Monday, February 14, 2011

Erna Nixon Park, February 9, 2011

This visit to Erna Nixon Park, Melbourne, is divided into four parts: Jack-in-the-Pulpits, Springtime Trees, Ferns, and Odds & Ends.

The main objective of the visit was to search for jack-in-the-pulpit, which was suspected of being up and blooming by now. Only one small patch was found, close to the boardwalk, and containing about a dozen plants, about half of which were in their "pulpit" stage.
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Part 1: Jack-in-the-Pulpit
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Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum, Araceae)
Native

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Part 2: Springtime Trees
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Following are several photos of our native red maple (Acer rubrum, Sapindaceae).

Red maple blossoms

Red maple samaras (winged seeds)

 Close-up of samaras

 Samaras of a different color

 Most trees had dangling, bright-red samaras; however, one had samaras that were greenish-pink. I don't know if this was a different species of maple  or just a natural variation of red maple. (Per the online USF/ISB Plant Atlas, red maple is the only maple found in Brevard Co.)

 Emerging leaves of red maple
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 Following are photos of our native coastalplain willow (Salix caroliniana, Salicaceae). Willows are dioecious with male and female flowers appearing as catkins on different plants.

 Coastalplain willow, male catkins

Close-up of male catkin

Female catkins

Close-up of female catkin

Bee getting nectar from a male catikin

Both male and female catkins produce nectar, which attracts various pollinating insects. Willows are also wind pollinated.
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 American elm (Ulmus americana, Ulmaceae)
Native

Elm seeds, shown here, are also known as samaras. Elm samaras are oval, flattened, about 0.5 in. long, and enclosed in a papery case notched at the end.


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Dahoon holly (Ilex cassine, Aquifoliaceae)
Native
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Part 3: Ferns
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Wild Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Native
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Swamp fern (Blechnum serrulatum)
Native
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Golden polypody (Phlebodium aureum)
Native
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Shoestring fern (Vittaria lineata)
Native
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Strap fern (Blechnum serrulatum)
Native
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Resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides var. michauxiana)
Native

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Part 4: Odds & Ends
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Trail Scenes

At the start of the nature trail, abandoned bat house, Vista 1, and view of the elevated boardwalk.
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Wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa, Rubiaceae)
Native
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 Red-blanket lichen (Chidecton sanguieneum)
Native
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Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicensis, Cyperaceae)
Native
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Ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata, Bromeliaceae)
Native
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Southern needleleaf (Tillandsia setacea, Bromeliaceae)
Native
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 Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides, Bromeliaceae)
Native

...with wild oranges
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Leafless swallowwort (Cynanchum scoparium, Apocynaceae)
Native
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Saturday, February 12, 2011

South Satellite Beach, February 7, 2011

I cycled from my house to the Satellite Beach Library and then to DeSoto Parkway, looking for early spring wildflowers and interesting weeds. A particular objective was to photograph the bay lobelia that was just now appearing in the DeSoto Parkway median.
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Oriental false hawksbeard (Youngia japonica, Astereaceae)
Not native

Disturbed sites; throughout the south. This one was in my front yard.
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Unidentified

This appears to be a species of aster, maybe of the genus Symphyotrichum. I found a few of the plants at the west end of Satellite Ave, near the path to the library. They were 6-10 in. tall, only one or few flowers per plant.
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Coastalplain goldenaster (Chryopsis scabrella, Asteraceae)
Native

Near south entrance road to the Satellite Beach library. Repeated mowing has forced the plants into a prostrate form. The upper-right photo shows a prostrate stem.
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Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana, Cupressaceae)
Native

A cedar tree grows near the west end of Satellite Ave. The ground beneath the tree is covered in blue "berries." Although actually a juniper, this tree is commonly called a cedar; it is the source of the red cedar widely used in cedar drawers. The juniper berries from a related species, J. communis, are used to give gin its distinguishing flavor.
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Black medic (Medicago lupulina, Fabaceae)
Not native

Disturbed sites; widespread. One of the earliest weeds to appear in the spring. This one was near the south entrance road to the library.
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Florida tasselflower (Emilia fosbergii, Asteraceae)
Not native

Disturbed sites. These were near the south entrance road to library.
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Gulf fritillary

This butterfly was flitting amongst goldenaster blossoms.
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East coast dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis, Asteraceae)
Native

A common wildflower in this area.
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Largeflower Mexican clover (Richardia grandiflora, Rubiaceae)
Not native

Disturbed sites, along roadways, sidewalks
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Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum, Brassicaceae)
Native

The seed capsules have a hot taste, similar to horseradish. Disturbed sites, along roadways, sidewalks.
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Tricolor heron

Fishing at the pond next to the Satellite Beach Library.
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Common wireweed (Sida ulmifolia, Malvaceae)
Native

Disturbed sites, especially near sidewalks.
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Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella, Asteraceae)
Native

Near the sidewalk from the library to the skate park.
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Cutleaf evening-primrose (Oenothera laciniata, Onagraceae)
Native

Near west end of DeSoto Parkway median. The flowers open in the evening, hence the name "evening-primrose." These were photographed in the morning, so they were yesterday's blossoms, which explains their droopiness. The flowers turn reddish after blooming. One of the most distinctive features of the flower is the stigma with four branches, forming an X shape. Leaves are deeply lobed and hairy. Disturbed sites. Flower all year.
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Spiny sowthistle (Sonchus asper, Asteraceae)
Not native

A small and very spiny thistle.
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Bay lobelia (Lobelia feayana, Campanulaceae)
Native, Florida endemic

Many small patches of bay lobelia are beginning to appear in the DeSoto Parkway median. They are one of the first wildflowers to appear in early spring. These were just getting started when I photographed them. A few days later, the town mower came by and mowed them all down. Last year, the mowers mowed around them, so they lasted for many weeks. Maybe that will happen again this year when the bay lobelia patches become more prominent. Found in moist areas. Taylor states that they flower in late winter, spring, summer, fall; however, the only time I've seen them flower has been in late winter and spring.
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Manyflower marshpennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata, Araliaceae)
Native

These plants are commonly found in lawns and other sites with moist soil.
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Innocence (Houstonia procumbens, Rubiaceae)
Native

I had thought this plant was found only in dry, sandy soils since that is where I have previously found it. But after a bit of online research, I found that it prefers moist, open habitats, which is where I found it on this day—in the moist soil in the DeSoto Parkway median. Its delicate white flowers are tubular in shape with tips that flare into four petals. The round leaves look almost succulent. Innocence is found in the southeast coastal plain, from Louisiana to South Carolina.
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Soldier’s orchid, lawn orchid (Zeuxine strateumatica, Orchidaceae)
Not native

This was a new wildflower for me. Found in disturbed, grassy areas throughout Florida and coastal areas of Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Flowers in fall and winter. The leaves on this plant have been clipped by recent mowing.