Native Plants
Smith, R.W.
Robert Smith is not a botanist, but he's been interested in botany for many years, starting as a grade-schooler in West Virginia. If life circumstances had been different, he might have become a botanist.Robert is now retired from the State of Michigan where he was a social worker and administrator, mostly in child welfare. He's been a frequent contributor to the University of Michigan herbarium, and owes much to the staff there, especially Ed Voss, Tony Reznicek and Bev Walter who have mentored his efforts. Robert got his first camera while serving in Viet Nam in 1966, and has been involved in photography periodically ever since. From 1977 to 1982, Robert did regional art fairs. His main photographic interest was natural subjects, particularly wildflowers.
In 1979, Robert stopped near his home in Adrian, Michigan to check out an interesting spot. It turned out to be so interesting he became more involved in botanizing and conservation, and mostly let photography go. That spot became the Nature Conservancy's Ives Road Fen Preserve, a globally endangered habitat.
For Christmas of 2009, Robert's wife gave him a digital Canon camera, and you're now seeing the results. So, Robert has no formal training in botany or photography, but he happily reports, "I sure am having fun in retirement!"
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to developing the premier resource for native plant images in North America through continued growth of the Plant Image Gallery. You can help us achieve our mission ...to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes... by becoming a contributor.
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |
Spiraea alba | White Meadowsweet | |
Spiraea alba | White Meadowsweet | |
Spiraea alba | White Meadowsweet | |
Spigelia alabamensis | Purpleflower Pinkroot Alabama Indian Pink | |
Spigelia alabamensis | Purpleflower Pinkroot Alabama Indian Pink | |
Spiraea alba var. latifolia | White Meadowsweet Meadowsweet | |
Sparganium americanum | American Bur-reed | |
Sparganium americanum | American Bur-reed | |
Spiranthes arcisepala | Appalachian Ladies' Tresses | |
Spiranthes arcisepala | Appalachian Ladies' Tresses | |
Spermacoce assurgens | Woodland False Buttonweed | |
Sphaeralcea coccinea | Scarlet Globemallow Caliche Globemallow | |
Sporobolus cryptandrus | Sand Dropseed | |
Sporobolus cryptandrus | Sand Dropseed | |
Sporobolus cryptandrus | Sand Dropseed | |
Sparganium eurycarpum | Broadfruit Bur-reed Giant Bur-reed Great Bur-reed | |
Sparganium eurycarpum | Broadfruit Bur-reed Giant Bur-reed Great Bur-reed | |
Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | |
Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | |
Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | |
Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | |
Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | |
Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | |
Sphaeralcea incana | Gray Globemallow | |
Sphenopholis intermedia | Slender Wedgescale | |
Sphenopholis intermedia | Slender Wedgescale | |
Spigelia marilandica | Woodland Pinkroot Pinkroot Indian Pink | |
Spiranthes magnicamporum | Great Plains Ladies'-tresses Great Plains Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes magnicamporum | Great Plains Ladies'-tresses Great Plains Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes ochroleuca | Yellow Nodding Ladies'-tresses Yellow Nodding Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes odorata | Marsh Ladies'-tresses Fragrant Ladies'-tresses Marsh Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes ovalis | October Ladies'-tresses October Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes ovalis | October Ladies'-tresses October Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes ovalis | October Ladies'-tresses October Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes ovalis | October Ladies'-tresses October Lady's Tresses | |
Spiranthes ovalis | October Ladies'-tresses October Lady's Tresses | |
Spartina pectinata | Prairie Cordgrass Freshwater Cordgrass Sloughgrass | |
Spiranthes romanzoffiana | Hooded Ladies'-tresses Hooded Lady's Tresses | |
Spermacoce terminalis | Everglades Key False Buttonweed | |
Spiraea tomentosa | Steeplebush | |
Spiraea tomentosa | Steeplebush | |
Sporobolus vaginiflorus | Poverty Dropseed | |
Sporobolus vaginiflorus | Poverty Dropseed | |
Sporobolus vaginiflorus | Poverty Dropseed | |
Spiranthes vernalis | Spring Ladies'-tresses Spring Lady's Tresses | |
Styrax americanus | American Snowbell American Snowbells American Silverbells Big-leaf Snowbell Storax | |
Stillingia aquatica | Water Toothleaf Corkwood | |
Stylosanthes biflora | Sidebeak Pencilflower | |
Stachys crenata | Mousesear Shade Betony Mouse's Ear | |
Stylophorum diphyllum | Celandine Poppy Yellow Wood Poppy | |
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |