White wild indigo
On June 14, Melissa took us to the Grant Woods Forest Preserve in Lake County, Illinois. Among the native flowers we saw there was Baptisia alba, known as white wild indigo. From the second photograph you can see that some of the wild indigo was mixed in with spiderworts (Tradescantia ohiensis).
© 2016 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
There is a skipper that feeds on that, a wild indigo duskywing.
Sherry Felix
July 24, 2016 at 5:32 AM
According to the butterfly book I consulted, the wild indigo duskywing frequents my area. Chances are I’ve seen it, but I’m not good at telling similar butterflies apart.
Steve Schwartzman
July 24, 2016 at 6:39 AM
Yes, and interestingly, it will also feed on crown vetch. I don’t see many instances where a native creature has adopted an invasive plant for food.
melissabluefineart
July 24, 2016 at 8:17 AM
That is an interesting point.
Steve Schwartzman
July 24, 2016 at 9:19 AM
Cool.
Sherry Felix
July 25, 2016 at 4:38 AM
There’ll be more about duskywings momentarily.
Steve Schwartzman
July 25, 2016 at 4:45 AM
Beautifully done Steve.
Pete Hillman's Nature Photography
July 24, 2016 at 6:52 AM
Thanks. I was the metaphorical kid in a candy store up there in a new part of nature.
Steve Schwartzman
July 24, 2016 at 6:58 AM
Loving white flowers as I do, of course this one appeals. It’s a striking plant, and the background you’ve chosen for the first photo sets off the dusky gray color of the stem and receptacles perfectly.
I found Baptisia bracteata at both Nash Prairie and the Brazoria refuge this year. It’s equally lovely, with cascades of creamy yellow flowers that suggest two names I’ve heard: false yellow indigo, or cream false indigo. (There also was false yellow indigo: Baptisia sphaerocarpa.) It’s interesting that the Wildflower Center description of creamy false indigo includes this: “The velvety leaves, held in groups of five, lose their green color by late summer and change to a dark gray or black.” That’s one of those subtle species similarities that could easily go unnoticed. I wonder if the stems of all the false indigos turn gray at some point.
shoreacres
July 24, 2016 at 7:01 AM
How nice that you got baptized with your own species of Baptisia this year. In Austin I don’t seem to encounter plants in that genus, so I just looked at Bill Carr’s plant list for Travis County and found out why. He describes the Baptisia bracteata that you mentioned as being rare here. Of Baptisia sphaerocarpa he says: “Our single specimen record was apparently taken from an area of Pleistocene terrace deposits near the intersection of MoPac and W. 24th St., Austin. Small populations may be extant in open post oak woodlands on similar strata in the eastern half of the county.”
You raise a good question about the stems of false indigos. Finding out is one more project you can add to your list.
Steve Schwartzman
July 24, 2016 at 7:18 AM
I hoped to also show Steve a B. bracteata at this site, but they were already done blooming. They are extremely rare in our area, and very lovely. And you’re right, I do see their stems go black at the end of the season. I’m a big fan of indigo…I wonder whether these plants would give blue?
melissabluefineart
July 24, 2016 at 8:29 AM
Ah yes, I remember that now. If only I had the ability to be everywhere in all seasons…
Steve Schwartzman
July 24, 2016 at 9:23 AM
I love the idea of baptism by flower, Steve 🙂
melissabluefineart
July 24, 2016 at 8:29 AM
You put it well: baptism by flower. I’d been meaning to look up the reason that botanists chose this genus name, and you’ve prompted me to do that. According to Shinners and Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas, the name was coined from Greek baptis, meaning ‘dye’ or ‘dip,’ “from the economic use of some species which yield a poor indigo dye.” The ‘dip’ sense of the Greek word is clear in baptism.
Steve Schwartzman
July 24, 2016 at 9:30 AM
ah-hah. You can see how people would slide from one meaning to another.
melissabluefineart
July 25, 2016 at 3:42 PM
I can. I’m fond of sliding around in etymology.
Steve Schwartzman
July 25, 2016 at 4:27 PM
Good morning, Steve,
What’s the connection between Wild Indigo and the colour blue, if there is any? I’ve alway associated blue with Indigo. Is that colur made from wild Indigo, or from a different plant?
Have a wonderful Sunday,
Pit
Pit
July 24, 2016 at 8:55 AM
For an answer, check out the reply I just left to the previous comment. And here’s much more information about indigo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo
Steve Schwartzman
July 24, 2016 at 9:34 AM
Thanks! 🙂 Will do, and follow the link.
Pit
July 24, 2016 at 10:34 AM
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