Swamp rose, 49

One of the great joys of hiking through and by wetlands is that you never know what you'll find... even if you wade in with a definite agenda. I'm all for surprise and serendipity, so I was happy to experience both when I focused my gaze on Swamp Honeysuckle and Buttonbush—and discovered a number of wild roses in full and glorious bloom. They're not visible in the photo, but in trying to come up with an ID, the hook-like thorns, which are downwardly curved, provided a field guide key. Another important trait was the presence of narrow stipules, which are defined by the Connecticut Botanical Society as "small, leaf-like appendages at the base of a leaf stalk." These two characteristics, couple with the flower's heady scent and the fact that the plant is not bothered by having wet feet, gave me all the information I needed to put this one down in the notebook as Swamp Rose: Rosa palustris, a bona fide native gem.