lerajimmerson 的日誌

These bright yellow plants signify springtime in Southeast with their wonderfully horrid smell, which is actually used to "attract beetles as pollinators" (Phillips). This smell is also the reason for its comical common name. The ones in our unkept hill-yard have been dead for a while, but was a nice reminder of the springtime to come.

The Western Skunk Cabbage, scientifically known as Lysichiton americanus, is part of the Arum family and is found in the Pacific Northwest (Phillips). While researching, I discovered a species of plant called Eastern Skunk Cabbage, which is fairly similar to the Western species apart from its deep red color.

The Western Skunk Cabbage leaves can grow up to 54 inches long at their peak, exceeding the size of any other plant in its commonly wet and marshy habitat (Sudan). They can live up to 20 years old (Sudan).

The roots of this plant are eaten "by bears, elk, muskrats, and other animals" (Phillips). Indigenous peoples have used skunk cabbage medicinally for colds, skin conditions, and respiratory conditions. The roots and leaves are also edible, but must be cooked or else may leave painful sensations in the mouth (Phillips). They can also be used to wrap foods and preserve moisture while cooking food (Phillips). Assumingly not the tastiest, various groups of indigenous people have eaten skunk cabbage during famines.

I find skunk cabbage to be a comforting sight, and even the smell brings warming nostalgia to my soul as it creeps throughout Juneau in the spring. When boating out of Whittier, my fiancé had to spend the night on an uninhabited island due to bad weather, and my favorite part of his story was by far his first encounter with the smell of skunk cabbage.

Works Cited

Phillips, P. W. (n.d.). Skunk cabbage. The Oregon Encyclopedia. https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/skunk-cabbage/

Sudan, R. (n.d.). U.S. Forest Service. Forest Service Shield. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/Lysichiton-americanus.shtml

Taking my usual stroll through the neighborhood, wondering what species I hadn't noticed yet, I came upon this leaf. It looked familiar, and it wasn't long before I realized it was part of the dandelion plant. I had not realized their leaves/roots stayed around like this into fall, although it is visibly deteriorating.

I decided to research this plant because I am a believer that weeds are beautiful and purposeful. They make Juneau spring flash into life with color and unfortunately, quite a bit of pollen. However, I always await their appearance and am saddened when I see large industrial grassmowers cutting them down. It's a good thing they're so persistent!

The common dandelion's scientific name is taraxacum officinale. These weeds, or flowers, or whatever you wish to call them, have a deep-rooted history on many continents, dating all the way back to the Ice Age (Wilkinson, Kershaw, & Cotterill). They were used in Ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, and Asia. Dandelions likely came to America in the 1600s with the first Europeans (Sanchez). It is also likely that dandelions were brought intentionally since their flowers and roots have a wide variety of uses. Dandelions do not actually need pollinators to carry on, but undergo the process of apomixis where the "female parts of the flowers develop seeds on their own" (Dandelion). This is why they are able to spread rapidly bringing forth plants that are clones, or identical to their parents.

Dandelions are safe to eat and use medicinally, apart from potential allergies. It is full of "vitamins A, B, C, and D" and various minerals (Dandelion). Some use the leaves in salads, teas, wines, and even coffee substitutes, which I would love to try. Medicinally, dandelion roots and leaves have been utilized to fight against liver, kidney, skin, heart, and stomach issues, as well as inflammation, fever, and diarrhea (Dandelion).

Works Cited

Dandelion. Mount Sinai Health System. (n.d.). https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/dandelion

Sanchez, A. (2021, October 5). Ten things you might not know about dandelions. Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners. https://www.mofga.org/resources/weeds/ten-things-you-might-not-know-about-dandelions/

Wilkinson, S., Kershaw, L., & Cotterill, P. (2002). PDF. Alberta. https://anpc.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/dandelion.pdf

This red maple leaf was handed to me by a four-year-old girl on the playground who was very excited to show proof of the fall weather around us. I was curious to find out what kind of tree this leaf came from. There are 132 species under the Genus of Acer, commonly known as maple trees, and so I had a difficult time pinpointing which tree created this leaf. After looking into which maple trees are most common/able to survive in Alaska, my guess is that the leaf came from a Douglas Maple Tree.

The Douglas Maple is native to Southeast Alaska, parts of Canada, and the Northwest states of the US. Its name, Douglas, comes from a man named David Douglas who was a Scottish botanist (Wikimedia). He named the tree in the 1800s. Its scientific name is Acer glabrum. Glabrum means smooth, referring to its smooth leaves. The Acer Glabrum species has a few variants. Another common variant is the Rocky Mountain maple, for the tree's presence near the Rocky Mountains. Douglas Maples are deciduous (obviously from their bright colors!). These trees provide shelter for many animals during the year and small mammals eat the seeds. Since the wood is pliable, Indigenous people use Douglas Maple for "snowshoe frames, saddle frames, spoons, dipnet or fishing hoops, bows, rattles, masks, and headdresses (Douglas). Leaves of this tree have 3-5 lobes (Pitto).

Works Cited

Douglas Maple. British Columbia. (n.d.). https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/douglasmaple.htm

Pitto, T. (2023, April 15). Can you grow maple trees in Alaska? which types?. Tree Vitalize. https://treevitalize.com/maple-trees-in-alaska/

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, October 12). David Douglas (botanist). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Douglas_(botanist)

I used to be terrified of porcupines, burdened by the idea that they could shoot their quills at me. Since my friend broke the news and that weight was lifted, I have been obsessed with these defensive, waddling creatures. I almost walked right by this guy on the Salmon Creek Dam trail, but a random conversation about volleyball led me to pretend to set a ball with my hands. The circle I made with my hands fell perfectly on this porcupine's hunched body! It surprised me and I had to get a picture.

The porcupine's scientific name is Erethizon dorsatum, which means “quill pig". (Chesapeake) Following beavers, porcupines are the largest rodents found in Alaska and North America as a whole. They are covered in quills and hair, as well as a "thick layer of body fat" that keeps them warm in the winter (North American Porcupine Species Profile). Porcupines are not aggressive but are defensive when they are attacked. When a predator or unassuming creature comes near them, they emit an unpleasant smell to repel their attacker. If that doesn't work, they strategically move their bodies to insert their quills into their attacker. (Chesapeake). Quills are actually just barbed hairs. Porcupines have around 30,000 quills. Porcupine weight ranges from 15-30 lbs for males, while females often weigh around 2- 4 lbs less than males (North American Porcupine Species Profile). They can live up to 30 years old. To my surprise, the main diet of porcupines is various parts of trees! They eat various tree bark, needles, and leaves. They also tend to feed on dead animal bones "to obtain sodium and calcium" (North American Porcupine Species Profile). Porcupines make many sounds, "ranging from whimpers to screams" (North American Porcupine Species Profile). Porcupines only have one baby in their lifetime, called a "porcupette" (Porcupine - Wildlife Viewing).

Porcupines are used all over Alaska. Athabaskans use porcupine quills for decoration (North American Porcupine Uses). Other native groups use porcupine quills for clothing, art, and jewelry. They often dye the quills for these purposes. Some people eat porcupines while others do not enjoy their meat (North American Porcupine Uses).

Works Cited

Chesapeake Bay Program. “North American Porcupine.” Chesapeake Bay, www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/north-american-porcupine#:~:text=The%20porcupine%27s%20latin%20name%2C%20Erethizon,with%20beavers%20as%20number%20one. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.

Prescott, Vivian Faith. “Planet Alaska: Gifts from the Porcupine.” Juneau Empire, 28 Nov. 2019.

"North American Porcupine Species Profile". Alaska Department of Fish and Game, www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=northamericanporcupine.main. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.

"North American Porcupine Uses". Alaska Department of Fish and Game, www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=northamericanporcupine.uses#:~:text=Natives%20used%20to%20kill%20porcupines,%2C%20earrings%2C%20and%20artistic%20items. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.

”Porcupine - Wildlife Viewing". Alaska Department of Fish and Game, www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.landmammals&species=porcupine#:~:text=The%20porcupine%20is%20found%20throughout,Lawrence%20islands. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.

The Green Brittlegill, or Green Russula, is a type of fungi found in Southeast Alaska and other northern temperate regions such as Britain and Ireland. (O'Reilly) It is often confused with the Russula virescens, which is also sometimes known as the Green Russula since it is part of the Russulaceae family and is green. This Green Brittlegill is, as I mentioned, part of the Russulaceae family, which is a family of fungi known for encompassing almost 2000 species of fungi (Russula). Usually, these mushrooms are found in small groups, but the one I found was singular. (O'Reilly) Its scientific name is Russula aeruginea. Russula means "red" and Aeruginea refers to different shades of green in Latin. The Russula aeruginea has a white stalk and spores, but its cap is a tan-green color. (Alaska, 15) Some eat these mushrooms, but it is debated whether or not they are edible. In Alaska, they are considered edible and "tasty by some" (Alaska, 15). As for medicinal or spiritual uses, there are not many to be found. However, there is information on the overarching family of this mushroom. The Russula mushrooms, in general, contain antioxidants and have been used in various countries for treating "liver disease, chest pain, and eye problems". (Porter).

I have never really been a fan of mushrooms, since I am mildly allergic to some species. However, I found this little guy when I was out on a walk a few nights ago and it's gooey top was intriguing to me. I know mushrooms have many uses and lots of history, but I am wary of trying them since I have a very hard time distinguishing them and don't want to end up poisoning myself.

Works Cited

Alaska Region, Forest Service. Mushrooms of the National Forests in Alaska - US Forest Service, www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5414170.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept. 2023.

O’Reilly, Pat. “Russula Aeruginea Fr. - Green Brittlegill.” Russula Aeruginea, Green Brittlegill Mushroom, www.first-nature.com/fungi/russula-aeruginea.php. Accessed 30 Sept. 2023.

Porter, Sandy. “Russula Mushrooms: A Complete Guide.” AZ Animals, 14 Dec. 2022, a-z-animals.com/blog/russula-mushrooms-a-complete-guide/.

“Russula Aeruginea.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Sept. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russula_aeruginea.

To continue on my roll of observing common, uninteresting-to-most plants that you can find all around Juneau, I have decided to observe common cow parsnip. Cow parsnip is sometimes called Indian Rhubarb, but that is a different plant completely. Cow parsnip's scientific name is Heracleaum maximum, named after the greek God Heracles because of how tall it grows. It is "the only plant in the genus Heracleum native to North America" (GFE, 2020). It is commonly known as cow parsnip because it is related to parsnip, and cows often eat it.

Common cow parsnip is part of the Apiaceae family, meaning it is related to other common plants such as celery, parsley, carrots, dill, and more. The stalks of common cow parsnip can grow up to 7 feet tall, and its eaves can grow up to 16 inches wide. (GFE, 2020)

There are many uses for common cow parsnip. However, humans must be careful because the sap from the plants may cause rashes, itching, and blistering when exposed to sunlight while on human skin. It is often eaten as food when the stems are young. The outer skin is not eaten though. Cow parsnip is also used medicinally for informally for digestive issues, nausea, arthritis, and more, while "Naturopaths today use cow parsnip to treat trigeminal neuralgia caused by damaged nerves controlling facial muscles and for other forms of nerve damage" (Native Memory Project, 2019).

Various Alaska Native tribes use cow parsnip. The Unangax use it medicinally for common colds and flus, as well as for cuts and scrapes. The Sugpiaq are known for using cow parsnip for inflammation, infections, and arthritis. The Athabaskan people use it for all of these reasons, as well as toothaches. (Travel Alaska, n.d.)

Citations:

“Cow Parsnip.” Native Memory Project, 23 Sept. 2019, nativememoryproject.org/plant/cow-parsnip/#:~:text=It%20was%20and%20still%20is,used%20in%20tea%20for%20this.

“Flowers of Significance to Alaska Native Peoples.” Travel Alaska, www.travelalaska.com/travel-articles/flowers-significance-alaska-native-peoples#:~:text=Cow%20Parsnip%20(Heracleum%20maximum)&text=The%20root%20was%20chewed%20raw,in%20use%20for%20arthritis%20treatment. Accessed 23 Sept. 2023.

Gfe. “Native Plant Fun Facts: The Charismatic Cow Parsnip.” Garden for the Environment, Garden for the Environment, 4 May 2020, www.gardenfortheenvironment.org/growing-gardeners-archive/2020/5/4/native-plant-fun-facts-the-charismatic-cow-parsnip.

After observing Devil's Club, I couldn't help but feel that my observation was a little bit too basic. However, after reading your comments, I am reminded that many of you are not living in Southeast Alaska and don't always get to see the same wildlife and plants that I do. I believe this observation will be more familiar to fellow Alaskans, but I found it very interesting nonetheless!

My interest was piqued after finding some Forget-Me-Nots as I was walking my dog this week. Seeing as Forget-Me-Nots have been around abundantly all summer, and that it is our State Flower, I began to wonder about the history behind the flower and whether or not it has any uses.

First of all, there is some fun history behind its name. The flower is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. According to Harvesting History, there is an old story that a knight died trying to get Forget-Me-Nots to his lover, and his last words were "Forget me not!" (2016) This is why the flowers are often associated with love, loyalty, and remembrance (SnapBlooms, 2022).

Its biological name is Myosotis, (2023) which in Greek means "mouse ear". (The petals resemble a mouse ear.) It also goes by the name "scorpion grass". It is part of the family of Boraginaceae. The flowers in Juneau are often a periwinkle blue or light purple, but they can be white, yellow, and pink as well. The flowers are usually less than a centimeter long and have 5 petals.

There is not a lot of information on the practical uses of Myosotis, but it is said you can take extracts from the roots and flowers to use medicinally for lung conditions, such as asthma, and nosebleeds (SnapBlooms, 2022),

Forget-Me-Nots are often used as inspiration for all kinds of Alaskan artists, including many Native Alaskans!

Citations

Administrator. “Forget Me Not.” Harvesting History, 2 Mar. 2016, harvesting-history.com/forget-me-not/#:~:text=The%20common%20name%2C%20Forget%20Me,leaves%20resemble%20a%20mouse%27s%20ear.

“Myosotis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Aug. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myosotis.

SnapBlooms, SnapBlooms. “Forget Me Not Flower - Myosotis Scorpioides.” SnapBlooms Blogs, 2022, www.snapblooms.com/blog/forget-me-not-flower/.

I decided to observe Devil’s Club around 1pm on September 8, 2023. This picture is at GPS location: Its scientific name is Oplopanax horridus. Oplopanax translates into, “protective heal all”, while horridus means “rough and bristly” (Delleman, 2022). Many people assume Devil’s Club includes the Devil’s name because of its painful thorns, but it actually refers to Devil’s Club ability to protect in the spiritual sense, or “club devils” (Delleman, 2022).

Devil’s Club is part of the Araliacea family. It can grow up to 12 feet tall, with leaves averaging about a foot long. There are spikes on the stems and underneath the leaves.

Devil’s Club ranges from Alaska to Oregon, (being very common in the Tongass National Forest) and the native peoples on the Pacific Coast have been using Devil’s Club for centuries. The Tlingit people in Southeast Alaska use the bark and roots medicinally in tonic and salves. (U.S. Department of the Interior,n.d.). It is also commonly used to make tea. Devil’s Club is known to be used as treatment for the common cold, fevers, lice, cancers, arthritis, tuberculosis, many digestive issues and more. (MedicineNet, 2023). Additionally, It is often just used as a painkiller.

My experiences with devil’s club are limited and often negative, since they often disguise themselves as helping branches along the trail. My hands have absorbed quite a few thorns from Devil’s Club. However, I have always been very curious about salve and tea made from Devil’s Club and am inspired to get my hands on some. I find it very intriguing and ironic that such a painful plant is such a helpful healer, but I am willing to try it nonetheless! I would like to know more about the harvesting methods.

Your observation must include GPS coordinates, time, species name, and a 250 word
“Journal” entry about how the species is used (or historically used) by people in that
place, your experiences with it, and a bit about the biology of the species.

Citations

Delleman, J. (2022, November 14). Devil’s Club: The healer’s healer. Ravensong Seeds & Herbals. https://ravensongherbals.com/blog-post/devils-club-medicine#:~:text=Traditionally%20Devil%27s%20Club%20was%20prepared,uses%20of%20the%20herb%20today.

MedicineNet. (2023). What is Devil’s Club plant used for, and is it safe? MedicineNet. https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_devils_club_plant_used_for_and_is_it_safe/article.htm

U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). S’áxt’. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/places/devil-s-club-ethnobotany-tour.htm#:~:text=S%27áxt%27%20is%20the%20ginseng,the%20common%20cold%20to%20cancer.

I decided to observe Devil’s Club around 1pm on September 8, 2023. This picture is at GPS location: Its scientific name is Oplopanax horridus. Oplopanax translates into, “protective heal all”, while horridus means “rough and bristly” (Delleman, 2022). Many people assume Devil’s Club includes the Devil’s name because of its painful thorns, but it actually refers to Devil’s Club ability to protect in the spiritual sense, or “club devils” (Delleman, 2022).

Devil’s Club is part of the Araliacea family. It can grow up to 12 feet tall, with leaves averaging about a foot long. There are spikes on the stems and underneath the leaves.

Devil’s Club ranges from Alaska to Oregon, (being very common in the Tongass National Forest) and the native peoples on the Pacific Coast have been using Devil’s Club for centuries. The Tlingit people in Southeast Alaska use the bark and roots medicinally in tonic and salves. (U.S. Department of the Interior,n.d.). It is also commonly used to make tea. Devil’s Club is known to be used as treatment for the common cold, fevers, lice, cancers, arthritis, tuberculosis, many digestive issues and more. (MedicineNet, 2023). Additionally, It is often just used as a painkiller.

My experiences with devil’s club are limited and often negative, since they often disguise themselves as helping branches along the trail. My hands have absorbed quite a few thorns from Devil’s Club. However, I have always been very curious about salve and tea made from Devil’s Club and am inspired to get my hands on some. I find it very intriguing and ironic that such a painful plant is such a helpful healer, but I am willing to try it nonetheless! I would like to know more about the harvesting methods.

Citations

Delleman, J. (2022, November 14). Devil’s Club: The healer’s healer. Ravensong Seeds & Herbals. https://ravensongherbals.com/blog-post/devils-club-medicine#:~:text=Traditionally%20Devil%27s%20Club%20was%20prepared,uses%20of%20the%20herb%20today.

MedicineNet. (2023). What is Devil’s Club plant used for, and is it safe? MedicineNet. https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_devils_club_plant_used_for_and_is_it_safe/article.htm

U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). S’áxt’. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/places/devil-s-club-ethnobotany-tour.htm#:~:text=S%27áxt%27%20is%20the%20ginseng,the%20common%20cold%20to%20cancer.