Tosohatchee WMA, June 27, 2015

The main purpose of this visit was to photograph the abundant rosemallows (Hibiscus grandiflorus and H. coccineus) that are now blooming in the St. Johns River marshes. In Toso, they can be found near the east end of Power Line Rd, on either side of the two wooden bridges and further east into the near-treeless flood plain. We saw thousands of rosemallows in bloom in the St. Johns Rivers marshes bordering I-95 south of SR-520. They could also be seen along SR-520 where it crosses the St. Johns River.

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 Nuttall's meadowbeauty (Rhexia nuttallii, Melastomataceae)

Lower photo shows blossom with interesting reddish notches on ends of petals. Perhaps this appearance was caused by some insect taking a bite out of the petals while still in bud stage.

Photos taken along St. Nicholas Rd.

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Pale meadowbeauty (Rhexia mariana, Melastomataceae)

Upper-right photo shows a backlit blossom.

Lower photo shows spurs on anthers. 

Photos taken along St. Nicholas Rd.

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Swamp rosemallow (Hibiscus grandiflorus, Malvaceae)

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Scarlet rosemallow (Hibiscus coccineus, Malvaceae)

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Panoramas

Upper-left: Rosemallows,

Others: Clouds moving across grassy marshland.

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Winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum var. lanceolatum, Lythraceae)

The petals of winged loosestrife appear wrinkled, as if they need ironing!

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Broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia, Typhaceae)

Along Long Bluff Rd.

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Spurred butterfly pea (Centrosema virginianum, Fabaceae)

Along Lake Charlie Rd.

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Fewflower milkweed (Asclepias lanceolata, Apocynaceae)

Found on Fish Hole Rd, a few hundred feet north of the SR-528 underpass.

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 Chapman's goldenrod (Solidago odora var. chapmanii, Asteraceae)

Flower heads borne along one side of the floral branches.

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Wild Turkeys

Several adults and a bunch of young ones were browsing in the tall grass along Long Bluff Rd.

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Florida Panhandle, June 16-17, 2015

On our first day, Tuesday, June 16, we followed a route suggested by Roger Hammer: from Crawfordville, east on Arran Rd, which turns into unpaved FH-13. We made several stops along FH-13, with FR-314 being the main stop recommended by Roger. On the second day, Wednesday, June 17, we photographed wildflowers south of Hosford, along SR-65, our main objective. We turned back north on SR-12 to Bristol. We found a couple of interesting plants in the swales along SR-12.

A total of 53 species were photographed. Eight species are new to this blog: Barbara's buttons, Water dawnflower, Tall ironweed, Low pinebarren milkwort, Pineland false sunflower, Coastal sweetpepperbush, White meadowbeauty/Apalachicola meadowbeauty, and Yellow meadowbeauty. Four remain unidentified. All plants shown below are native, unless otherwise specified.

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Barbara's buttons (Marshallia sp., Asteraceae)

Found a few miles west of Sopchoppy in a swale on SR-375, near FR-339. This flower does not match any Marshallia in the Plant Atlas. It might be an escape from someone's garden. Several homes were nearby.

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Manyflower beardtongue (Penstemon multiflorus, Plantaginaceae)

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Blackeyed susan (Rudbekia hirta, Asteraceae)

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Spanish daisy; bitterweed (Helenium amarum, Asteraceae)

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Darrow's blueberry (Vaccinium darrowii, Ericaceae)

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American bluehearts (Buchnera americana, Orobanchaceae)

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Button rattlesnakemaster (Eryngium yuccifolium, Apiaceae)

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 Virginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana, Rubiaceae)

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Foxtail club-moss (Lycopodiella alopecuroides, Lycopodiaceae)

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Yellow colicroot (Aletris lutea, Nartheciaceae)

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Comfortroot (Hibiscus aculeatus, Malvaceae)

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Danglepod (Sesbania herbacea, Fabaceae)

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Water dawnflower (Stylisma aquatica, Convolvulaceae)

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Eastern false dragonhead; obedient plant (Physostegia purpurea, Lamiaceae)

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Drumheads (Polygala cruciata, Polygalaceae)
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Florida Yellow Flax (Linum floridanum, Linaceae)

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Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus, Asteraceae)

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Golden crest (Lophiola aurea, Nartheciaceae)

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Hawthorn (Crataegus sp. Rosaceae)

A small, low hawthorn found in a vacant field next to the Best Western motel south of Crawfordville on US-98.

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Tall ironweed (Vernonia angustifolia, Asteraceae)

The narrow leaves indicate that this is Vernonia angustifolia. Giant ironweed, Vernonia gigantea, has broad leaves.

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Winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum var. lanceolatum, Lythraceae)

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

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Low pinebarren milkwort (Polygama ramosa, Polygalaceae)

Plants were under 1-ft tall.

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Lax hornpod (Mitreola petiolata, Loganiaceae)

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Mock bishopsweed (Ptillimnium capillaceum, Apiaceae)

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Orange milkwort (Polygala lutea, Polygalaceae)

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Pineland false sunflower (Phoebanthus tenuifolius, Asteraceae)
Threatened-state

Wunderline designates this species as "Rare." Found only in 4 counties in the Florida Panhandle.

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Tenangle pipewort (Eriocaulon decangulare, Eriocaulaceae)

Last image shows basal leaves.

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Pitted stripeseed, piriqueta (Piriqueta cistoides, Turneraceae)

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Rosy camphorweed (Pluchea baccharis, Asteraceae)

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Bluestem prickly poppy; Carolina poppy (Argemone albiflora, Papaveraceae)

Found in weedy swale near Best Western motel south of Crawfordville on US-98.

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Carolina redroot (Lachnanthes caroliana, Haemodoraceae)

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Savannah meadowbeauty (Rhexia alifanus, Melastomataceae)

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Pale meadowbeauty; Maryland meadowbeauty (Rhexia mariana, Melastomataceae)

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Gulf purple pitcherplant; decumbent pitcherplant (Sarracenia rosea, Sarraceniaceae)

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Yellow pitcher plant; trumpets (Sarracenia flava, Sarraceniaceae)

In the last image, the mouth of the plant has been covered over with a soft membrane. The membrane is convex, which indicates the presence of a gas inside the pitcher.

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Tracy's sundew (Drosera tracyi, Droseraceae)

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Pink sundew (Drosera capillaris, Droseraceae)

It is possible that this is Drosera brevifolia.

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Rustweed (Polypremum procumbens, Tetrachondraceae)

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Rosegentian (Sabatia sp., Gentianaceae)

More study needed to determine the species (may be more than one shown).

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Savannah primrosewillow (Ludwigia virgata, Onagraceae)

Abundant and widespread.

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Narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia, Asteraceae)

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Stinging nettle (Cnidoscolus stimulosus, Euphorbiaceae)

Found in a weedy field near the Best Western motel, south of Crawfordville on US-98.

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Coastal sweetpepperbush (Clethra alnifolia, Clethraceae)

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Mohr's thoroughwort (Eupatorium mohrii, Asteraceae)

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Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora, Cyrillaceae)

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Thistleleaf aster (Eurybia eryngiifolia, Asteraceae)

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White lobelia (Lobelia paludosa, Campanulaceae)

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White meadowbeauty; Apalachicola meadowbeauty (Rhexia parviflora, Melastomataceae)
Endangered-state

Low-growing perenial herb. Endemic to 8 counties in the Panhandle, 3 counties in Alabama, and 1 county in Georgia. The last two images show the tiny spurs at the base of the anthers. (More study is needed to determine if Rhexia parviflora is the correct identification of all of the plants pictured.)

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Wicky; hairy laurel (Kalmia hirsuta, Ericaceae)

This plant is a relative of mountain laurel from northern U.S. areas.

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Red-cockaded woodpecker nests

The red-cockaded woodpecker builds nest cavities in live pine trees. The running sap that flows from around the hole helps keep out rat snakes and other predators.

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Yellow meadowbeauty (Rhexia lutea, Melastomataceae)

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Unidentified blue

Found in a weedy swale near Best Western motel on US-98, south of Crawfordville.

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Unidentified fuzzy

Widespread, generally in dry areas. Roger Hammer thinks it might be a Dalea.

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Unidentified white

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Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata, Asteraceae)

I had initially labeled this is "Unidentified;" however, Roger Hammer later identified it as Coreopsis lanceolata, one of the few Coreopsis with yellow disk florets.

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Unidentified yellow unopened

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