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Here are a couple videos of urban wildlife going about their business:

muskrat

ants

by cottonmanifesto

Famous last words

Things have changed since April 12th.


Lesser celandine, or if you prefer, pilewort, was introduced to North America as an ornamental plant. It has spread and become invasive, but seems to be fairly uncommon in Boston. We have found it around Leverett and Ward's Ponds, but not as a profuse ground cover, as some sources indicate. In fact, its sporadic appearance gives the impression of being a somewhat rare wildflower in our area.



Somebody get this guy an editor and fact-checker!

365 Urban Species. #122: Early Yellowrocket

Urban species #122: Early yellowrocket Barbarea verna

The mustard family, Brassicaea, is disproportionately represented among urban plants. Perhaps this is because its members do not form mycorrhizal relationships (a beneficial, but time-consuming symbiotic relationship with fungi). Or perhaps deliberate introductions are to blame. After all, Eurasian plants in this family are some of the most common greens and vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi (I cheated; those first six are all varieties of a single species) horseradish, mustard, water cress, and turnip are the least obscure. Many weedy species, favored for their ease of cultivation (they're weeds) have been brought to North America for their greens, seeds, or roots. To the list we have been compiling, which includes shepherd's purse and garlic mustard, we can add early yellowrocket.

Early yellowrocket is closely related to wintercress, and it is random chance that I encountered one for this project before the other. At a distance I called, "Look, a wild mustard!" but it took some work to pin it down to species. Its flowers are typical of a mustard, four small petals in a cross formation, but unlike the two species listed so far these are yellow, not white. This individual was found growing alone, surrounded by dandelions and cinquefoil, but apparently can be found in profusion. Various states list various Barbareas as invasives, but are generally given less dire status than some others.

( four close-ups )