Understory - April 23, 2010

North of the W&OD gravel path, between the pipeline easement and American Dream Way, is this rather tall flowering herb with very serrated opposite triangular leaves, four-petaled white flowers, and spiny bracts.  This appears to be garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata, see this Missouri description), which is considered a bad invasive plant (see this link).

Nearby is this specimen, which has denser, less serrated leaves and no bracts, but I believe it may still be the same species.

On the south side of the W&OD bike path, just east of its intersection with Michael Faraday Drive, is this viburnum bush (Viburnum spp.) that was already featured in full fruit in this post last fall.  Back then I suggested this might be wayfaringtree viburnum (V. lantana), although I'm now thinking it might also be leatherleaf viburnum (V. rhytidophyllum, see the Virginia Tech data sheet).  Unfortunately, I did not pay attention during the winter as to whether this was evergreen or not.