The natural environment and history of Kalispell’s West Valley area
by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
Click on images to enlarge them.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include some information and images from Pat Jaquith,
Ghost pipe, which is known by many other names including ghost flower, corpse plant, and Indian pipe, may be found in the West Valley area. If you do run across any, please take a few photos and then leave it alone, for reasons that will be explained below.
by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Brighter than the Blanket flower that grows nearby in summer, this rock-dwelling lichen is a long-time resident on this carbonate-rich rock. Exposed to the elements, temperatures that range more than 100 degrees, with no shade to protect it and no roots to find water, this lichen grows about .4mm per year. It has probably taken about 150 years to attain its current size. The following article describes some fascinating facts about this and some other foliose (leafy) lichens in our area.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Worldwide, there are about 100 species of Peltigera in the Foliose group of lichens; there are 23 species in the Rocky Mountains. But here in the West Valley, the number is much more manageable! In the following article, I will give some pointers I found helpful as my exploration has evolved.
Continue Reading →by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
In casual conversation about the living inhabitants of an ecosystem, especially among those of us who took high school biology in the 60s, we generally rely on “flora” and “fauna” to categorize and conceptualize the organisms living there. If something’s not a mineral, then it must be a plant or an animal.
But it could be something else.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Members of the Orchidaceae (Orchid) family, there are several species of Coral roots that grow in our valley. In this article, I will introduce the ones I have seen.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
One of my passions is wildflowers, but the growing season of wildflowers is pretty short here in the West Valley. I have turned to lichens to help fill the void in colder months; it’s a fascinating venture. Neither plant nor animal, lichens are plentiful around here. One source reports there being 2500 species in the Pacific Northwest. Fossil records date them as long as 400 million years ago. Lichens can be found on the ground, on rocks, and on trees – both decaying and healthy. When you go out looking at lichens, I strongly recommend taking a hand lens because some of their most interesting features are almost microscopic!
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
We are fortunate to have some versions of early plant life here in the West Valley. Ferns were one of the first vascular plants, but we have examples of even earlier plant development. Botrychiums are non-flowering, seedless vascular plants in the family Ophioglossaceae. Here are three that I have seen nearby.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Pinedrops, perhaps named for the sticky texture of its stem, makes its first appearance in woods and clearings near pine trees after many of the spring ephemerals have gone to seed. Its three stages of growth are so different in appearance it would be easy to overlook the fact that they are all the same plant.
Continue Reading →By Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
Although most people think of orchids as tropical plants, Montana is home to 31 species of orchids, almost all of which are found in the western part of the state. In the West Valley area of the Flathead Valley, the orchid you are most likely to encounter is the beautiful Calypso orchid. “Most likely” in this case does not mean common–they’re still a rare treat to encounter on a hike.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Laetiporus conifericola (Chicken of the Woods) fungus seems to glow in the dark woods in early fall. It’s a real eye-catcher on a gray day!
Continue Reading →By Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
One of the less common—and certainly one of the most unusual—flowering plants you might encounter in the valley is the spotted coralroot orchid. At first glance it may appear to be dead. It has no leaves, and it can be a deep brown color. But look closely and you’ll find an exceptionally beautiful orchid.
Continue Reading →