Diario de leximountcastle

Earlier today at about 2 in the afternoon, I observed this singular flower peeking out from the ground around the Skaters Cabin area of Juneau. Its state of being was alive but, as you can see from the last photo, I was surprised to see any of the blossoms remaining from this patch because the rest have since died. After conducting some research, I was able to distinguish the plant to be an Orange Hawkweed which also goes by flameweed, red daisy, fox-and-cubs, devil’s paintbrush, and missionary weed. It can be characterized by its soft basal leaves at the base and a long leafless stem covered in small black hairs that leads to a single bloom which, hopefully, you can see a good example of in the first picture of the flower close-up. It is actually ecologically considered a noxious weed, meaning it is non-native to the United States and poses a disruptive danger to the local ecosystems–the hawkweed is originally from Australia, New Zealand, and central Europe. Although I found some conflicting results that dispute when exactly the plant was brought to America sometime before 1818, according to the US Forest Service, “[Orange Hawkweed] was introduced in Vermont by 1875 as a garden ornamental” and it slowly became more invasive as it spread throughout the country, finally reaching the southeast Alaska region by the 1950s (Stone, 2010). The plant is also known to be prolific due to its reproduction process; it uses its anatomy to its advantage by using natural means of wind and water to scatter its seeds, stolons, and rhizomes across far distances. Its scientific identification is as follows; the Orange Hawkweed is in the Magnoliophyta phylum, the Magnoliopsida class, the Asterales order, the Asteraceae family, and the genus of Pillosella. Finally, the Orange Hawkweed’s scientific name is Pilosella aurantiaca and Hieracium aurantiacum (interchangeable). Furthermore, Glenlivet Wildlife says that hawkweed has been dried and ground into a powder or boiled to make a tea-like infusion as a means of traditional holistic medicine which was used to treat various ailments for centuries–the article states, “The root of hawkweed has long been known as an expectorant and diuretic, useful for treating chest congestion and urinary tract infections…In addition, the root has been used as an appetite stimulant and digestive aid, helping with bowel regularity and bloating issues” (Bryant 2023).

I observed this small tree last week on September 29th, around 2:30 in the afternoon at the Shrine of Saint Therese, located out the road in Juneau, when I was on a walk around the expansive property. The day was partly cloudy and cold but perfect fall weather for exploring. This plant was particularly difficult for me to identify because not many trees native to Southeast Alaska that I have seen before look similar to this one. Another factor that made this identification hard for me was that this specific tree I photographed is young so many of the images I was seeing of the same tree looked quite different because they were much older and larger in overall scale. However, after realizing leaf identification was going to be key to solving this mystery, I came across some promising articles. Once I found out that the sequence of leaves on this tree was an odd-pinnate variation, I was able to narrow my search down to the ash tree since the leaves I observed were most similar in margins, the edge pattern of the leaf, and morphology which includes size, shape, and arrangement (Flagstad et al. 10-11). I have concluded that this is most likely a European Mountain Ash, also known more commonly as a Rowan tree in other parts of the world. During my research, I could not find a definitive date as to when it was introduced to the state of Alaska but this plant is not native to the region. The tree originally comes from mainland Europe, Iceland, western Asia, and northern Africa (Klein 2). That being said, it is not considered to be noxious to the local flora and fauna–a range of local birds actually rely on its red/orange berries that occur naturally in the summer as an abundant food source. Though some have perceived these berries as poisonous/not fit for human consumption, according to the US Forest Service, “In Europe…[they] are commonly used in jams and jellies”. Additionally, it has a couple of scientific names such as Sorbus aucuparia and Pyrus aucuparia but it has also commonly been confused with its three cousin species, the Sitka mountain ash, the Cascade mountain ash, and the Siberian mountain ash (“Trees and Shrubs to Watch”).

Works Cited

Flagstad, L., Cortes-Burns, H., and Greenstein, C. 2015. Identification of Non-native Plants in Alaska. Alaska Natural Heritage Program, University of Alaska Anchorage. pp. 10-11.
Klein, Helen. “European Mountain Ash: Sorbus Aucuparia L. .” Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage: Alaska Natural Heritage Program, 8 Feb. 2011, accs.uaa.alaska.edu/wp-content/uploads/Sorbus_aucuparia_BIO_SOAU.pdf.
“Trees and Shrubs to Watch.” Invasive Trees and Shrubs, US Forest Service, 2004, www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_037724.pdf.

I observed this plant almost two weeks ago on September 29th, 2023, at about three in the afternoon while hanging out at a beach out the road in Juneau, just a little way up the road from the mile 20 marker. I thought it was interesting how plentiful they seemed to be, even with the temperature dropping so much recently. The five photos I have included show how far the greenery stretches up the beach and I even took a picture of them growing in the water. I have seen these before on different beaches in my area and I recognized them from a small booklet at my house that my mom has previously referenced in regard to certain vegetation within this broad region. The guide is called Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants: Alaska, Canada, & Pacific Northwest Rainforest, Volume 1–An Introductory Pocket Trail Guide by Carol R. Biggs and I quickly noticed that the author covered this plant, known as beach greens, in the “Salt marshes, beaches, seashore and rocky sites” section. According to the book, they occur naturally on sandy/rocky beaches and “are high in vitamins A and C” so they provide versatile nutrients for the local inhabitants who have historically and contemporarily practiced subsistence living (Biggs 62). Its scientific name is Honckenya peploides but it also goes by quite a few universal title variations including sea sandwort, sea chickweed, sea purslane, seaside sand plant, and sea pimpernel. After gathering some more information from different sources, I also found that Inupiaq people call the beach greens atchaaqłuk and it is traditionally prepared in large wooden barrels where they ferment until they have a sour/fragrant flavor–additionally, the Yup’ik named them itga’raleq and they “are served with seal oil or added to akutaq” (Nu 2023). However, the common “Western” way to cook the plant is to add it to a salad raw, lightly steamed as a side dish, or added into other dishes such as stir-fry.

Works Cited

Biggs, Carol R. Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants: Alaska, Canada & Pacific Northwest Rainforest. Vol. 1, Carol Biggs’ Alaska Nature Connection, 2001.
Nu, Jennifer. “Atchaaaqluk, Itga’raleq, Beach Greens.” Edible Alaska, 1 Feb. 2023, ediblealaska.ediblecommunities.com/local-guides/beach-greens.

A few days ago, I observed this small group of wild mushrooms along the side of Glacier Highway around noon on October 3rd about ten to fifteen minutes down the road from Eagle Beach Recreation Area in Juneau, Alaska. With autumn in full swing, the rain has been regularly beating down on the town I live in but the weather slightly cleared up and I noted that it was chilly, cloudy, and windy on the day I photographed this plant. Also, despite the inclement weather, I was surprised to find this fungus’s state of being as still alive and thriving in the increasingly harsh environment. I have always been fascinated by these kinds of organisms but there is such a wide variety of them that it was difficult to track down this exact species since I did not recognize it as one that I had seen before. Nevertheless, I was able to identify it as Coprinus comatus although it also goes by some other more common names such as shaggy mane, lawyer's cap, and inky cap mushrooms. According to various members of the US Forest Service’s Alaska Region Botany Program, the fungi is distinguishable when it is young because it grows to about two to six inches tall, has a bullet-shaped cap, is “white with shaggy light brown scales” and as it grows/gets older their stalks become noticeably longer, cream-colored, and “[the cap’s] exceedingly close-packed gills liquefy to a black ink-like fluid” (Mohatt et al. 23). Furthermore, though it must be located, cooked and eaten in the short window of time before it begins to secrete the black fluid, the plant is considered edible with a few listed health benefits stemming from its versatile nutritional benefits. WebMD says the shaggy mane mushroom is not only high in dietary fiber and healthy carbohydrates but “contain[s] important minerals like phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium” as well–Also, there are correlated research studies to reflect that the plant is naturally anti-inflammatory and can lower blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, help improve brain functions, and it has additional anti-cancerous properties (Kunde and Jabeen).

Works Cited

Mohatt, Kate, et al. “Mushrooms of the National Forests in Alaska.” Mushrooms of the National Forests in Alaska, United States Department of Agriculture: US Forest Service Alaska Region Botany Program, Feb. 2013, pp. 22-23, www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5414170.pdf. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023.
Kunde, Roma, and Jabeen Begum. “Health Benefits of Shaggy Mane Mushroom.” WebMD, WebMD, 2 Nov. 2022, www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-shaggy-mane-mushroom. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023.

For the final observation, I have found an interesting fungi called cabbage lungwort or lung lichen yesterday while on a walk with my family in the Mendenhall Campgrounds. As you can probably see from the photos, the organism gets its name from its visual similarities to lung tissue and/or the leaf pattern of the savoy cabbage plant (Brassica oleracea). When I observed the plant, it was overcast, as usual, and the temperature was just above freezing but the lichen must be able to withstand colder climates very well since it still maintains its vibrant green color and still appears to be alive. Its scientific name is Lobaria pulmonaria but it is often mistaken for Lobaria oregano, also known as lettuce lichen or Oregon lungwort, because the fungi can be found in other parts of North America, Asia, and Europe. They usually naturally occur on forest trees and rocks in undisturbed, humid areas. According to the US Forest Service, they are ecologically beneficial for nearly any environment, not only because they are a vital food source and foraging material for all kinds of wild animals, but because “it is also a type of cyanolichen, which means that it contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria. When these lichens fall to the ground after a storm or wind event, they decompose into the forest floor, contributing their nitrogen reserve to the soil” (DeLay). Additionally, after doing some further research, I discovered that humans have historically used lungwort in many different geographic locations to treat respiratory illnesses such as asthma, tuberculosis, and more–the fungi serves other purposes as well and can make potent dyes and teas.

Works Cited
DeLay, Chantelle. “Lungwort, Lung Lichen (Lobaria Pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm.).” US Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2020, www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/lobaria_pulmonaria.shtml. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.