Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

Home
Northeast School of Botanical Medicine
7Song
Resources
- Handouts and Articles
- Videos
Photo Gallery
Contact
Facebook – School
Facebook – 7Song

Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

Home
7Song
Resources
- Handouts and Articles
- Videos
Photo Gallery
Contact

SCHOOL | 7SONG | | Blog

Skunk Cabbage

November 6, 2017 by 7Song

Soldier Orchid
Winged Elm

Additional Information:

Scientific Name: Symplocarpus foetidus

Common Name: Skunk cabbage

Family: Skunk cabbage

Common Name: Araceae

Locale: McLean bog

Specific Region: McLean,NY

Description: Symplocarpus melting snow as it flowers

Date: March 30,2005

Return to Photo Gallery

No Widgets

"Secondary" needs some widgets.

This is a Fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria).

This is a Fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria). It is likely variety guessowii based on the concentric rings toward the bottom of the stalk. The inset is a younger version of the mushroom that recently emerged. I think they have a melted gloopy look.
The common name and the species both allude to how this fungus was used as an insecticide to kill flies. There are several ways that this was done. The goal is for the fly to come to the preparation, eat it, and then die. A sort of deadly fly trap. Some sources describe powdering the mushroom and putting it into milk for this purpose. They are quite an exotic looking organism.
McLean Bog, McLean, NY. September 18, 2021

Moonancholy The full moon is bittersweet to me. I

Moonancholy
The full moon is bittersweet to me. I adore its beauty, its effervescence. Full moon nights hold a specialness, separating them from other nights.
And yet, they also hold a suggestion of my mortality within them.
I look up and think about how many full moons I have lived through, and how many more I have to go. I start to think about all the people who have transversed in my life. Those who are still here and those who have faded into the misty background of my mind.
I don’t know if I have always been this moonancholy, but it seems to build as the years grow. I don’t mind. I don’t live for happiness, but rather to try and understand myself better, and how I fit into this wholly complex world.
There are times of upliftment, there are dizzying downturns, but they are all a part of my somewhat awkward journey.
Fortunately, I have met many a fine person, and for them, I am greatly appreciative.
~7Song, Ithaca, NY. September 19, 2021

This is the larval stage of the Asian lady beetle

This is the larval stage of the Asian lady beetle (Ladybug). The inset shows an adult pair mating.
I find insect metamorphosis fascinating, alternating one's shape dramatically to fit into their environment.

Autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellata, Elaeagnaceae) Th

Autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellata, Elaeagnaceae)
This is a shrub in which I have a multifaceted relationship. It is a non-native and can be quite invasive displacing many native plants. But it has (to my taste buds) very toothsome sour fruits. Which are lepidote, meaning covered in silvery scales.
You can see the word relationship with Lepidoptera, the order of insects that include butterflies and moths, both of which have scales on their wings.
The underside of the leaves is also very lepidote, and the shrub can be seen from a distance due to this silver flagging.
So, while I do remove these plants from where I live, and would not recommend anyone planting them, I still appreciate their tasty fruits and shiny foliage. Gesundheit Institute, Hillsboro, WV. September 14, 2021.

The underside of an Orchard spider. I really like

The underside of an Orchard spider. I really like its shiny green-iness. West Virginia, July 2021

Another find at the Gesundheit Institute, a Giant

Another find at the Gesundheit Institute, a Giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea), modeled for us by kTreez. September 14, 2021.

Follow on Instagram

Join Our Newsletter

Signup for our newsletter and stay up to date with events, news, education, and more!

Quick Resources

School Application
Video Gallery
Photo Gallery
Blog

Contact Information

7Song, Director
P.O. Box 6626
Ithaca, NY 14851

607-539-7172
7Songsevensong@gmail.com

© 2017 Northeast School of Botanical Medicine - All rights reserved • Website Design And Development by Flourish Design Studio, Ithaca New York

PageLines