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A Photo Essay
Fall on Hatteras and Ocracoke
Islands
by
Buddy Swain
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Scattered
among the grasses behind the primary dunes are patches of
goldenrod. This splattering of golden color dresses up an area that
the upcoming winter will eventually turn into what will appear to
be
a lifeless wasteland.
These small, yellow flower heads on outward-arching branches are
conspicuous. The timing of their blooms is during a season that people are suffering from hay fever, a
condition for which goldenrod is often blamed. More often, this
irritation is caused by ragweed, a less conspicuous wind-pollinated
plant. |
Neither
the Croton (the silvery green leaf plant in the foreground) nor the
ubiquitous Joe Bell with its bright yellow, maroon, and orange flowers
are indicators of fall; however, they brighten the plant community
behind the dunes with splashes of silver and autumnal colors.
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Gaillardia
or Joe Bell, as it is locally known, is a drought tolerant short-lived
perennial, a member of the sunflower family. Also known in some
areas as Blanket Flowers, they bloom continuously from spring through
fall. |
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