At Scuitto Lake
On a warm summer day I traveled out to Scuitto Lake for a paddle around the lake and an exploration of the lakeshore. On the lake a number of aquatic plants were in bloom. Arumleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata) stems were above the water, with the stems and some of the leaves were floating. There are both female and male flowers. White petals surround a yellow center on the upper male flowers.
Water Smartweed (Persicaria amphibia) was abundant on our lakes and the pink knotweed flowers were above water in the shallow bays. Water parsnip was found all along the shoreline, sometimes standing in the water.
Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
And, on the shoreline were more wildflowers. Marsh Skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata) is a perennial herb which is a member of the mint family. It grows in wetland areas. Blue – purple flowers grow in pairs from the same side of the stem. Long-stalked Starwort (Stellaria longipes) also grows in damp areas in mats. Long slender stems have small white flowers, each with 5 notched petals. Epilobeum parviflorum is one of a number of similar willowherbs, each with small pink terminal flowers.
All photos taken by the author.
The paddle on the lake was about 5.7 km. It is a favorite destination. Here is a video of the outing: