He was curious about a small perennial carnivorous plant that was documented by Charles Horton Peck (1833-1917) of Sand Lake, in eastern Rensselaer County, who was the New York State Botanist from 1867-1915.
The plant, known as Utricularia Ochroleuca, is a variety of bladderwort that was reported to grow in Big Bowman Pond in the mountainous hamlet of Taborton in the 19th and 20th centuries. In fact, this is the only known place this variety of bladderwort has been found to exist so far in New York State. (Peck’s most famous work had been in describing over 2,700 species of North American fungi).
Lenihan was interested in connecting with someone from Big Bowman Pond, who might allow him access to the pond to search for evidence of the existence of the Utricularia Ochroleuca in the pond. He was put in touch with Sharon Dawes, a resident on Big Bowman, who shared this information with Bowman Lake Association President John Losee…