Windwolf
Crex Meadows ... Host to a Multitude of Flowers and Plants
Marsh Cinquefoil
Comarum palustre -
Also known as Purple Marshlocks
This flower was common in the shallow wet areas of Crex Meadows. Getting a good photo was a bit difficult due to plant locations being out in water or at the bottom of steep muddy ditches.
I finally found some along a boardwalk behind the rest area on North Refuge Road.
The flower to the left must have just opened this day, as it is still very full of pollen.
Picture taken July 1, 2008
Due to the preferred habitat of this flower, when I found them along the boardwalk, I was attacked by many biting insects.
The flowers of the Marsh Cinquefoil attracted many insects for the pollen and nectar.
Several types of Syrphid Flies enjoyed these flowers.
Sweat bees, Cellophane bees, bumble bees were seen on these flowers across Crex Meadows.
Great numbers of Silver-bordered Fritillary butterflies were flocking over these plants along Main Dike road.
Picture taken July 1, 2008
The picture to the left is a side view of the above Marsh Cinquefoil.
Marsh cinquefoil is a low-growing, sprawling, emergent perennial with reddish stems that often float in mats on the water surface or grow along the shoreline. The stems can be 3 feet long.
The flower is a deep red to almost purple. The flowers produce a foul odor which attracts insects for pollination.
The leaf of the Marsh Cinquefoil has 3-7 sharply toothed leaflets on a long leaf stalk. The leaflets are typically 2-10 cm long, smooth and light green on the upper surface, and covered with short, stiff, white hairs on the underside.
The photo on the right was taken June 26, 2008 and shows some of the many Silver-bordered Fritillary butterflies which were covering this group of Marsh Cinquefoil at Crex Meadows.
The photo also shows the leaves of the Marsh Cinquefoil.
Potentilla palustris
Potentilla palustris var. parvifolia
Potentilla palustris var. villosa
Marsh Cinquefoil Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants | |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants | |
| Superdivision | Spermatophyta | Seed plants | |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants | |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons | |
| Subclass | Rosidae | ||
| Order | Rosales | ||
| Family | Rosaceae | Rose family | |
| Genus | Comarum L. | comarum | |
| Species | Comarum palustre | Purple Marshlocks |