Fall color has begun!
And I got to help another botanist on this trip! Last year, Jeff Ausmus of wildflowerid.info and the In Defense of Wildflowers Facebook group contacted me on iNaturalist about narrowleaf gentian (Gentiana linearis). He's making detailed, photo-based comparison charts of species within genuses to aid with ID. He asked if I could collect and send him some seeds so he could grow some and photograph it in all stages of development from seed onward.
There's only one small population of narrowleaf gentian at the Witchwood, and last year I couldn't find it in fruit. This year I did! The population seemed pretty healthy with many seed pods, so I collected a few and sent them to him. I'm excited to see what he does with them!
I love how iNaturalist lets me connect with others I'd never have met. This is at least the third time I've gotten to help someone else with their botany project because they reached out to me there!
Finally, hey look, a bear! Caught on the trail cam: