Images from the various remnants and restorations of tall grass prairies in the Midwest states. This includes not only the grasses found there, but wild flowers and wildlife. Everything from closeups to landscapes.

For now, the pictures are largely winter scenes from the prairie restoration at Secor Park, Toledo, Ohio.
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arctangent > Last year's leaf...prairie dock.
arctangent > This year's leaf, on its way to polkadotdom...prairie dock. Notice that the white dots have already developed in the still yellow parts of the leaf, before the brown color develops. I wonder what makes those white dots...it's very strange. This was the only leaf I saw that had reached this transitional stage. Sorry about the smudge from a leaf (upper right) that was too close to be in focus. I had to hold the cameral at an awkward angle to get as clear a shot as this...
arctangent > Prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum). Easily the tallest composite that blooms on the tall grass prairie, with stalks up to 10 ft tall. In winter the large basal leaves take on a fascinating appearance, including a rich dark color and a polka-dot pattern. The stalk seen here towers over even the tallest of the tall grasses. For a good discussion of this plant, see for example, http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/pr_dockx.htm
arctangent > Typical "buttons" of prairie dock seedheads forming high in the air. Prairie dock is related to Compass Plant and Cup Plant, but has distinctive unmistakable leaves. The flowers themselves might easily be confused.
arctangent > Prairie dock closeup. Not all the blooms are 10 feet in the air, fortunately for the poor photographer!
arctangent > Hello, sunshine. A bloom of prairie dock just beginning to develop the sexual organs of the flower center.
arctangent > Prairie dock turned to face the sun.
arctangent > Prairie dock bloom with backlighting.
arctangent > Leaf, prairie dock, from last year. The huge basal leaves typically curl when they dry, exposing what once was the under side as the upper side, with its characteristic speckled or polka-dot patterning.
Last year's leaf...prairie dock.
> Last year's leaf...prairie dock.
Last year's leaf...prairie dock.
Gallery pages:  1  2  3  4  5  >  
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