Tag Archive | American Beech Tree
Beechdrops at the Morgan Arboretum
Physical Description Beechdrops (Epifagus virginiana) are annual flowering plants which parasitize beech tree roots all over Eastern North America. They completely lack chlorophyll and have smooth, brownish stems and branches that reach a height of about 30cm (Musselman, 1982). During our own observations, they were very easy to miss under all the autumn leaf litter, […]
Shelf Fungus Diversity and Tree Health at the Morgan Arboretum
The importance of shelf fungi in the St-Lawrence lowlands Polypores (also known as Shelf fungi and Bracket fungi) are found across North America, anywhere woody plants are present (Gilbertson, 1980). They usually grow on fallen logs, stumps, dead branches and even living trees whose bark has been breached and begins to decay (Roberts and […]
Wild Ginger Within the Morgan Arboretum
Wild ginger is an understory perennial that grows up to 6 inches tall at maturity. It springs from an underground network of rhizomes and forms dark green, heart-shaped leaves about 3 inches in diameter. The clonal growth forms a mat of wild ginger that covers the ground, which prevents other seedlings from growing within the […]
Bark Bugs: Saproxylic Invertebrates in the Morgan Arboretum
Invertebrates are a broad category of animals characterized by the lack of a backbone. Surprisingly and most often unknown is the fact that invertebrates amount to a staggering 95%-99% of all animal species (Encyclopedia of Science, 2002). This assorted group includes insects, spiders, crustaceans, and mollusks, all of which are also ectothermic (cold-blooded). Such a […]
Beech Bark Disease
The American Beech Tree The American Beech, by its scientific name Fagus grandifolia, is a deciduous tree native from Nova Scotia. F. grandifolia holds an important role in forestry since its nuts constitute an element of the diet of several species, including humans. Furthermore, due to its hard, heavy and strong wood, Beech trees are […]
The St. Lawrence Lowlands 