Over the last six weeks, I have processed photographs of ten more species, mainly because we have been setting records for rainfall in the Midwest section of the United States. I've tried to get out and begin taking photos of the James Woodworth Prairie, but have only been able to capture images on two occasions. The image to the right of Polygala senaga SENECA SNAKEROOT was taken five days ago. I've been photographing this species for four years and was unable to identify it, mainly because I could only find one image online, and that image was a plant with mixed white and pink in the flowers. Based on that visual preconception, I was unable to find a match in my guidebook.

Polygala means much milk in early Greek usage; this meaning stems from a belief that cattle grazing in fields with this plant produced more milk. This plant got its common name from the North American Seneca Indian's use of it as a treatment for snake bite. Other tribes used the root for respiratory problems, headache, and stomach ache.

Over the past six weeks, I have received three more rejections of my requests of publishers to commercially print Abundant Splendor: Wildflowers of the Tall Grass Prairie. 'Excellent work, but not what we do,' is the gist of the rejections.

This plant, Physostegia virginiana arenaria PRAIRIE OBEDIENT PLANT, is unusual because you can push the flowers to a new position and the flowers will stay there, at least for a good while (hence the common name). Because the flower is bladder shaped, roughly like skin bladders used to carry wine in Roman times, its genus name is physostegia (bladder covering), its epithet is virgianiana since this species was found in Virginia originally, and the third name is arenaria because it grows in drier, well-drained (sand-like) soil. 

The image to your right is a top view looking down on a bloom spike just as two flowers are opening. The other purple 'bumps' are flower buds which will open in due course. This is one of the species that will be featured in my second book: Elusive Splendor: Wildflowers of the Tall Grass Prairie.

I've received another rejection letter concerning publication of my first book, Abundant Splendor: Wildflowers of the Tall Grass Prairie. That makes the 32nd rejection of my work. "While it seems like very interesting work, it is not quite right for our current list." They've essentially said, 'you're not bad, just not our type.' And life goes on.

This species, Petalostemum purpureum PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER, is much more widespread at the James Woodworth Prairie Preserve than its 'white cousin' Petalostemum candidum WHITE PRAIRIE CLOVER. This Purple Prairie Clover is a little unusual is that it grow well moderate to high levels of rainfall, but it grows as well, if not better, with low levels of rainfall. During the drought summers of 2004 and 2005, this was one of those plants that seemed to really show off it bloom. This particular image highlights the verticality of this species growth pattern, and the composition is just pleasing to my eye. I thought I'd share it with you.

Two days ago, on Saturday, I received the first rejection from my last batch of book proposals. The university located in Princeton, NJ, sent out a letter that briefly stated "Unfortunately, [Abundant Splendor: Wildflowers of the Tall Grass Prairie] does not fit our plans for our list." This is the 31st rejection since I began 'shopping this book around' in March of 2008. 

This image of Penthorum sedoides DITCH STONECROP seems reminiscent of a Yuletide celebration with the vivid reds, yellows, and greens. This water loving species has large, branching seed pods that turn red as the plant dies back in the fall. This image was captured in late September, 2009. I hope to use this species in my next book, Elusive Splendor.

Concerning the hunt for a mass-market publisher, over the past 7 days, I have submitted two book proposals to two universities, both on the east coast: one located in New Haven, CT, has an interest in photography, and the other, located in Princeton, NJ, has an interest in natural history (botany). The third book proposal submission went to a large, commercial publisher located in San Francisco, CA, that has an interest in natural history and photography. It typically takes about six weeks for the commercial houses to indicate an interest, if any, and about three months for the universities to indicate an interest, if any.

This species, Pathenium integrifolium WILD QUININE, is so named because it is said to have chemicals that reduce a fever. I'm not sure if the flowers or leaves are made into a tea, or as part of a soup. At any rate, the 'flower' is composed  of many disk flowers, the big round parts, and five ray flowers, the 'petals' of the flower. The petals are quite small and it's hard to see them in the photo at left. I hope to use this species in my next book, Elusive Splendor. 

This morning I finished processing this species, Oxalis violacea VIOLET WOOD SORREL, which is another species of 'false' clover. This small flower begins blooming by the end of April. It can be found, pretty much, only in prairie.  I had about 76 photos of this species captured in the summers of 2006 and 2007. I was updating this species for an identification page for publishing on The James Woodworth Prairie Preserve's website and came across this colorful image.

This species is featured in my first book, Abundant Splendor.