Prairie Species

Prairie Vole

Order:Rodentia

Family:Cricetidae

Genus:Microtus

Species:M. ochrogaster

Identifying characteristics: Head and body 31/2- 5 in. long. Tail is about 1 inch long. Grayish to dark brown. Tail short for a vole, belly is whitish or yellowish. Found in prairies and other dry habitats.

Special Adaptations: create runways underground and through vegetation that is used f

or predator protection and a food source.

Little Bluestem

Order:Cyperales

Family:Poaceae

Genus: Schizachyrium

Species: S. scoparium

Identifying Characteristics: Forms in dense mounds, 18-24 inches high. Slender, blue-green stems, red with white seeds that appear in september.

Special Adaptations: Year round plant. Prefers dry, sandy soils, but can tolerate a wide ranges. Cannot live near marshes or other wetlands due to moist soils.

Staghorn Sumac

Order:Sapindales

Family:Anacardiaceae

Genus:Rhus

Species:R. typhina

Identifying Characteristics: Deciduous shrub or small tree. Alternate, pinnately compound leaves, each with 9-31 serrated leaflets. Fruit is most identifiable characteristic: dense clusters of small red to pinkish dropes at the end of each branch.

Special Adaptations: Grows in dry or poor soils that other plants may be intolerant to.

Panicgrass

Order:Cyperales

Family:Poaceae

Genus:Panicum

Species:P. dichotomiflorum

Identifying Characteristics: Tall perennial grass, about 3-31/2 feet tall. Growing in bunches.

Special Adaptations: grows in dry soils.

Big Tooth Aspen

Order:Salicales

Family:Salicaceae

Genus:Populus

Species:P. grandidentata

Identifying Characteristics:Leaves similar to trembling aspen, but are larger and also have

larger teeth. Bark is greenish and thin when young, when older, bark becomes a grey co

lor and gets thicker and has grooves.

Special Adaptations: Is able to adapt to a wide variety of soil types. Prefers sandy soils.

Queen Anne's Lace

Order:Apiales

Family:Apiaceae

Genus:Daucus

Species:D. carota

Identifying Characteristics:Grows up to 4 feet tall in dry areas. Leaves are fern like. Tiny white flowers blooming in lacy, flat topped clusters. Each flower has a dark purpleish center.

Special Adaptations: May be considered a invasive plant due to the fact that it was introduced from Europe. Will sometimes crowd out other native plants.

Prairie Cup Plant

Order:

Family:

Genus:Silphium

Species:S. perfoliatum

Identifying Characteristics: 4-10 feet tall. Central stem is thick, hairless and square. Large leaves that join together on a central stem to form a cup that can hold water. Sunflower like.

Special Adaptations: Grow in a variety of soil types.

Sky Blue Aster

Order:Asterales

Family:Asteraceae

Genus:Symphyotrichum

Species:S. oolentangiense

Identifying Characteristics: 1.5-3 feet tall. Leave are alternate and as they move up the stem they become shorter and more narrow. Compound flowers that consist of about 10-20 flowers that are lavender or light blue in color.

Special Adaptations: Rather small distribution. Dry to moist prairie like soils.

Species from all over Merry Lea

American Sycamore

Order:Proteales

Family:Platanaceae

Genus:Platanus

Species:P. occidentalis

Identifying Characteristics:Easily recognizable by its mottled exfoliating bark, which might even make it look whitewashed. Leaves are alternate, broadly ovate or obicular, large, with 3-5 lobes. Kinda looks similar to a large maple leaf.

Special Adaptations: Although it is usually found in wetlands and riparian areas. Sycamores have adapted to dryer areas in Argentina and Australia. They also have a very large range in the United States.

Eastern Cottonwood

Order:Salicales

Family:Salicaceae

Genus:Populus

Species:P. deltoides

Identifying Characteristics: Alternate leaves that look like a triangle, or deltoid. Bark is smooth to lightly fissured, silvery white when young and darker grey when older.

Special Adaptations: Seeds are released in a cotton like capsule.

Painted Turtle

Order:Testudines

Family:Emydidae

Genus:Chrysemys

Species:C. picta

Identifying Characteristics: Top of shell is green to black in color with some red markings along the side. Yellowish underside with a black or red-brown spot. The skin is dark green with yellow stripes on face and red stripes along the body.

Special Adaptations: Only turtle that is found across the entire North American continent.

Kill Deer

Order:Charadriiformes

Family:Charadriidae

Genus:Charadrius

Species:C. vociferus

Identifying Characteristics: Plover. Large round head, large eyes, and short bill, characteristic of a plover. Especially slender and lanky with a long, pointed tail and long wings. Brownish tan on top and white below. White chest is barred with 2 black bands, and brown face is marked with black and white patches.

Special Adaptations: One of the least water-associated birds of all shorebirds.

Mallard Duck

Order:Anseriformes

Family:Anatidae

Genus:Anas

Species:A. platyrhynchos

Identifying Characteristics: Male (breeding) has a bright green head, black rear, and yellowish-orangeish bill tipped with black. The female is light brown. Both will show a blue-

purple spot lined with white on wings while in flight.

Special Adaptations: Strongly migratory bird.

Waterlily

Order:Nymphaeales

Family:Nymphaeaceae

Genus:Nymphaea

Species:

Identifying Characteristics: Aquatic plant. Usually a flower that is placed on top of a lily pad, which is green and looks like the circular bottom of the plant. Come is many

different colors. The one that I saw was white, but I had problems narrowing it down to species because there are so many.

Red Headed Woodpecker

Order:Piciformes

Family:Picidae

Genus:Melanerpes

Species:M. erythrocephalus

Identifying Characteristics: Male and Females look alike. Entire head, neck, throat, and upper breast are bright red. The wings and tail are blueish black with white squares on rear part of wings and butt. White chest. Relatively small bird. Bill is long and chisil shaped.

Special Adaptations: Prefer nesting in dead trees but prefer a habitat with few tall, wide trees.

Red Squirrel

Order: Rodentia

Family:Sciuridae

Genus:Sciurus

Species:S. vulgaris

Identifying Characteristics: Coat color varies in color with location and time of year. Coat colors range from red to black. Underside is always a white-cream color.

Special Adaptations: Prefers living in coniferous forest due to high amount of food, but have a large distribution. Tail is very long to help with balance.

Red Back Salamander

Order:Caudata

Family:Plethodontidae

Genus:Plethodon

Species:P. cinereus

Identifying Characteristics: Dark, small salamander with a red or rust colored stripe along its back and tail.

Special Adaptations: Entirely terrestrial. Does not even go into the water to breed.

Old Field Ecosystem

Autumn Olive

Order:Rhamnales

Family:Elaegnaceae

Genus:Elaeagnus

Species:E. umbellata

Identifying Characteristics: Alternate leaves that are darker green on top and silvery on top. Fruit is red with small silver polka dots on the fruit.

Special Adaptations: Invasive Species.

Closed Gentian

Order:Gentianales

Family:Gentianaceae

Genus:Gentiana

Species:G. andrewsii

Identifying Characteristics: Rich blue to purple colored, bottle shaped flowers with closed mouths. Flowers are clustered at the top of the plant. Leaves are whirled or opposite.

Special Adaptations: Large regional distribution. Can grow in many different soils as well as shade conditions.

Ebony Spleenwort

Order:Polypodiales

Family:Aspleniaceae

Genus:Asplenium

Species:A. platyneuron

Identifying Characteristics: Small fern, similar to Christmas Fern. Main difference is that the stem is a dark ebony to black color. Leaves are arranges alternately along stem with 15-14 leaflets on each compound leaf.

Special Adaptations: Prefers dappled to partial sunlight, moist to dry conditions, and lo

amy to rocky soil conditions.

Wild Red Raspberry

Order:Rosales

Family:Rosaceae

Genus:Rubus

Species:R. idaeus

Identifying Characteristic: Perennial plants with large pinnate leaves with 3-7 serrated leaflets, green above and nearly white below.

Special Adaptations: Sun and water are essential for growth.

New England Aster

Order:Asterales

Family:Asteraceae

Genus:Symphyotrichum

Species: A. novae angliae

Identifying Characteristics: Alternate, oblong, lance shaped leaves. Purpleish flower with many small, thing, long petals around a yellow center. Leaves are not toothed, which is a way to tell it apart from other asters.

Special Adaptations: Grows in moist soils along lakes, streams, roadsides and railroads.

Lance-leaved goldenrod

Order:Asterales

Family:Asteraceae

Genus:Solidago

Species:S. lancifolia

Identifying Characteristics:2 1/2-3 ft. tall. Alternate lance shaped leaves with smooth edges. Fine white hairs on the stems. Clusters of small yellow flowers at the top of the apex of the plant.

Special Adaptations: Prefers moist soils and full sunlight, but is surprisingly drought

tolerant.

Yarrow/Molfoil

Order:Asterales

Family:Asteraceae

Genus:Achillea

Species: A. millefolium

Identifying Characteristics: Leaves are evenly distributed along the stem. Leaves near middle or bottom are the largest and look similar to small ferns. Leaves are 5-20 cm long, bipinnate or tripinnate and almost feathery and arranged spirally on the stem. There are disks of flowers at the top of the stem that are white to yellow in color.

Special Adaptations: Draught Tolerant.

Tall or Giant Sunflower

Order:Asterales

Family:Asteraceae

Genus: Helianthus

Species:H. Giganteus

Identifying Characteristics:Grows up to 4 meters tall. Leaves are slender and lance shaped. The flower heads are bright yellow and up to 7 cm across.

Special Adaptations: Grows best in moist soils, but can adapt dryer soils.

Bog Ecosystem

Mapledust Lichen

Order:

Family:

Genus:Lecanora

Species:L. thrysanophora

Identifying Characteristics: Green crustose lichen that grows on trees. Usually surrounded by a band of white.

Special Adaptations: Usually grows on maple trees.

Bleeding Fairy Helmet

Order:Agaricales

Family: Mycenaceae

Genus:Mycena

Species:M. haematopus

Identifying Characteristics: Bodies appear in clusters on decaying logs, trunks, and stumps of deciduous trees, preferably beech trees. Reddish cap and stem with white gills. "Bleeds" when they are cut or broken.

Special Adaptations: Grows only on wood that is already decaying, unlike other mush

rooms.

Whitewash Lichen

Order:

Family:

Genus:Phlyctis

Species:P. argena

Identifying Characteristic: Crustose Lichen. Looks like white washing paint on the tree that it grows upon.

Special Adaptations:

Blackdisk Fungi

Order:Lecanorales

Family:Physiceae

Genus:Buellia

Species:B. nigra

Identifying Characteristics: Small black disc-like fungi growing in clumps upon dead and decaying trees. Looks almost like a lichen.

Special Adaptations:

Brown-Eyed Rim Lichen

Order:

Family:

Genus:Lecanora

Species:L. allophana

Identifying Characteristics: Crustose Lichen. Whiteish orangeish colored. Growing on trees.

Special Adaptations:

Orange Fairy Cup

Order:Pezizales

Family:

Genus:Aleuria

Species:A. aurantia

Identifying Characteristics: Medium to large, bright orange to brilliant yellow, thin, brittle cup. Small white hairs seen in hand lens. Grows in clusters.

Special Adaptations: Grows on disturbed or clay soils.

Cricket (field?)

Order:Orthoptera

Family:Gryllidae

Genus:

Species:

Identifying Characteristics: Dark brown or black cricket with loud chirping sound coming from males.

Special Adaptations: House themselves in small cracks in order to keep warm. Lay eggs before it gets cold, uses its chirp in order to attract a female mate.

Swamp Dewberry

Order:Rosales

Family:Resaceae

Genus:Rubus

Species:R. hispidus

Identifying Characteristics: Grows in soils in swamps, wet forests, thickets. Small white flowers with 5 petals. Twig is red and bristled. 3 bright green leaves, somewhat toothed.

Special Adaptations: Can survive in temps. as low as -38 degrees F. Can also live in soils with a Ph between 4.5-7. Needs lots of oxygens, sunlight and moist soils in order to grow.

Savannah Species List

Pearl Crescent

Order:Nymphalidae

Family:Nymphalinae

Genus:Phyciodes

Species: P. tharos

Identifying Characteristics: Upperside is orange with black boarder, crossed with fine black marks. Underside of hindwing had dark marginal patch containing light colored crescent. Wingspan 3.2-4.5 cm.

Special Adaptations: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs laid on underside of host plant leaves. Large range and habitat.

Eastern Tailed Blue

Order:Lycaenidae

Family:Polyommitinae

Genus: Cupido

Species: C. comyntas

Identifying Characteristics: One narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male, iridescent blue. Summer females usually brown, spring females smaller with much blue on base

s. Underside of wing pale blue with black bar, distinct black spots and 3 large orange spots on outer margin near tail. Wing Span 2.2-2.9 cm.

Special Adaptations: Males patrol near host plants during daylight hours. Females lay eggs on flower buds, caterpillars eat buds, seeds, and flower.

Clouded Sulphur

Order:Pieridae

Family:Coliadinae

Genus: Colias

Species: C. philodice

Identifying Characteristics: Upper surface of males wings bright clear yellow with solid black edging, lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots, hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink usually doubled. Females have 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging, enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Wing Span: 3.8-7 cm.

Special Adaptations: Very large range and habitat. Egg laid singly on hosts, caterpillars eat leaves.

Hackberry Emperor Butterfly:

Order:Nymphalidae

Family:Apaturinae

Genus: Asterocampa

Species: A. celtis

Identifying Characteristics: Varies geographically. Upperside is reddish brown. Forewing has one submarginal eyespot, a jagged row of white spots and and a cell that has one solid black bar and two separate black spots. Wing span: 3.5-6.3 cm. Fly is fast erratic manner and rest upside down on tree trunks.

Special Adaptations: Males perch on tall objects in sunny areas to watch for females. Eggs laid in clusters and caterpillars feed communally. Caterpillars overwinter in groups gathered inside dead rolled leaves.

Indian Grass:

Order:Cyperales

Family:Poaceae

Genus:Sorghastrum

Species:S. nutans

Identifying Characteristics: Perennial grass that is 3-7' tall. Tight bunches of flowering clums and their leaves. Clums are light green to pale yellow. Blades are alternate leaves up to 2' long, dull to dark green, flat and hairless.

Special Adaptations: Dominant grass of prairies in historical times. Often used for tallgrass prairie restoration.

Flowering Spurge

Order:Euphorbiales

Family:Euphorbiaceae

Genus:Euphorbia

Species: E. corrolata

Identifying Characteristics: 1/2-3' tall. Central stem in light green and hairless. Leaves are hairless, 1-2" long and 1/2" wide broadly linear or narrowly oblong with smooth margins. Alternate along the stem except at the apex where they occur is whorls of 3 beneath the flowers. Each flower contains a yellow cyanthium of very small yellow flowers which is surrounded by 5 petal like structures that are white.

Special Adaptations: Can be found in a wide range of habitats. Attract wasps, flies, and bees.

American Hogpeanut

Order:Fabales

Family:Fabaceae

Genus:Amphicarpaea

Species:A. bracteata

Identifying Characteristics: Viney, spreading to 5 feet. Flowers are tubular like and is pink to white. Leaves have 3 leaflets and are alternate on stem. Hairy stem.

Special Adaptations: Edible flowers, stems, seeds and leaves.

Common Evening Primrose

Order:Myrtales

Family:Onagraceae

Genus:Oenothera

Species:O. biennis

Identifying Characteristics: Alternate lance shaped leaves, that look similar to willow leaves, usually on a central stem, but there can be other stems off of that. Stems are light green or red and covered with white hairs. 4 yellow flowers. Likes full sun and somewhat sandy soil.

Special Adaptations: Favors disturbed areas.

Shrub Carr Ecosystem

Eastern Wood Peewee

Order:Passeriformes

Family:Tyrannidae

Genus:Contopus

Species:C. virens

Identifying Characteristics: Adults are grey-olive on upperside and light on underside with olive color

ing on breast. Whitish wingbars. Call is a "peee-a-weeee".

Special Adaptations: Very large habitat.

Softleaf Arrowwood

Order:Dipsacales

Family:Caprifoliaceae

Genus:Viburnum

Species:V. molle

Identifying Characteristics:Leaves broadly egg shaped or heart shaped, toothed, soft hairy beneath. Fruits are small and dark blue with a single ridge. Twigs hairless.

Special Adaptations:No other arrowwood has hairy, heart shaped, toothed leaves.

Question Mark Butterfly

Order:Lepidoptera

Family:Nymphalidae

Genus:Polygonia

Species:P. interrogationis

Identifying Characteristics: The silver mark on underside of hindwing is broken into two parts and looks like a question mark. Upperside of wing is red-orange with black spots. Live in wooded areas with some

open spaces.

Special Adaptations: Most adults will stay in Northern U.S. to hibernate while others will migrate.

Black Capped Chickadee

Order:Passeriformes

Family:Paridae

Genus:Poeile

Species:P. atricapillus

Identifying Characteristics: Black cap and bib, white cheeks, grey back, wings, and tail, and whitish underside with buffy sides. Short neck and large head. Long, narrow tail and a short bill. Mostly found in forests.

Special Adaptations: Considered year long residents, but some may wander during the fall b

ecause of food shortages.

Longhair Sedge

Order:Cyperales

Family:Cyperaceae

Genus:Carex

Species:C. Comosa

Identifying Characteristics: Smooth growing up to 5' high. Flat leaves that are mid to dark green. Produces yellow flowers that bloom in spring and summer. Grows in wetlands.

Special Adaptations: Grows in shallow water with lots of sunshine.

Soft Rush

Order:Juncales

Family:Junaceae

Genus:Juncus

Species:J. effusus

Identifying Characteristics: Grass like growing up to 3 and 1/2 feet high. Stems are dark green, soft, round, with dark lines, and sharp tips. Flowers in single clusters near the middle of the stem. Grow in shallow water or moist soils.

Special Adaptations: Provide habitat for micro and macro invertebrates.

Raccoon

Order:Carnivora

Family:Procyonidae

Genus:Procyon

Species:P.lotor

Identifying Characteristics: Greyish fur with black mask on face. 5 digit paw with no webbing.

Special Adaptations: Can stand on hind legs, swim, climb, and have a dual cooling system to regulate their body temperature.

Bitter Nightshade

Order:Solanales

Family:Solanaceae

Genus:Solanum

Species:S. dulcamara

Identifying Characteristics:Climbing plant. Leaves are 2-4 inches long, some entire, others having 3 lobes. Flowers are purple. Fruit is oval, red, and juicy and have many seeds.

Special Adaptations: Can block out other plants from sunlight due to its vineyness.

Cardinal Flower

Order:Campanulales

Family:Campanulaceae

Genus:Lobelia

Species:L. cardinalis

Identifying Characteristics: Scarlet flowers. 1-11/2 in long. Leaves are alternate and toothed. 5 petals, 5 stamen.

Special Adaptations: Depends on hummingbirds for pollination.

Swamp Ecosystem

Black Willow

Order: Salicales

Family:Salicaceae

Genus:Salix L.

Species: Salix nigra

Identifying Characteristics: Leaves are alternate, long, and slender.

Leaves are ab

out 5-10 cm long and droop a bit. Bark is brown to blackish and somewhat scaley.

Special Adaptation: Grow in many types on soil, but its shallow roots need abundant moisture. Most

commonly found near water and in swamps.

Wood Frog

Order:Anura

Family:Ranidae

Genus:Rana

Species:Rana sylvatica

Identifying Characteristics: 2 in. -2.8 in long, females usually longer than

males. Adults

are usually brown, tan or rust colored and usually have a dark eye mask. Underside of frogs is usually pale with a yellow or green cast.

Special Adaptations: Large range due to its freeze tolerance.

Zoned Cork Hydnum

Order:

Family:

Genus: Phellodon

Species:Phellodon tomentosus

Identifying Characteristics:Thin, brown cap, flat or shallowly depre

ssed. Surface velvety. Cap may be pale dingy yellow on margin to dark brown towards center.

Special Adaptation: Cap turns black in KOH(potassium hydroxide) and and grey to black in FeSO4(iron sulfate).

Slippery/Red Elm

Order:Rosales

Family:Ulmaceae

Genus:Ulmus

Species: Ulmus rubra

Identifying Characteristics: Leaves are 10-18cm long and have a rough t

exture, coursely double serrated margin, and oblique base. Hairy buds and twigs. Easily identified from Am

erican Elm by looking at bark sample. Bark cut will be red instead of having red with white lines like in the American Elm. Grows in moist soils next to water or in wetlands. Medicinal.

Special Adaptations: Elastic and shock resistant. Less susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease

.

Eastern American Toad

Order:Anura

Family:Bufonidae

Genus:Bufo

Species:Bufo americanus americanus

Identifying characteristics: Usually some shade of brown. Has 1-2 warts on its dark spots. Have chests that are cream or white colored with spots.

Special Adaptations: Often stay in one area where temperatures are cool, there is loose soil, and abundant food.

Clearweed

Order:Urticales

Family:Urticaceae

Genus:Pilea

Species:Pilea pumila

Identifying characteristics:Stems are smooth, round, hairless, and translucent. Leaves are opposite, ovate, hairless and coarsely serrated. The upper surface is dark green while the lower surface is light green or almost white.

Special Adaptations: Found in many different areas, but t

ypically in moist woodlands.

Jewelweed

Order:Geraniales

Family:Balsaminaceae

Genus:Impatiens

Species:Impatiens capensis

Identifying Characteristics: Leaves are elliptical or triangular and are slightly toothed. Leaves are bluish green in color with a whitened underside. Flower is bright orange to red and forms a triangular tunnel. Found in moist, shaded areas.

Special Adaptations: Relieves itching from poison ivy, oak, stinging nettle and insect bites.

Dryad's Saddle Fungus

Order:Polyporales

Family:Polyporaceae

Genus:Polyporus

Species:Polyporus sqamosus

Identifying Characteristics: Stick out of shelves at lower part of dead tree trunks with its thick stem. Body is yellow to brown and has scales on its upper side. Cap is depressed in middle. On the underside there are many pores. Commonly found on dead elm trees and living maples.

Special Adaptations: Plays an important part in woodland ecosystem because it decomposes many dead trees.