Gee, it seems as if all the early ranks require you to identify plants. Why is this a skill that is important?
1. It improves your observational skills which can be used in many settings (including understanding people)
2. It improves your ability to discriminate between slight differences. This can be important training for problem solving, art, technical pursuits, and logic.
3. It could keep you from suffering from Poison Ivy--and your friends from hearing you complain.
4. It could help you figure out where you are or locate water.
4. It could keep you from going hungry if you didn't pack enough.
5. It could keep you from picking up wood that would not burn well, or not provide heat.
6. In the case of cattail, it could allow you to keep warmer on a winter hike.
Although the requirements do not specify when to identify the plants, take the challenge and see if you can identify plants when they are dormant during winter. You never know when you might need the various properties the plants can offer year round.
Some useful winter plants:
Willows- grow near water - twigs and inner bark are edible but bitter - makes poor firewood
Cattails - grows near water - fluff can be used for insulation, roots and shoots are edible (supposedly they are calorie dense which is good if you have no food during the winter)
Queen's Anne Lace - roots are edible
Yew - great firewood, burns slowly but with great heat
Ash - great firewood, burns when green
Holly - good firewood, burns when green.
