K & P Flora - FIREWEED Traditional Cache
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Size: 
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We so enjoyed putting out the K & P Ticket and Fauna series, that we thought we would continue along the trail. This time, the theme is the FLORA. If you see any of the trees or flowers mentioned, please feel free to take pictures and post them at the appropriate cache – but please, NO PHOTOS OF EACH CACHE (sure, the log if you have to).
BIKING is possible for the whole trail. This trail is NOT recommended for thin tires! Puddles may need to be crossed after wet weather.
If you don’t see any flora, then you are caching way too fast and not seeing the trees for the forest! Enjoy the ride and enjoy the diverse plant life.
FIREWEED - Chamerion augustiflorium
Fireweed is a robust perennial herb, 1-3 m tall, topped by a long inflorescence of very attractive purple or pink (rarely white) flowers with petals 1-2 cm long. The alternate, lance-shaped leaves are 3-20 cm long, and characteristically reticulate-veiny on the lower surfaces. Unlike most other plants, the flowers have four petals. The slender fruit is 5 to 8 cm long, and contains many seeds. The seeds are 1-1.3 mm long, and have a tuft of long hairs at one end, which serves as a sail for wind distribution.
Fireweed occurs in all Canadian provinces and territories. It is also widely distributed in the US, except the south-eastern states and Texas. The species is circumboreal, occurring widely in Eurasia. The plants vary geographically in size and leaf shape, leading to past recognition of poorly defined varieties.
The European medicinal species Epilobium parviflorum Schreber has been introduced to North America and is well established in southern Ontario.
PARKING: One or two cars can park where the trail intersects roads, but pay attention to NO parking signs so as to not block entrances. A nice place to leave your car in Calabogie is at the end of the trail (N45 17.916 W76 43.033) which is at the local beach and Tourist Information spot. You may want a quick swim?
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Treasures
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