Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Orlando Wetlands Park, April 13, 2012

Joe Garchinsky, a tour volunteer at the Orlando Wetlands Park, recently invited me to do a photo tour of the wildflowers of the park with him. I accepted the invitation, and on this day he gave me a tour of the wildflowers along the berms. Fortunately, Joe used the park's motorized tram, which allowed us to cover a lot of territory with ease. Joe has a colorful page of wildflower photos at the Orlando Wetlands Park website. On this tour we found 9 species that were new to me and new to this blog. Two endemics were found (Florida bellflower and bay lobelia).
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Entrance sign
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Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens, Caprifoliaceae)
Native

On the Education Center porch.
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Tulip tree; yellow poplar; tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnoliaceae)
Native

Found in Orange Co. and other counties in central Florida and in the panhandle. Not found in Brevard. This one was near the Education Center and was probably planted there, rather than naturally occurring. A new species for this blog.
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Burrmarigold; smooth beggarticks (Bidens laevis, Asteraceae)
Native

Usually found in shallow water. Its leaves are not divided into 3 parts, as in other Bidens.
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Coastal rosegentian (Sabatia calycina, Gentianaceae)
Native


We found two types of Sabatia.  This one had 6 corolla lobes and leaf-like calyx lobes, which indicates coastal rosegentian, S. calycina. It is a new species for me and is new to this blog.



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Rose-of-Plymouth (Sabatia stellaris, Gentianaceae)
Native

This species has 5 corolla lobes, linear calyx lobes, sepals about 3/4 as long as the petals, and leaves wider than the stem. Leaves narrower than the stem would've indicated largeflower rosegentian (S. grandiflora). Rose-of-Plymouth is a new species for me and is new to this blog.
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Virginia plantain; southern plantain (Plantago virginica, Plantaginaceae)
Native

A common weed found along roadsides and sidewalks.
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Views of the wetlands
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Bulltongue arrowhead (Sagittaria lancifolia, Alismataceae)
Native
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Nuttall's thistle (Cirsium nuttallii, Asteraceae)
Native
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Rosy camphorweed (Pluchea baccharis, Asteraceae)
Native
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Starrush whitetop (Rhynchospora colorata, Cyperaceae)
Native
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Hairypod cowpea (Vigna luteola, Fabaceae)
Native
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Spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata, Apiaceae)
Native
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Mock bishopsweed (Ptilimnium capillaceum, Apiaceae)
Native
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Southern beeblossom (Gaura angustifolia, Onagraceae)
Native
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Beggarticks, Spanish needles (Bidens alba, Asteraceae)
Native
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Peruvian primrosewillow (Ludwigia peruviana, Onagraceae)
Not native

This is the only non-native Ludwigia found in Brevard or Orange counties. Capsules pyramidal, 4-5 petals, stems hairy. Frequently forms large thickets on lake shores and in roadside ditches.
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Mexican primrosewillow (Ludwigia octovalvis, Onagraceae)
Native

Capsules long, cylindrical, 4 petals, stems and capsules reddish.
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Anglestem primrosewillow (Ludwigia leptocarpa, Onagraceae)
Native

I believe this is the correct identification for this Ludwigia. It is similar to L. octovalvis, but has 5-6 petals and angled stems. This was the first time I had seen a Ludwigia with 6 petals. Nearly all I had previously seen had 4 petals, with only an occasional 5-petalled one. There are 30 species of Ludwigia in Florida, 17 of them found in Brevard or Orange counties. Correctly identifying them can be tricky. The Common and Problematic Emergents website gives some tips on separating the Ludwigia spp.
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Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata, Pontederiaceae)
Native
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Butterweed (Packera glabella, Asteraceae)
Native
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Marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata, Araliaceae)
Native
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Water-lettuce (Pistia stratiotes, Araceae)
Not native
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Leavenworth's tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii, Asteraceae)
Native
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False daisy (Eclipta prostrata, Asteraceae)
Native

This small plant was new to me and to this blog.
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Southern amaranth (Amaranthus australis, Amaranthaceae)
Native
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Coastal bedstraw (Galium hispidulum, Rubiaceae)
Native

Four leaves at each node help identify this Galium species.
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Dixie iris; prairie iris (Iris hexagona, Iridaceae)
Native
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Hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium, Convolvulaceae)
Native
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Spatterdock; yellow pondlily (Nuphar advena, Nymphaeaceae)
Native
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Yellow waterlily (Nymphaea mexicana, Nympheaceae)
Native

New to me and new to this blog.
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Privet wild sensitive plant (Senna ligustrina, Fabaceae)
Native

Identification based on pointed leaflets and appearance of flowers. The USF Plant Atlas shows this species found in Brevard, but not Orange. A new species for me and for this blog.
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Golden canna (Canna flaccida, Cannaceae)
Native
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Fourleaf vetch (Vicia acutifolia, Fabaceae)
Native
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Lizard's tail (Saururus cernuus, Saururaceae)
Native
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Carolina wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis, Acanthaceae)
Native
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Florida bellflower (Campanula floridana, Campanulaceae)
Native, Florida endemic
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Elliot's aster (Symphyotrichum elliotii, Asteraceae)
Native

Tentative identification based on appearance of bracts (green and white, recurved). Found in swamps and marshes. Most Symphyotrichum species bloom in fall; this one blooms summer and fall. A new species for me and for this blog.
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Frostweed, white crownbeard (Verbesina virginica, Asteraceae)
Native

Joe photographing a frostweed plant. View showing winged stem.
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Firewheel; blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella, Asteraceae)
Native
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Blue jacket; Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis, Commelinaceae)
Native
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Grassnut; perennial peanut; rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata, Fabaceae)
Not native

This peanut had been planted as a ground cover in a shady area near the Education Center. It occurs naturally in only a few scattered counties in Florida. A high-quality forage plant native to Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Edible, peanut-flavored flowers. Used in landscaping; e.g., in medians in Jacksonville. For more information on this interesting plant, visit UF's website, "Guide to Using Rhizomal Perrenial Peanut in the Urban Landscape."
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Unidentified sage

The square stem indicates this is probably a sage. It was found near the Education Center, on the edge of the peanut ground cover. It could be a pale variant of lyreleaf sage. A photo of the basal leaves would've answered the question.
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Pennsylvania everlasting, Pennsylvania cudweed (Gamocaeta pensylvanica, Asteraceae)
Not native
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Walter's groundcherry (Physalis walteri, Solanaceae)
Native
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Lantana (Lantana camara, Verbenaceae)
Not native

All other L. camara I've seen have been multicolored; however, the USF Plant Atlas shows one photo of an all-yellow L. camara.
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Carolina cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum, Geraniaceae)
Native

This was the only plant I found that had any vestige of a flower (normally 5 petals). Otherwise, they had all turned to seed.
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Lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrata, Lamiaceae)
Native

This stem of colorful spent seed capsules reminded me of a wild carnival ride.
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Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitaceae)
Native
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Peppervine (Ampelopsis arborea, Vitaceae)
Native

Peppervine leaves are bipinnately compound, meaning the leaves are twice divided: leaflets off the main stem are arranged pinnately and the leaflets themselves are also pinnately divided.
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Eastern poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans, Anacardiaceae)
Native
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Sand blackberry (Rubus cuneifolius, Rosaceae)
Native

Riddle from my childhood in north Florida:
"What color is a green blackberry?"
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Paraquayan purslane (Portulaca amilis, Portulacaceae)
Not native
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Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Asterceae)
Native
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Swamp smartweed (Polygonum hydropiperoides, Polygonaceae)
Native
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Savannah false pimpernel (Lindernia grandiflora, Plantaginaceae)
Native

An interesting plant, found in marshy areas.
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Capeweed; frog fruit (Phyla nodiflora, Verbenaceae)
Native
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Wild bushbean (Macroptilium lathyroides, Fabaceae)
Not native
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Hyssopleaf sandmat (Chamaesyce hyssopifolia, Euphorbiaceae)
Native

A common weed. Grows near sidewalks, sometimes in cracks in sidewalks. Seems not harmed by people walking on it.
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Canadian toadflax (Linaria canadensis, Plantaginaceae)
Native
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White clover; Dutch clover (Trifolium repens, Fabaceae)
Not native
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Bay lobelia (Lobelia feayana, Campanulaceae)
Native, Florida endemic
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Oakleaf fleabane (Erigeron quercifolius, Asteraceae)
Native

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Alligators

We saw about two dozen alligators during this tour. Mama and babies on left; large one on the right.
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Limpkin

We first heard a limpkin and later saw this one. Apple snails are their favorite food. They pull them out of the shallow water and bring them on shore to pluck out the meat inside, leaving an empty shell.
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Moth

This unidentified moth was so intent on sipping nectar from a butterweed that he stayed still for lots of shots.
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Caterpillar

This unidentified caterpillar was crawling around on the peanut  plants near the Education Center.

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Grasshopper

Young lubber grasshopper on fence post near the Education Center.
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Wayne and Joe

End of the tour. Many thanks to Joe for showing me a new world of wildflowers!
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Rattlebox (Sesbania punicea, Fabaceae)
Not native

Large stands of Sesbania were found on the north side of Wheeler Rd, leading to the Orlando Wetlands Park.
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Yellow colicroot (Aletris lutea, Nartheciaceae)
Native

Hundreds of yellow colicroot were growing on the south side of SR 50, between Ft. Christmas Rd and Taylor Creek Rd. I had never seen so many in one place before. Previously, I had found about a half-dozen in one spot in Wickham Park and a few near the hooded pitcher plants in the St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park. The yellow-green, buttery-looking basal leaves are distinctive. The blossoms are vase shaped, having a mealy/grainy appearance, and with a tiny opening for butterfly pollinators. Found in open, moist areas. Some authorities place Aletris in the lily family, Liliaceae. In former times, the underground stem of this plant was used in the treatment of various digestive disorders.
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Unidentified

A few of these plants were growing alongside SR 50, near the yellow colicroot. It looks like a type of skullcap, Scutellaria spp.
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Heartwing dock; hastateleaf dock (Rumex hastatulus, Polygonaceae)
Native

Found along Taylor Creek Rd, near SR 50.
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Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Iridaceae)
Native

Found along Taylor Creek Rd, near SR 50. 
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