Exhibit 9

Deep and high in the Cherokee National Forest, we saw a very interesting vine with seed pods. Just over the mountain is private property, so this plant could be an escapee from someone's yard or garden. I thought it was unusual and made a very pretty picture framed against the late winter/early spring background. Photo: March 23, 2006

Exhibit 8

On an excursion to Roan Mountain, we snapped this picture of a tasselled flower. The foliage shown is not the foliage which goes with the blossoms. Photo: July 5, 2005

Exhibit 7

More a small tree than a bush, this lovely plant grows on the Rich Mountain Road on the Townsend side where the habitat is shady and moist. I also spotted it on the canyon trail at the end of the Treemont Road. Photo: May 19, 2006

Exhibit 6

Clingman's Dome area has a large array of flowering plants. Also, it is pleasant to visit this high mountain ecosystem because of the cool temperatures and serendipitous sightings of interesting flowers. Especially confusing to me are the many asters, sunflowers, and daisies, one of which is pictured here. Photo: July 27

Exhibit 5

My son and I spotted this leafless shrub-like plant blooming on Roundtop Trail near Metcalf Bottoms. We had gone to check on the progress of the pink lady slippers whose pine tree canopy has been endangered by the pine beetle. The leathery blossoms of this plant are about the size of the Virginia Harebell blossom. Photo: April 13, 2006

Exhibit 4

I spotted this leggy plant in the woods at Ijam's Nature Center. They grew about 12 to 18 inches tall, but the abundant blossoms were about the size of a pencil eraser. The blue was vividly striking. Photo: April 12, 2006

Exhibit 3

My husband and I almost passed these canopied plants on the Baxter Creek Trail at Big Creek at the base of Mt Sterling. The blossoms grow beneath the large leaves much like Mayapple. Photo:June 27, 2006

Exhibit 2

I spotted these early blossoms the size of a wild petunia on the edge of a cultivated field at the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area in South Knoxville. All grew low to the ground on leggy stems. Photo: March 19, 2005

Exhibit 1

A bushy plant growing abundantly in the flats in Big Greenbrier. This area contains numerous former homesites, so I suspect this plant is an escapee. Photo: April 22, 2005