Asclepias viridiflora sets fruit

Pictured above is a stem of A. viridflora that has decided to set some fruit in spite of the decent July drought.  This year has been the best yet for the green milkweed at the big hollow site and perhaps its deep root system and the abundant june rains will bring about some mature seed.  This may just be the first seed set for this species at this site since I started monitoring it 5 years ago.

Today I also visited the Big Bluestem Prairie at Big Hollow and have found that nearly all the spikelets of Bromus kalmii are mature and ready for collection and/or dispersal.





Moving back to the main Side-oats gramma grassland at big hollow I spotted a flowering Desmodium (probably sp. paniculatum).  I was amazed how this humble legume was flowering in a place where even the prairie grasses had opted to go semi-dormant and crisp.  I've notice in this dry July that the side oats gramma is staying greenest and putting up the most inflorescences in areas that supported exotic shrubs prior to our restoration efforts starting in 2006.