Turkey Creek Sanctuary: Search for Blazing Star, August 30, 2010

I figured it was about time for the blazing star to be blooming in Turkey Creek Sanctuary. It was. There were about a dozen of them scattered along the first half of the trail. Most of them had fallen over due to the weight of their flower heads. A lot of silkgrass and partridge pea was in bloom.

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Coral honeysuckle ( Lonicera sempervirens, Caprifloiaceae)
Native

At the butterfly garden near the entrance to the park.

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 American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana, Lamiaceae)

Another plant in the butterfly garden.

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 Scarlet milkweed (Asclepia curassavica, Apocynaceae)
Not native

This milkweed was also in the butterfly garden.

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Blazing star, gayfeather (Liatris chapmanii, Asteraceae)
Native

A few were leaning, but most were horizontal on or near the ground. There are five species of Liatris in Brevard, all called gayfeather by the folks at USF/ISB. Three of the species look similar to the plants in Turkey Creek Sanctuary; however, of those three, only L. chapmanii has sharp-tipped bracts, which is the case for the Turkey Creek plants.

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 Hairy chaffhead (Carphephorus paniculatus, Asteraceae)
Native

The other purple fall flower. Not yet in bloom. Maybe another week, or so.

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Bigflower or scrub pawpaw (Asimina obovata, Annonaceae)
Native, Florida endemic

This pawpaw has very large blossoms. Branches are in planes and have a slight zig-zag appearance because they make a small angle change at each leaf node. You hardly ever find ripe fruit since various critters get there first.

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 Bluejack oak (Quercus incana, Fagaceae)
Native

This is a small oak with blue-green leaves. Grows throughout the Southeast.

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 Wild olive, American devilwood (Osmanthus americanus, Oleaceae)
Native

Leaves are opposite; tiny, fragrant flowers borne in leaf axils, dark purple fruit looks like an olive. Common tree of coastal hammocks. The Mediterranean olive tree is also in the Oleaceae family.

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 Eastern milkpea (Galacia volubilis, Fabaceae)
Native

Widespread in the park.

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 Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata, Fabaceae)
Native

Widespread in the park. Most with seeds at this time.

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 Chapman's goldenrod (Solidago odora var. chapmanii, Asteraceae)
Native

There are quite a few species of Solidago in Brevard, all similar, so I may have misidentified this one.

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Lesser Florida spurge (Euphorbia polyphylla, Euphorbiaceae)
Native, Florida endemic

This is the first time I've noticed this bizarre little plant in Turkey Creek Sanctuary. I'm sure it's been here all along, I just never saw it. Its tiny flowers are inconspicuous.

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