Satellite Beach Library, July 2, 2011

The main objective of this brief ramble in a small patch of woods near the Satellite Beach Library was to photograph the love vine that grows there. Along the way, I found a few other interesting things to shoot.

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Gopher tortoise

This medium-sized tortoise just happened to be near the Turtle Crossing sign.

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Love vine; devil's gut (Cassytha filiformis, Lauraceae)

Native

This is the bright-yellow vine that is frequently seen thickly draped over small trees. This parasitic vine is found in coastal scrubs, coastal strand, and hammocks. It is a member of the Laurel family. Some references say that it has a spicy odor (although unobserved or unsmelt by me). This species bears a striking, though superficial, resemblance to Cuscuta (dodder), an unrelated genus in the Morning Glory family, making an excellent example of convergent evolution.

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Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia, Vitaceae)

Native

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Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto, Arecaceae)

Native

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Hercules-club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, Rutaceae)

Native

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Virginia creeper; woodbine (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitaceae)

Native

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Wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa, Rubiaceae)

Native

The fact that wild coffee was found here indicates that these woods are the remnant of a hammock.

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Balsampear (Momordica charantia, Cucurbitaceae)

Not native

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Scorpionstail (Heliotropium angiospermum, Boraginaceae)

Native

This is another plant normally found in hammocks.

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