22 Nebraskaland • May 2021
LEFT: Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)
always makes a suitable photo subject.
RIGHT: Wild bergamot (Monarda
fistulosa), also known as bee balm,
decorates the landscape in the
Nebraska National Forest near
Chadron.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Narrow-leaved
musineon (Musineon tenuifolium)
blooms on rocks along the Lodgepole
Valley below the dam at Oliver
Reservoir Recreation Area.
the digital workfl ow and, fi nally, getting the identifi cation
right. That last part usually involves poring over ID books
— the foremost resource is Nebraskaland great Jon Farrar's
incredible Field Guide to Wildfl owers of Nebraska and the Great
Plains.
When all that fails, my pursuit ends with "the email of
shame": a message to knowledgeable, patient colleagues
such as Game and Parks private lands biologist Shelley Steffl ,
botanist Gerry Steinauer or Chadron State College professor
Steve Rolfsmeier.
With identifi cation in hand, I look back and think: Yes, it's
always worth the trouble.
N