by Sally Anderson
These notes incorporate two field trips: 7-7-01, led by Dr. Carl Bell, Shepherd College;
5-4-03, led by Larry Stritch, EPNPS president

X=seen in 03, b=bloom
X Equisetum fluviatile, water horsetail - (only station in WV)
X E. arvense, common horsetail
X Impatiens capensis, jewelweed or quicksilver plant (drops of water under leaf look like mercury), calcium oxylate crystals may neutralize poison ivy.
X Verbesina alternifolia, wingstem
X Solidago sp., goldenrod
X Sambucus canadensis, elderberry in bloom and seed
Acer negundo, boxelder
Pilea pumila, richweed
Springs oxygenate water from below, normal anaerobic swamp conditions are reversed to some extent, and nutrients of different types become available
X Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima, green ash (narrow leaflets-F. americana, white ash has more ovate leaves and white epidermal structures on the lower leaf surface-F. pennsylvanica, red ash has epidermal hairs on stem)
X Platanus occidentalis, sycamore
Xb Acorus calamus, sweet flag
Sagittaria sp., arrowhead
Solanum dulcamara, bittersweet nightshade (purple flower and red berries)
Asclepias incarnata, swamp milkweed with lacewing egg, stalk protects against cannabilism
Cuscuta sp. (C. gronovii?), dodder
X Typha latifolia, cattails
Rhus typhina, staghorn sumac
Verbena hastata, blue vervain
Oenothera sp., evening primrose with checkerspot caterpillar
Rubus sp., blackberry
Rubus strigosus, red rspberry
Cornus stolonifera (C. sericea), red osier dogwood
X Cornus sp., gray dogwood
Vernonia noveboracensis, New York ironweed
Verbascum thapsus, mullein
Eupatorium ?fistulosum, joe pye weed (E. maculatum has also been recorded here)
stalks Apocynum cannabinum, dogbane (tussock moth catepillar)
Circium vulgare, common thistle (host of painted lady)
What looks like pollution is from iron compounds and there are bacteria that convert it to iron ore, hydrocarbons produced that float to surface and look like oil spill. Cinder from coal burning railroad and also from steel mills used as ballast in grade may provide some iron.
Allisma subcordata, common water plantain
X Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, floating water pennywort (unique to this site in WV?-Flora also names a Hardy Co. location)
X Conium maculatum or Cicuta maculata, either poison or water hemlock
X Asclepias syriaca, common milkweed
Clematis virginiana, virgin’s bower
Erigeron annuus, daisy fleabane
Physalis alkekengi, japanese (chinese) lantern (edible berries)
Circaea canadensis, intermediate enchanter’s nightshade
Aster spp.
X Thelypteris paulustris, marsh fern
X Scirpus acutus, hard-stem or acute bullrush (unique to this site in WV)


New in 2003:

X Chara, a green alga in Evitts Run
X Spargania americana, American burreed, submerged in stream
Xb Cardamine bulbosa, bulbous cress
Xb Caltha palustris, marsh marigold
Xb Salix sp., willow, shrubby
Xb Carex suberecta, standing in water in tufts, only location mentioned in Strausbaugh & Core, at least a dozen Carex spp. occur here
Xb Juncus sp., rush
Xb Juncus balticus, rare but a dense stand here, only location mentioned in Strausbaugh & Core
X Poygonum sp., smartweed, in pond
X Salix nigra, black willow
X Nasturtium officinale (S&C), or Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (USDA), or Radicula nasturtium- aquaticum (syn. in S&C), water cress

High water table is responsible for this marsh, whereas others can be caused by an impervious rock layer.