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Liriope spicata is native to east and south-east Asia but was introduced to North America (specifically Illinois and Alabama) as a ground cover — it is perennial and evergreen. A single plant grows 6-18" tall and 12-24" across; it does not tolerate foot traffic. The arching leaves are dark green, grass-like, 18" long and 1/4" across, with minutely-serrated edges and parallel venation. The inflorescence is a spike-like, brownish-white rachis covered with off white or pale lavender flowers. The flowers have six elongate oval tepals, six stamens with yellow anthers, and a stubby white style about the same length as the stamens. The fruit is a berry that is initially green, turning blackish as it matures.

Liriope

Liriope spicata

creeping lilyturf [Blooms: Aug-Sep]

In grape honeysuckle, a short flowering stalk emerges from the tip of the stem where it emerges from the terminal pair of leaves; 2-5 whorls of flowers develop along this flowering stalk. Each flower is about 1" long. It consists of an egg-shaped, swollen, dark green ovary; a pale yellow to orange-yellow, two-lipped corolla that fades with age to orange or red; five stamens with yellow anthers; and a single style with a dome-shaped stigma. There are no hairs on the flowers. Both the stamens and the style protrude from the corolla. The ovary of fertilized flowers produces berries which are initially green but, at maturity, become globoid, orange-red to red, and about 1/4-1/2" long. Grape honeysuckle is the only honeysuckle (native or exotic) in Jackson Park that is a woody vine; it is distinctive and should be easy to recognize.

Lonicera

Lonicera reticulata

grape honeysuckle [Blooms: Jun]

In common wood-rush (Luzula multiflora), culms terminate in umbels of 3-12 distinct flower clusters with green, hairless floral stalks ("rays") 1/2-3" long. The rays diverge by less than 60° from each other. (Which distinguishes this species from another Illinois species, hedgehog wood-rush (L. echinata), in which the rays diverge at greater angles.) A single flower cluster is roughly cylindrical, about 1/4" across and 1/4-1/2" long containing 6-16 flowers. Individual flowers are about 1/4" across and consist of six brownish, scaly, lance-shaped tepals 2.5-4 mm long with white, membranous margins; six stamens with bulky, pale-yellow anthers; and a single pistil with three feathery stigmas. The flowers are wind pollinated. Seed capsules are egg-shaped with a short beak and three longitudinal lobes; each lobe contains a single seed. A pair of leaf-like bracts up to 2" long is present at the base of the inflorescence. Blooms are present for only a week or 10 days in April. Common wood-rush is usually found in shaded upland areas but is present in Jackson Park in the meadow north of West Lagoon.

Luzula

Luzula multiflora

common wood-rush [Blooms: Apr]

American bugleweed flowers form in whorls of the axils of the middle and upper leaves. Individual flowers are 1/8" across, white with pinkish-purple spots, with a calyx about as long as floral tube with five teeth; the distal end of the short tubular corolla has five sharply-pointed, narrowly-triangular lobes. The two stamens with purple anthers and single style project well outside the mouth of the corolla. The fruits are four, flat-topped nutlets that form in the cup of the calyx. The deep, narrow lobes of the lower leaves are a characteristic of this species; they are not present in the other Lycopus species in Jackson Park.

Lycopus

Lycopus americanus

American bugleweed [Blooms: Jul-Sep]

Northern bugleweed can be up to 2.5' tall; the stem is unbranched, square in section, and light green. The leaves are opposite, 1.5-4" long and a third as wide, elliptical in outline with 5-9 coarse, sharply-pointed marginal teeth on each side of the leaf. Each pair of opposite leaves is oriented at 90° to the pairs above and below. The flowers occur in whorls in the axils of the middle and upper leaves. Individual flowers are about 1/8" long. They have a light green, very short (1 mm) calyx with 4-5 triangular teeth; a white, tubular corolla with four (or five) lobes, the uppermost notched at the tip or sometimes in two parts; two stamens with purple anthers extending just out of the corolla tube; and a style with a bifurcated tip. The fruit is four nutlets with a bumpy upper surface and a depressed center, cupped in the calyx.

Lycopus

Lycopus uniflorus

northern bugleweed [Blooms: Jul-Aug]

Fringed loosestrife is a native wildflower unrelated to the much-maligned (exotic) purple loosestrife. Flowers arise from the axils of the middle and upper leaves, held on slender, flexible pedicels up to 3" long so that the flowers commonly nod. Individual flowers are about 1" across; they have a green calyx with lance-shaped teeth behind a corolla with a reddish center and five yellow, petal-like lobes with a narrow yellow filament coming off the midline apex of most of the lobes. The five stamens have robust, tan-colored anthers and a simple white style with a tiny apical green stigma. The fruit is a shiny, green spherical capsule held cupped in the calyx. Fringed loosestrife prefers wet habitats near water or on moist hillsides.

Lysimachia

Lysimachia ciliata

fringed loosestrife [Blooms: Jun-Jul]

Winged loosestrife is a native species that has a central stem up to 3' tall, much more modest that its notorious cousin, purple loosestrife. The stem is four-sided, narrowly winged, and largely hairless; wings run along the stem but are interrupted at the leaf nodes. The inflorescence is a spike up to 1.5' long; the flowers develop singly or in pairs from the axils of bracts on the inflorescence. Each flower is pale lavender or purple and smaller than the flowers of purple loosestrife (1/4-1/2") but otherwise superficially similar — pale purple or lavender, six wrinkled petals with a medial purple stripe, six stamens. The light green, narrow calyx is about as long as the petals, has six (not five) lance-shaped teeth, and bold longitudinal stripes. The style may or may not protrude from the corolla — the flowers are distylous so the styles may either lie just inside the flower throat or protrude well outside; the style has a fuzzy, green, globular stigma. The fruit is a capsule that develops in the remnants of the calyx. Winged loosestrife prefers wet soils and is a less showy plant than purple loosestrife, but it is a native plant that plays nicely with its neighbors.

Lythrum

Lythrum alatum

winged loosestrife [Blooms: Jun-Aug]

Purple loosestrife plants are 2-5' tall. The stems branch frequently, are square in section or ridged, and are very hairy except where the stem is woody. The very showy flower spikes can be up to 20" long. Individual flowers are 1/2-1" wide that are sessile or on very short stalks; there are 5-7 (usually six) purple, wrinkled petals with a dark purple line near their base. (Imagine purple crepe paper.) The long tubular calyx is yellow-green, ridged, and hairy, with five long, narrow teeth at the distal end. Purple loosestrife is "tristylous" — it exhibits three discrete flower morphs that differ in the relative lengths of the stamens and style. Each plant bears flowers of only a single morph. Each morph has two different lengths of stamens — pistil short, stamens long AND stamens intermediate in length; pistil intermediate in length, stamens short AND long; and pistil long, stamens short AND intermediate in length. Tristyly presumably minimizes self-fertilization. Purple loosestrife is a very aggressive, invasive species which crowds out other species. Another invasive which is also called purple loosestrife, Lythrum virgatum, has similar flowers but the leaves narrow towards their base. (L. virgatum is not known to occur — yet — in Illinois.) Do not confuse purple loosestrife with the native winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum) which has winged stems, smaller flowers (1/2"), hairless foliage, and solitary flowers in leaf axils. It's not as striking a plant as purple loosestrife, but it plays better with its neighbors.

Lythrum

Lythrum salicaria

purple loosestrife [Blooms: Jun-Sep]

False Solomon's seal's stem terminates in a flattened panicle of hairy, whitish-green stalks about 3-5" long and 2" across bearing 20-80 white flowers. The individual flowers are bright white, about 3/16" across with six narrow, spreading, strap-like tepals that are shorter than the stamens, six stamens with triangular white filaments and pale yellow or cream-colored anthers, and a single central style on top of a globose ovary. The fruit is a spherical berry, initially whitish in color, turning mottled red and later bright, translucent-red (like a currant) when ripe. It can be a bit tricky to distinguish false Solomon's seal from starry false Solomon's seal, especially early in the spring when the plants are small. Two features help: the inflorescence of false Solomon's seal is two to three the size (in linear dimensions and number of flowers) as that of starry false Solomon's seal, and the stigma of false Solomon's seal is two- or three-lobed and sessile (rests directly on the ovary), while the stigma of starry false Solomon's seal is elevated on a long style (as long as the stamens). In Jackson Park, false Solomon's seal is very tolerant of woodland habitats.

Maianthemum

Maianthemum racemosum

false Solomon's seal [Blooms: Apr-Jun]

Starry false Solomon's seal stems terminate in a 1-4" long cluster (a raceme) of up to 20 white flowers, each ~3/8" across. Individual flowers have six narrow, spoon-shaped tepals longer than the stamens, six stamens with creamy-yellow anthers, and a vase-shaped pistil with a stout style. The fruit is a 1/4" diameter berry, initially green with dark stripes, becoming bright red with maturity. The leaves of Maianthemum stellatum are much narrower than those of Maianthemum racemosum (false Solomon's seal) or Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon's seal) and has an overall appearance more like a lily than a Solomon's seal (false or smooth). It can be a bit tricky to distinguish false Solomon's seal from starry false Solomon's seal, especially early in the spring when the plants are small. Two features help: the inflorescence of false Solomon's seal is two to three the size (in both linear dimensions and number of flowers) as that of starry false Solomon's seal, and the stigma of false Solomon's seal is two- or three-lobed and sessile (rests directly on the ovary), while the stigma of starry false Solomon's seal is elevated on a long style (as long as the stamens). In Jackson Park, false Solomon's seal is very tolerant of woodland habitats; starry false Solomon's seal prefers sunnier habitats like open grasslands.

Maianthemum

Maianthemum stellatum

starry false Solomon's seal [Blooms: Apr-May]

Siberian crabapple (Malus baccata) is an exotic tree that is native to cold-temperate habits throughout Asia and has been widely planted as an ornamental in the U.S. The flowers occur in groups of 4-6. Individual flowers are 1.25" across; they have five reddish-green, lance-shaped sepals; five white, circular petals with a narrow (1-2 mm) base ("claw") attaching them to the rest of the flower; 15-20 white stamens, each 7-9 mm long with a yellow to tan anther; and five (sometimes four) green styles that are slightly longer (8-10 mm) than the stamens that have globose stigmas at their tips. The fruits (pomes) are red or yellow crabapples about 5/8" in diameter; both humans and birds find them edible.

Malus

Malus baccata

Siberian crabapple [Blooms: Apr-May]

Prairie crabapple produces clusters of 2-6 flowers on the tips of the spurs and twigs. The flowers are 1-2" across with a green, hairy, cup-shaped calyx with five narrow, triangular teeth; five white or (usually) light-pink, oval petals tapering to very narrow bases; 10-20 stamens with yellow anthers; and five robust styles. The fruits are typical crabapples about 1-1.5" across with the calyx persistent, greenish-yellow and waxy when mature; the flesh is firm but sour-tasting.

Malus

Malus ioensis

prairie crabapple [Blooms: Apr-May]

Common mallow flower stalks arise from the leaf axils. They are 1/2-1" long, attached to one to three, 1/4-1/2" wide flowers. Individual flowers have a green calyx with five pointed, triangular lobes half the length of the petals; white or pale violet squared-off petals with a shallow notch and pale violet lines; the 12-15 stamens make a bumpy, white globe around the 12-15 fused pink styles in the middle of the flower, with the inner surface of the style tips as the stigmas. The fruit is a round, flattened ovoid with radiating lines (the edges of the carpels) around a dimpled center, nestled in the remains of the calyx. Some people claim that the fruit resembles a wheel of cheese (thus one of the common names); it reminds me more of a miniature gourd. All parts of this plant are edible.

Malva

Malva neglecta

common mallow [Blooms: May-Oct]

Wild chamomile stems terminate in a daisy-like flowerhead, 1-2" across. Flowerheads consist of 10-25 white, fertile (pistillate) ray florets that tend to droop slightly and a gumdrop-shaped central mass of 250-550+ yellow disk florets with both male and female reproductive structures. Individual disk florets are tubular. Behind the flowerhead are one to three series of light green, lance-shaped bracts with membranous edges. Wild chamomile can be distinguished from similar plants like ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) by its multiply-pinnate, slender lobes leaves and the fact that the flowerhead is actually hollow; when crushed they produce a pleasant, fruity fragrance. Wild chamomile is closely related to pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea) but the two can't be confused.

Matricaria

Matricaria chamomilla

wild chamomile [Blooms: May-Jun]

Pineapple-weed, unlike it's cousin wild chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), is probably native to North America, specifically the Pacific Northwest, but has spread widely both here and in Europe. It is a small plant (up to 12" tall); the stems branch frequently. Flowerheads sit on 1/2-1.5" long flower stalks that arise from leaf axils. Each flowerhead is a gumdrop-shaped or conical mass about 8 mm across of greenish-yellow disk florets (125-535+) with four tiny lobes at the apex of the tubular corolla; there are no ray florets. The bracts behind the flowerhead have papery edges. When crushed, both the flowerheads and the foliage give off a pineapple-like fragrance. Sources differ on the biogeography of this plant. Both the USDA Plants and NatureServe Explorer websites say it is an exotic in North America; Wikipedia, the Flora of North America, World Flora Online, and the Illinois Wildflowers website say it's native to North America. Like wild chamomile, the flowerheads of pineapple-weed can be used to make a tea.

Matricaria

Matricaria discoidea

pineapple-weed [Apr-Jul]

Water chickweed (aka, giant chickweed) is an exotic from Europe; it resembles a much-enlarged enlarged (potentially 1-2.5' tall vs. a few inches although the stalk sprawls) version of our common chickweeds. Flowers may occur as singletons arising from the leaf axils or clusters of a few flowers at the end of the stems. Each flower is 1/2" across; it has five fuzzy, green, oval sepals slightly shorter than the petals; five white, deeply-cleft petals that look like ten; 10 stamens with white anthers; and a green ovary with five short, arching styles. The stems and the 1" long pedicels of the flowers are both very fuzzy. The fruit is an ovoid seed capsule nestled in the persistant sepals which hangs down from the pedicel when ripe; it could easily be mistaken for a bud if you didn't notice it was pointed down.

Myosoton

Myosoton aquaticum

water chickweed [Blooms: May-Jun]

Glade mallow flowers fill the entire apex of the plant in multiple clusters (panicles). Each plant produces only male or only female flowers. Both male and female flowers are about 1/2-3/4" across with 1" long pedicels, a short, light green, tubular calyx bearing five broad teeth around the edge, and five white petals. To this general pattern, male flowers add 16-20 stamens fused basally; the free ends are separated into filaments bearing tan or pink anthers. Female flowers add to the basic flower a compound style with 6-10 white, twisted, thread-like branches. The fruits are round, fist-like clusters of wedge-shaped segments (up to 10), each containing a single seed. Glade mallow occurs in only seven states. It is listed as "vulnerable" in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio; it is "imperiled" in Indiana and Minnesota and critically imperiled in Maryland. Glade mallow prefers moist habitats. Populations in Jackson Park have been noticeably expanding over the last few years; be grateful.

Napaea

Napaea dioica

glade mallow [Blooms: Jun-Aug]

Poet's daffodil is an escapee from domestic gardens. The species is native to Central and Southern Europe; it is said to have been cultivated by the Greeks in the 3rd century BCE. The leaves are basal, blue-green, awl-shaped, up to 20" long and 1/2" wide, parallel-veined with smooth margins. The unbranched stems can get up to 1.5' tall, each with a solitary flower at their apex. The 2-3" diameter flowers have six white tepals with a yellow, crinkled central corona (often red-rimmed) in the form of a cup surrounding the reproductive organs (six stamens, only three of which are easily visible externally, and a single style with a three-lobed stigma). Fruits are rarely produced. The corona is relatively longer and bigger in diameter in wild daffodil than it is in poet's daffodil. Keep pets (and small children) away from poet's daffodil — if ingested, it induces severe vomiting.

Narcissus

Narcissus poeticus

poet's daffodil [Blooms: Apr-May]