amyfrances52 的日誌

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186469405
Matricaria discoidea or Pineapple weed is from the Ateracae family and is also known as wild chamomile. It is an invasive weed that is said to have originated in Kodiak only to flourish all over the state. It stands about 6 inches tall but can be up to 12 inches, a leafy plant with a yellow cone-like head. It can be eliminated by weeding, though it may take several attempts. Surprisingly there is not much literature on this little weed for how common and widespread it is. In my area is grows along road sides, along houses or buildings and always out of gravel. From what I have seen gravel/dirt is the common denominator, there doesn’t appear to be a preferred habitat such as swamp, wetlands, drainage areas, tundra, etc. As a matter of fact, I’ve been told that animal urine helps it to grow and spread. I am not sure if that is true, but it is PLENTIFUL in the area where my dog uses the bathroom.
According to the Alutiiq Museum pineapple has a wide variety of medicinal uses. These are all internal and include help to new mothers by cleansing their systems, producing milk and even cleaning baby’s system via milk. It can be used to clear out baby’s black meconium stools if a small is given directly to baby. Aside from maternal benefits, pineapple weed can be used as a laxative, relaxant, sleeping aid and cold relief. I believe this to be a reliable source and most of this I have heard passed down via word of mouth.

Pineapple Weed, wild chamomile. Alutiiq Museum. (n.d.). https://alutiiqmuseum.org/medicinal-plants/pineapple-weed
Bauder, P., Bella, E., Heutte, T., Lapina, I., & McKee, C. (n.d.). Invasive Plants of Alaska.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/187453913
With winter setting in very quickly, it’s been a struggle to find an identifiable plant. The animal population is also getting scares and the roads will be closing soon. I decided to wander around my neighborhood and one bright splash of color caught my eye… One of my favorite characteristics of my yard is the Icelandic Poppy population in my yard. They are beautiful orange, yellow and white flowers that brighten the yard every summer. I am not sure where they came from, but I suspect somehow seeds were either shared by neighbors or they blew across the road, as this house and the one across the street are the only two homes in Nome with poppies growing in their yards. I remember these flowers from when I was growing up in Nome, so bright and out of place in our dreary little town.
In an article from the University of Alaska Icelandic poppy, I learned that these poppies are considered invasive, though ranked fairly low (39 out of 100) for posing a threat to the native ecosystem. The article does not mention anything but a very low impact on its environment. It is also mentioned that this poppy is not native to Alaska. Like its Scandinavian name suggests, it is found in areas such as Finland, Norway, and Russia, according to Iceland poppy.
According to ravensongherbals.com, the leaves, flowers and seeds of the Icelandic poppies are edible. The cite says they can be used as a pain reliever or sedative and also be used in making dyes.

Works Cited

“Icelandic Poppy Seeds.” Ravensong Seeds & Herbals, ravensongherbals.com/herbs/icelandic-poppy#:~:text=The%20petals%20of%20Icelandic%20Poppy,Also%20useful%20for%20calming%20coughs.&text=The%20flowers%20are%20used%20to,of%20red%20and%20brown%20dyes. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
Nawrocki, Timm. Icelandic Poppy Papaver Croceum Ledeb. - Accs.Uaa.Alaska.Edu, accs.uaa.alaska.edu/wp-content/uploads/Papaver_croceum_BIO_PACR80.pdf. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/188316475

The debate about the species of this tree began for me last January. I took an Alaskan Biology course where we used iNaturalist similarly to how we do in this class. The difference was that only our teacher and members of the iNaturalist community gave input. When I posted this observation, iNaturalist and my teacher both identified it as a White Spruce, but I strongly believe it is a Black Spruce.
Black Spruce Picea mariana is an evergreen tree with leaves of needles, grayish bark, and yellow wood. It is found in flat areas, marshes and in colder, wet climates (Alaska Trees and Shrubs). According to Alaska Trees and Shrubs this tree is not used much because of its smaller size but is used for Christmas trees. This commonly known fact is why I believe it is a Black Spruce. Every year since I was a little girl, my family makes a 78-mile trek to a location known as Council, Ak to picnic and chop down a Christmas tree.
White Spruce Picea glauca is also an evergreen tree but much larger than the Black Spruce. The needles and cones are slightly bigger than that of the Black Spruce as well. These evergreens are more useful than the Black Spruce, they are used for log cabins and bridge construction (Alaska Trees and Shrubs).
Council is the border of the boreal forest and arctic tundra biomes, where the spruces are located. According to Alaska Trees and Shrubs both trees are said to be located in the area I visited so I supposed it could be either. I believe because of the scraggly appearance of tree, that they are much smaller than the spruces I see in Anchorage and that the needs and cones also appear small, that it is a Black Spruce.
Works Cited
Viereck, Leslie A., et al. Alaska Trees and Shrubs. University of Alaska Press, 2006. Accessed 20 OCT, 2023

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/189177749
As winter is closing in, I’ve been struggling to find an identifiable plant and the animals have been scarce. The bears are in their caves, the musk ox have retreated, birds have flown south and all that are left are the ravens and a few brave seagulls. As I wandered around my neighborhood, I came across a rack from this fall’s successful moose hunt. The moose, which looks to have been a tall and proud bull, has sacrificed its life unwillingly to feed a couple of families for the winter. Moose, Alces alces, is a member of the deer family, matter of fact it is the largest member (www.adfg.alaska.gov). They are found and hunted all over mainland Alaska, a well-known food source for the entire state. Moose are herbivores, eating primarily willows (they prefer young willows) and grasses. They are not only prey to us humans but also to bears and wolves. Just this spring I saw a bull who had survived a bear attack, he had scars and a hole in his flank. The poor guy was very skinny, so I figured it was the previous fall that the attack had taken place, and he spent a good part of winter healing and not eating. In the winter moose are seen in large groups, as many as twenty, but in the summer, they disperse in search of food. According to adfg.alaska.gov, moose move seasonally; from calving, rutting, and feeding locations. This proves my previous statement about them traveling in groups in the winter and dispersing in the summer.
Works Cited
Dfg.webmaster@alaska.gov. Moose Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=moose.main. Accessed 27 Oct. 2023.