Afternoon of October 22, 2009 (continued)

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.

Evening of October 11, 2009

American asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) are now in riotous bloom all along sidewalks and roadsides, if you but look low below the trees.  Goldenrods (Solidago spp.), in contrast, have pretty much faded by now.  This particular clump of asters is to be found in the Sycamores apartment complex.

A hedge of holly (Ilex spp.) on the west side of Old Reston Avenue, south of its intersection with Stratford Park Place, right at the bus stop for the RIBS 2 bus.

A closer look reveals that this plant bears red berries, mostly in clumps in the leaf axils.  Based on the relatively large number of spiny teeth on the leaves, and the rather pointed leaf tip, I believe this may be a specimen of Foster's holly (Ilex x attenuata), an ornamental hybrid.  Compare the Virginia Tech fact sheet.

This holly specimen is located along the pathway connecting the Charter Oak apartment complex with the Charter Oak townhomes to the south.  These leaves are larger, thicker, darker, and less spiny;  also note that the fruit have not yet matured.  I believe this may be a cultivar of Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta);  compare the Virginia Tech fact sheet.

A winged burningbush (Euonymus alatus) at the northwestern corner of the intersection of Old Reston Avenue with the W&OD bike path.  It is called "burningbush" because it turns a beautiful fire-red in the fall.  Despite its beauty (and consequent wide horticultural use), this is a very invasive exotic that is on Reston's list of 8 forbidden species.

And yes, this one also has a red fruit, although this is not a berry or drupe, but rather an aril that is revealed when the husk around it splits open (remnants of the husk are still attached to this fruit).  Compare the Virginia Tech fact sheet.  The winged burningbush can be distinguished from native burningbushes by the distinctive wings of cork on its stems;  unfortunately, I did not manage to get a good picture of the wings.

At the southwestern corner of the same intersection is this solitary specimen of common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), with several faded goldenrods and lots of grape leaves behind it.  As suggested by its name, this was flowering close to sunset.  Compare this description from Illinois.

Sycamores (Platanus spp.) are quite prominent in this section of Reston.  This specimen, with its characteristically mottled bark, is on the east side of Old Reston Avenue just north of the intersection with American Dream Way.

Unfortunately, it appears that the local sycamores are quite susceptible to disease.  The leaves are frequently brown, splotched, raggedy, full of holes, or otherwise stressed-looking.

Based on the leaf shape, with its rather shallow lobes and large number of teeth, and the singly-hanging fruit as seen in this image, I believe the sycamores here are American sycamores (Platanus occidentalis).  Compare the Virginia Tech fact sheet.

Extending along the driveway/gravel path north of the former Sallie Mae property along the southern edge of the Ivy Oak townhomes, and reaching all the way from Old Reston Avenue to the pocket park on North Shore Drive, is this gorgeous row of large, mature sycamores.  Further east, flanking the western portion of Links Drive north of North Shore Drive, there is another double row of mature sycamores.  This map of Reston from 1951 shows this trajectory to have coincided with a road leading from the old turn-of-the-century settlement of Sunset Hills to some outlying farm buildings.  It is likely that that old road was lined with sycamores, and thus these trees are a remaining witness to the way Reston was before suburban development hit with a vengeance in the 1960s.