada, early, gray, and rough-stemmed are common along roadsides and in old fields. Even seaside goldenrod isn't limited to its namesake habitat. But S. patula is one of the fabled "wetland goldenrods", which makes it unusual & rare in NYC. I had never seen it.

I found it quite by accident, as is the case with the best botanical finds. I knew it was a special goldenrod, and so marked the spot to return the next day. I came back armed with my Gleason & Cronquist and Britton & Brown. When it keyed out to S. patula, it felt as though I had just won a prize - a new find for the city!

Old growth & salt marshes in Pelham

I don't know what it is about Pelham Bay Park, but lately I feel like I live there. Not that I am complaining. Anyway, had a field meeting out there and went to part of the park that I had never been to before. It was like the enchanted place Olivia Newton John sang about in "Xanadu". But more on that later.

Mockernut (Carya tomentosa), a NYC native tree, leaves emerging with ants.

First we walked through some old growth forest on Hunter Island. I know, everyone tells you there is no old growth forest in New York City. Well honey, you can now tell your friends they are all washed up. Here is the proof...

tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipfera) trunk
See how the bark on the tulip tree is at the base, how it's broken up? That is a sign of old growth in trees. "Old growth" is defined as >150 years, although I think tulip trees may reach the fissured bark stage earlier, around 125 years or so. But you get the point - OLD.


dwarf serviceberry in flower - native and uncommon in NYC - very cool!
So back to Xanadu. We walked out over the salt marsh to one of the many outlying islands, and it was breathtaking (except for the scary vodoo doll found by Erik Kiviat). Here was a sandy soil community of juneberries, sassafras, heath shrubs, panicled hawkweed and gall-of-the-earth. This was the first time I had seen dwarf serviceberry (Amelanchier spicata), found in only 3 parks in the city. I was reveling in it - a pristine, untouched chunk of nature. Ha! the other side of the island had this...

I couldn't believe it! After I stopped ranting, I thought, well, at least these homeless folks have a little hobby. Later I found out that they are not homeless, but local old Italian guys who think the park is their private property. Warning to the old men, I am watching you.



Wildflowers of Pelham Bay Park


wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), a NYC native spring ephemeral

Today was a great day to be in Pelham Bay Park. Spring ephemerals were everywhere! I counted 7 patches/populations of wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) (see above), lots of trout lily (Erythronium americanum) and the ubiquitous common blue violet (Viola sororia). Also observed something very interesting - insect visitors to native and exotic flowers. One of the largest patches of cut-leaf toothwort (Cardamine laciniata) had loads of insect visitors. It looked like a Liliputian JFK, with syrphid flies, cabbage whites, beetles (one of which may have been a click beetle), predatory wasps, solitary bees - amazing. Then, a few feet away, began a biological desert - acres and acres of periwinkle (Vinca minor). Walking through this exotic invasive (a fav of homeowners), I saw only 2 bumblebees and one wasp. That's it! Food for thought.

cut-leaf toothwort (another a NYC native spring ephemeral) with beetle visitor (look carefully)
Other plants seen - white bark of gray birch (Betula populifolia), far too much of day lily (Hemerocallis fulva) the popular exotic invasive that is smothering our lovely spring ephemerals, emerging leaves of white oak (Quercus alba) tinged with red, a cabbage white (exotic butterfly) laying eggs on garlic mustard (exotic, invasive plant), the beautiful spring azure (butterfly), a just emerging jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), the showy leaves of alum root (Heuchera americana) - finally, a native plant that is popular in the garden.

daylily invading (invaded really) forest understory

The most exciting find of the day was ramps (Allium tricoccum)...a native spring ephemeral and a new listing for our records!

ramps (Allium tricoccum) leaves - flowers emerge after leaves die back (another NYC native spring ephemeral)


Spring ephemerals


Bloodroot (Saguinaria canadensis) a NYC native spring ephemeral, in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx
April is the onset of our flowering season, and some of the earliest herbaceous bloomers are called "spring ephemerals." The term is appropriate, since their flowers are fleeting and the plants disappear in the heat of the summer. These species are found in undisturbed moist, rich woods, and have a small window in which to store up nutrients for next year's flowers. Leaf out of canopy trees curtails photosynthesis, so they enjoy full sun early in growing season, and are resigned to shade the rest of year. One of our earliest and loveliest is bloodroot (Saguinaria canadensis). Its porcelain white flowers are open and welcoming to early insect visitors. The leaves resemble large, scalloped satellite dishes, angled to soak up any spare sunlight that finds its way to the forest floor. The most phenomenal display of these lovely plants is in the eponymous Bloodroot Valley in the Staten Island Greenbelt. Here it is locally abundant, but in New York City bloodroot is somewhat rare; found in only six parks. As with other spring ephemerals, its seeds are dispersed by ants. Over a 1000-year period, such seeds may only travel 100 yards from the parent plant. This means the likelihood of recolonizing a forest once the plant has disappeared will happen exceedingly slowly if at all.

Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), a NYC native spring ephemeral, in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx
Other New York City spring ephemerals include: wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), broad-leaved toothwort (Cardamine diphylla), spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), trout lily (Erythronium americanum), and violets (Viola species).



trout lily (Erythronium americanum), another NYC native, covering the forest floor in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. Populations this large of the slow growing plant are many decades old.


Finally spring - Van Cortlandt Park

Skunk cabbage flowers & emerging leaves (common NYC native plant)
After what felt like an eternity, the wait is over! Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) and red maple (Acer rubrum) flowers! Skunk cabbage is an especially interesting plant. It is a member of the Arum family, whose members are typically found in the tropics. (Another temperate member is Jack-in-the-pulpit). The flower consists of a maroon mottled spathe hiding the reproductive parts called the spadix. The flowers coloration and smell (an unpleasant mixture of dung and rotten meat) attracts some beetles and flies that think it's a dead animals (the preferred places to lay eggs). These insects are excellent pollinators. Invertebrate visitors also get the spa-treatment. In February and March, skunk cabbage flowers are able to poke their way through the winter ground by melting the snowy layer above. Through thermogenesis, the flower is kept at a toasty 70 degrees F. This warm air also helps to disseminate the floral "fragrance".

Swamp forest of skunk cabbage
Certainly, red maples and skunk cabbage have been in bloom for a few weeks now, but I am starting to see other signs of greenery - emerging leaves on both; plus found a patch of trout lily (Erythronium americanum) leaves. These were only about 2" long, so it will be at least a week before flowers appear . Also PA sedge (Carex pennsylvanica) had leaves and immature flowering stems. Lots of aster & solidago rosette leaves starting to emerge, some nice clusters of round-leaved pyrola (Pyrola rotundifolia). A new listing for the park - wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata). The latter two species are encouraging signs of healthy forests.

Flowers of red maple (common NYC native plant)