A BWCA Glossary
- An inflorescence (flower structure) in
which a main stem produces a series of flowers on lateral stalks, the oldest
at the base and the youngest at the top.
- The central prolongation of the stalk (peduncle),
the axis through a flower structure, or of a leaf stalk (petiole),
the axis through a compound leaf.
- A nocturnal and opportunistic omnivore
with a strong attraction to water. The Raccoon (Procyon lotor) ranges
north to Hudson Bay but may be more commonly seen at suburban water gardens
and garbage cans. A word borrowed from the Powhatan dialect of Eastern Algonquian.
- Any of several perennial herbs of the genus Senecio. Represented
in the North Country by the Balsam or Northern Ragwort (Senecio pauperculus).
- Rainy Lobe
- A tongue of the great Ontario ice sheet which advanced into northeastern
and north central Minnesota, beginning about 22,000 years ago.
- An individual member of a clone. From
the Latin, ramus, "branch." Most trees in a grove of Aspen (Populus
tremuloides) are more likely to be ramets than true individuals.
- In land survey terms, the area between range lines, which are north/south
lines parallel to and at 6 mile intervals from, a principal meridian. Range
Line Lake in the BWCAW is so named because it is located on one of these
survey lines. A range is subdivided north/south at 6 mile intervals forming
6 mile square townships.
- Any of the birds of prey. Represented in the North Country by Bald Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus), Harrier (Circus
cyaneus), 3 falcons, 4 hawks,
and 8 species of owl. From the Latin, rapere,
"rape." It's not about sex, it's about violence.
- To birders and ornithologists, a bird species which occurs so infrequently
in a given locale that it might be seen no more than five times over the
course of a season by an active observer. Somewhat more commonly occurring
species are termed Uncommon; less common
Casual. In northeastern Minnesota, the Three
Toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) is considered a casual
summer visitor and resident. The closely related Black Backed Woodpecker
(Picoides arcticus) is considered rare.
- The colorful ray flowers (the "petals") surround the round, button-like
center of composite (Aster/Daisy family) flowers (the disk),
typically composed of many tiny tubular flowers. The flowers of the ubiquitous
Large Leaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus)
and its cousins are a common late summer and fall example in the North Country.
- Depressed under the weight of the glaciers, the surface of the earth
in the North Country is slowly, very slowly bouncing back. Since the recession
of the glaciers, the earth's crust in northeastern Minnesota has rebounded
some 330', a rise which continues today.
- Red Osier
- Another name for the Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus
sericea) a common Northwoods shrub.
- Red Shift
- A phenomenon sometimes noted on the McKenzie
maps of Canoe Country where the portage and campsite indicators, printed
as a red overlay to the base topographic map, are misaligned, leading to
imprecise placement of those features.
- Two species of small northern finches of the genus Carduelis.
The Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) is a winter visitor to the
BWCA from farther north; the Hoary Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni)
a rarer visitor from yet farther north.
- Reindeer Lichen
- Any of several species of lichen of the
genus Cladonia. Named
for its status as preferred food of the Caribou.
- Remote Area Border Crossing Permit
- RABC permits are issued by the Canadian government, allowing visitors
to cross the Canadian border in certain remote areas, without going through
customs. RABC permits are valid for the area from Pigeon River west to and
including Lake of the Woods, as well as the Canadian shore of Lake Superior.
This includes the entire length of the international border within the BWCA.
- Any of the cold blooded, largely dry land chordates of the class Reptilia.
The cool wetlands of the BWCA are not particularly hospitable to reptiles,
whose presence is marked by three species of turtle
(only one at all common), three small snakes,
and no lizards (or crocs or gators, for that matter).
- A plant secretion, often aromatic, that is insoluble in water but soluble
in ether or alcohol. A classic North Country example is the serotinous cones
of the Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)
which are sealed tightly closed by the resin until softened by fire, at
which point the cones open and the seeds are released.
- A specialized plant stem. A subterranean horizontal root-like stem sending
out leaves and shoots from its upper surface and roots from its lower surface.
From the Greek, rhiza
- Of, or pertaining to, rivers and their banks.
- Riparian Habitat
- Natural home for plants and animals occuring in a thin strip of land
bordering a stream or river. Dominant vegetation often consists of phreatophytes.
- In canoe design, the curve of the keel line from bow to stern. A straight
keel line has no rocker, tracking well but lacking maneuverability. A heavy
rocker is exceptionally maneuverable but will not track well. Moderately
rockered canoes are usually straight with a rise toward the ends. Most general
recreation canoes have a moderate rocker.
- An otherwise archaic unit of English measure used in specifying the length
of portages. A rod equals 16½ feet, with 320 rods to the mile.
- Root Crown
- The location on a plant where roots join the stem.
- Root Sprout
- A shoot or stem arising from the root of a mother plant.
- Rosendahl Spruce
- Rare, naturally occurring hybrids (Picea x rosendahlii)
of White (Picea glauca)
and Black Spruce (Picea mariana).
Known from northeastern Minnesota and other areas.
- Arrayed. A group of organs, such as leaves, clustered and crowned around
a common point of attachment. From the French, the diminutive of rose.
- Rotator Cuff
- A tendon formed by three distinct muscles which stabilise the head of
the humerus within the shoulder joint. Tendonitis or injury to the rotator
cuff muscle can make lifting the arm out to the side and external rotation
painful. In most cases treatment includes rest, ice, and physical therapy
to strengthen the shoulder muscles. Hard, extended J-stroke paddling can
injure the rotator cuff. Been there; done that. Don't forget to switch sides
and take breaks.
- A multi-celled animal plankton which has
a food ingestion tube with an area of strong cilia whose motion gives the
appearance of a rapidly revolving wheel. From the Latin, rotatus,
- Round Bottom
- In canoe design, a shape with great secondary stability but very little
initial stability. Usually found in fast, specialized boats designed for
speed and efficiency.
- Rove Formation
- Older Precambrian slate running from Gunflint
Lake east to Superior (our BWCA Region
V) with later intrusions of Keweenawan diabase.
These intrusives, more resistant to erosion and glaciation than the surrounding
slate, delineate the long and narrow lakes which are the hallmark of this
- A synthetic laminate material from Uniroyal, composed of ABS, ABS foam,
and crosslinked vinyl layered in sheets which are heated and vaccuum formed
into canoe hulls. Very durable; moderate in weight. A variant known as Oltonar
is used in Old Town canoes. Royalex canoes are popular for youth groups,
their durability providing a measure of reassurance with inexperienced paddlers
in a rocky environment, and their extra weight helping to burn up excess
- 1) Any of a large number of reed-like aquatic and semi-aquatic perennial
herbs of the genus Juncus, such as the Common Rush (Juncus effusus).
2) Lakes which take their name from this common plant (Rush,
Rush, Little Rush).
- A type of club fungus (Basidiomycetes) that is a parasite
on plants. A devastating rust of the North Country is the White Pine Blister
Rust. It never sleeps.