Fulton County, Illinois - Chapter 6: Botany, 1879

Chapter 6: Botany

Besides the mushrooms, mosses, lichens and the other lower orders, there are about a thousand s))ecies of plants growing within the bounds of this county. Having almost every variety of ground here, our flora is richer than that of most other counties in the State. On the following pages we give a list qf all the plants growing here, except the mushrooms, mosses, etc., and indicate their relative abundance by the letters a, abundant ; c, common but not abundant ; v, rare but not very rare ; and v r, very rare. These terms refer to the county at large. Some plants abound in certain situations, as sand, swamps, ponds, prairie, etc., in certain parts of the county, which occur rarely if at all in other parts.

As to the order in the list, we follow Gray's Manual, 5th edition, and give the English names instead of the scientific where they are to be had. Names in parenthesis are generally synonyms. We have not space to indicate medical ])roperties or other peculiarities. Nearly all the plants growing spontaneously in cultivated and waste grounds are "introduced," that is, they have been brought here by white settlers, - unintentionally, of course, with reference to most of the weeds. In the timbered section no j^articular weed is on the increase at the present day, but in the prairie section the garden parsnip, common thistle, richweed (in the artificial gnn'es), toad-flax, wild lettuce and oxybaphus, a four-o'clock plant, are increasing rapidly. While the wild plants in the woods are about the same as originally, the prairie has changed its grassy clothing for cultivated crops and hundreds of different weeds. Before settlement by the whites the prairie was mostly covered by one or two kinds of grass. Several other kinds grew in patches here and there, notably the Indian grass and blue joint, which grew very tall. In wet places grew the slough grass and many sedges, and along the channeled sloughs al)Ounded several species of golden-rod, aster and wild sunflower, which in the latter part of the summer and during almost the whole autumn formed broad yellow stripes across the prairies, and were pecidiarly churming. Prairie clover, false wild indigo, several species of rosin-weed and a few other Meeds have almost disappeared with the original prairie, while a few of the modest strawberry, star-grass and blue-eyed grass remain M-ith us as sweet reminiscences of the past.

Persons coming to this county in early day were struck with the high and rolling appearance of the prairie, which they had before always imagined low and level ; and this billowy character of the prairie, combined with its dreamy verdure, has inspired a native of this county to indite the followino'

In the forests the most valuable timber has been pretty cleanly cut out, as the walnut, ash, hickory and tlie neatest oaks, while ginsenof is the most notable of the herbaceous ])lants that has been nearly all taken.

Erroneous Name. Correct Name

Moonseed is a smooth vine running u[) on bushes somewhat like a morning-glory, and has a round, bright yellow root, with a tonic bitter taste, while the true wild sarsaparilla of this country is a kind of large ginseng. The true l)uttercu])s of the P^ast arc not found in this county. Sheep sorrel has lance-shaped, sharp-pointed leaves, while wood sorrel has leaves like clover. Poison ivv has leaves like the box-elder, three leaflets to each leaf, and when the l)laut is voung it can be distinguished from tlie latter by its having no white bloom on the stem. The Virginia ereeper has five leaflets to each leaf, almost in a circle, and is quite innoxious. The true bittersweet does not grow wild here. It has sparingly escaped from o-ardens to roadsides. Red maple grows in Southern Illinois, but not here. Its flowers are quite red. There is the true black-haw in this county, very scarce, and differs but very little from the more common sheep-berry. Beggar-ticks differ but little from the true Spanish needles. Cardinal-flower is that dazzling scarlet-red flower, on a plant about two feet high in low grounds, July and August. The white-flowered wild " morning-glory " is hedge bindweed. The true Solomon's seal has greenish-white flowers along the sides of tiie plant, and the berries when ripe are black or blue; false Solomon's seal has white flowers at the summit, and speckled berries.

The svcamore of the old world is very diflerent from our sycamore here (button-wood). The diflerent kinds of ash are difficult to distinguish, and some of the oaks hybridize so that the leaves of the same tree will often be various in shape, and the acorns of all intermediate grades. Some names, even in the books, are applied to two diflerent plants, as button snakeroot, black snakeroot, sycamore, goose-grass, etc.

Catalogue Of Plants Growing Spontaneously In

Crotrfoot Famil}!. - a, creeping crowfoot ; r, Virginian anemone, Pennsylvanian anemone, rue anemone, early meadow rue, purplish meadow rue, tall meadow rue, yellow water crowfoot, water plantain spearwort, small-Howered crowfoot, hooked crowfoot, bristly crowfoot, early crowfoot, false rue anemone, marsh marigold (cowslips), wild columbine, liver-leaf (liverwort, hepatica), dwarf larkspur, azure larkspur; /-, Clematis Pitcheri, virgin's bower, long-fruited anemone, false bugbane, wood anemone (wind-flower), yellow puccoon (orange root, turmeric root), white baneberry, black snakeroot ; rr, leather-flower, Carolina anemone, stiff water crowfoot, mouse-tail, red baneberry. CiixUml-AppJe Famihj. - r, pawpaw. Moonsei'd Fdinlly. - c, Canadian moonseed.

Wnfrr-Lih/ Family. - c, tuber-bearing water-lily (the most common pond or white lily )j yellow pond-lily (spatter-dock, frog lily; r, water-shield (water target), yellow nelumbo (water chinquepin). Poppy Family. - c, blood-root.

Mustard F((rnily. - a, hedge mustard, shepherd's purse, wild pepper-grass ; c, marsh cress, lake cress, pepper-root, spring cress, small bitter cress, winter cress (yellow rocket) tansy mustard, black mustard, Draba Caroliniana ; r, Arabis Ludoviciana, lyrata dentata, hirsuta and Canadensis; nasturtium sessiliflorum, Arabis Ifevigatd and he?peridoides, wormseed mustard. Caper Fauiily - spider-flower; n-, polanisia.

Vialrt Fa)uify. - a, blue violet; c, arrow-leaved violet, downy yellow violet, handdeaf violet, larkspur violet, bird-foot violet(also var. bicolor), dog violet; green violet, pale violet, pansy ( heart' s-ease).

Pink Fainihj. - «, Mouse-ear chickweed ; c, Ijouncing bet (soap-wortj, starry campion, sleepy campion, corn cockle, Arenaria lateriflora, common chickweed, long-leaved stitch wort, Cerastium nutans, forked chickweed; r, larger mouse-ear chickweed ; vr, cow-herb, Silene nivea.

MalJou: Fa)nili/. - a, Common mallow (low mallow, cheese mallow); c, sida (spinosa), velvet-leaf (Indian mallow), bladder ketmia (flower of an hour); high mallow, Callirrhoe, glade mallow, hallierd-leaved rose mallow.

Geranium Fantih/. - c, Yellow wood-sorrel; e, wild cranesbill (spotted geranium), Carolina cranesbill, pale and .spotted touch-me-not, violet wood-sorrel : false mermaid.

Vine Family. - a, Virginia creeper; winter grape (frost grape) ; rr, summer grape (r at Canton landing, and Vitis riparia may be common along the river).

Soap-berry Family. - a, White maple (silver or soft maple) ; e, Ohio buckeye (fcetid buckeye), sugar maple (rock or hard maple), box elder (ash-leaved maple ) ; /-, American bladder-nut.

False Family. - a. White clover; r, red clover. Astragalus Canadensis, tick trefoil (four species, viz : Desmodium acuminatum, nudiflorum, Canadense and sessilifolium), Lespedeza violacea and capitata (bush clover), marsh vetchling. Phaseolus diver.sifolius, hog peanut (wild pea-vinej, false or wild indigo (i?aptisia leucantha), Baptisia leucophoea, red-bud (Judas tree), partridge pea, honey locust (three-thorned acacia); rattle-box, prairie clover (two species), false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), lead plant, goat's rue, tick trefoil (four species, viz: Desmodium canescens, cuspidatum, paniculatum, Illinoense), Vicia Americana, ground-nut (wild bean), Phaseolus helvolus and pauciflorus, wild senna, Kentucky coflee-tree (coffee-bean); /y, stone clover (rabbit foot), buffalo clover, running buffalo clover, yellow melilot (yellow sweet clover), sweet clover (white sweet clover, white melilot i, Psoralea onobrychis and floribunda, tick trefoil (four species, viz: Desmodium pauciflorum, Dillenii, ciliare and Marilandicumj, wild sensitive plant, Desmanthus brachylobus.

Rose Family. - a, Wild black cherry, common cinquefoil (five-linger), strawberry, common or high blackberry; c, wild yellow or retl plum, agrimony, Geum all)um (avens), Potentilla Norvegica and arguta, black raspberry (thiml)le-berry), dwai'f wild rose, early wild rose, scarlet-fruited thorn, Ijlack thorn (pear thorn, red haw - two varieties), cockspur thorn, crab-apple; choke cherry, nine-bark, meadow sweet, small-flowered agrimony, Geum strictum, dewberry (low blackberry), swamp rose; rr, queen of the prairie, goat's-beard, American ipecac, Canadian burnet, Geum Virginianum and vernum, Fragaria vesca (a strawberry), prairie rose, climbing ro.se, shad-busli (service or June berry) .

Sa.rifraae Family. - c. Gooseberry (Ribes Cynosbati and rotundifolium), swamp saxifrage, alum root; rr, wild black currant (and red currant?), wild liydrangea, Parnas.sia Caroliniana (grass of Parnassus i, mitre- wort (l)ishop's cap).

Pdrdeij Fmnihi. - c, Rattlesnake master (button snakeroot); parsnip (garden), Thaspium aureum, spotted cowbane (water hemlock, poison hemlock, beaver poison, musquash root), water parsnip (Slum lineare), honewort, chervil; /-, black snakeroot (sanicle), Sanicula Marihindica, cow parsnip, Cicuta bulbifera, smoother and hairy sweet cicely, harbinger of si)ring (pepper-and-salt); n\ Polyta-nia Nuttallii, cowbane, great angelica, Thaspium barbinode (a meadow parsnip), Thaspium trifoliatum, Zizia integerrinla, water parsnip (Sium angustifoHum), poison hendock (?Conium luaculatum), Eulophus Americanus. (,'iiisi'iKj Finiiihi. - c, Spikenard; r, wild sarsaparilla and ginseng. ftiiijiriiixl Fnuiilii. - c, Silky cornel (kinnikinnik), rough-leaved dogwood, panicled, cornel (the common "dogwood): r, red osier dogwood, alternatedeaved cornel ; rv, flowering dogwood.

Honciisnckir Fdmilji. - '/, Elder; c, yellow honeysuckle, fever-wort (horse gentian), sheepberry ; v, small honeysuckle; '/-, black haw, arrow-wood.

Mddihr F<iniiJii.--i\ Cleavers (goose-grass), (Talium concinnuin, small bedstraw, sweet-scented bedstraw, wild liquorice [liquorice root), Ijutton-bush ; c, Galium pilosum, button-weed, Diodia teres (a button-weed). Vnln-idii Fmnihi. - c, Fedia radiata. CiWijxjxit/' F'linlh/. - <i, Boneset ithoroughwort), Aster miser (starved aster - WikkJ), horse-weed (butter-weed), hog-weed (rag-weed, bitter-weed, Roman wormwood), beggar-ticks (Spanish needles), sneezeweed, May-weed (dog-fennel), yarrow (milfoil), common thistle, burdock, dandelion; Liatris cylindracea, pycnostachya and scariosa, Kuhnia eupatorioides, Eupatorium serotinum, white snakerf)ot. Aster sericeus, Ifevis, azurens, undulatus, sagittifolius larrow-leaveil aster - Tl'oo'/), multitlorus, dumosus, Tradescanti, simplex, carnens, oblongifolins, Nova- AnglicC, Rolnn's plantain, common fleabane, daisy fieabane (sweet scabious), daisy fleabane (Erigeron strigosum), Diplopappus linariifolius, Boltonia glastifolia, golden-rods - Solidago latifolia, rigida, ulmifolia, Missouriensis, Canadensis, serotina, lanceolata, compass plant (polar plant, rosin-weed), Silphium integrifolium, cup-plant, Parthenium integrifolium, great ragweed, cockle-bur (clot-bur), ox-eye, purple conetiower (two species - F'A'hinacea purpurea and angustifolia), cone Hower(five species, - Rudbeckia laciniata, snl)tomentosa, triloba, speciosa and hirtai, Lepachys pinnata, Helianthus rigidus, occidentalis, grosse-serratus, struinosus, and doronicoides, Coreopsis palmata, tall coreopsis, swamp beggar-ticks, larger bur marigold, fetid marigoM (false dog-fennel), biennial wormwood, plantain-leaved everlasting, fire-weed, Cirsium discolor and altissimum, false lettuce (blue lettuce, three sj'ecies, viz: Mulgedium acuminatum, Floridanum and leucoph;eum, common sow-thistle, spiny-leaved sow-thistle; /-, iron-weed (Vernonia Noveboracensis and fasciculata), blazing star (Lititris squarrosa, button snakeroot), trumpet-weed (Joe-Pye weed), Eupatorium altissimum, upland boneset, mistflower. Aster Drummoniiii, cordifolius, ericoides, tenuifolius, testivus, longifolius, Erigeron divaricatum, Diplopappus umbellatus, golden-rods - Solidago speciosa, Ohioensis, Riddelii, neglecta, altissima, neinoralis, radula, gigantea and tenuifolia, Chrysopsis villosa. Ambrosia bidentata and psylostachya, FCclipta procumbens, wild sunflowers - Helianthus divaricatus, giganteus, decapetalus, Actinomeris squarrosa and helianthoides. Coreopsis lanceolata and aristosa, smaller bur marigold, Leptopoda brachypoda, tansy, Artemisia caudata, western mugwort, everlasting, purplish cudweed, pale Indian plantain, tuberous Indian plantain, golden ragwort (squaw-weed): swamp-thistle, Cyn- thia (Virginica), rattlesnake root (white lettuce, Nabalus al])us), Nabalus racemosns and crepidineus, wild lettuce (two varieties); rr, Aster corymbosus, turliinellus, Shortii, puniceus, prenanthoides, amethystinus, anomalus and ptarmicoides, golden-rods - Solidago ctesia, patula and arguta, prairie dock, wild sunfiowers - Helianthus Ipetiflorus, mollis, hirsutus and tracheliifolius. Coreopsis lanceolata, tickseed sunflower, Coreopis discoidea, Cacalia suaveolens (an Indian plantain), great Indian plantain, pasture thistle, Canada thistle, dwarf dandelion, Troximon cuspidatum, rough hawkweed, hairy hawkweed, Nabalus asper.

Lohdiii Fdiiiih/. - c, Cardinal flower, great lobelia, Indian tobacco (the medical lobelia), Lobelia spicata; rr, Lobelia leptostachys and Kalmii.

Primrose Fiunili/. - c Lysimachia ciliata and lanceolata; r, Androsace occidentalis, American cowslip (shooting star), Lysimachia longifolia, chaff-weed, water pin\pernel (brook-weed); rr, tufted loosestrife.

Figirort Family. - c, Mullein, toad-flax (butter-and-eggs, ramsted), figwort, Gratioia Virginica (a hedge hyssop), false pimpernel, Culver's root (or physic), purslane speedwell, purple Gerardia, slender Gerardia, Gerardia pedicularia, lousewort (wood betony), Pedicularis laceolata ; /-, beard-tongue (Pentstemon pubescens), monkey flower, Conobea multifida, Herpestis rotundifolia, corn speedwell, downy false foxglove, smooth false foxglove, Gerardia integrifolia, grandiflora and auriculata, scarlet ]iainted-cup ; rr, moth mullein, wild toadflax, innocence (Collinsia verna), turtle-head (snake-head), Pentstemon Digitalis, Miinulus alatus and Jamesii, Gratiola spbaerocarpa, Synthyris Ploughtoniana, water speedwell, American brook-lime, marsh speedwell, thymeleaved speedwell, mullein foxglove, Gerardia aspera and setacea.

TVyvr//» Fdniihi. - ((,'H.oary vervain, white, or nettled-leaved vervain ; c, blue vervain. Verbena liracteosa, fog-fruit; Verbena angustifolia, lopseed.

Mini Fdmih/. - d, Wild bergamot (horsemint), catnip, ground ivy (gill over the ground), self-heal (heal-all), motherwort; c, wood sage (American germander, false pennyroyal, wild mint (often taken for peppermint), bugle-weed, Lycopus Europa'us, var. sinuatus, Pycnanthemum lanceolatum (a mountain mint, basil), American pennyroyal, giant hyssop, Lophanthus scrophularia'folius, skullcaps - Scutellaria versicolor, parvula and mad-dog skullcap, hedge nettle (Stachys palustris, var. asi)era); r, Lycopus Europa'us, var. integrifolius, mountain mint (Pycnanthemum incanumand pilosum, Hedeoma hispida, Monarda Bradburiana, horsemint (Monarda punctata), Blephilia ciliata and hirsuta, false dragon-head, skullcap (Scutellaria canescens and nervosa), Stachys palustris, var. glabra (a hedge nettle); rr, bastard pennyroyal, spearmint, peppermint, Pycnanthemum linifolium (mountain mint), Scutellaria galericulata (a skullcap), horehound, Stachys palustris, var. cordata (a hedgenettle).

XightalKidi' Fdmih/. - c, Common nightshade (black nightsliade), horse nettle, ground ground cherry, Physalis viscosa, jimson-weed (Jamestown-weed, thorn-apple, stramonium) purple thorn-apple; Physalis Philadelphica ; vr, bittersweet (escaped from cultivation.)

(icnthni Familif. - r, American Columbo, fringed gentian, closed gentian, Gentiana puberula; Sabbatia angularis (American centaury), five-flowered gentian, buck-bean.

(roo^efoot FamiJi/. - a, Lamb's-quarters (pigweed); c (in villages), atriplex patula (orache); r, maple-leaved goosefoot, Jerusalem oak (feather geranium) Mexican tea, wormseed, strawberry blite; '*- (if occurring at all), winged pigweed, Ghenopodium urbicum.

Hiifkichedf {or Kiiofwced) Faiiiili/. - a, Sraartweed (water-pepper), water smartweed, knot-grass (goose-grass, door-weed - two varieties - in door-yards), black bindweed, curled or yellow dock; c, Polygonum Pennsylvanicum and incarnatum, mild water-pepper, water Persicaria, climbing false buckwheat, swamp dock; prince's feather (spontaneous about gardens), Polygonum ramosissimum and tenue, arrow-leaved tear-thumb, pale dock, bitter dock, sheep sorrel (field sorrel); rr, lady's thumb, Polygonum Virginianum, great water dock.

Nt'ttlr Family. - a, White elm, wood nettle, richweed (clearweed); r, slippery elm (red elm), hackberry (sugarberry), red mulberry, nettle, hemp, hop; /-, false nettle, pellitory ; /-/-, corky white elm, T^rtica ilioica. f'lanr-trrr Family. - r, Sycamore (button wooil).

Wahiiil Family. - c, Butternut, l)lack walnut, pecan, shell- (or shag-) bark hickory, mockernut, (or white-heart hickory), pignut, or broom hickory, bitternut, or swamp hickory; /-, western shag-bark hickory.

Oak Family. - a, White oak, bur oak (over-cup or mossy-cup white oak), hazelnut (filbert) ; r, laurel oak (shingle oak), black jack (barren oak), scarlet oak, black oak (yellow-barked oak, (luercitron), red oak, American hop-hornbeam (ironwood) ; ;-, post oak (rough or box white oak), swamp white oak, chestnut oak, yellow chestnut oak, swamp Spanish oak (pin oak), ironwood (American hornbeam, blue or water beech).

Birch Family. - c. Red birch (river brich) ; rr, smooth alder. Willoir Family. - a, Prairie willow, black willow, cotton-wood (two si)ecies?) c, glaucous willow, heart-leaved willow, shining willow, long-leaved willow,

Americau aspen (quaking-asp) ; /-, petioled wi]]oT\". large-toothed aspen ; n-. hoary willow, silkly willow, Salix amygdaloi'les, myrtle willow.

Arum Fnm'ihi. - a, Indian turnip (Jack-in-the-pulpit) : green dragon (dragon root), skunk cabbage, sweet flag (calamus i; 't, arrow arum.

Water-Pjant'tin Family. - o, Water plantain, arrow-head (Sagittaria variabilis) ; c, Sagittaria heterophjdla, Echinodorus rostratus ; rr, Sagittaria calycina and graminea, arrow grass, Scheuchzeria.

Orchid Family. - Rein orchis ^ Habenaria virescens), Calopogon pulchellus, adder's-mouth, twayblade (Liparis liliifolia and Loeselii), larger yellow lady's slipper; 't, showy orchis, coral-root, putty-root (Adam and Eve), small white lady's slipper, smaller yeliow lady's slipper, showy lady's slipper.

Lily Family. - r, Trillium 'recurvatum); (\ false spikenard. Solomon's .seal (great and smaller), wild leek, wild garlic, bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora); /-, bell wort i Uvularia perfoliatai; Smilacina stellata (and probably one or two other species, rare), wild orange-re<l lily, white dog's-tooth violet, eastern quamash (wild hyacinth), Allium striatum; n-, purple trillium (birth-root), dwarf white trillium, bunch flower, wild yellow lily, Turk's-cap lily, wild onion.

GrasK Family. - <^', Timothy, blue grass (Kentucky blue grass, etc. i, crab grass (finger-grass), old-witch grass, barnyard grass, foxtail (Setaria glauca); c, white grass, rice cut grass, Indian rice (water oats), floating foxtail, rush grass ( Vilfa aspera and vagina-florai, hair grass, red-top, wood reed-grass, dropseed Muhlenbergia Mexicana and diffusa, blue joint grass, porcupine grass, freshwater cord-grass, Koeleria cristata. fowl-meadow grass, Glyceria fluitans, low spear grass, (Poa annua i, wire gra.ss (Poa compressai, Eragrostis reptans, pilosa, Frankii, fescue (Festuca tenella), Festuca nutans, chess (cheat), Br omus ciliatus, reed, wild rye (lyme grass, Elymus Virginicus), Elymus Canadensis and var. glaucifolius, bottle-brush grass, reed canary grass, Panicum glabrum.

Table Grove

virgatum, pauciflorum, difhotomum and depauperatum, green foxtail (bottle grass) beard grass, Andropogon scoparius, Indian grass (wood grass); r, fiycateh grass, meadow foxtail, Vilfa Virginica, dropseed grass (Sporobolus heterolepis and eryptandrus), thin grass, dropseed (nimble will, Muhlenbergia sobolifera, gloinerata, sylvatica and Wildenovii), Brachyelytrum aristatum, poverty grass, Aristida oligantha, purpurascens and tuberculosa, muskit grass, Bouteloua curtipendula, dog's-tail (wire grass: about yards), sand grass, Diarrhena Americana, Eatonia obtusata and Pennsylvanica, melic grass, false red-top (fowl-meadow grass, Poa serotina), Poa sylvestris, Poa alsodes, Eragrostis poieoides and var. megastaehya, Eragrostis capillaris, pectinacea (and var. speetabilis), wild chesE, Lepturus paniculatus, Hordeuni pratense, wild oat grass, velvet grass, Paspalum setaceum, Panicum filiforme, anceps, agrostoides, proliferum, latifolium elandestinum, Setarla verticillata, gama grass; lu; white bent grass (florin), Calamagrostis longifolius, mountain rice (Oryzopsis melanocarpa), Aristida gracilis, tall red-top, Eragrostis tenuis, taller (or meadow) fescue, upright chess, squirrel tail, Elymus striatus.

i'Ve/Ks' - c. Maiden hair, ])rake, Asplenium Filix-fcemina, Cystopheris fragilis, sensitive fern, Osmuuda Claytoniana ; /-, polypody, shield or wood ferns - Aspidium Thelypteris and Goldianuni, moonwort (Botrychium Virginicuni) ; lip fern (Cheilanthes lanuginosa), beech fern, shield or wood ferns - Aspidium spinulosum and acrostichoides, royal flowering fern.