Probably Lonicera dioica

While recently clearing some of the red cedar woods of exotic shrubs, I found three new sprouts of what appear to be suppressed Lonicera dioica growing beneath the exotic honeysuckle canopy.  This brings up the grand total of known native honeysuckle sprouts to six separate genets within the big hollow restoration area.  Other stems were spotted in the grassland area below these sprouts, as well as another sprout occurring in the upper section of cedar woods. While the photo used above is not the most informative or convincing, it is at present the only photo I have.  For the six years I've been visiting this site it was not until this year that I noticed any of these sprouts.  I'm guessing I may get to see some flowering individuals in the grassland area next year, but  it may take these woodland individuals a year or two to flower.

The reason I'm assuming these sprouts will turn out to be L. dioica is because I've seen L. dioica blooming nearby (within big hollow) and the non-flowering sprouts of this specimen have a strong resemblance to those I'm seeing within the restoration area. 

According to my main botanical reference, Gleason and Cronquist 2nd Edition (1991), L. dioica's reported habitat includes, "Moist woods and thickets, occasionally on dunes or in swamps."  Going by this description it may seem that the L. dioica may not occur in such xeric habitats as the Big Hollow prairies, but as we have seen with Platenthera lacera, dryland forms of plants do occur on these xeric habitats. 

Edge of the cedar woods where native honey suckle sprouts were seen.

A xeric limestone prairie, Mifflin Co.

This was the first time I have seen Phragmites australis growing in a dry soil situation.  More precisely, it was invading a dry soil habitat from areas of poor drainage that probably hold standing water occasionally. 

The dominant grass cover at this site was an annual Sporobolus species, probably S. vaginiflorus.  No particularly rare plants were noticed, with the exception of a few scattered clumps of sideoats grama. This is not really surprising as it was the first time I've ever visited this site, more field surveys at different times during the growing season may uncover rare species.  Even so it was very satisfying to wander this grassy cedar glade labyrinth.  I'd estimate that it was several acres in size, which is large by contemporary Pennsylvania standards.


The blue flowered plant is Lobeilia siphilitica a wetland plant, surrounded by horsetail.  While the upper layer of soil hear was sandy and appeared well drained,  there must be a hard pan layer below it to provide water saturated soil conditions for these wetland plants.  Apparently the eastern red cedars tolerate varied soil conditions.

Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass)

Clumps of purple lovegrass were scattered about on slightly higher sandy spots.

Rhus copallinum (winged sumac)

This was this first time I've seen this species of sumac.  It's a plant that's reported as common in the state, but just not the region I frequent.

Euphorbia dentata (toothed spurge)