Unit IV Kansas Plants: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines Information - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

About This Presentation
Title:

Unit IV Kansas Plants: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines Information

Description:

Unit IV Kansas Plants: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines Information Trees, Shrubs and Vines Eastern Kansas is the boundary between eastern deciduous forest and the ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:286
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 77
Provided by: kabtOrgw
Learn more at: https://www.kabt.org
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Unit IV Kansas Plants: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines Information


1
Unit IV Kansas PlantsTrees, Shrubs and Woody
Vines Information
2
Trees, Shrubs and Vines
  • Eastern Kansas is the boundary between eastern
    deciduous forest and the tallgrass prairie.
  • There are many different types of forest
    ecosystems, just as there are many different
    types of prairie ecosystems.
  • The main forest community in eastern Kansas is
    the oak-hickory forest. These are the largest
    and most predominant trees here.
  • We will focus here on trees that are very common
    in eastern Kansas, and that can also be found in
    riparian areas of western Kansas.
  • Riparian is the forested area along streams and
    rivers.
  • Western Kansas does not have many trees, but
    there is good riparian habitat along the
    waterways, and many of these trees can be found
    along the streams and rivers as you move west.

3
Trees, cont.
  • Tree identification the easiest way is to look
    at the leaf. (the bark and overall height and
    shape are also valuable for identification)
  • Leaf shape
  • Oval, heart-shaped, oblong, lance-shaped, etc.
  • Leaf margin (edge)
  • Smooth, serrated (toothed), lobed, etc.
  • Whether it is simple or compound
  • Simple, pinnately compound or palmately compound.
  • Where the leaf attaches to the branch you will
    find a fatter part of the leaf stem called the
    petiole. Look for this petiole, and you will
    be able to tell where the actual leaf begins. On
    compound leaves, the entire structure from the
    petiole to the tip is one leaf, and each blade is
    called a leaflet. Leaflets do not have a
    petiole.

4
Trees with simple leaves
Simple leaf with serrated margin
Simple leaf with lobes
Simple leaf with smooth margin (edge)
5
Trees with compound leaves
Pinnately compound leafall leaflets are attached
to a central shaft. (The leaf begins where my
index finger is. This is the petiole attached to
the branch).
Palmately compound leafall leaflets are joined
in center.
Bi-pinnately (or double-pinnately) compound
leafleaflets are pinnately compound and attached
to a central shaft.
6
Trees with Simple Leaves
7
Black Willow
8
Black Willow
  • Long narrow serrated leaves
  • Trunk usually leans instead of growing erect.
  • Lives at edges of ponds and streams in Kansas
  • Inner bark layer of willow trees contains
    salicylic acid, the original active ingredient in
    aspirin and where aspirin as a medication was
    derived from.
  • Native Americans used to make a tea out of willow
    bark which they used for the same purposes that
    we use aspirin.

9
Osage Orange (Hedge Apple)
10
Osage Orange (Hedge Apple)
11
Osage Orange
  • Locally called the hedge-apple tree
  • Produces the large, green hedge apples
  • Has small thorns all over the branches
  • Planted by people and bird/animal droppings along
    fences as a windbreak. People have planted this
    tree as a windbreak (hence the term hedge row)
    since the Dust Bowl era in order to help prevent
    wind erosion.

12
Mulberry
13
Mulberry
14
Mulberry
  • Note the variation in leaf shapesome leaves are
    heart-shaped with serrated edges, and many leaves
    have one to several deep lobes. All leaves have
    a serrated edge.
  • Flowers in May when the leaves emerge.
  • Fruits in May and June, with a blackberry-type
    fruit that is red when immature and blackish
    purple when mature. They are very good to eat!
  • Many animals eat the fruits of Mulberries.

15
Elm sp.
16
Elm sp.
  • Several species of Elm trees occur in Kansas, and
    the American elm used to be the most common.
  • Many American Elm trees died in this country in
    the last 50 years due to Dutch Elm disease, a
    fungal disease which was spread by elm bark
    beetles. American Elm trees are still getting
    sick and dying from this disease, and resistant
    hybrids are trying to be cultivated.
  • Various species of Elm trees, along with
    remaining American Elms, can still be found
    throughout Kansas.

17
Dogwood
18
Dogwood
19
Dogwood
20
Dogwood
  • Smaller, under-story tree
  • Grows in dense thickets along roadsides, streams,
    fences, woodland edge
  • Excellent for controlling erosion
  • Slowly and carefully, split a leaf horizontally
    and you can slowly pull the two halves apart and
    you will see cottony fibers where the veins are.
    Only dogwoods do this.
  • There are ornamental varieties of dogwoods
    because they have very pretty flowers and leaves
    turn nice colors in fall. Very hardy.

21
Cottonwood
22
Cottonwood
  • Kansas State Tree
  • Fast-growing tree and becomes massive
  • Leaf is triangle-shaped and has a flat stem, and
    makes a lot of noise in the windsounds like
    rain.
  • In June, the females of this tree produce the
    huge clouds of cotton fluff that you can see
    floating around in the wind. There are very
    small seeds attached to the fluff and this is how
    cottonwoods are dispersed.
  • Turns a beautiful golden yellow in fall.

23
Sycamore
24
Sycamore
25
Sycamore
  • The sycamore has large, broad leaves with pointed
    lobes.
  • Bark peels away to reveal the white trunk and
    branches.
  • Has pendant fruit balls hanging off by October.
  • One of the largest trees in Kansas, and it grows
    usually along streams and rivers in the eastern
    half of the state.

26
Red Oak
27
Red Oak
  • Tapered lobes ending in a point on the leaves
  • Acorns about size of penny
  • Wood is good quality and often used in
    woodworking furniture or finish work in homes.
  • This is also a popular landscaping tree and is
    found in many suburban yards.

28
Hackberry
Leafnotice the base of the leaf is uneven. This
makes ID easy.
29
Hackberry
Barknotice how deep the bark appears.
30
Hackberry
  • Narrow leaves with long, tapered tips and teeth
    all around dark purple berries and warty bark.
  • Very common tree in Kansas, often near water but
    can be found anywhere.

31
Maple sp.
32
Maple sp.
33
Maple sp.
  • Acer is the genus, and there are several Maple
    species found in Kansas such as silver maple and
    sugar maple (eastern border).
  • All species have a simple leaf with deep lobes,
    usually with five points.
  • Popular landscaping tree genus because the leaves
    turn such beautiful colors in the fall, ranging
    from bright reds to oranges and yellows.
  • Economically important because maple is a wood
    used for furniture and cabinetry. Sugar maples
    are the trees that provide the sap for maple
    syrup.

34
Eastern Red Cedar
35
Eastern Red Cedar
With berries
36
Eastern Red Cedar
  • The only native evergreen in Kansas
  • Planted as a wind barrier and is very effective
  • Spreads rapidly on prairie and is difficult to
    control.
  • Highly flammable. NOT for use as a Christmas
    treehas volatile oils that ignite and burn hot
    and fast.
  • Wood used for fence posts, chests, closet
    linings, and pencils. The oil from the tree is
    distilled for use in soaps, perfumes and
    cleaners.

37
Redbud
38
Redbud
39
Redbud
  • Unmistakable in spring, with bright purple
    flowers like a pea flower, heart-shaped leaves.
  • Common in eastern Kansas
  • Ornamental tree for landscaping because if its
    smaller size and very pretty pink flowers that
    cover the branches in spring.
  • Beautiful, but somewhat delicate. Breaks easily
    if people climb or swing on it.

40
Trees with Compound Leaves
41
Black Walnut
42
Black Walnut
  • Long, pinnately-compound leaves
  • Fruit is about the size of a golf ball, green
    then turns black, with a thick husk. The nuts
    inside are edible. Drop from trees in October.
  • Common in eastern Kansas. Most large trees have
    been harvested for lumber.
  • Wood is dark brown, used for furniture and
    musical instruments, and is very beautiful.

43
Smooth Sumac
44
Smooth Sumac
45
Smooth Sumac
  • Small tree, generally found about 6 feet tall, in
    large clumps of sumac trees.
  • The large clumps of sumac trees are actually all
    the same individual that has put up many little
    trees.
  • Leaves have a local anesthetic in them. You can
    chew them up and spit them out (they taste
    terribledont eat!) and your mouth will be numb
    for awhile.
  • Berries in the fall, when red, are very tasty to
    suck on and then spit out (bitter if chewed up).
    You can also steep the berries in hot water and
    make a tea that tastes like the fruit. Can add
    sugar.

46
Honey Locust
Notice the extremely long thorns that cover the
branches and trunk. Most of these in the picture
are about 4 long.
47
Honey Locust
48
Honey Locust
  • Large pinnately compound leaves
  • Long twisted brown bean pods, flat, about 1 inch
    wide and 10 inches long. Can vary in lengths.
  • VERY thorny barkcannot miss the thorns that can
    exceed 6 inches in length! Thorns are found in
    clumps all over the tree.
  • First tree to grow on prairie near
    forestinitiates the invasion of prairie by
    forest.
  • Some birds, like the Loggerhead Shrike, will use
    the thorns to save prey items. Once in a while
    you can find small lizards, mice, birds or frogs
    impaled on thorns.

49
Shrubs with Simple Leaves
50
Yucca
51
Yucca (a.k.a. Soapweed)
  • Liliaceae, the Lily family.
  • 2-10 tall.
  • Stout stem rises from rigid, sword-like leaves.
  • Flowers are 1.5 across, white.
  • Typical of southwestern deserts, but they are
    also found across Kansas.
  • Large petals are edible and are sometimes added
    to salads.

52
Buckbrush (Coralberry)
53
Buckbrush (Coralberry)
54
Buckbrush (Coralberry)
  • Also called Coralberry
  • Grows in low (3 feet high) patches in open
    pastures or open woods.
  • Has clusters of purple-red fruits that remain on
    plant all winter (too waxy for most birds, except
    Yellow-rumped warbler)
  • Very common and spreads quickly

55
Shrubs with Compound Leaves
56
Poison Ivy
57
Poison Ivy
58
Poison Ivy rash after two days
59
Poison Ivy
  • Can grow as a shrub (with compound leaves) or as
    a vine!!!
  • Three, mitten-shaped leaves sometimes with a red
    center where leaves all meet.
  • Vines are hairy and can contain the oils even
    when dead. Dont ever burn firewood that has the
    hairy vinesoils can get in smoke, and then your
    eyes and lungs.
  • Most people will react to the oils on leaves.
  • Leaves have different amounts of oils at
    different times, so it is possible not to get
    poison ivy sometimes, and get it others.
  • Peppermint soap and oatmeal soap both help dry
    and soothe the itch from poison ivy.
  • If you know you touch it, you have about 20
    minutes to wash the affected area of your skin to
    wash off oils.

60
Vines
61
Bittersweet
62
Bittersweet
63
Bittersweet
64
Bittersweet
  • Climbing vine, often along roadsides and near
    woodland edges
  • Simple, alternate, deciduous leaves
  • Fruits covered by an orange coat which splits
    into three sections
  • Fruits open in late September, exposing brilliant
    red seed cover
  • Often taken by humans for decoration- but only
    take short side branches instead of main stem,
    which will kill the plant

65
Bristly Greenbriar
Stem is covered with very sharp thorns.
66
Bristly Greenbriar
Stem is covered with very sharp thorns.
67
Bristly Greenbriar
  • Simple, broadly egg-shaped leaves with 5 main
    veins that are obvious to the observer.
  • Vine that grows in the woods and along fence rows
    in the eastern part of statevery common.
  • Note the extremely thorny, black prickles that
    cover the main stem.
  • Doesnt form dense masses, but grows long.

68
Riverbank Grape
69
Riverbank Grape
  • Very common grape vine in Kansas
  • Grows as name suggestsalong rivers and streams.
  • Smooth vine, unlike poison ivy.
  • Grapes are small and an important food source for
    fruit-eating birds.

70
Virginia Creeper
71
Virginia Creeper
72
Virginia Creeper
  • High climbing vine
  • 5 palmately compound leaflets
  • Bright red fall foliagecant miss it in the
    fall. Often seen growing on tree trunks or
    utility poles, and keeps its red leaves longer
    than the trees around it, so you can see it very
    easily in fall when other trees are bare.
  • Many people think this is poison oakwe dont
    have poison oak in Kansas.
  • Not poisonous at all.

73
Trumpet Creeper
74
Trumpet Creeper
75
Trumpet Creeper
  • High climbing vine.
  • Can grow to the top of a 20 meter tree, or sprawl
    over rocks and dirt banks.
  • Excellent for erosion control.
  • Provides great cover for animals and hummingbirds
    visit it.
  • Spreads aggressively and will dominate an area.

76
References
  • Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Kansas by H.A.
    Stepehns, 1969, University of Kansas Press
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com