NEcology #69 - Mysterious Springtime Stringbarks

Kicking off 2024 with a weird plant I had never really heard of, from a family I had definitely never heard of! Dirca palustris - "Eastern Leatherwood" - is the sole representative of its family, Thymelaeaceae. A predominantly southern hemisphere family, they're known for their characteristic bark, fragrant flowers and toxic chemistry. Shaking the dust off with an odd one!
Plants of interest:
Dirca palustris - "Eastern Leatherwood"
Polystichum acrostichoides - "Christmas Fern"
Kalmia latifolia - "Mountain Laurel"
Tsuga candensis - "Eastern Hemlock"
Veratrum viride - "Green False Hellbore"
Panax trifolius - "Dwarf Ginseng"
Anemone hepatica - "Round-lobbed Hepatica"
Erythronium americanum - "Yellow Trout Lily"
Lindera benzoin - "Northern Spicebush"
Podophyllum peltatum - "Mayapple"

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Great video!!!