Jeff Nelson, KNPS President
On Saturday, April 26, KNPS led a group of Kentucky Master Naturalists on a botanically oriented hike around Hematite Lake in the Land Between the Lakes in Trigg County. With beautiful weather and lots of native species in bloom, the 2 mile loop around the lake was a wonderful way to spend the day.
Hematite Lake is a small, man-made lake, created in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The orientation of the lake, which runs roughly east-west, makes for some interesting habitats. The southern side of the lake, with a northern exposure, is a mesic woodland. The western end of the lake, where Long Creek enters the lake, is a wetland. The northern side of the lake, with its southern exposure is a much drier woodland.
The mesic woods had many species of native spring flowers in bloom or just getting ready to bloom. Among the species we saw were dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata), rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides), wild comfrey (Andersonglossum virginianum), violet wood sorrel (Oxalis violacea), star chickweed (Stellaria pubera), spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne), woodland phlox (Phlox divaricataI), common greenbriar (Smilax rotundifolia), and prairie trillium (Trillium recurvatum). In a drier ridge area, we saw several patches of cranefly orchid (Tipularia discolor).
As we walked along the southern portion of the trail, we began seeing many zebra swallowtail butterflies (Eurytides marcellus). This was not surprising as this part of the trail had lots of pawpaw trees (Asimina triloba) and pawpaws are the only host plant for this lovely butterfly.
The west end of Hematite Lake is wetland. Few of the wetland species were in flower, but we did see lots of young, swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii), broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), American lotus (Nelumbo lutea), and buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).
The woods on the northern side of Hematite Lake are much drier than the southern side and have a different mix of natives. Lots of two-flowered Cynthia (Krigia bicolor) were blooming throughout the woods. We also saw an interesting native tick-trefoil, round-leaved trailing tick trefoil (Desmodium rotundifolium).
