Tosohatchee, Mar 18, 2015: Southeastern Sneezeweed

Just when I thought there were no new wildflowers to be found in Tosohatchee, up pops a healthy patch of southeastern sneezeweed! Swamp dogwood was another first. We also spotted a patch of yellow butterwort, in about the same place we've seen it before. Dixie iris was also beginning to bloom.

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Southeastern sneezeweed (Helenium pinnatifidum, Asteraceae)
Native

This was my first encounter with this species. A patch of it was growing in the shallow ditch on the west side of Nicholas Rd, about one-third the way south of Power Line Rd. It's a striking plant--robust with a single, large flower head on the tip of a tall (2-3 ft), fuzzy, nearly leafless stem. Ray florets are fan-shaped, lobed. It deserves a prettier name than "sneezeweed" (see below for origin of the common name)." Found throughout most of Florida, southern GA, coastal AL, SC, and NC.

The following info is from www.wildflower.org website: The common name "sneezeweed" is based on the former use of its dried leaves in making snuff, inhaled to cause sneezing that would supposedly rid the body of evil spirits.

The genus is thought to have been named by Linnaeus for Helen of Troy. The legend is that the flowers sprung up from the ground where her tears fell.

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 Swamp dogwood; stiff dogwood (Cornus foemina, Cornaceae)

Native

A new plant to this blog.

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Yellow butterwort (Pinguicula lutea, Lentibulariaceae)
Native

A carnivorous plant. Its basal leaves capture and digest small insects. A small patch of yellow butterwort was found on the east side of Nicholas Rd, about one-third way south of Power Line Rd.

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Bay lobelia (Lobelia feayana, Campanulaceae)
Native, Florida endemic

Found only a few plants, in shallow, dry ditch on east side of Nichols Rd.

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Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Iridaceae)
Native

Abundant along the south side of Bee Head Rd.

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Lizard's tail (Saururus cernuus, Saururaceae)
Native

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Orange milkwort (Polygala lutea, Polygalaceae)
Native

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Netted pawpaw (Asimina reticulata, Annonaceae)
Native

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Dixie iris; prairie iris (Iris hexagona, Iridaceae)
Native

Iris were in bloom in the watery ditch on the south side of Bee Head Rd and the south side of Power Line Rd. Peak bloom should be in a few weeks.

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 Eastern Bluebird

A beautiful flash of blue as he flew from one tree to another. A nesting box was nearby.

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