Carol Ann and Roger are back for a repeat performance, leading today's SWP hike on Long Bunk Trail. Our hike starts at Sterling Gap up the Mt Sterling Trail. Mount Sterling gets its name from a vein of lead found nearby. Lead looks like silver, apparently. On the walk uphill, we see many wildflowers. Once on Long Bunk, the terrain changes a bit. We come across a big oak tree which Roger measures. A long discussion continues as to whether this is a Chestnut Oak or not. Large diameter trees tend to have bark which looks the same.
Great grouping of Trillium on a log
When we get to a stream and follow it, Trillium fields take over. I've never seem more Trillium in one place.
Bellwort
Here was have a hybridized Trillium. This was found in a field of White Trillium Erectum with one red one. So this looks like it was a white which crossed with the red and now is crossing back to white.
This annual polypore fungus grows on dead hemlocks. Thus we saw plenty over the course of the SWP. The yellowish ones are this year's new growth. I tasted one. It has a nutty flavor but a bit of a bad aftertaste. The large ones are last year's crop.
As our hike ended, we passed a wonderful display of Trillium Grandiflorum. Some of which were being pollinated by butterflies.
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