Flora Pittsburghensis

Author: Father Pitt

  • Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

    Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

    A delicate-looking little morning glory that mostly clambers along the ground and is well adapted to survive in frequently mowed fields.

    Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) with a bee

    It seems to make bees happy, and we approve of things that make bees happy. The bee gives us a good idea of the scale of the flower.

    Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

    Colors vary from pure white into deep pink, often with stripes.

    Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
    Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
    Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

    These plants were all blooming in St. Peter’s Cemetery in the Arlington neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

    Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
    Photographed June 24 with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.

    For a description of the species, see the Convolvulus arvensis reference page.

  • Giant Chickweed (Stellaria aquatica)

    Giant Chickweed (Stellaria aquatica)

    ”Giant” is relative to the minuscule flowers on most chickweeds: these flowers are still small, but this is a showy chickweed. It generally likes damp environments, but it’s adaptable. These were growing beside a sidewalk in the Central Square district of Mount Lebanon.

    Giant Chickweed (Stellaria aquatica)
    Photographed June 11 with a Kodak EasyShare Z981.

    Some authorities place this plant in the genus Myosoton—a dispute that has apparently been going on for decades, since it is so listed in the 1951 Check List of the Vascular Flora of Allegheny County. The Wikimedia Commons category for Stellaria aquatica redirects to Myosoton aquaticum, which has a link to the Wikipedia article on Myosoton, which redirects to the article on Stellaria, where Myosoton is not mentioned. We have decided to follow Gray until you botanists sort this thing out. For a description of the species, see the Stellaria aquatica reference page.

  • Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)

    Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea canadensis or Circaea lutetiana)

    This is either Circaea lutetiana or Circaea canadensis or Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis. Some botanists consider the North American populations to be a separate species from the European ones, but others—like the USDA PLANTS Database—put them together as one species, or make the North American ones a subspecies of the European species.

    Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea canadensis or Circaea lutetiana)

    At any rate, it is a charming little flower that can bloom in deep shade. The flowers are tiny, but unusually shaped, and deserve a closer look. The neat habit of the plant makes it suitable for shade gardens, and it is becoming popular among native-plant enthusiasts.

    Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea canadensis or Circaea lutetiana)

    These plants were photographed in Bird Park, Mount Lebanon, where the species is abundant.

    Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea canadensis or Circaea lutetiana)

    For a description of the species, see the Circaea lutetiana reference page.

    Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea canadensis or Circaea lutetiana)
    Photographed June 20 with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.

  • White Avens (Geum canadense)

    Geum canadense

    Little white flowers that often pass unnoticed at the edge of the woods, where they can be surprisingly abundant. Like many members of the rose family, these plants are a bit sloppy with their petals, which sometimes look rumpled as though they’ve been slept in. These plants were blooming in Bird Park, Mount Lebanon.

    White Avens
    Geum canadense
    Photographed June 20 with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.

    For a description of the species, see the Geum canadense reference page.

  • Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

    Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

    Cheery little rings of bright yellow pea flowers with vertical red stripes decorate roadsides, parking lots, and anywhere else they can gain a foothold. These were blooming by a parking lot in Robinson Township.

    Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
    Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
    Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
    Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
    Photographed June 13 with a Kodak EasyShare Z981.

    For a description of the species, see the Lotus corniculatus reference page.