# data[].attributes.body
understory of forests and most types of dried soil

# data[].attributes.body
Producer - at the bottom

# data[].attributes.body
Native to North America, from southern Quebec west to southern British Columbia in Canada, and south to northern Florida and Arizona in the United States and Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=rhgl

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Brundage, Stephanie

Rhus glabra

Rhus glabra L.

Smooth Sumac

Synonym(s): Rhus borealis, Rhus calophylla, Rhus glabra var. cismontana, Rhus glabra var. laciniata, Rhus glabra var. occidentalis

USDA Symbol: rhgl

The colony-forming smooth sumac is a 10-20 ft. shrub with short, crooked, leaning trunks and picturesque branches. The pinnately compound leaves are alternate, with 13-30 sharp-toothed leaflets on each side of the midrib. Deciduous leaves become extremely colorful in early fall. On female plants, yellow-green flowers are followed by bright-red, hairy berries in erect, pyramidal clusters which persist throughout winter.

The only shrub or tree species native to all 48 contiguous states.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Yellow , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Most dry soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Caliche type
Conditions Comments: This is the dominant sumac of blackland prairies. Plants of Rocky Mountain origin are usually separated into the variety cismontana. This dwarf variety is becoming popular in cultivation. In a planned landscape, the species is most effective when drifts or colonies, typical of natural settings, are allowed to establish. Colonies can be rejuvenated every few years by cutting them to the ground in mid-winter. Sumacs will grow in dry waste areas, such as impossible slopes where even junipers struggle. They are fast growing, generally pest and disease-free, and drought-tolerant. Colonies are often single-sexed, formed from a single, suckering parent. Only female plants produce flowers and berries.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: The seeds remain firmly attached for a long time without noticeable deterioration and are often used in large decorative arrangements.
Use Wildlife: Consumed by birds of many kinds and small mammals, mainly in winter. Deer browse the twigs and fruit throughout the year.
Use Food: Raw young sprouts were eaten by the Indians as salad. The sour fruit, mostly seed, can be chewed to quench thirst or prepared as a drink similar to lemonade.
Use Medicinal: Boiled fruit as a remedy for pianful menstruation and blood diarrhea. Diuretic. Roots and berries steeped to make wash for sores. Internal as a tea and externally as a wash for female complaints. (Kindscher)
Use Other: Roots make yellow dye. Mixed with tobacco to smoke. (Kindscher)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Hairstreak butterfly

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Plant scarified and stratified seed 1/3-3/4 in. deep. Sumac is most commonly propagated by early winter root division. Place root cuttings in flats of moist sand.
Seed Treatment: Acid scarify one to three hours, then stratify immediately for 30 days at 41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes

Mr. Smarty Plants says

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

# data[].attributes.body
Nectaring at flowers and will be seen covered in pollen

# data[].attributes.body
They feed on some insects and insect eggs

# data[].attributes.body
Central and eastern United States

# data[].attributes.body
http://mobugs.blogspot.com/2011/07/margined-leatherwing.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Margined Leatherwings (Cantharidae. They are frequently found nectaring at flowers and will be seen covered in pollen. They are excellent pollinators because of their habit of crawling around deep in the blooms, this causes large amounts of pollen to collect all over their body which they carry to the next plant they visit. They also feed on some insects and insect eggs. The larvae are predatory and feed on many types of insects, and are especially fond of corn earworms and corn borers. Their range includes the central and eastern United States. They very closely resemble Chauliognathus marginatus) are a type of soldier beetle in the family C. pennsylvanicus. The margined leatherwing has more black on their wings and are smaller than C. pennsylvanicus and the pronotum has wide dark band, instead of an irregular dark spot. Margined Leatherwings are more commonly seen in the spring and summer, whereas C. pennsylvanicus is associated with goldenrod and will be found in the fall to coincide with the blooming fall flowers.

Soldier beetles are unusual among beetles because their elytra, while more hardened than the wings of most insects, are much softer than the elytra of most other beetles. These beetles are close cousins to lightning bugs and superficially resemble them.

Female soldier beetles place eggs in moist soil or in leaf litter in lawns, meadows, and forests. Upon hatching in the summer, larvae live and feed at the soil level. Most species pupate in the fall in small chambers in the soil and adults emerge in late spring, then mate and deposit eggs during the summer.

They hunt in leaf litter and in other locations that are damp and close to the soil. A few species hunt under loose bark. The larvae of other soldier beetles are herbivores that feed on potato, celery, and other garden plants. As adults, some soldier beetle species feed on nectar and pollen, while others are predators that hunt for aphids and other soft-bodied insects.

Soldier beetles and their larvae are a food source for other animals. Birds, bats, and spiders feed on the adults. Spiders, ground beetles, and other soil-dwelling predators feed on the larvae.

Today I found dozens of these beetles on the milkweed and many of them were frozen in animation....as if time suddenly stopped and and they departed planet earth.

A fungus is responsible for their untimely demise, and the following quote came from the book Medicine Quest by Mark J Plotkin.
"Though merely a cousin of the lowly toadstool, the Cordyceps fungus lives a life that could hardly be imagined by even the most creative science-fiction writer. Cordyceps lies quiescent on the forest floor, waiting for its unsuspecting insect prey to pass. When a bug wanders by, the fungus attaches itself to the insect exoskeleton. It then secretes a chemical that burns a hole in the insect's body armor. Next, Cordyceps inserts itself into the insect body and proceeds to devour all of the host's nonvital organs, all the while preventing the insect from dying of infection by secreting an antibiotic and a fungicide (as well as an insecticide to deter other insect predators). Once the nonvital organs are consumed, the fungus eats part of the insect brain, causing the insect to ascend to the top of a tall tree in the forest. At this point, Cordyceps devours the rest of the bug's brain, thereby killing the insect and causing the body to split open. At that point, the fungus can release its spores a hundred feet above the forest floor." !!!

You can see in this picture how the fungus has left the beetle through the abdomen and will now be spread throughout the environment to attach itself to more beetles. In soldier beetles the fungus seems to cause the beetle to attach itself by the mandibles to the leaves of plants. The pathogen responsible for the death of these beetles may be Eryniopsis lampyridarum.

Mother nature is often without mercy and will use all sorts of devises to control population numbers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Margined Leatherwings (Cantharidae. They are frequently found nectaring at flowers and will be seen covered in pollen. They are excellent pollinators because of their habit of crawling around deep in the blooms, this causes large amounts of pollen to collect all over their body which they carry to the next plant they visit.

# data[].attributes.body
fine sediments at the bottom of cool, spring-fed ponds

# data[].attributes.body
They are a producer and are at the bottom of the food chain

# data[].attributes.body
Native to most of North America

# data[].attributes.body
https://extension.psu.edu/elodea-common-waterweed#:~:text=Grows%20in%20a%20variety%20of,cool%2C%20spring%2Dfed%20ponds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Description

Dark-green leaves in dense whorls of two to three that become more crowded toward the top.

Grows in a variety of pond habitats but prefers to grow in fine sediments at the bottom of cool, spring-fed ponds.

One of the few pond plants that can remain green all winter long.

Reproduces primarily through stem fragments.

Value and Concern to the Pond

Provides excellent cover for aquatic insects and fish and serves as a source of food for various pond wildlife.

One of the few aquatic plants that provides underwater habitat during the winter months.

Modest amounts of elodea are generally considered beneficial for the pond ecosystem.

Dense growth of elodea can interfere with some uses of the pond, such as boating and fishing.

Excessive growth can also reduce dissolved oxygen levels during the summer causing fish kills.

Prevention

Overabundant growth of elodea is a symptom of excessive nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) in the pond water. These nutrients may come from barnyards, crop fields, septic systems, lawns, and golf courses.

Control of overabundant aquatic plants is best accomplished by reducing or redirecting nutrient sources from the pond. This can be accomplished by reducing fertilizer applications near the pond, maintaining septic systems properly, redirecting nutrient rich runoff away from the pond, and maintaining vegetative buffer strips around your pond.

If you fail to address the underlying nutrient causes of aquatic plant growth, you will probably encounter a perpetual need to control overabundant plant growth.

Physical Control

Harvesting through cutting or raking is usually not recommended because elodea can reproduce rapidly from fragments.

Drawdown may be used during the winter to freeze the rootstock.

Biological Controls

Grass carp are an excellent alternative for elodea control since it is one of their preferred foods.

Grass carp must be purchased from an approved hatchery after receiving a state permit.

For more information on the grass carp permit and approved hatcheries, consult the fact sheet titled Pond Owners Guide to the Use of Triploid Grass Carp in Pennsylvania available from your local Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission office or online at the Penn State Extension website.

Chemical Controls

There are numerous aquatic herbicides that can be used to control elodea. You can learn more about these various herbicide options in Management of Aquatic Plants . Here are some tips for properly using an aquatic herbicide to control elodea:

Keep in mind that chemical control is often necessary every year or even multiple times during a year.

Make sure that you positively identify the plant as elodea before proceeding with chemical control.

Carefully measure the pond area and/or volume to determine the amount of herbicide needed. Consult the fact sheet titled Pond Facts 4: Measuring Pond Area and Volume for more information.

Make sure that you obtain and submit the required state permit before applying the herbicide. Before applying a herbicide to your pond, you must obtain a state permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The two-page application form and instructions for this permit are online at Application for Use of an Algaecide, Herbicide, or Fish Control Chemical in Waters of the Commonwealth .

Aquatic herbicides can be purchased from some home and farm supply stores, hardware stores, or various online suppliers. Costs can range from less than $100 to more than $1,000 to treat a one-acre pond.

Follow the herbicide label carefully for specific instructions on when and how to apply the chemical.

Herbicide treatments should be done early in the growing season before the plants cover a large portion of the pond. Treatment of severe infestations may cause a fish kill due to reduced dissolved oxygen.

Additional Resources

For further information and publications on pond management, visit the Penn State Extension website or contact your local extension office.

Prepared by Bryan R. Swistock, senior extension associate and Heather Smiles, fisheries biologist, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dark-green leaves in dense whorls of two to three that become more crowded toward the top. Grows in a variety of pond habitats but prefers to grow in fine sediments at the bottom of cool, spring-fed ponds. One of the few pond plants that can remain green all winter long.

# data[].attributes.body
shallow freshwater ponds, road-side ditches, lakes, swamps, streams, and brooks

# data[].attributes.body
Rocky, sandy, and muddy substrate in lakes, ponds, and rivers.

# data[].attributes.body
Both prey and a predator

# data[].attributes.body
They are grazers

# data[].attributes.body
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence and upper Mississippi basins, from Wisconsin and Iowa to Quebec and West Virginia

# data[].attributes.body
They live throughout much of the eastern United States and Canada from Texas and Minnesota to the east coast

# data[].attributes.body
https://inherpatlas.org/species/rana_clamitans#:~:text=The%20Green%20Frog%20is%20found,common%20and%20widespread%20throughout%20Indiana.&text=The%20northern%20Green%20Frog%20(Rana,subspecies%20that%20occurs%20in%20Indiana.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Identification
Adults of this species are large, green to olive-colored frogs with an obvious green face. There may be some darker dorsal mottling, but some individuals have none. In males, the tympanum is much larger than in the females. This frog's underbelly is mostly white with some darker mottling present in most individuals. Banding is usually present on the legs. Dorsolateral folds are present. This species grows to around 3-4in snout-vent length.

Females lay up to 5,000 eggs in a film on top of the water. These eggs become large, olive-brown tadpoles that usually grow to around 4in length. The tailfins of tadpoles are heavily mottled.

The American Bullfrog ( Rana catesbeianus) is most likely to be confused with this species. Green Frogs have a dorsolateral fold that American Bullfrogs lack and Green Frogs also have more distinct banding on the hind legs than American Bullfrogs. In general, American Bullfrogs grow much larger than Green Frogs.
Call
Green Frogs have a distinct low-pitched single note call that is often likened to the plucking of a loose banjo string. The call occurs at irregular intervals. Listen to the call courtesy of Indiana DNR.
Ecology and Conservation
This species can be found in virtually any aquatic habitat. They seem to prefer cool, clear, flowing streams and rivers, but they are also found in woodland pools, lakes, or even stagnant muddy marshes. Green Frogs are often turned up under rocks, logs, and leaf litter near the water's edge. They may also be seen sitting around the edge of small pools and ponds. When disturbed, this species will promptly leap into the water, giving off a high pitched yelp, and burying themselves into the leaf litter or mud. Green Frogs may be seen crossing roads or hopping around out in the open near permanent water on rainy nights. Green Frogs are somewhat active year round in the southern part of the state. Here, they often spend time around springs and caves during the winter. They are most active from March to October. Green Frogs feed on a variety of invertebrates. They mainly feed on insects with spiders and mollusks being taken occasionally too. Green Frogs will occasionally prey on small fish and frogs as well.

In Indiana, this frog tends to breed in cool, permanent bodies of water such as woodland ponds and creeks. Amplexus occurs in shallow water and the eggs are fertilized externally by the males. Green Frogs typically start calling sometime during May and will continue breeding sporadically throughout the summer. The frogs rarely continue calling into August. After being deposited, the eggs take a few days to hatch and the tadpoles transform sometime during that fall or the following spring depending on how late in the year the eggs were laid.

Green Frogs are wide spread and adapt well to habitat disturbances. While American Bullfrogs may outcompete this species in some ponds, it not likely a major threat to the stability of Green Frog populations as this species breeds in a broader variety of habitats than does the American Bullfrogs.
Distribution
The Green Frog is found throughout much of the eastern United States and Canada from Texas and Minnesota to the east coast. The species is common and widespread throughout Indiana.
Taxonomy
The northern Green Frog ( Rana clamitans melanota) is the only subspecies that occurs in Indiana. Frost et al. (2006) recommended placing these frogs in the genus Lithobates, but other authors argue against this, instead suggesting the recognition of subgenera within the monophyletic Rana (e.g., Pauley et al. 2009; Yuan et al. 2016). Green Frogs belong to the family Ranidae, which is diverse and widespread worldwide and includes eight species of frogs in Indiana.
Literature Cited
Brodman, R. 2003. Amphibians and Reptiles from Twenty-three Counties of Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science 112:43-54.

Conant, R. and J. T . Collins. 1998. Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Third Edition, Expanded. Houghton Mifflin, New York, NY.

Finkler, M. S. 2011. Lithobates clamitans. Green Frog. Geographic distribution. Herpetological Review 43:563.

Frost, D. R., T. Grant, J. Faivovich, R. H. Bain, A. Haas, C. F. Haddad, R. O. De Sa, A. Channing, M. Wilkinson, S. C. Donnellan, and C. J. Raxworthy. 2006. The amphibian tree of life. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History:1-291.

Hoffman, A. and S. Shepard 2014. Lithobates clamitans. Green Frog. Geographic distribution (Putnam County). Herpetological Review 45:87.

Maves, A., R. Haken, and L. Landowski. 2011. Lithobates clamitans. Green Frog. Geographic distribution. Herpetological Review 43:237.

Minton, S. A. Jr. 2001. Amphibians and Reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis, IN.

Pauly, G.B., D. M. Hillis, and D. C. Cannatella. 2009. Taxonomic freedom and the role of official lists of species names. Herpetologica 65:115-128.

Pierson, T. 2012. Lithobates clamitans. Green Frog. Geographic distribution. Herpetological Review 43:300.

Yuan, Z. Y., W. W. Zhou, X. Chen, N. A. Poyarkov, Jr., H. M. Chen, N. H. Jang-Liaw, W. H. Chou, N. J. Matzke, K. Iizuka, M. S. Min, and S. L. Kuzmin. 2016. Spatiotemporal diversification of the true frogs (genus Rana): a historical framework for a widely studied group of model organisms. Systematic Biology, 65:824-842.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Green Frog (Rana clamitans) - Indiana Herp Atlas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Identification Adults of this species are large, green to olive-colored frogs with an obvious green face. There may be some darker dorsal mottling, but some individuals have none. In males, the tympanum is much larger than in the females. This frog's underbelly is mostly white with some darker mottling present in most individuals.

# data[].attributes.body
https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=2233

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Elimia livescens

Synonyms and Other Names: Goniobasis livescens (Menke, 1830), Goniobasis virginica (Say, 1817)

Taxonomy: available through www.itis.gov

Identification: Elimia livescens is a small snail with a conical shell that ranges widely in color (light to dark black/brown to green/yellow). Shell shape can also vary in the number of whorls (7-9), spire length, thickness, and width concurrent with development due to allometry and/or environment (Dazo 1965; Owen et al. 2013). The operculum is ovate and reddish-brown in color, with three whorls and a compact basal nucleus (Strong 2005). The foot is broad and rounded with a ciliated egg grove. E limia livescens has a well-developed hypobranchial gland distinguished by deep, transverse folds (Strong 2005).

Size: Adult length ranges from 15 to 21 mm (Cazenave and Zanatta 2016). Eggs average 280 µm in diameter (Dazo 1965).

Native Range: From the St. Lawrence River drainage from the Great Lakes to Lake Champlain. Tributaries of the Ohio River, Wabash River and Scioto River and west to the Illinois River. DeVanna et al. (2011) listed Elimia livescens as native in the Great Lakes. However, other sources first reported it in the Great Lakes in the 1800s - discovered in Lake Superior (Say 1821), Lake Michigan (Cooper 1834), Lake Erie (Menke 1830), Lake Huron (Tyron 1865), and Lake Ontario (Tyron 1865) (Burch and Jung 1988).

Nonindigenous Occurrences: Lower Hudson River drainage.

Table 1. States with nonindigenous occurrences, the earliest and latest observations in each state, and the tally and names of HUCs with observations†. Names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records. The list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of Elimia livescens are found here.

Table last updated 9/28/2021

† Populations may not be currently present.

Ecology: Elimia livescens is a small freshwater snail that inhabits rocky, sandy, and muddy substrate in lakes, ponds, and rivers. Tolerant of brackish water but does not tolerate pollution or anoxic conditions. Mortality occurs in temperatures above 32°C (Nash 1954). Chemical habitat requirements are not reported for this species specifically, but most freshwater gastropods require calcium concentrations above 5 mg/l (Lodge et al. 1987). Furthermore, most freshwater snails are not found in waters below a pH of 5 (Jokinen 1983). Shell shape and thickness is correlated to environmental conditions: snails in higher currents exhibit thicker, shorter, and more globular shells to promote adhesion, whereas those in lower currents have thinner, taller, and elongated shells to facilitate navigation (Anderson 2010; Dunitahn et al. 2012; Cazenave and Zanatta 2016).

Means of Introduction: Cryptogenic in the Great Lakes. Migrated via the Erie Canal to the Hudson River where it is considered invasive (Burch and Jung 1988).

Status: Unknown in the lower Hudson River.

Impact of Introduction: The impacts of this species are currently unknown, as no studies have been done to determine how it has affected ecosystems in the invaded range. The absence of data does not equate to lack of effects. It does, however, mean that research is required to evaluate effects before conclusions can be made.

Remarks: Several sources have mis-attributed the taxonomic description of Lymnaea virginica by Say (1817) as Elimia virginica instead of the correct Elimia livescens. Gmelin (1791) is the original author of Elimia virginica (Burch 1989).

Anderson, K.L. 2010. The effect of current and habitat on the shell morphology of the freshwater snail, Elimia livescens, in northern Michigan streams. University of Michigan Biological Station.

Burch, J.B. 1989. North American Freshwater Snails. Walkerana 2(6):1-82.

Burch, J.B., and Y. Jung. 1988. A review of the classification, distribution and habitats of the freshwater gastropods of the North American Great Lakes in Walkerana. Volume 2. Society for Experimental and Descriptive Malacology. Ann Arbor, MI.

Cazenave, K.R., and D.T. Zanatta. 2016. Environmental drivers of shell shape in a freshwater gastropod from small and large lakes. Freshwater Science 35(3):948-957.

Cooper, W. 1834. in Henry R. Schoolcraft, ed. Narrative of an expedition through the upper Mississippi to Itasca lake, the actual source of this river; embracing an exploratory trip through the St. Croix and Burntwood (or Broule) rivers: in 1832. Harper. New York.

Dazo, B.C. 1965. The morphology and natural history of Pleurocera acuta and Goniobasis livescens (Gastropoda: Cerithiacea: Plueroceridae). Malacologia 3(1):1-80.

DeVanna, K.M., B.L. Bodamer, C.G. Wellington, E. Hammer, C.M. Mayer, and J.M. Bossenbroek. 2011. An alternative hypothesis to invasional meltdown in the Laurentian Great Lakes region: General facilitation by Dreissena. Journal of Great Lakes Research 37(4):632-641.

Dunithan, A., S. Jacquemin, and M. Pyron. 2012. Morphology of Elimia livescens (Mollusca: Pleuroceridae) in Indiana, U.S.A. covaries with environmental variation. American Malacological Bulletin 30:1-7. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark_Pyron/publication/259975826_Morphology_of_Elimia_livescens_Mollusca_Pleuroceridae_in_Indiana_USA_Covaries_with_Environmental_Variation/links/0deec52ed253081a81000000/Morphology-of-Elimia-livescens-Mollusca-Pleuroc.

Jokinen, E.H. 1983. The freshwater snails of Connecticut. State Geological and Natural History Survey, Department of Environmental Protection, Hartford, CT.

Kanter, M., J. Mott, N. Ohashi, B. Fried, S. Reed, Y.C. Lin, Y. Rikihisa. 2000. Analysis of 16S rRNA and 51-Kilodalton antigen gene and transmission in mice of Ehrlichia risticii in virgulate trematodes from Elimia livescens snails in Ohio. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 38(9):3349.

Krist, A.C. 2001. Variation in fecundity among populations of snails is predicted by prevalence of castrating parasites. Evolutionary Ecology Research 3(2):191-197.

Krist, A.C. 2002. Crayfish induce a defensive shell shape in a freshwater snail. Invertebrate Biology 121(3):235-242. www.jstor.org/stable/3227136.

Levri, E.P., E.D. Colledge, R.H. Bilka, and B.J. Smith. 2012. The distribution of the invasive New Zealand mud snail ( Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in streams in the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie watersheds. BioInvasions Records 1(3):215-219. http://www.reabic.net/journals/bir/2012/3/BIR_2012_3_Levri_etal.pdf.

Menke, K.T. 1830. Synopsis methodica molluscorum generum omnium et specierum earum, quae in Museo Menkeano adservantur : cum synonymia critica et novarum specierum diagnosibus. Sumtibus auctoris, typis Henrici Gelpke.

Nash, C.B. 1954. Heat death temperatures and exposure times of Goniobasis livescens. American Association for the Advancement of Science 119(3100):773-774.

Owen, D.A.S., A. Settineri, S.J. Jacquemin, and M. Pyron. 2013. On the contribution of allometry to morphological variation in a freshwater gastropod Elimia livescens. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science 121(2):163-166.

Sallenave, R.M., K.E. Day, and D.P. Kreutzweiser. 1994. The role of grazers and shredders in the retention and downstream transport of a Pcb in lotic environments. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 13(11):1843-1847.

Say, T. 1821. Descriptions of univalve shells of the United States. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2(1):149-179.

Strong, E.E. 2005. A morphological reanalysis of Pleurocera acuta Rafinesque, 1831, and Elimia livescens (Menke, 1830) (Gastropoda: Cerithioidea: Pleurocerdidae). The Nautilus 119(4):119-132. https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/7388/IZ_EStrong_2005.pdf.

Tyron, G.W. 1865. Monograph of the family Stepomaitdae. American Journal of Conchology 1(4):299-341.

Peer Review Date: 2/25/2021

Benson, A.J., and A. Bartos, 2021, Citation Information:
Elimia livescens: U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=2233, Revision Date: 2/25/2021, Peer Review Date: 2/25/2021, Access Date: 9/28/2021

This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
liver elimia (Elimia livescens) - Species Profile

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Elimia livescens Synonyms and Other Names: Goniobasis livescens (Menke, 1830), Goniobasis virginica (Say, 1817) Taxonomy: available through www.itis.gov Identification: Elimia livescens is a small snail with a conical shell that ranges widely in color (light to dark black/brown to green/yellow).

# data[].attributes.body
over a mud bottom in slow-flowing, turbid waters that fluctuate drastically in area and depth

# data[].attributes.body
Predators

# data[].attributes.body
Prairie Region and along the floodplains of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers

# data[].attributes.body
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/calico-crayfish-papershell-crayfish

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Faxonius immunis (formerly Orconectes immunis)

Cambaridae (freshwater crayfish) in the order Decapoda (shrimp, crabs, and lobsters)

The calico crayfish is a rather plain, gray-green species; it is characterized by a pale central zone along the middle of the carapace and abdomen. The pincers are orange-tipped, and in mature males they are uniquely tinged with purple. The rostrum (pointed, noselike structure between the eyes) lacks lateral notches or spines near its tip.

The calico crayfish superficially resembles the virile crayfish (northern crayfish) and sometimes occurs in the same habitats. The virile crayfish does not have a pale zone along the middle of the carapace and abdomen, and the rostrum has lateral notches or spines near its tip.

About Aquatic Invertebrates in Missouri

Missouri's streams, lakes, and other aquatic habitats hold thousands of kinds of invertebrates - worms, freshwater mussels, snails, crayfish, insects, and other animals without backbones. These creatures are vital links in the aquatic food chain, and their presence and numbers tell us a lot about water quality.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The calico crayfish is a rather plain, gray-green species; it is characterized by a pale central zone along the middle of the carapace and abdomen. The pincers are orange-tipped, and in mature males they are uniquely tinged with purple. The rostrum (pointed, noselike structure between the eyes) lacks lateral notches or spines near its tip.

# data[].attributes.body
poor, sandy, gravely soil that is frequently wet, woods, fields, meadows and swamps, and moist soils alongside streams, rivers, and lakes, and in disturbed areas

# data[].attributes.body
Producer - at the bottom

# data[].attributes.body
U.S. as well as Canada

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=eqhy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Page, Lee

Equisetum hyemale

Equisetum hyemale L.

Scouring-rush Horsetail, Horsetail, Scouring Rush, Canuela

USDA Symbol: eqhy

Common scouring rush is a spreading, reed-like perennial to 3 ft (0.9 m) tall. The evergreen stems are cylindrical, about 1/3 in (0.8 cm) in diameter, jointed, hollow, usually unbranched, and have rough longitudinal ridges. The tiny leaves are joined together around the stem, forming a narrow black-green band or sheath at each joint. Like other Pteridophytes (ferns and their relatives), scouring rush does not produce flowers or seeds.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Not Applicable
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec
Bloom Notes: Not a flowering plant. Reproduces by spores contained within sporangia borne on peltate sporophylls.

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil Description: Occurs in wet places, including pond margins, swamps, floodplains and ditches.
Conditions Comments: Horsetail's smooth, segmented, upright foliage appears striking in a container, pond or landscape setting. It is one of the best dragonfly perches. The plant does not have true fruit, it has interesting cones instead. It is best to contain it in a pot with no holes and be watchful that it doesn't creep over the edge. It is very aggressive.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Bog or pond area, Water garden, Erosion control. Often grown in Japanese-style gardens, at the edge of ponds and in the margins of ornamental water gardens.
Use Medicinal: Used as a homeopathic remedy
Use Other: A dense stand of scouring rush along the margin of an ornamental pool can be very attractive and will exclude weeds.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: High

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division
Commercially Avail: yes

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native shade plants around fountain in California
March 18, 2009
Hi, we just put a fountain in our front yard. It is in a mostly shady area. I need to know what plants would go best around the fountain and survive in the shade.
view the full question and answer

Native plants to stop pond bank erosion
June 04, 2008
I recently purchased a home with a small pond in which a nearby stream daylights. The former owner placed large field stone around the pond and the small stream; however, the area around the pond and...
view the full question and answer

Native plants for container gardens in Central Texas
March 11, 2008
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: I moved to TX last year, for now living in an apartment with a good-size but shady deck; my garden in VA was full of VA native plants. What TX natives, if any, can I grow in ...
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

# data[].attributes.body
salt-marshes and estuaries and occasionally on cliffs

# data[].attributes.body
Producer - at the bottom

# data[].attributes.body
throughout North America and across Northern and Central Eurasia, with a few species in South America

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/sea-aster#:~:text=Often%20found%20in%20salt%2Dmarshes,parts%20of%20north%2Deast%20Scotland.

# data[].attributes.body
places with protection from hot afternoon sun

# data[].attributes.body
Producer - at the bottom

# data[].attributes.body
native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/alyssum/growing-sweet-alyssum.htm

# data[].attributes.body
freshwater streams and lakes

# data[].attributes.body
They are grazers

# data[].attributes.body
Lake Superior

# data[].attributes.body
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/EndangeredResources/Animals.asp?mode=detail&SpecCode=IMBIV14470#:~:text=Overview-,Overview,and%20bays%20of%20Lake%20Superior.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Share your observations

Share your observations of plants or non-game animals with the Natural Heritage Inventory

Contact information

For information on Wisconsin's rare vertebrate animals, contact:

Rich Staffen
Conservation Biologist
608-266-4340

For information on Wisconsin's rare invertebrates, contact:

Jay Watson
Conservation Biologist
920-662-5161

Overview

Overview

Eastern (or Atlantic) Elliptio ( Elliptio complanata), a State Special Concern species, is confined to the Lake Superior drainage of the a northwest part of the state. It lives in streams, lakes, impoundments and bays of Lake Superior. The known host fish include a number of common species (killifish, sunfish, bass, crappie, and perch).

State status

Status and Natural Heritage Inventory documented occurrences in Wisconsin

The table below provides information about the protected status - both state and federal - and the rank (S and G Ranks) for Eastern Elliptio ( Elliptio complanata). See the Working List Key for more information about abbreviations. Counties shaded blue have documented occurrences for this species in the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory database. The map is provided as a general reference of where occurrences of this species meet NHI data standards and is not meant as a comprehensive map of all observations.

Note: Species recently added to the NHI Working List may temporarily have blank occurrence maps.

Species guidance

A guidance document is not available at this time. Use the information from the other tabs and contact local biologists, as needed, to develop management and avoidance strategies.

Other resources

Links to additional Eastern Elliptio information

Other links related to mussels and clams

Wildlife Action Plan

Natural community (habitat) associations

The table below lists the natural communities that are associated with Eastern Elliptio. Only natural communities for which Eastern Elliptio is "high" (score=3) or "moderate" (score=2) associated are shown. See the key to association scores for complete definitions. Please see the Wildlife Action Plan to learn how this information was developed.

Ecological landscape associations

The table below lists the ecological landscape association scores for Eastern Elliptio. The scores correspond to the map (3=High, 2=Moderate, 1=Low, 0=None). For more information, please see the Wildlife Action Plan.

Landscape-Community combinations of highest ecological priority*

Ecological priorities are the combinations of natural communities and ecological landscapes that provide Wisconsin's best opportunities to conserve important habitats for a given Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The 10 highest scoring combinations are considered ecological priorities and are listed below. More than 10 combinations are listed if multiple combinations tied for 10th place. For more information, please see the Wildlife Action Plan.

Issues/threats and conservation actions

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the WWAP because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.
Threats/issues and conservations actions for rare animals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Share your observations Share your observations of plants or non-game animals with the Natural Heritage Inventory Contact information For information on Wisconsin's rare vertebrate animals, contact: Rich Staffen Conservation Biologist 608-266-4340 For information on Wisconsin's rare invertebrates, contact: Jay Watson Conservation Biologist 920-662-5161 Overview Eastern (or Atlantic) Elliptio ( Elliptio complanata), a State Special Concern species, is confined to the Lake Superior drainage of the a northwest part of the state.