Malabar Scrub Sanctuary & Three Forks Marsh, May 8, 2011

Made a quick visit to Malabar Scrub Sanctuary and then drove west to the Three Forks Marsh at the end of Malabar Rd. Found one wildflower new to me: Florida yellow flax, in Malabar Scrub.

________________________________________

Malabar Scrub Sanctuary

________________________________________

Tarflower (Bejaria racemosa, Ericaceae)

Native

No flowers, yet—only sticky buds. A love bug was stuck on one bud (the air was thick with them).

________________________________________

Sand blackberry (Rubus cuneifolius, Rosaceae)

Native

Lots of blackberry bushes along the concrete road, and they're beginning to ripen.

________________________________________

Seaside primrosewillow (Ludwigia maritima, Onagraceae)

Native

Insects had nearly destroyed the only blossom, but the plant could still be identified by its cube-shaped seed capsule.

________________________________________

Bulltongue arrowhead (Sagittaria lancifolia, Alismataceae)

Native

The inflorescence of this plant is a raceme, usually divided into female flowers on the lower part and male on the upper. A female flower is shown on the left and a male on the right.

________________________________________

Common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus, Asteraceae)

Not native

________________________________________

Florida Yellow Flax (Linum floridanum, Linaceae)

Native

This was a new wildflower for me. It's found throughout most of the state and the southeast US.

________________________________________

Southern beeblossom (Gaura angustifolia, Onagraceae)

Native

________________________________________

Three Forks Marsh

________________________________________

Waterlilies

White waterlilies (Nymphaea odorata) and yellow spatterdocks (Nuphar advena) in canal near the boat ramps.

________________________________________

Pink purslane (Portulaca pilosa, Portulacaceae)

Native

Bright pink purslane was scattered along the edges of the berms.

________________________________________