False Asphodel

Andy's Northern Ontario Wildflower Page Flowering Plants At Marten Falls First Nation and Albany River "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?" - Albert Einstein

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Booshoo: Illustrated on this page are just a few of the flowering plants that occur on  and near the Marten Falls First Nation community. The flowering plants were photographed between July 24 and July 26, 2002. Plants were photographed in the community and along the Albany River. There are some unique factors that influence the types of flora in the area: the local limestone bedrock is rich in calcium and magnesium carbonate minerals - this creates  soils that are alkaline glaciers have deposited thick till that is composed of these carbonate-rich rock fragments and is also alkaline the growing season is short - the area lies within the plant hardiness zone 1a. Top About The Marten Falls First Nation community The Marten Falls First Nation community is located about: 400 km northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario 900 km northwest of Toronto, Ontario 700 km northwest of Sudbury, Ontario 800 km north east-northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba.    Marten Falls First Nation is located at the junction of the Ogoki River and the Albany River in northwestern Ontario, in the James Bay Lowlands. Marten Falls First Nation at the junction of the Ogoki River (entering from the left) and the Albany River. Date: July 27, 2002. The community is only accessible year-round by air and in some years by winter road.  The community has a population of about 250 people. The community is situated within the geographic area described in the James Bay Treaty #9 Treaty. Marten Falls First Nation band office. Date: February 5, 2002 In the early 1900's, First Nation people moved to the present location  from Marten Falls, which was once the "Capital of the fur empire".  A Hudson’s Bay Company post, know as Ogoki ("where the waters converge") Post was built there after their arrival.  They now refer to their community as "Wegwajiwanang", "end of rapids". Marten Falls First Nation school. Date: February 5, 2002 Top Local Habitat: Marten Falls First Nation reserve occurs in the taiga of the James Bay Lowlands. Taiga includes a mix of land, including swampy areas and drier areas with small trees and shrubs. It is a transitional area between the boreal forests to the south and the flat, treeless Tundra to the north. The flat poorly drained area supports extensive wetlands consisting of swamps, bogs, and patterned fens that overlie clay and sand deposits and the old carbonate sedimentary rocks. Soils are organic, cold, moist and may be frozen for much of the year. Vegetation generally consists of black spruce and tamarack in the muskeg. On raised land or along river edges, such as the Albany, broad-leaved tress, such as aspen, poplar and birch occur with the coniferous trees. Albany River, down stream from Marten Falls First Nation. Date: July 26, 2002. The bedrock in this area consists of ancient, Ordovician and Silurian sedimentary rocks that are about 500 million and 425 million years old respectively. About 10,000 years ago, glaciers scraped over the area and deposited lime-rich mineral till eroded from the rocks around Hudson's Bay and James Bay. Hence, the plants grow in lime-rich and clay-rich, cold, moist soil. Click here for more habitat information: Top Plant List: A Sampling of Flowering Plants: Brook Lobelia (Lobelia kalmii) Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis) Common Cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex) Dogwood, Red Osier  (Cornus stolonifera) False Asphodel (Triantha glutinosa) Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus) Goldenrod (Solidago) Hemp dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum L.) Joe Pye-weed, Spotted (Eupatorium maculatum) Lance-leaved Paintbrush (Castilleja cocconea) Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale) Northern Wormwood (Artemisia campestris) Wild Pea (Lathyrus palustris) Rush Aster (Aster junciformis) Water Parsnip (Sium Suave) Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) Shrubby Potentilla (Potentilla fruitacosa) Wild Rose (Rosa carolina) Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Yellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis)

	Brook lobelia Flower: Blue, with white centre; attached to stem by a long stalk; summer to late summer. Leaves: Upper leaves are linear; basal leaves are spatulate; Up to 1 cm long; not commonly toothed. Stem: Slender and branching. Height: 10 to 30 cm. Habitat: Brook lobelia is a wetland species: limestone swamps, fens, boggy meadows and pastures, and wet rock ledges by waterfalls or lakes. Language of Flowers: Lobelia means "malevolence". Source Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Canada anemone; also known as Round-leaf thimbleweed, Canada anemone, Windflower; perennial. The white "petals" of the plant are actually it's sepals. According to Greek mythology, anemones were the tears Venus wept when Mars got jealous and sent a wild boar to kill her lover, Adonis. Flower: White, 5 unequal petal-like sepals, 1-2.5 cm long on solitary stalk from centre of leaves; numerous stamens in the center of the flower; June-July. Leaves: Alternate, deeply cut into 3-5 lobes; basal leaves are long-stalked, 5-15 cm wide; a single whorl of 3- to 5-parted leaves located on the stem. Stem: Upright, 0.4m, stem bearing a single whorl of 3- to 5-parted leaves. Height: 20-70 cm. Habitat: Prefers moist open areas, such as ditches, edges of creeks, and moist meadows. Tolerates part shade. Other: Plants contain a toxic compound that may irritate the skin. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Common cinquefoil Flower: Yellow, 5 petals, present on runners and stalks. Leaves: 5-parted radial leaves. Stems: Prostrate stems, rooting at nodes. Height: Hugs ground. Interest: During the Middle Ages, cinquefoil was commonly included in love potions. Language of Flowers: Means "beloved child", "a beloved daughter", or "maternal affection". Source Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Red Osier Dogwood Flower: Creamy white blossoms; 4 petals; flat-toped clusters at tips of branches; June. Leaves: Untoothed; pairs on opposite sides of twigs; dark green on top, lighter green underneath; 5-7 pairs of prominent veins. Fruit: White or bluish-tinged berries; September. See following photos. Stem: Bushy shrub; bark is lime green in summer and wine-red in winter; becomes grey with age. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	False Asphodel; native perennial; also known as Sticky False Asphodel and Sticky Tofieldia. Flower: White to creamy white; tipped with deep red which is dominant colour before flowers open; many tiny white flowers in a dense cluster at top of stem; 6 spreading petal-like segments 3-6 mm long with 6 stamens that lie against them; pink or reddish anthers; June - August. Leaves:  Long, 5-20 cm, erect and narrow with sheathing stem at base; grass-like and linear. Stem: Supports flower raceme; smooth; slightly sticky because of glands and short hairs. Height: 10 - 50 cm. Habitat: Lime-rich or calcareous areas that are inundated with water each season, such as river edges, shallow rocky areas in rivers that are exposed during low water, ledges, marly bogs. General Interest: This is not a common wildflower. The species name glutinosa refers to the sticky, glandular hairs on the stem beneath the flower clusters. Location: Marten Falls First Nation - Albany River  Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
False Asphodel plant. Also in the picture is blue Brook Lobelia and Red Osier Dogwood. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002 Return to List
	Fireweed, also know as Great Willow Herd Flower: Pink to red; 4 roundish petals, drooping buds, red seed pods point upward. The seeds fill the air floating on silky plume of white hairs; June to September. Leaves: Alternate; up to 20 cm long, lance-shaped; short-stemmed; July - September. Stem: Reddish, single, smooth, tall, hairless. Height: 60-180 cm. Habitat: Burned-over areas, fields, meadows, edges of forests. General Interest: This is one of the first wildflowers to grow in areas burned by fire, hence its name. The flowers start to open at the bottom of the stem. By the time the upper flowers are in bloom, the lower ones have developed a seedpod and started to go to seed. The seedpods are distinctive, up to 6 cm long, reddish brown, and angle upward. Each seedpod is filled with rows of downy seeds that become airborne when the seedpods dry and split open. Fireweed is the floral emblem of Yukon. Location: Marten Falls First Nation Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Golden ragwort Members of the Sunflower Family. The ripened seeds are plumed with soft, white hair. This accounts for the name senecio, from senex, meaning an old man. Flower: Yellow; daisy-like flower heads in flat-topped clusters; 2 cm wide; 8-12 ray flowers and central disk flowers; June-July. Leaves: Basal leaves 1-15 cm long, heart-shaped, with long stalks and rounded teeth; upper stem leaves 2-9 cm long and lobed. Stem: Erect, branched, usually furrowed. Height: 30-60 cm. Habitat: In cracks in limestone pavement adjacent to Lake Huron, but also in wet meadows, swamps, and moist woods. Location: Marten Falls First Nation - Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Golden ragwort flowers. Location: Marten Falls First Nation - Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Goldenrod - uncertain which variety. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Hemp dogbane; perennial herb; also known as Hemp Dogbane, Prairie Dogbane, Claspingleaf dogbane, Velvet dogbane, Amy-root, and Indian Hemp. Family: Dogbane (Apocynaceae) Flower: White to greenish-white; up to 0.5 cm long; urn-shaped, 5-lobed, with 5 triangular parts alternate with the stamens; stamens attached at base of tube; fragrant; June - July Leaves: Opposite; < 5-8 cm blade; lower leaves have stems while the upper leaves may not; leaf blades are ovate or lanceolate; leaves on main stem have stalks, while leaves on branches often do not have stalks. Stem: Ascending to erect; often reddish; branches from the axils; up to 1.5 m tall. Height: Up to 150 cm. Habitat: Open sites and waste areas and along open or wooded streambanks and pond edges. Interest: The seed pod is shaped like a smooth, curved green bean. The brownish husk splits open to allow silky seeds to escape. A thick milky juice exudes from any broken portion of the plant, and is considered poisonous. Fibres made from Indian Hemp twine was used to make fishing lines, nets, deer nets, pouches and bags, quilts and clothing, slings for hunting small game, nooses for snaring game birds, hide stretchers, moccasins, clothing, woven bedding for baby cradles, and tump lines. Return to List	Location: Marten Falls First Nation - Albany River Date: July 26, 2002.
	Indian Hemp plant. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Spotted Joe-Pye weed Flower: Purple to pink; flat-topped clusters 15-20 cm wide; up to 22 flower heads; disc florets, no ray flowers; late summer. Leaves: Whorls that are lance-shaped, 6-20 cm long, 2-10 cm wide; 1 central main vein, toothed; whorls of 3 to 7; have vanilla-like sent. Stem: Spotted with purple or solid purple tinge; hollow. Height: 1-3 m. Habitat: Streambanks, marshes, lake sides, moist open woods. Folklore: The common name reportedly comes from an American Indian named Joe Pye who used the plant to cure typhus fever. Also known as gravelroot or Queen of the meadow. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Lance-leaved paintbrush; parasitic; annual to biennial; also known as Indian Paintbrush, Red Indian Paintbrush, Harsh Paintbrush, Cliff Paintbrush, Small-flowered Paintbrush, Painted Cup. Flower: White bracts; the color comes from dense, bright bracts that surround the actual flower; the actual flower is a narrow yellow tube about 0.5 cm  long and greenish-yellow that occur in the center of the inflorescence - you may never actually see them; June - July. Leaves: Basal leaves 2-7 cm long, in rosettes, elliptic, untoothed; stem leaves are stalkless, divided into narrow segments. Stem: Erect; bears terminal coloured bracts and hidden flowers. Height: 30 - 60 cm. Habitat: Streambanks, open woods, roadsides Folklore: The Paintbrush figures in a Native American legend. A  young brave tried to paint the sunset with his warpaints. He grew frustrated because he could not match the natural brilliance of the sky. He asked the Great Spirit for guidance. The Great Spirit gave him paintbrushes covered with the needed colors. The brave then painted his masterpiece. When finished, he left the used brushes in fields. These brushes sprouted the Paintbrush flowers that we admire. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Northern Bedstraw; perennial; also known as Sweet Woodruff. Flower: White; 3 mm wide; 4-lobed; the 4 petals on the flower are shaped like tiny crosses; in dense terminal clusters; sweet scented; May - August. Leaves: In whorls of 4 (each group encircles the stem); lance-shaped; 2-6 cm long, 2-6 mm wide with 3 veins. Stem: Erect, hairless, straight, unbranched or branched, square. Height: 20-60 cm. Habitat: Rocky or gravel-rich areas along shorelines and clearings. Interest: The roots were used to make a red dye. The plants were used to stuff mattresses. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Northern bedstraw flower. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Northern Wormwood; perennial or perennial herbaceous plant; belongs to the genus Artemisia, a group consisting of 180 species. Flower: Yellow; spike-like with numerous small yellowish tubular flowers; June - August. Leaves: Alternate; covered with silk hairs; basal leaves to 10 cm in length and dissected into mostly linear segments; upper leaves smaller and not divided; usually odorless when leaves are crushed. Stem: Woody at base; erect. Height: Up to 30 cm. Habitat: Various, including dry arid areas on basalt, cobble or sand in flat terrain that supports the shrub-steppe vegetation. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Wild pea; perennial. Flower: Purple, violet, or pinkish; 1-3 cm long; in clusters; June - September. Leaves: Alternate; on stalks; compound with 2 - 5 pairs; opposite leaflets; leaflets egg-shaped to lance-shaped; 2-8 cm long; 3-20 mm wide. Stem: 10-120 cm long; climbing; generally "winged". Height: 20-60 cm. Habitat: Moist, opens areas such as shorelines, marshes, damp meadows, and clearings. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Wild pea flower. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Rush aster Flower: White; 20-50 rays, 7-15 mm long; cream-coloured or yellowish core of disk flowers; flower head is 1-2 cm across; July - September. Leaves: Linear, very narrow or grass-like, 206 mm wide, alternate. Stem: Slender, erect, branched towards the top. Height: 30 - 80 cm. Habitat: Springs, fens, seepage areas, wet meadows and boggy places, typically where the soil remains saturated all year Distinctive: Grass-like leaves and small, aster flower. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Rush aster flower. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Water Parsnip Flower: White; numerous clusters of very small (3-4 mm wide) white flowers; in flat-topped, 3-12 cm wide clusters or umbrels at tips of stems; August - September. Leaves: Alternate, once divided with 7-17 toothed leaflets; leaflets are 5-10 cm long. Stem: Solitary and grooved. Height: Up to 2 m tall. Habitat: Marshes, swamps, and ditches and along lakeshores, rivers, and streams. Often the plant occurs in the water. Other: Water parsnip is very similar to water hemlocks, which are very poisonous. Water hemlock has twice-divided leaves. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Water parsnip flower. Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	Wild Mint or Water Mint Flower: The flowers are pale lavender; whorls in axils of leaves. Leaves: Ovate, opposite, 2-8 cm long, toothed, often with a purple colour; pairs at right angles to each other. (July - September) Stem: Square, slightly to densely hairy. Height: 0.2-0.8 m. Other: Alien plant; perennial; prefers the edges of wet areas. Language of Flowers: Means "virtue". Source Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Potentilla, shrubby; botanical name for a group of hardy perennials and shrubs; is the only shrubby species among the cinquefoils. Flower: Yellow; saucer-shaped; June to September. Leaves: Smooth-edged; compound with 3 - 7 leaflets, but generally 5, hence the name "cinquefoil";  Stem: Woody shrub; the bark is reddish-brown and shreds easily. Height: up to 1 m. Habitat: Hot and dry locations or moist partial shade areas, such as alvars, open fields, edges of rivers, and rocky areas. Interest: "Potentilla" means potent. Historically, the entire plant can be gathered as medicine to reduce inflammation of gums and tonsils, the tannin was used in the tanning of leathers, and the plant was used to stop the flow of blood when applied directly to open cuts; also used as a fever-reducing agent. The leaves have been used to make tea. Potentilla is a popular "home gardener" shrub because it is easy to grow, showy, is low maintenance and is tolerates dry conditions. Return to list
Prickly Wild Rose; deciduous shrub. Flower: Pink, saucer-shaped; 5 petals, 2-3 cm long; solitary or few in terminal clusters; June - July. Leaves: Alternate, stalkless or on short stalk; 5-7 leaflets; egg-shaped; widest below middle; pointed to rounded tip; 2 - 5 cm long; sharply toothed margins. Stem: Covered by prickles; branchlets are reddish-purple; thorns on older branches. Height: Up to 1 m. Fruit: Bright red rose hips, up to 2 cm long; usually solitary; August - October. Habitat: Margins of fields, open forests, rocky outcrops, roadsides, open sunny areas, edges of lakes or meadows. Interest 1: In ancient times, the wild rose was considered sacred. The Greeks and Romans used wild rose as the crowning ornament of their feasts. In the lays of troubadours, rose and nightingale were united in songs addressed to "fair women". This is perhaps the origin of the use of the rose to symbolize love. Location: Marten Falls First Nation Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
	White Yarrow; also known as thousand-leaf, bloodwort, milfoil, fernweed, soldier's woundwort, carpenter's weed, nosebleed; native to North America; perennial, reproducing by seed and by spreading rootstalks. Flower: White, 5-ray petals that surround tiny yellow to light cream-coloured disc florets, each flower head is 3-5 mm across; occur as independent and terminal round or flat-topped clusters; clusters are 6-30 cm across;  June to October. Leaves: Alternate, 4-15 cm long; divided 2 to 3 times into numerous narrow feather- or fern-like segments; woolly, bluish green; stem leaves are reduced in size upwards; smells very nice (aromatic). Stem: smooth to woolly. Height: up to 1 m. Habitat: Meadows, fields, waste areas, roadsides. General Interest: The plant may have been named after the Greek person Achilles. In Greek mythology it is said to have been used by Achilles to heal his warriors during the battle of Troy - hence the name "Achillea". In Anglo-Saxon times it was used as a charm to ward off evil and illness - and as a treatment for wounds, much as Achilles used it, giving it a common name for the period of 'Soldier's Wound-Wort'. Yarrow has been used to stop bleeding by inserting leaves into the nostrils of wounded soldiers. Druids used Yarrow to predict seasonal weather. In Chinese legends, Yarrow was used to predict the future. Language of Flowers: Yarrow means "cure for heartache". Source Location: Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List
Yellow sweet clover; biennial herb; mature, 2nd-year plants are bushy. Flower:Tiny yellow flowers in slender, cylindrical spike clusters; individual flowers are 6 mm long; spikes are 15 cm long; flowers are crowded densely on the top 10 cm of an elongated stem;  younger flowers emerge nearest to the tip; June - October. Leaves: Compound; alternate; each leaflet up to 2.5 cm long; 3 leaflets per leaf; lanceolate to ovate; toothed; tripart, fragrant. Stem: Smooth, loosely branched. Height: 60 - 150 cm. Seeds: Seed pods are small, egg-shaped to round, inflated, and contain 1 to 4 seeds. Habitat: Grows well in direct sunlight and in partial shade, but it cannot tolerate dense shade. Common places include roadsides, abandoned fields, railroad ballasts, pastures and any unflooded, open natural community such as a prairie. Interest: Yellow sweet clover is an aromatic plant, but is a  member of the pea (legume) family. It is not not a true clover. Location: Marten Falls First Nation, Albany River Date: July 26, 2002. Return to List

Page Created By:		Date last modified:
Andy Fyon		May 13, 2007

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