A trip to the Gladys Riley Goldenstar Preserve

I ventured down to the southernmost reaches of Ohio last Thursday, to some favored old stomping grounds, and one new locale. It's the latter I write of here.

Spring has sprung down there. I probably saw 25-30 plant species in bloom, including many classic spring wildflowers. Perhaps a dozen butterfly species, although I did not give those the attention they deserved. Mountain chorus frogs were in full mating frenzy, and my first of year Louisiana Waterthrush and blue-headed vireo. Much, much more, too.

That was all very nice, but chief on my list was the Arc of Appalachia's 186-acre Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve in Scioto County. I knew that the state-endangered goldenstar, Erythronium rostratum, was about full bloom and it's a near annual rite of spring to visit these plants. Normally I would go to another spot - nearly in sight of this preserve - but the Arc has made Gladys Riley (former landowner of the preserve) Preserve easily accessible with parking lot and trails, and I was eager to check it out.

The forest floor is strewn with flowering goldenstars! This was fantastic! The preserve harbors inestimable thousands of plants, and it's amazing to see so many in one spot. The forest in general is exceptional. Large American beech, Fagus grandifolia, rise from the slopes, and an impressive diversity of other tree species rounds out the cast of woody characters. Many other wildflowers are present, and this preserve will be spectacular for wildflowers throughout spring. Not flowering goldenstar, though - they come and go quickly. The flowers will soon be gone.

When a photographer is confronted with literally thousands of options of his/her target, it can be maddening - but in a very good way - to select subjects. However, this trio of goldenstars presented themselves right off the bat.

Every time I post about this species publicly, people will comment saying they see these all the time - everywhere! No, they don't. They're seeing the MUCH more common and widespread yellow trout lily, Erythronium americanum. It's superficially similar, but once one has been indoctrinated to the rare goldenstar, the confusion should abate.

Not to get overly wonky, but here's how goldenstar differs from the common yellow trout lily: Deeper orangish-yellow coloration, anthers more yellow than brown as in the common Erythronium americanum that everyone sees, the tepals (lily-speak for fused petals/sepals; "petals" to everyone else :-)) spread out on a flat plane rather than recurve strongly, and the fruit is prominently beaked rather than beakless.

Interestingly, the common yellow trout lily does not co-occur with the goldenstar at the Ohio sites, insofar as I know.

Goldenstar has a patchy distribution in ten states, and is quite rare and local in most of them. Probably only in the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri - the heart of its distribution - is it at least somewhat frequent. In most states, populations are few and far between. The Ohio plants are almost completely confined to a the wooded slopes of a portion of one small stream drainage. Not long ago, a population was found in nearby Adams County. That population is much smaller, and not very far as the crow flies. These are the northernmost goldenstar populations.

The Arc of Appalachia has accomplished a significant conservation coup in acquiring a preserve to protect this rare wildflower. Coming along for the ride is a treasure trove of other biological diversity, of course.

The Arc is up to nearly 7,000 acres of protected land in southern Ohio, and their holdings include some of the most significant landscapes in Ohio and the Appalachian foothills. If you want to help an extremely worthwhile conservation cause, this is it. CLICK HERE for more information.