Lake Wales Ridge, September 4-6, 2010

Occasionally I go outside the box and report on wildflowers in other Florida counties. My wife and I headed to Fisheating Creek over the Labor Day weekend, stopping along the way to search for and photograph wildflowers. I found 18 wildflowers new to this blog, with all except a couple new to me. Great fun! Most of the new wildflowers were found at various scrub communities in the Lake Wales Ridge.

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Part 1 

The photos in Part 1 were taken at the Blue Cypress Recreation Area on CR 512, south of Fellsmere, in Indian River County, on the way to the Lake Wales Ridge area.

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White twinevine (Sarcostemma clausum, Apocynaceae)
Native

According to an online source, white twinevine is a frequent native of shell mounds and coastal hammocks of central and southern Florida. It usually grows near water. It is a twining, herbaceous, perennial vine, a relative of the milkweeds. Its dark green leaves are opposite, oblong to linear. Flowers are fragrant; it's a host plant for Soldier and Queen butterflies. One source states that the vine is becoming a serious pest of citrus in many groves in south Florida. That same source also claims that the plant was introduced from the Old World. However, the USF/ISB classifies it as a native.

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Peruvian primrosewillow (Ludwigia peruviana, Onagraceae)
Not native

This photo of a primrosewillow with 5 petals was also taken at the Blue Cypress Recreation Area.

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Lemon bacopa, blue waterhyssop (Bacopa caroliniana, Plantaginaceae)
Native

This blue bacopa was growing in a wet swale at the Blue Cypress Recreation Area.

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Part 2

Photos taken in a WMA parking area on Lake Walk-in-the-Water Rd, off CR 630, a part of the Lake Wales Ridge.

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Common wireweed, common fanpetals (Sida ulmifolia, Malvaceae)
Native

A common weed of roadsides and other disturbed sites.

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Catchfly, slenderleaf clammyweed (Polanisia tenuifolia, Brassicaceae)
Native

Stems and leaves are sticky.

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Cottonweed, plains snakecotton (Froelichia floridana, Amaranthaceae)
Native

Common in the Lake Wales Ridge.

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Pinewoods milkweed (Asclepias humistrata, Apocynaceae)
Native

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Skyblue lupine (Lupinus diffusus, Fabaceae)
Native

No blooms or seed pods this time of the year, just fuzzy leaves.

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Vente conmigo (Croton glandulosus, Euphorbiaceae)
Native

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Showy milkwort (Polygala violacea, Polygalaceae)
Native

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Rustweed, juniperleaf (Polypremum procumbens, Tetrachondraceae)
Native

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American bluehearts (Buchnera americana, Orobanchaceae)
Native

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Prostrate globe amaranth (Gomphrena serrata, Amaranthaceae)
Not native

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Part 3

Various stops along Lake Walk-in-the-Water Rd., off CR 630 in Polk County.

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Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum, Anacardiaceae)
Native

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 Wild bushbean, phaseybean (Macroptilium lathyroides, Fabaceae)
Not native

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Seaside primrosewillow (Ludwigia maritima, Onagraceae)
Native

Seed capsules.

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 Meadowbeauty (Rhexia spp., Melastonataceae)
Native

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Butterflyweed, butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa, Apocynaceae)
Native

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Poor joe, rough buttonweed (Diodia teres, Rubiaceae)
Native

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Carolina redroot (Lachanthes caroliana, Haemodoraceae)
Native

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 Shrubby primrosewillow (Ludwigia suffruticosa, Onagraceae)
Native

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Part4

 Fisheating Creek (south of Lake Placid) and west shore of Lake Okeechobee.

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Sunrise through foggy window in hotel, overlooking Lake Clay.

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Fisheating Creek, cabbage palm triplet--three trunks out of one base trunk.

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Views of Fisheating Creek

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Caesarweed (Urena lobata, Malvaceae)
Not native

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Unidentified

Large carpets of this low-growing plant were in the south campground area; moist soil.

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Turkey vultures near shore of Lake Okeechobee

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Park near shore of Lake Okeechobee

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Part 5

Hickory Lake Scrub on US 17

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Kiosk at Hickory Lake Scrub

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Yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia, Araneidae)

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Coral snake

This was a surprising and rare find!

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Poor joe, rough buttonweed (Diodia teres, Rubiaceae)
Native

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Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta, Commelinaceae)
Native

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Unidentified

Possibly a green stage of paper nailwort. See later. However, it lacks the "squarish" look of the nailwort.

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Sensitive brier (Mimosa quadrivalvis var. floridana, Fabaceae)
Native

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Sand spike-moss (Selaginella arenicola, Selaginellaceae)
Native

The dark clumps in the top-left photo are sand spike-moss.

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Sandlace (Polygonella myriophylla, Polygonaceae)
Native, Florida endemic, endangered

From the Hickory Lake Scrub kiosk: "This sprawling bonsai-like shrub has clusters of white-to-cream-colored flowers and is one of the most distinctive and easily recognized plants of the Florida scrub."

From Endangered Plants of the Scrub, floridata.com: "This sprawling evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves looks a lot like the common landscaping groundcover, creeping juniper. Sandlace occurs naturally only in scrubs on the Lake Wales Ridge in Orange, Polk and Highlands Counties. Once believed to have potential as a no-maintenance groundcover for xeric landscaping, sandlace has proven difficult to propagate commercially and apparently is no longer offered by native nurseries. Sandlace is the single best indicator of ancient Lake Wales Ridge scrub. Look for it in vacant lots and road shoulders within 10 miles of US-27 in Polk and Highlands Counties. If you see this plant you know you are in true Lake Wales Ridge scrub, and you can expect to see several other Endangered and Threatened species in the vicinity. Sandlace is protected as an Endangered Species.

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Paper nailwort, paper-like nailwort, papery whitlow-wort (Paronychia chartacea ssp. chartacea, Caryophyllaceae)
Native, Florida endemic, endangered

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Florida alicia (Chapmannia floridana, Fabaceae)
Native, Florida endemic

This is an unusual member of the pea family. The only species of the genus, it sends up a slender, sticky stalk with only one or a few terminal blossoms.

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Yellow buttons, coastalplain honeycombhead (Balduina angustifolia, Asteraceae)
Native

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Scrub morning-glory, Florida bonamia, Florida lady's nightcap
(Bonamia grandiflora, Convolvulaceae)
Native, Florida endemic, endangered

From the Hickory Lake Scrub kiosk: "Thrives in open sand patches. Its large bluish-lavender flowers bloom in summer and open during the cool of the morning."

From Endangered Plants of the Scrub, floridata.com: "It's a stunning sight to see this 8' vine with 3" purple-blue flowers sprawled across the scrub's white sand. Scrub morning-glory once occurred in scrubs throughout much of peninsular Florida, but apparently has gone extinct in many former localities. In south-central Florida it still can be found in a few scrubs on and near the Lake Wales Ridge. But farther north, in Ocala National Forest, scrub morning-glory is actually common along logging roads and in clear-cuts near SR 40 between Lynn and Juniper Springs. Scrub morning-glory maintains large seed banks of dormant seeds in the soil. These germinate quickly after a fire (and apparently after mechanical disturbance such as logging and site preparation). Look for the brilliant blossoms of scrub morning-glory in summer. Scrub morning-glory is federally listed as a Threatened Species."

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Scrub blazingstar, Florida gayfeather (Liatris ohlingerae, Asteraceae)
Native, Florida endemic

From Endangered Plants of the Scrub, floridata.com: "One of the most beautiful of the Lake Wales Ridge scrub endemics, scrub blazingstar is an Endangered Species that occurs naturally only in scrubs on the Lake Wales Ridge in Polk and Highlands Counties. Most blazingstar species have their flowers arranged in terminal spikes, but this one has them in rounded heads. Scrub blazingstar is a herbaceous perennial that dies back in winter and resprouts from its underground tuber in spring. The tuber also permits it to resprout quickly after fire. Scrub blazingstar blooms in late summer. Rumor has it that the cut-flower industry has discovered scrub blazingstar and that Dutch flower growers are attempting to cultivate it commercially."

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Short-leaved rosemary, false rosemary (Conradina canescens, Lamiaceae)
Native*

From the Hickory Lake Scrub kiosk: "Although its common name is short-leaved rosemary, this plant is one of five shrubby mints found in the scrub. The crushed leaves emit a strong, minty aroma. This plant is so narrowly distributed, its total world distribution is less than 20 miles long." A small sign identified this species as C. brevifolia, which is an accepted synonym of C. canescens.

From Endangered Plants of the Scrub, floridata.com: "This Endangered little shrub (3-4' tall with a similar spread) is restricted to a few scrubs along a 20-mile stretch of US-27 between Sun Ray and Sebring in Polk and Highlands Counties. Short-leaved rosemary is in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and looks very much like true rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), the culinary herb also in the mint family. The foliage of short-leaved rosemary has a "turpentiney" fragrance, and the delightful little flowers (about 1" high) look like tiny birds. Short-leaved rosemary adapts well to cultivation as long as light, sandy soil and full sun are provided. It is available from several native nurseries in central Florida."
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* The USF/ISB does not show this plant as a Florida endemic or as threatened or endangered. The USDA Plants website shows the plant as having been found in one coastal county in Missippi and four southern counties in Alabama.

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Ashe's calamint (Calamintha ashei, Lamiaceae)
Native, threatened

From Endangered Plants of the Scrub at floridata.com: "This woody mint grows along road shoulders in Ocala National Forest and in scrubs on the Lake Wales Ridge. It is an aromatic bushy-branched shrub; leaves are about a half-inch long and needle-like. The beautiful pink-purple flowers appear all summer [but were gone when we visited]. Unlike many scrub plants that resprout from their roots following fire, this mint is killed by fire, but seeds stored in the soil germinate within days. Ashe's calamint is listed as a Threatened Species by Florida."

Note: This plant is found in only six counties in Florida (mostly in the Lakes Wales Ridge) and one county in southeast Georgia.

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Silver-backed argiope, Florida argiope (Argiope florida, Araneidae)

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Golden silk orbweaver, banana spider (Nephila clavipes, Tetragnathidae)

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American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana, Lamiaceae)

Native

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Part 6

This final part of the Lake Wales Ridge post covers wildflowers photographed at the Big Bay Loop Trail, off US 27A, south of Frostproof. It also includes one wildflower found at the Triple N Ranch WMA parking area off US 192, near the Bull Creek WMA.

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Big Bay Loop Trail Entrance

Part of the Walk-in-the-Water Tract of the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest.

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Blazingstar, Chapman's gayfeather (Liatris chapmanii, Asteraceae)
Native

The bracts are sharp-tipped, which is a characteristic of L. chapmanii. A bee fly was hovering around the plant like a hummingbird. In this shot, the bee fly's wings were at rest.

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Pale meadowbeauty (Rhexia mariana, Melastomataceae)

Native

I believe this is the correct Rhexia species; the leaf margins are fine-toothed.

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Hairy dawnflower (Stylisma villosa, Convolvulaceae)
Native

A type of morning glory. Looks like bits of white paper scattered about on the ground.

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Pitted stripeseed, piriqueta (Piriqueta cistoides, Turneraceae)
Native

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Feay's prairieclover (Dalea feayi, Fabaceae)
Native

Found in scrub and scrubby flatwoods. Native Florida herbaceous perennial, 19-24" high; leaves linear, opposite; globose spikes of numerous small pink flowers.

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Unidentified

Clusters of this strange plant were growing in a few places where we stopped. The plants were very tall, upper stems were green with a bluish bloom, succulent appearing; upper segments fit inside lower segments. The plant appeared to be fast growing. There were no flowers or seeds. Remnants of flowers or seed pods may be what is shown in the bottom-right photo.

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Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta, Commelinaceae)

Native

I'm always trying for a better glamor shot of this delicate wildflower.

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Malaysian false pimpernel (Lindernia crustacea, Plantaginaceae)
Not native

This strange little plant, with one petal resembling a hood, was found in a moist part of the parking area of the Triple N Ranch WMA, off US 192 between Holopaw and Melbourne. The left photo shows the plant mixed in with capeweed.

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