Thursday, December 9, 2010

Satellite Beach Post Office Swales, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 2010

About a week ago I noticed hundreds of Coreopsis blooming in swales on the north side of the Satellite Beach post office, on South Patrick Drive. As I was photographing them I came across many other wildflowers in the area, one of them new to me.
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Leavenworth's tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii, Asteraceae)
Native

According to the online USF/ISB Florida plant atlas, only two species of Coreopsis are found in Brevard Co. They are C. floridana (an endemic) and C. leavenworthii. One of the easy to spot differences between the two species is the arrangement of leaves--alternate in C. floridana and opposite in C. leavenworthii. The ones in the post office swales have opposite, linear leaves, which makes them C. leavenworthii. Outer bracts awl shaped; inner bracts membranous. This species is found in wet pinelands and disturbed sites. It flowers year round.
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Spanish needles, beggarticks (Bidens alba, Asteraceae)
Native

This widespread wildflower is loved by butterflies. Among humans, however, it's considered a nuisance weed, best known for its two-pronged, barbed seeds that stick to socks, pants legs, and pet fur. It's found along roadsides, vacant lots, and in my backyard. From Taylor: The tips of the ray petals are slightly toothed. Tips of outer bracts dilated (spread out, flattened), hairy. Inner bracts membranous. Leaves opposite, stalked, toothed, pinnately divided. Found in disturbed sites. Flowers year round.
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Snow squarestem (Melanthera nivea, Asteraceae)
Native

This was a new find for me, although I've probably seen it many times but paid it no attention. It's a nondescript plant, but, as is often the case, it has pretty blossoms when viewed up close. Many of these large, straggly plants were growing along a fence in dry soil. Flower heads consist of disk florets only. The leaves and stems are rough to the touch. Stems are square and have many branches. Stems break easily. Leaves are opposite, long-stalked, broadest at the base, often 3-lobed. Plant grows to 6 ft or more. Snow squarestem is one of the 48 wildflowers depicted in the Florida Wildflower Foundation's brochure on native plants and butterflies.
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Daisy fleabane (Erigeron strigosus, Asteraceae)
Native

This small, relatively common wildflower was found in the damp areas of the swales. Upper leaves sparse, stalked, alternate, linear. The ray florets are usually white, but sometimes, as here, are pale violet. I've read that the flowers have a mild fragance, but apparently not enough for my nose to detect.
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Herb-of-grace, smooth waterhyssop (Bacopa monnieri, Plantaginaceae)
Native

This creeping plant with tiny, 5-lobed flowers is found in marshy soils and shallow waters of ditches and ponds. Leaves are succulent and relatively thick. Resembles a portulaca.
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Bluehearts (Buchnera americana, Orobanchaceae)
Native

This wildflower is found in pinelands, disturbed areas, and meadows. These particular plants were about halfway between the dry and wet areas of the swales. They are easily recognized: single stem about 1 ft long, with several blue, 5-petaled blossoms at the tip of the stem. Blooms on this one had not opened fully.
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Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Iridaceae)
Native

Found a few of this wildflower in the swale. This one was not fully open.
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Walter's groundcherry (Physalis walteri, Solanaceae)
Native

This plant is a tomato relative. One of the plant's common names is husk tomato. The tomato-like fruit is contained in a husk. The fruit is edible, and there are online recipes for making various dishes with it, including ground cherry pie. There are two Physalis species in Brevard Co. This one is distinguished by its velvety, wavy leaves. All parts of the plant are covered in tiny, star-shaped hairs (see center photo). Its habitat is pinelands and coastal dunes.
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Wild poinsettia (Poinsettia cyathophora, Euphorbiaceae)
Native

Petals are lacking, instead has leaflike bracts green or red at the base. Found in disturbed areas. It has a milky sap.
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Largeflower rosegentian (Sabatia grandiflora, Gentianaceae)
Native

A pretty, strikingly patterned wildflower commonly found in roadside swales.
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Common wireweed, common fanpetals (Sida ulmifolia, Malvaceae)
Native

This is probably my best photo of this common wildflower, found alongside roads and ped ways. The lopsided petals may be the source of one of its names, "fanpetals." It can grow tall, but is usually found where grass is mowed, resulting in a low-growing shape. It is hardy and tolerates being walked on. Wireweed is in the same family as hibiscus.
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Starrush whitetop (Rhynchospora colorata, Cyperaceae)
Native

This sedge is a common plant of moist pinelands and prairies. In this species, bracts are usually fewer than 7; the white part of the largest bract is usually less than 1 in. long. The other starrush, R. latifolia, is a slightly larger and showier plant. It usually has 7 or more bracts, and the white part in its largest bract is usually longer than 1 in.
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Unidentified
Native?

This plant, growing in a wet area, looks familiar to me, but I don't remember its name. The closest I can find is hairy spurge (Chamaesyce hirta, Euphorbiaceae family). I should've checked to see if this plant had milky sap.
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