Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Lake Wales Ridge, May 30, Jun 1, 2017

This was our fifth visit to the Lake Wales Ridge area.
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As usual, we stopped here first.
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Florida greeneyes (Berlandiera subacaulis, Asteraceae)
Florida endemic

We usually find this greeneyes in the same spot each time we visit.
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 Southern beeblossom (Oenothera simulans, Onagraceae)

Until recently, this species was known as Gaura angustifolia. Now, G. angustifolia and four variants have been lumped into one new species, Oenothera simulans.

This particular specimen had a very unusual appearance, which had me puzzled. There were several long stems arising from a single point. Parts of some of the stems were flattened. Some of the flowers were in a cluster at the end of the long stems. I finally concluded it is the common Oenothera simulans (southern beeblossom). I think maybe the plant had been attacked by some gall-inducing insect, which caused the distorted growth.

I found the following at the online Encylopedia of Life for Oenothera gaura, Biennial Beeblossom: "Other insects feed destructively on the foliage, flowers, developing seed capsules, and plant sap of Biennial Gaura. Insects in this latter group include aphids (Macrosiphum gaurae, Macrosiphum pseudorosae), leaf-mining larvae of a Momphid moth (Mompha argentimaculella), gall-forming larvae of a a Momphid moth (Mompha rufocristatella), and larvae of the Primrose Moth (Schinia florida) and Gaura Moth (Schinia gaura)."
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Rough Mexican clover (Richardia scabra, Rubiaceae)
Not native
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Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp.  canadensis, Adoxaceae)
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Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum, Anacardiaceae)
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Quillwort arrowhead (Saggitaria isoetiformis, Isoetaceae)

Thread-like leaves appeared to be flattened.
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Garberia (Garberia heterophylla, Asteraceae)
Florida endemic
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Feay's palafox (Palafoxia feayi, Asteraceae)
Florida endemic
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Pitted stripeseed, piriqueta (Piriqueta cistoides, Turneraceae)

I think this is the first photo I've taken of a shadow of a wildflower.
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Sand spike-moss (Selaginella arenicola, Selaginellaceae)
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Tallow wood, hog plum (Ximenia americana, Ximeniaceae)
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Adam's needle (Yucca filamentosa, Agavaceae)
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Florida rosemary; sand heath (Ceratiola ericoides, Ericaceae)
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Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris, Asteraceae)

Previously this species was called Chrysopsis scabra.
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Elliott's milkpea (Galactia elliottii, Fabaceae)
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Llima (Sida cordifolia, Malvaceae)
Not native

This is a new species for this blog.
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Florida alicia (Chapmannia floridana, Fabaceae)
Florida endemic

A tall, sticky plant. Stems and leaves are covered in gland-tipped hairs.
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Reindeer "moss"

Actually, it is a lichen.
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False rosemary (Conradina brevifolia, Lamiaceae)
Florida endemic

This endangered shrub is restricted to a few scrubs along a 20-mile stretch of US-27 between Sun Ray and Sebring in Polk and Highlands Counties.
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Small's jointweed; woody wireweed; sandlace (Polygonella myriophylla, Polygonaceae)
Florida endemic, Endangered-State, Endangered-US

From Endangered Plants of the Scrub, floridata.com: "Sandlace is the single best indicator of ancient Lake Wales Ridge scrub. Look for it in vacant lots and road shoulders within 10 miles of US-27 in Polk and Highlands Counties. If you see this plant you know you are in true Lake Wales Ridge scrub."
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Tough bully, tough bumelia (Sideroxylon tenax, Sapotaceae)

A thorny scrub; underside of leaves is brown.
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Catchfly, slenderleaf clammyweed (Polanisia tenuifolia, Brassicaceae)

Stems and leaves are sticky
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Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta, Commelinaceae)

One specimen was pink, instead of blue.
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Largeflower jointweed; sandhill wireweed (Polygonella robusta, Polygonaceae)
Florida endemic

A new species for this blog.
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Coatbuttons (Tridax procumbens, Asteraceae)
Not native
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Lake Placid Scrub Unit
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Highlands scrub St.John's-wort; Highlands scrub hypericum (Hypericum cumulicola, Clusiaceae)
Florida endemic, Endangered-State, Endangered-US

I found only this one specimen, near the entrance to the Lake Placid Scrub Unit.
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