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Plant 1: //Viola sororia, Viola papilionacea//

 * __Plant Identity__:**
 * Group: Angiosperms (flowering plants)
 * Scientific Name and Family: //Viola sororia, Viola papilionacea// (//Viola//)
 * Genus: Viola
 * Common Name(s): Common Blue Violet, Butterfly Violet[[image:viola_sororia_2.jpg width="342" height="261" align="right"]]

__1. Appearance:__ Many heart shaped green leaves surrounding the white, partially white, or deep blue flowering portion of the plant. A small plant, only about five to eight inches tall. Five petals to each flower and one stamen in each.
 * __Location and Habitat__:**//Viola soria// is common in home gardens and lawns. It can grow freely, also becoming a possible weed in some places. It is native to North America and found abundantly all over Wisconsin. The flower blooms best in a shady or partially shady envirnment. It can grow in normal to sandy soil, not requiring much care to keep it growing. The plant can be found on distubed sites, meadows, near railroads, and near roadsides. It was located near the creek just off the bridge in Silver Creek Park.
 * __Description of Plant:__**

__2.Flowering and Reproduction:__//Viola soria// is a fast growing perenial flowering plant. It has both male and female reproductive parts and will bloom in spring and continue throughout summer. The plant will go through double fertilization and is generally pollinated by bees or wind.

1. //Viola soria// Is not only Wisconsin's state flower but Illinois, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.
 * __Interesting Facts:__**

2. The flowers and leaves are edible and can even be used medicinally to treat headaches. It is commonly used this way by Native Americans and acient Greeks.


 * __References:__**
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=//﻿Plant 2: Salix discolor//=
 * __Plant Identity__:**
 * Order: Malpighiales
 * Group: Woody Dicot
 * Scientific Name and Family: Muhl. Belongs to the Caprisalix subgenus and the Vetrix section of the Salicaceae family
 * Genus: Salix
 * Common Name(s): Goat Willow, Grey Swallow, Pussy Willow, American Pussy Willow, Glaucous Willow, Large Pussy Willow[[image:Pussy_Willow_Stem_2000px.jpg width="160" height="234" align="right"]]


 * __Location and Habitat__:**

//Salix discolor// is common throughout Canada’s southern half and also the north-central and northeastern sections of the United States. The pussy willow generally spreads from Montana and Wyoming, east to Illinois, Kentucky, and West Virginia too. Typically, pussy willow habitats consist of seral communities that have become dominant after colonization of open water by emergent vegetation and forests after canopy-opening disturbance events have occurred. //Salix discolor// is shade intolerant. Pussy willows prefer sites that are moist. They rarely persist beyond the edge of water in climax forest vegetation. This particular specimen was found at Silver Creek Park in Manitowoc Wisconsin in an open area with much sun and rather moist soil. __1. Appearance:__ Pussy willows have distinctive characteristics. Most often they grow as shrubs or small trees of up to 30 feet. Generally growth is rapid and extensive root systems are produced. The trunks of Pussy willows can either be single or clustered with solid rising branches. The bark is usually a bit ridged and cracked. New Pussy willow twigs are usually hairy but become much smoother with age. The twigs of //Salix discolor// are flexible and large buds are present along the stems. Leaves are deciduous, simple, and alternate. Shape varies greatly from oblong to elliptic. Distinct flowers are formed which occur in dense catkins. The buds are covered in silky, silver hairs and are the Pussy willow’s most recognizable feature.
 * __Description of Plant:__**

__2.Flowering and Reproduction:__ Pussy willows are dioecious which means that there are both male and female trees. The catkins or furry buds of male trees are showier. Their flowers are both pollinated by insects and the wind. Many insects visit the flowers for nectar and pollen. Some of these include bumblebees, flies, and ants. A very high-sugar nectar is produced by the Pussy willow and they are protandrous as well. The production of seeds is often lacking when it comes to these shrubs with optimal production occurring when the age of 8-25 years is finally reached. Seeds are dispersed by both wind and water.


 * __Interesting Facts:__**
 * 1) Historic reports from an early beekeeper indicated that a single staminate pussy willow catkin contained 270 individual flowers and a pistillate catkin had 142 flowers.
 * 2) On Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, New York, a single pussy willow seedling emerged, and the nearest seed source was 942 feet (287 m) away.
 * 3) Pussy willow survives top-kill by fire through basal sprouting.


 * __References:__**
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