Phippsburg, Maine, is the site of New England Wild Flower Society’s trip on Saturday, August 28, from 10 – 3 with Arthur Haines.
Popham Beach is a spectacular sand beach and dune system in Midcoast Maine, located at the south end of the Phippsburg Peninsula. It features a well-developed dune flora with large areas of sand false heather (Hudsonia tomentosa). Just to the north, Atkins Bay includes a large saline marsh with a high diversity of interesting and state rare plants, including sea-coast tuber-bulrush (Bolboschoenus robustus), saltmarsh agalinis (Agalinis maritima), and Maine’s only extant population of purple agalinis (Agalinis purpurea). Coastal halophytes, numerous species of sedges (including large hybrid clones), and interesting knotweeds will keep even the most avid botanists occupied.
This day trip is designed to showcase one of Maine’s most beautiful coastal locations and introduce some of the common and more difficult to identify members of this ecosystem. Given the large number of species, students will have an opportunity to focus on groups of interest. Participants should come prepared to spend the entire day outside and in some areas that are wet underneath. Bring clothes for the weather, a bag lunch, plenty of water, and your favorite botanical manual (e.g., Flora of Maine, Manual of Vascular Plants). There will be a small parking fee at Popham Beach. The class fee is $40 for NEWFS members and $45 for nonmembers. Register at www.newfs.org.
