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grundle
04-01-2009, 03:38 PM
I went on a nature walk today to scout Morel's.

I know I am a few weeks early and the weather has been cooler than normal so I didn't expect to find any. I just wanted to drive around and see if I couldn't find some new spots.

Last year was a disappointing haul, but to be expected since I was "just learning". (i.e. first year). Living in an urban setting I have to get creative to find good locations, but fortunately there are a lot of "bike walks" and parks around. The bike walks are nice because they generally follow a stream which is ideal for scoping Morels (i think?)

I should have brought a camera but I did make some interesting finds.

1) Tons of Wild Onion. Next time I go out I am taking a container to harvest some. I could easily fill up several trash bags. That was a good find!

2) I analyzed a plant with feathery leaves and conical root. I thought it was a wild beet but it smelled a bit acidy. Not sure if it was wild carrot. Camera will help for identification next time.

3) Saw four white tailed deer walking along with me on the other side of the stream. One gave me a nice profile as if tempting me to take a shot.

4) Saw a pair of mallards lazing about in the crick

5) Gnawed up trees and stumps. Looks like a beaver has moved in. Its the first time I have seen signs of them in this area in a long time.

6) Plenty of decaying detritus...I assume this will be good for the propagation of fungi.

MatthewnOK
04-01-2009, 03:39 PM
I thought a nature walk was when Hopeak goes to his doorless outhouse:cold::cold::cold::cold::cold::cold::cold: I wish I could find morels around here. I LOVE mushrooms. Sounds like you had a great day!

grundle
04-01-2009, 03:42 PM
I thought a nature walk was when Hopeak goes to his doorless outhouse:cold::cold::cold::cold::cold::cold::cold: I wish I could find morels around here. I LOVE mushrooms. Sounds like you had a great day!

You are in Oklahoma, they should be out now for you. If not now then next week for sure. I know some people who are driving to southeast kansas this weekend to try their luck!

MatthewnOK
04-01-2009, 03:42 PM
Hmmm... Where do you look for morels?

crashdive123
04-01-2009, 04:15 PM
Hmmm... Where do you look for morels?

Deep within yourself. Oh wait, morels....never mind.

Bibow
04-03-2009, 12:48 PM
wikipedia says to look near where there was recent forest fires. also near dead cottonwoods and elms, Wish i could get out and pick something to eat were going on our 6th month of snow and it was snowing all day yesterday blllaahh

grundle
04-03-2009, 04:42 PM
I did a revised walk today so that I could take some pictures.

The first two are pictures of some wild onion. It is growing everywhere, so there are some easy quick greens.

The second two are of some deer I saw across the crick. See if you can find them all. There are a minimum of 3 in each photo (one has 5).

The final picture is a cool picture of a nice little "hideaway". It might be a decent shelter in a pinch, although the hanging root would probably have a lot of bugs. A little fire might smoke them out though.

Ken
04-03-2009, 04:47 PM
The first two are pictures of some wild onion...The second two are of some deer I saw across the crick.

When should I arrive for dinner?

grundle
04-03-2009, 04:50 PM
In this series the first two pictures are of an unidentified herb. This is the plant I mentioned yesterday with the feathered leaf and long conical root. Can anyone identify this for 100 points?

The next picture is also an unidentified herb. If you look at the leaves it bares a striking resemblance to a very well-known "herb" but I have never seen the sativa plant with a trunk and bark before. For 1000 points who can identify this one?

The next picture is of a trunk that has been gnawed down by some large creek loving animal of the rodent type.

The final picture is a serene shot of 3 mallards enjoying the sun.

Alpine_Sapper
04-03-2009, 04:59 PM
II have never seen the sativa plant with a trunk and bark before.

Sorry, I can't identify the herbs, but I have seen sativa and indica with a trunk. No bark, but those plants had been growing for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time in a cultivated environment.

bulrush
04-09-2009, 07:40 AM
Grundle, your middle herb which is golden in color is some kind of woody vine. It doesn't look like poison ivy, nor virginia creeper. VC has fewer leaves in a cluster when the leaves are young, and they tend to come out red up here when the leaves are young.

grundle
04-09-2009, 11:11 AM
Grundle, your middle herb which is golden in color is some kind of woody vine. It doesn't look like poison ivy, nor virginia creeper. VC has fewer leaves in a cluster when the leaves are young, and they tend to come out red up here when the leaves are young.

That is what I initially thought, but I stumbled into another part of the woods where some pretty big trunked versions of this plant where around. Seems like a wierd tree to me.

It also seems to be an invasive species. I can see shoots of this plant coming up anywhere there is open space. I am sort of annoyed with it now.

danmc
04-22-2009, 11:12 AM
The next picture is also an unidentified herb. If you look at the leaves it bares a striking resemblance to a very well-known "herb" but I have never seen the sativa plant with a trunk and bark before. For 1000 points who can identify this one?


I'm having a bit of a tough time from the picture but my guess would be buckeye or horsechestnut (genus Aesculus). It is a common understory tree.

Is the leaf arrangement opposite? In other words when you look where the leaf attaches, do they come in pairs? That is a characteristic of buckeye.

-Dan

canid
04-22-2009, 05:39 PM
i think you are right, though i'm only familiar with A. califorica

Nativedude
04-22-2009, 10:58 PM
That is a weed. Used to get them around my house back east every summer, and they grow "like a tree. . .uh weed", well you get the idea. . .lol!

Don't know their name, but I had a neighbor who was an horticulture professor. He was the one that told me it was a weed. He told me the Latin name for it, but I don't remember. That was back in the early 90's. :)

grundle
04-23-2009, 12:25 PM
That is a weed. Used to get them around my house back east every summer, and they grow "like a tree. . .uh weed", well you get the idea. . .lol!

Don't know their name, but I had a neighbor who was an horticulture professor. He was the one that told me it was a weed. He told me the Latin name for it, but I don't remember. That was back in the early 90's. :)

By the way it grows I am about 90% sure it is part of the sumac family. Aesculus is also a very good suggestion. I have been flopping between the two for a while now.

danmc
04-23-2009, 09:37 PM
By the way it grows I am about 90% sure it is part of the sumac family. Aesculus is also a very good suggestion. I have been flopping between the two for a while now.


Sumac has pinnately compound leaves. Buckeyes and the plant pictured have palmately compount leaves.

-Dan