On the south side of the W&OD bike path, just east of its intersection with Michael Faraday Drive, and hidden among the mile-a-minute vines that are now dying back, is this full-in-fruit shrub, which appears to me to be a viburnum. More specifically, this might be a wayfaring bush (
Viburnum lantana), based on the red color of the fruit on their terminal clusters (we have not had our first autumn frost yet) and the rather narrow shape of the leaves. Compare the
Virginia Tech fact sheet and this page from
Washington State University, which, however, shows rather broader leaves.
As one enters the oak-hickory forest of Lake Fairfax Park on the path that extends north from Michael Faraday Drive, one soon encounters mossy patches. Here is an extreme close-up, which shows that the moss patch is more than just velvety green; there is actual structure, with branched stems. I have to admit that I have no idea about the proper classification of this organism; I am not even sure whether it is a true moss (division Bryophyta) or a spikemoss (genus
Selaginella). Lots of room for further education here!
O.k., back to vascular plants. This specimen is on the south side of the Reston Association path from Tall Oaks shopping center just before it crosses North Shore Drive south of the Golf Course Island pool. This is clearly a smartweed (
Persicaria spp.) of some kind, but I am not sure about the species. Note the dark splotch in the center of one of the leaves; this would support identification as Lady's thumb (
Persicaria maculosa), but the sheath around the leave nodes is not fringed. Other possibilities are pinkweed (
Persicaria pensylvanica) or pale smartweed (
Persicaria lapathifolia).
A close-up of the inflorescence. Compare to these Washington state pages on
pale smartweed and
Lady's thumb and this Illinois description of
pinkweed (which, in this particular case, has white rather than pink flowers). Whatever it turns out to be, it is not uncommon in Reston; I have also encountered this plant in various shaded places along the W&OD bike path.
In the "underbrush" of the grass at this location one can also find this particular grass species, with its very distinctive radiating spikes lined with two rows of spikelets.
The parallel rows of close-fitting spikelets are particularly apparent when viewed from above. Based on Lauren Brown's
Grasses: An Identification Guide, this appears to be goose grass (
Eleusine indica), which is a weed of disturbed urban areas. Compare this excellent description from
Illinois.
Towering over both the smartweed and the goose grass at this location is this graceful grass with its purple spikelets.
A close-up look shows that the ligule (where the sheath of the leaf meets the culm, or stem) is not very prominent, with perhaps just a hint of some hair.
Another overview shot to show how tall this grass is. Based upon its height, late blooming, purple seedhead coloring, broad leaves, and lack of prominent ligule, I believe this may be purpletop grass (
Tridens flavus); compare this
Illinois description and this
Kansas description.
Added by edit August 7, 2010: now that I have more experience looking at grasses, this identification is clearly wrong. Yes, we have
Tridens flavus in Reston, but it is generally smaller, and the leaves are not as prominently keeled. Instead, this is a johnsongrass (
Sorghum halepense, see this
Missouri description and this
photo gallery). The prominently veined leaves are very similar to those of Eastern gamagrass, so these two species cannot be distinguished until the very different inflorescences mature.
Turning once again to trees, there is this spectacular ornamental tree in the open area at the center of the Golf Course Island cluster (south of Cypress Point Court, east of Torrey Pines Court, and west of the Golf Course Island pool).
In this picture (actually taken from a berm standing above the branch), one can clearly see that the needles are arranged in whorls - very different from the spruces and pines seen earlier this afternoon. This whorled pattern indicates that this is a true cedar (
Cedrus spp.), and the whitish-blue color of the needles suggests that this is an Atlantic cedar (
Cedrus atlantica), cultivar "glauca". Compare the
Virginia Tech fact sheet. This is closely related to the Cedar of Lebanon (
C. libani), the biblical cedar from whose wood King Solomon built the first temple.
Some of the lower branches sport cones like this one. These are the male cones, which apparently have recently released their pollen; the female cones, just as in other species of the pine family, tend to be higher up in the tree and thus out of range for my camera. Compare the third entry on this
Hawaii guide to pine family trees.
Finally, another close-up to show that, while most hollies (
Ilex spp.) are now sporting their red berries, this one, on the walk-way between Charter Oak Court and the Charter Oak town house development, is just now bursting into flower.
