Mackinac and Emmet County, Michigan

[PitcherPlantr]

Last year I took a trip to the northern portion of Michigan and the southern portion of Upper Peninsula. On the trip I encountered various carnivorous plants and orchids.


Emmet County (Day 1):

The first site was quite unique compared to similar sites I have been to. All of these plants survived in a narrow beach swale only a couple yards to a couple feet from the shores of Lake Michigan. In comparison, swales I have been to in the past were several hundreds of feet away from the shores of Lake Michigan and sheltered by tall sand dunes.

Small colonies of Utricularia cornuta were growing terrestrially a couple yards behind the swale were the sand was moist. None of these colonies were growing as affixed aquatics as I had seen in the past.

Utricularia intermedia was extremely common at this location.

The further I walked, the deeper the water became, and I began to see more Utricularia macrorhiza.

A strange mutant flower

Painted turtle

In some of the drier spots I found a couple orchids.

Liparis loeselii
Unfortunately it was too late in the season to see this one in bloom.

Either Platanthera aquilonis or Platanthera huronensis

Mackinac County (Day 2):

There were many swales similar to the one I had visited the other day but most of them were very small with no carnivorous plants or orchids. I was able to find what I believed to be some Utricularia gibba in a small pool that was actually connected to the Lake which was pretty interesting. As I traveled around, I did see some Cypripedium but all the flowers were cut! It truly was shame. :-(

Epipactis helleborine was very common along the forest trails.

In a calcareous, marshy area just hidden behind some conifers I was greeted by a colony of Spiranthes romanzoffiana just beginning to bloom!

Emmet County (Day 3):

By this time I was a little frustrated because I was hoping to find some Drosera or Pinguicula vulgaris and it was just starting to drizzle outside. Upon parking I could see some Epipactis helleborine sheltered under the trees. The shores were just a short distance away and as I approached I finally found what I was looking for: Pinguicula vulgaris! A large colony was situated on the side of a large pool and spilled over onto the trail heading toward the beach. There were also several colonies on the shores of Lake Michigan living amongst the rocks.

Also among the Pinguicula vulgaris were some impressive clusters of Spiranthes cernua

 

[Dragoness]

Awesome! I'm planning on isle royals next summer myself, most of our native CPS are represented on that island.

 

[PitcherPlantr]

Awesome! I'm planning on isle royals next summer myself, most of our native CPS are represented on that island.

Wow, that sounds fantastic! When I was planning this trip, I researched the island a little and it sounds like a beautiful place with a number of CP species. I'm jealous. I also will be going on a trip again to Michigan and I might be going to a couple local CP sites soon so I should be making another thread. Should I post these sort of reports into the 'Conservation Station' or 'General Discussions' section in the future?

 

[chevyguy8893]

Very nice, thanks for sharing the photos! It's too bad that Epipactis helleborine was common around there, hopefully it isn't too invasive in that area and is being controlled.

 

[PitcherPlantr]

Thank you. I agree, it seems that whatever trail I go one, even in Indiana, I come across several of them. The grow practically anywhere!

 

[Cthulhu138]

Great shots. Love the orchids. E.helleborine is probably our 2nd most common orchid here. It does seem to grow just about everywhere, most gardens in Boston's Back Bay are loaded with them and I've even seen them growing right out of the cracks in city sidewalks. They don't seem to be displacing the native species around here though.

 

[chevyguy8893]

Thank you. I agree, it seems that whatever trail I go one, even in Indiana, I come across several of them. The grow practically anywhere!

Yeah, it is unfortunate. I have been keeping an eye out while I am at work to eradicate them if they are found within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. I wouldn't want to see it outcompete the native orchids that already have to deal with people clipping the flowers. Although, since I am only in the wetlands, the encounters don't happen very often unless we're near an upland area.

 

[PitcherPlantr]

Yeah, it is unfortunate. I have been keeping an eye out while I am at work to eradicate them if they are found within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. I wouldn't want to see it outcompete the native orchids that already have to deal with people clipping the flowers. Although, since I am only in the wetlands, the encounters don't happen very often unless we're near an upland area.

I see. Yeah, I tend to see them in the forested in areas at the park. In the parking lot at the Nature Center there must be at least a dozen of them growing there. I have even seen one growing out from underneath a concrete parking bumper there. Rarely do I ever see native orchids at the Dunes, I only see E. helleborine. Even in an area of the Dunes that boasts having a greater number of native orchid species, all I see is E. helleborine growing. Do you have better luck at seeing some of the native species?

 

[chevyguy8893]

Oh wow, I haven't seen them growing from areas like parking lots or sidewalk cracks, which I hope to not see regularly either. Supposedly there is a large population at the hospital in Michigan City as well. I hope the DNR will take care of the ones at the Nature Center.

I know they are hidden throughout the state park, but I haven't really searched for them as much this year. Some INPAWS members have found others in the upland areas, but as I understand it, they are well off the trail and kept secret (which is understandable). Within the Cowles Bog wetland complex I see them fairly regularly while working. So far it has been a couple different Cypripedium species, Platanthera lacera, and most recently P. clavellata in the sites I've been in. I believe the P. ciliaris should be in bloom now, or soon, at Pinhook as well.

I think I have thoroughly derailed this thread as well, sorry about that.

 

[PitcherPlantr]

Oh wow, I haven't seen them growing from areas like parking lots or sidewalk cracks, which I hope to not see regularly either. Supposedly there is a large population at the hospital in Michigan City as well. I hope the DNR will take care of the ones at the Nature Center.

I know they are hidden throughout the state park, but I haven't really searched for them as much this year. Some INPAWS members have found others in the upland areas, but as I understand it, they are well off the trail and kept secret (which is understandable). Within the Cowles Bog wetland complex I see them fairly regularly while working. So far it has been a couple different Cypripedium species, Platanthera lacera, and most recently P. clavellata in the sites I've been in. I believe the P. ciliaris should be in bloom now, or soon, at Pinhook as well.

I think I have thoroughly derailed this thread as well, sorry about that.

That's alright, I did aid a little in setting it off track but no worries. I have spoken with some of the rangers before about various plants at the Dunes and they often talk about the secrecy of their locations. Some of them only know of the possible existence of some plants through rumors. Secrecy is the only way these plants can stay protected.

I always love going to Pinhook, I'm not sure if I'll be able to make a visit there this year though. I have spotted one or two P. ciliaris there before but more commonly I see Cypripedium acaule and Pogonia ophioglossoides. P. ciliaris always seems to be too far from the boardwalk to get a picture.

Here is a picture of Pogonia ophioglossoides I took while at Pinhook.