Thursday, May 10, 2018
Great-tailed Grackles 2018
It’s May 5 2018 and the great tailed grackles have returned to Topeka for the breeding season. They are not common in the county and the only reliable place I know to find them is along highway 24 west of highway 75 in an industrial area with ponds, trees, and turf grass – their preferred habitat. The great-tailed grackle has been increasing its range as it benefits from agriculture and urban areas. The male is an iridescent purple and black with a large tail. The female is much smaller than the males and are drab brown with a pale underside. Males and females have yellow eyes.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Kansas Plant Identification Books
About Kansas Plant Identification Guides
Since using the Kansas Native Plant Society Facebook Group I've noticed lots of people needing help with plant identification. There are plenty of web resources but I really think guide books are important to HAVE, READ, and USE. That said, I put together this list of books about KANSAS plants with links to purchase them from Amazon. All links to products are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps support my Guide to Kansas Native Plants website and allows me to continue to add new content. Thank you for the support!The Kansas Native Plant Society (KNPS) is an organization dedicated to our wildflowers, grasses, trees and other plants found in Kansas. The following books are used by many of its members to identify various plants. And three of the books were authored by current Board members of KNPS!
Field Guide to the Common Grasses of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska
The Field Guide to the Common Grasses of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska
is written by KNPS's Iralee Barnard. There are multiple images for each species such as closeups of grass parts like the blades, ligules, spikelets, nodes, and roots. Almost all of the images have a dark background so you can make out the details. If you have ever tried to photograph a grass in the field you will see the importance of this characteristic. Another bonus of the book is a United States range map for each grass. I especially love the illustrations of grass floral parts. Every prairie enthusiasts should add this book to their library.
is written by KNPS's Iralee Barnard. There are multiple images for each species such as closeups of grass parts like the blades, ligules, spikelets, nodes, and roots. Almost all of the images have a dark background so you can make out the details. If you have ever tried to photograph a grass in the field you will see the importance of this characteristic. Another bonus of the book is a United States range map for each grass. I especially love the illustrations of grass floral parts. Every prairie enthusiasts should add this book to their library.Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas: A Field Guide
The Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas: A Field Guide
is written by another KNPS member: Mike Haddock. The book is divided into 4 color coded sections for wildflowers and 2 sections for grasses and grass-like plants. Each plant is accompanied by one color image and a description that includes scientific name, family, common names(s), flowering period, height, distribution and habitat, life span, basic morphological characteristics, and comments. Every person who wants to identify any of our common wildflowers and grasses will want to include this book in their collection. The book's companion website is Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses.
is written by another KNPS member: Mike Haddock. The book is divided into 4 color coded sections for wildflowers and 2 sections for grasses and grass-like plants. Each plant is accompanied by one color image and a description that includes scientific name, family, common names(s), flowering period, height, distribution and habitat, life span, basic morphological characteristics, and comments. Every person who wants to identify any of our common wildflowers and grasses will want to include this book in their collection. The book's companion website is Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses.Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines in Kansas
The guide, Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines in Kansas
was published in 1969 but is still relevant today. The book covers 114 common trees, shrubs, and woody vines of Kansas. The images are in black and white but include multiple pictures of each plant. You will find images of leaves, bark, buds, twigs, flowers, and fruit. Each species account includes a Kansas county range map with dots representing known county records. Included for each plant is a description of the leaves, flowers, fruit, twigs, and trunk. If you are trying to identify woody plants in Kansas, this book will be an important resource.
was published in 1969 but is still relevant today. The book covers 114 common trees, shrubs, and woody vines of Kansas. The images are in black and white but include multiple pictures of each plant. You will find images of leaves, bark, buds, twigs, flowers, and fruit. Each species account includes a Kansas county range map with dots representing known county records. Included for each plant is a description of the leaves, flowers, fruit, twigs, and trunk. If you are trying to identify woody plants in Kansas, this book will be an important resource.Field Guide to the Common Weeds of Kansas
The Field Guide to the Common Weeds of Kansas
focuses on 201 plants that thrive in disturbed places or are conspicuous plants. It also includes poisonous plants. Illustrations are used instead of pictures. This is helpful because many of the plants in this book do NOT have showy flowers and are better represented by drawings. A useful feature is that a Kansas county range map is included for each plant. Plants are ordered by plant family but the book includes an index of plants grouped by similar characteristics such as grass-like or with milky sap. When identifying weedy plants this would be a good guide to consult.
focuses on 201 plants that thrive in disturbed places or are conspicuous plants. It also includes poisonous plants. Illustrations are used instead of pictures. This is helpful because many of the plants in this book do NOT have showy flowers and are better represented by drawings. A useful feature is that a Kansas county range map is included for each plant. Plants are ordered by plant family but the book includes an index of plants grouped by similar characteristics such as grass-like or with milky sap. When identifying weedy plants this would be a good guide to consult.Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds
Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds
is authored by KNPS members Mike Haddock and Craig Freeman as well as Janet Bare, the author of the 1979 Wildflowers and Weeds of Kansas. The book is a comprehensive guide to all of the plants of Kansas with the exception of grasses, grass-like plants, and most woody plants. The book includes descriptions of 1163 species and 742 color photographs. Each genus includes a botanical key to the genus in Kansas. This is NOT a guide you would carry in the field but is a necessary element to anyone's plant identification library.
is authored by KNPS members Mike Haddock and Craig Freeman as well as Janet Bare, the author of the 1979 Wildflowers and Weeds of Kansas. The book is a comprehensive guide to all of the plants of Kansas with the exception of grasses, grass-like plants, and most woody plants. The book includes descriptions of 1163 species and 742 color photographs. Each genus includes a botanical key to the genus in Kansas. This is NOT a guide you would carry in the field but is a necessary element to anyone's plant identification library.
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