~The Natural State~.....MARYLAND

[olena]

State Flower

Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta

Description Coarse, rough-stemmed plant with daisy-like flower heads made up of showy golden-yellow ray flowers, with disk flowers forming a brown central cone.
Flowers: head 2-3" (5-7.5 cm) wide.
Leaves: 2-7" (5-17.5 cm) long, lanceolate to ovate, rough, hairy; lower ones untoothed or scantily toothed, with 3 prominent veins and winged leafstalks.
Fruit: tiny, dry, seed-like, lacking the typical bristles.
Height: 1-3' (30-90 cm).
Flower June-October.
Habitat Fields, prairies, and open woods.
Range Throughout much of North America, except Nevada, Arizona, and far north.
Discussion This native prairie biennial forms a rosette of leaves the first year, followed by flowers the second year. It is covered with hairs that give it a slightly rough texture. The Green-headed Coneflower (R. laciniata) has yellow ray flowers pointing downward, a greenish-yellow disk, and irregularly divided leaves.

 

[olena]

State Crustacean

Blue Crab
Callinectes sapidus (Cancer sapidus)

Description 9 1/4". (23 cm) wide, 4" (102 mm) long. Spindle-shaped. Grayish or bluish-green, spines red; male with blue fingers on hand, female with red; underside white, with yellow and pink tints. Carapace 2 1/2 times as wide as long, moderately convex, smooth; 4 triangular teeth between eye sockets, 8 sharp, strong teeth between eye socket and large spine at side. Pincers powerful; hand ribbed, with spine at base; fingers nearly straight, toothed; long joints between wrist and body with 3 large teeth on front margin; 5th pair of walking legs broad, paddle-shaped.
Habitat In shallows and brackish estuaries; from low-tide line to water 120' (37 m) deep.
Range Nova Scotia to Florida and Texas; Bermuda; West Indies to Uruguay.
Discussion Because of its commercial importance, this species has been studied more extensively than any other crab. It supports a large seafood industry in Chesapeake Bay and along the entire southeastern and Gulf coasts.

 

[olena]

State Insect

Baltimore Checkerspot
Euphydryas phaeton

Description 1 5/8-2 1/2" (41-64 mm). Above, black with numerous cream-colored dots, several red-orange spots near base of wings, and border of red-orange half moons. Similar below with more cream-color and orange. New England individuals smallest, with wide red border; Ozark region individuals largest, with narrower red border.
Similar Species Harris' Checkerspot smaller, shorter wings, with lighter orange.
Life Cycle Eggs 1/32" h x 3/128" w (0.8 x 0.6 mm) laid in clusters. Young caterpillar feeds in silk nests and overwinters half grown. Mature caterpillar, to 1" (25 mm), black with orange side stripes and many black branching spines. Chrysalis to 3/4" (19 mm), white, black, and orange; adult emerges after only 10 days. Host plants are turtlehead (Chelone glabra), false foxglove (Gerardia grandiflora and G. pedicularia), plantain (Plantago lanceolata), and white ash (Fraxinus americana).
Flight 1 brood; May-July.
Habitat Wet meadows in woodlands in the Northeast; sphagnum bogs in Lake States; hillsides and drier ridges in open mixed hardwoods in Ozarks.
Range SE. Manitoba to Nova Scotia south to Nebraska, Arkansas, and Georgia.
Discussion While often seen in damp turtlehead stands in the Northeast, the Baltimore has been found to have many other host plants and habitats. The caterpillars of Connecticut colonies, for example, feed on false foxglove among rocky upland oak woods. The Baltimore is named for George Calvert, a 17th-century American colonist and the first Lord Baltimore, because its orange and black colors match those on his heraldic shield.

 

[olena]

State Bird

Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula

Description 7-8 1/2" (18-22 cm). Male has black head, back, wings, and tail; orange breast, rump, and shoulder patch. Female olive-brown, with dull yellow-orange underparts and 2 dull white wing bars.
Voice Clear and flute-like whistled single or double notes in short, distinct phrases with much individual variation.
Habitat Deciduous woodlands and shade trees. Before the tree's decline, the American elm was a favorite nesting site for the eastern bird.
Nesting 4-6 grayish eggs, spotted and scrawled with dark brown and black. Nest a well-woven pendant bag of plant fibers, bark, and string, suspended from the tip of a branch.
Range Breeds from Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia south through Dakotas south to eastern Texas, Louisiana, and Virginia. Winters in Florida and southern Atlantic coast.
Discussion Recently the Baltimore Oriole was combined with the western Bullock's Oriole as a single species, the Northern Oriole. When trees were planted on the Great Plains, the two forms extended their ranges and met. Despite the differences in their appearance, it was found that they interbred, and that most birds in the central plains were hybrids, so the birds were combined into a single species. Now, it seems that in some places the birds are choosing mates of their own type, and they are considered separate species again.

 

[olena]

State Fish

Striped Bass
Morone saxatilis

Description To 6' (1.8 m); 125 lbs (56.7 kg). Elongate, moderately compressed; back olive-green to dark blue, sides silvery, belly white; upper sides with 6-9 dark, uninterrupted stripes; median fins dusky. Mouth large, lower jaw slightly projecting. Teeth small, in bands on jaws, vomer, and palatine bones, and in 2 parallel patches on tongue. Opercle has 2 flat spines near posterior edge. First dorsal fin with 8-10 strong spines, separated from second dorsal by deep notch. Scales extend onto all fin bases except spinous dorsal.
Habitat Inshore over various bottoms; some permanently in fresh water.
Range Atlantic Ocean and associated rivers from St. Lawrence River to St. Johns River, Florida; Appalachicola River, W. Florida, to Lake Ponchartrain, Louisiana. Most abundant from Hudson River to Chesapeake Bay. Widely introduced into rivers and lakes in much of Mississippi River system, Colorado River, and coastal streams in Washington, Oregon, and California.
Discussion The Striped Bass is a very important sport and commercial fish throughout its range, and large individuals are caught by surf fishing, especially on the Atlantic Coast. It is a delicious food fish. It is anadromous, and spawns prolifically in fresh water.

 

[olena]

State Reptile

Diamondback Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin

Description Males, 4-5 1/2" (10.2-13.8 cm); females, 6-9 3/8" (15.2-23.8 cm). Carapace keeled; light brown or gray to black; scutes bear deep growth rings, giving sculpted appearance. Plastron oblong; yellowish or greenish, with dark flecks or blotches; not hinged. Head and neck gray, peppered with black. Eyes black and prominent; jaws light-colored.
Subspecies Northern (M. t. terrapin), carapace wedge-shaped when viewed from above; Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras region of North Carolina.
Carolina (M. t. centrata), similar to Northern but carapace more oval in appearance; Cape Hatteras to n. Florida.
Florida East Coast (M. t. tequesta), carapace dark with central portion of scute somewhat lighter in appearance, scutes of upper shell lack conspicuous growth rings; Atlantic coast of Florida.
Mangrove (M. t. rhizophorarum), neck striped, hind legs vertically striped; Florida Keys.
Ornate (M. t. macrospilota), large orange or yellow blotches in center of large carapace scutes; Florida Bay to Florida panhandle.
Mississippi (M. t. pileata), carapace dark brown or black; plastron yellow, skin of legs very dark; extreme w. Florida to w. Louisiana.
Texas (M. t. littoralis), highest point of carapace toward rear, plastron nearly white, legs greenish-gray with heavy black spots; w. Louisiana to w. Texas.
Breeding Nests April to May in south, later in north. Lays 4-18 (average 9) pinkish-white, thin-shelled, leathery eggs, 1 1/4" (32 mm) long and blunt-ended. Nest cavities 4-8" (10-20 cm) deep are dug at sandy edges of marshes and dunes. Incubation takes 9 to 15 weeks. Females mature in about 7 years; males earlier.
Habitat Salt-marsh estuaries, tidal flats, and lagoons behind barrier beaches.
Range Cape Cod to Texas along Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Discussion Diamondback meat was highly esteemed as a delicacy at the turn of the century. As a consequence their numbers were greatly reduced. Then development of coastal marshes destroyed much of their habitat. Recent protective legislation has restored some populations. Adults are often seen basking on mud flats. They feed on marine snails, clams, and worms.

 

[olena]

State Tree

White Oak
Quercus alba
Northern White Oak, Stave Oak

Description The classic eastern oak, with widespreading branches and a rounded crown, the trunk irregularly divided into spreading, often horizontal, stout branches.
Height: 80-100' (24-30 cm) or more.
Diameter: 3-4' (0.9-1.2 m) or more.
Leaves: 4-9" (10-23 cm) long, 2-4" (5-10 cm) wide. Elliptical; 5- to 9-lobed; widest beyond middle and tapering to base; hairless. Bright green above, whitish or gray-green beneath; turning red or brown in fall, often remaining attached in winter.
Bark: light gray; shallowly fissured into long broad scaly plates or ridges, often loose.
Acorns: 3/8-1 1/4" (1-3 cm) long; egg-shaped; about 1/4 enclosed by shallow cup; becoming light gray; with warty, finely hairy scales; maturing first year.
Habitat Moist well-drained uplands and lowlands, often in pure stands.
Range S. Ontario and extreme S. Quebec east to Maine, south to N. Florida, west to E. Texas, and north to E. central Minnesota; to 5500' (1676 m), or above in southern Appalachians.
Discussion The most important lumber tree of the white oak group, its high-grade wood is useful for all purposes. It is sometimes called "Stave Oak" because the wood is outstanding in making tight barrels for whiskey and other liquids. In colonial times the wood was important in shipbuilding.

Previous Natural States
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Florida
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Hampshire
Ohio
Rhode Island
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia


Previous Natural Provinces
Manitoba
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec

 

[Snowwark]

"Discussion Recently the Baltimore Oriole was combined with the western Bullock's Oriole as a single species, the Northern Oriole. When trees were planted on the Great Plains, the two forms extended their ranges and met. Despite the differences in their appearance, it was found that they interbred, and that most birds in the central plains were hybrids, so the birds were combined into a single species. Now, it seems that in some places the birds are choosing mates of their own type, and they are considered separate species again. "

This is interesting Olena. Do you have a picture of the Bullock Oriole? Do they look that much different from the Baltimore Oriole?

I love the black-eyed susies!

Wonderful job Heather, thank you very much!!

 

[olena]

Bullock's Oriole
Icterus bullockii

Description 7-8 1/2" (18-22 cm). Male crown, eye line, throat stripe, back, wings, and central tail black; large white wing patch; much of head, eyebrow, underparts, and outer tail feathers orange. Female olive above; 2 white wing bars; chest pale orange; belly white. Bill slender, pointed; tail rounded.
Voice Clear and flute-like whistled single or double notes in short, distinct phrases with much individual variation. Also a rapid chatter.
Habitat Deciduous woodlands, shade trees, riparian woodlands, parks, towns, to 8,000' elevation.
Nesting 4-6 grayish eggs, spotted and scrawled with dark brown and black. Nest a well-woven pendant bag of plant fibers, bark, and string, suspended from the tip of a branch.
Range Breeds from British Columbia and southern Alberta south to southern California and Mexico and east to the Dakotas and Texas. Winters in tropics.
Discussion Recently the Bullock's Oriole was combined with the eastern Baltimore Oriole as a single species, the Northern Oriole. When trees were planted on the Great Plains, the two forms extended their ranges and met. Despite the differences in their appearance, it was found that they interbred, and that most birds in the central plains were hybrids, so the birds were combined into a single species. Now, it seems that in some places the birds are choosing mates of their own type, and they are considered separate species again.

 

[nativetxn]

You always post the best photos and information, Heather. Thanks for doing this