May 2021 ILBBY Update
Snake Road sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) observed by @wildlandblogger in Union County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73570547
2021 Illinois Botany on iNat
As of the end of April 2021 we've got...
2,914 observers
38,021 Needs ID or Research Grade observations (18,694 or 51.2% Research Grade)
1,674 species (924 at Research Grade)
807 identifiers - help identify!
Leading for number of species in the Illinois Botanists Big Year (ILBBY) is still @grantfessler at 343 species. Close behind is @wildlandblogger with 336, then @adriansydor, @abelkinser, @brdnrdr, @johnhboldt, @sedge, @joelmc, @elfaulkner, and @mmasell.
Thanks a billion to @abelkinser @adriansydor @grantfessler @elfaulkner @greensnake879 @brdnrdr @davidenrique @rynxs @wildlandblogger @alex_abair @micahbowman @k2018lena @williambee @trscavo @igor_kuzmin @chartreuse @joelmc @sedge @stephsandwich @rarecatsnake @choess @batgirl @caryaovata @wetlandfan @polemoniaceae @marltrotter @evan8 @ken_j_allison @ddennism @conboy @jj_mcluckie @mjpapay @lilphoebe @joedziewa @sciencegirl02 @canelasincera @matthias55 @grazing @apgarm @tsn @jonidenker @lmdalessio @vvoelker @jillianneece1 @dennis_nyberg @taco2000 @upular @kemper @kurt170 @mmasell @evanaturalist @ashleywold @else @ryneboi @chia @tararat @morganstickrod @sterrett @oxalismtp @naturalist_zeb @joshua46 @paulswitzer @johnwaidner @bradoberle @brothernorbert @danielatha @prairiehobbit @someplant @spiritconnection @esummerbell @afid @grigorenko who all made more than 50 IDs in April on other people's Illinois plant observations.
Welcome!
New to the ILBBY project since our last update are: @earthtenderliz @mklovell @tessaplants @caryaovata @tanyaop @alifya @ajnn @chartreuse @astridl.
New to iNaturalist (Illinois plant observers) in the past few weeks are over 600 people! A few of those who've gotten off to a running start with lots of observations are: @ashland_thomas @caryaovata @geoffrey104 @heyitsbecky @hmsii @jhierbaum @kat_wiersum @lumalouvre3 @mcoulter1335 @mistyleegreen @mpanatera @mrsalyinovich @nancyholme @plantoks @sandyjeanchristine @sarah_gripshover @scampbell0245 @seversondellsstudent @susanlmichael @tanzi_lynn @teajaylore @wayne_rybak @william_martin
Welcome everyone! If you'd like to join the Illinois Botanists Big Year and get updates like these, hit "Join" in the top right corner here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/illinois-botanists-big-year-2021
To give these new iNatters a special helping hand, here is a link to identify their observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?iconic_taxa=Plantae&order_by=random&place_id=35&user_after=4w
Species New to Illinois on iNat
Keep an eye on these links below for any documentations that are a first for Illinois on iNaturalist in 2021. You'll often find species on here that are the result of computer vision errors as well as observations that should be marked captive/cultivated. Fixing these helps sort the wheat from the chaff and keeps range maps representative of wild organisms. Many thanks to all who help with quality control. Also, by sorting "not in common", and "before 2021" from most to fewest, you can use these links as a "hitlist" for species we haven't yet found in 2021.
- Non-flowering plants
- Monocots excluding Poales
- Poales (grasses, sedges, rushes, and friends)
- Plants in Asterales (sunflowers and friends)
- Plants in Lamiales (mints and friends)
- Plants in Rosales (roses and friends)
- Plants in Fabales (peas and friends)
- Plants in Caryophyllales (pinks and friends)
- Plants in Malpighiales (nances and friends)
- Plants in Ranunculales (buttercups and friends)
- Plants in Gentiales (gentians and friends)
- Plants in Brassicales (mustards and friends)
- Plants in Apiales (carrots and friends)
- Plants in Fagales (beeches and friends)
- Plants in Boraginales (borages and friends)
- All other (eu)dicots except the groups above
Plant Pic Picks
Finally, here are our plant pic picks from April observations.
Add a "fave" to your favorite observations to help highlight beautiful photos and cool observations!
Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone) by @bonsaisai in Lee County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73236806
Jeffersonia diphylla (twinleaf) by @micahbowman in Kane County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73686480
Plantago cordata (heart-leaved plantain) by @abelkinser in Jackson County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/75092186
Draparnaldia glomerata (a species of green algae) by @jhinds in Cook County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73714430
Smiling blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata) by @sedge in McLean County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74456703
Oops more twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla), this observation by @wdstknaturalyard in McHenry County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74070275
Speckle freckle Viola sororia by @zoology123 in Tazewell County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74417821
Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow rue) by @chase-prairie in Cook County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/75961644
Hottonia inflata (featherfoil) by @abelkinser in Williamson County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74103631
Bright Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans) by @paulswitzer in Johnson County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73491566
Ranunculus harveyi (Harvey's buttercup) by @nebseivad in Randolph County.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73905996
Happy botanizing!
-cassi / @bouteloua