Found in the Notes from Nature project… the botanist who collected this sample of Carex decomposita (cypress-knee sedge) back in 1996 apparently had a bit of an adventure in the process. Look closely at his list of “associates” for this dry, editorial quip:
… and one very bad tempered water moccasin.
That doesn’t sound fun! The water moccasin, or cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus, is a poisonous semi-aquatic pit viper… meaning it’s related to the rattlesnake. Its bite is extremely painful and can even be fatal to humans. Thankfully, it looks like this botanist survived his encounter with his sense of humor intact.
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