Prospect Hill Trail walk

4.29.12    Chokecherries that have been cut back in the clearing at the top of the hill are starting to blossom at a height of two feet.  The clusters of blossoms will become drooping clusters of shiny red  fruit in the fall.  Foliage and flowers have a distinctive sweet-sour aroma.  Birds eat the fruit and scatter the seeds. 

                On the way back down the trail, we encountered numerous clusters of Long-spurred Violets (Viola rostrata).  Unlike the great spurred violet, these are "stemmed" violets: leaves and flowers arise from the same stalk.  There is no bearding on any of the petals of this violet.  Beards: short, stiff hair-like protrusions may appear variously on one or more petals near the throat of the flower and are said to assist pollinating insects in getting nectar or to prevent rain or dew from entering and diluting the nectar.  The beardless Long-spurred violets turn their heads toward the ground at night and on cloudy days, thus avoiding moisture.