Tosohatchee WMA, June 19, 2011

My wife and I found an abundance of wildflowers on this trip to the Tosohatchee WMA. It had recently rained in the area, which may have caused the appearance of so many wildflowers. (Some of these photos were taken my my wife.)

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Beehead Road

This is the road that leads from the entrance. Left: looking west; right: looking east

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Meadow Views

There is a meadow-like area on the north side of Beehead Rd. Wildflowers in this area included meadowbeauty, yelloweyed grass, and several species of  St.John's-wort.

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Pale meadowbeauty (Rhexia mariana, Melastomataceae)

Native

This was one of the most abundant wildflowers. (Upper-left photo by J.)

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Leavenworth's tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii, Asteraceae)

Native

(Bottom photo by J.)

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Lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrata, Lamiaceae)
Native

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Blackeyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta, Asteraceae)
Native

This is the first appearance of blackeyed susan in this blog. It was common along Beehead Rd. (Upper-left photo by J.)

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Rosy camphorweed (Pluchea baccharis, Asteraceae)
Native

Rosy flower heads and sessile, clasping leaves. Previously, this plant was known as Pluchea rosea.

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Elliott's yelloweyed grass (Xyris elliotii, Xyridaceae)
Native

According to the online USF/ISB Plant Atlas, there are about 10 species of Xyris in Brevard and Orange Counties. They are difficult to separate, so my identification could be in error.

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Orange milkwort (Polygala lutea, Polygalaceae)
Native

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Seaside primrosewillow (Ludwigia maritima, Onagraceae)
Native

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Pitted stripeseed (Piriqueta cistoides subsp. caroliniana, Turneraceae)
Native

We found about a dozen of these growing in several places alongside the road.

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Button rattlesnakemaster; button eryngo (Eryngium yuccifolium, Apiaceae)
Native

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Dwarf St.John's-wort (Hypericum mutilum, Clusiaceae)
Native

Initially labeled as "Unidentied," this plant has now (July 9, 2012) been identified as dwarf St.John's-wort, Hypericum mutilum. This bright green plant was found in the semi-dry ditch on the south side of Powerline Rd. Flowers were yellow with 5 petals. Leaves sessile and opposite. Plant had a succulent appearance. (Both photos by J.)

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Zarzabacoa comun (Desmodium incanum, Fabaceae)
Not native

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Sandweed; peelbark St.John's-wort (Hypericum fasciculatum, Clusiaceae)
Native

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Showy milkwort (Polygala violacea, Polygalaceae)
Native

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Shrubby false buttonweed (Spermacoce verticillata, Rubiaceae)
Not native

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Unidentified pea

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Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum, Asteraceae)
Native

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Woodland lettuce (Lactua floridana, Asteraceae)
Native

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Southern beeblossom (Gaura angustifolia, Onagraceae)
Native

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Winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum var. lanceolatum, Lythraceae)

Native

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Rose-rush (Lygodesmia aphylla, Asteraceae)

Native

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Mohr's thoroughwort (Eupatorium mohrii, Asteraceae)

Native

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 Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis, Adoxaceae)

Native

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 Largeflower rosegentian (Sabatia grandiflora, Gentianaceae)

Native

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 Florida false sunflower (Phoebanthus grandiflorus, Asteraceae)

Native, Florida endemic

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 Power Line Road

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 Walter's groundcherry (Physalis walteri, Solanaceae)

Native

This is the same groundcherry that is seen near the beach.

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 Cypresshead groundcherry (Physalis arenicola, Solanaceae)

Native

This was a new plant for me and new to this blog. Cypresshead groundcherry can be recognized by its leaves: flat, not velvety, and with depressed veins.

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 Common wireweed, common fanpetals (Sida ulmifolia, Malvaceae)

Native

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 Blackroot (Pterocaulon pycnostachyum, Asteraceae)

Native

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 Lizard's tail (Saururus cernuus, Saururaceae)

Native

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 Pickerelweed ( Pontederia cordata, Pontederiaceae)

Native

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Manyflower beardtongue (Penstemon multiflorus, Plantaginaceae)

Native

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Yellow colicroot (Aletris lutea, Nartheciaceae)

Native

Mostly gone to seed; one flowering stem remaining.

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 Nuttall's thistle (Cirsium nuttallii, Asteraceae)

Native

Unopened flower head.

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 Lantana (Lantana camara, Verbenaceae)

Not native

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 American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana, Lamiaceae)

Native

Star-shaped hairs give the stems a fuzzy feeling.

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 Tarflower (Bejaria racemosa, Ericaceae)

Native

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Purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata, Passifloraceae)

Native

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 Trail to picnic area

(Eastern extension of Beehead Rd)

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 American snowbell (Styrax americanus, Styracaceae)

Native

Developing seed pods are shown here. On my previous visit this snowbell shrub was in bloom (see Tosohatchee WMA, March 26, 2011 post).

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 Picnic Area

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 Tropical Mexican clover (Richardia brasiliensis, Rubiaceae)

Not native

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 Unidentified grass

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Axilflower (Mecardonia acuminata subsp. peninsularis, Plantaginaceae)

Native, Florida endemic.

Note (Aug 4, 2014): I had previously incorrectly identified these plants as Savannah false pimpernel (Lindernia grandiflora).

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Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis, Rubiaceae)

Native

Upper right: appears to be some premature autumn color on this buttonbush.

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Bulltongue arrowhead (Sagittaria lancifolia, Alismataceae)

Native

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 Columbian waxweed ( Cuphea carthagenensis, Lythraceae)

Not native

Found near the picnic area. New to me and to this blog.

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 Wood sage; Canadian germander (Teucrium canadense, Lamiaceae)

Native

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Fewflower milkweed (Asclepias lanceolata, Apocynaceae)

Native

I initially called this plant butterfly milkweed; however, I was informed (see comment below) that its true identity is fewflower milkweed, Asclepias lanceolata, in which case, it is a new species for this blog.

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 Scarlet rosemallow (Hibiscus coccineus, Malvaceae)

Native

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 Swamp rosemallow (Hibiscus grandiflorus, Malvaceae)

Native

Only a few of these were in bloom. Many more soon to bloom.

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 Anhinga

Near the St. Johns River.

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 Wild turkey

Spotted as we were approaching the exit.

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Dale Wimbrow, June 17, 2011

The main purpose of this visit was to try to find again the Florida false sunflower (Phoebanthus grandiflorus) that I found here on September 26, 2010. I did not find the Phoebanthus, but photographed a number of plants that reliably can be found here.

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Trail

Plants depicted in this post were found along this trail on the north side of the park.

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American bluehearts (Buchnera americana, Orobanchaceae)

Native

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Tallow wood, hog plum (Ximenia americana, Ximeniaceae)

Native

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Yellow milkwort (Polygala rugelii, Polygalaceae)

Native; Florida endemic

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Seaside primrosewillow (Ludwigia maritima, Onagraceae)

This species of primrosewillow has a cube-shaped seed capsule.

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Showy milkwort (Polygala violacea, Polygalaceae)

Native

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Coastal bedstraw (Galium hispidulum, Rubiaceae)
Native

This is a new plant to this blog. The identification as G. hispidulum is tentative; need more details to be sure.

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Leavenworth's tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii, Asteraceae)

Native; Florida endemic

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Rosy camphorweed (Pluchea baccharis, Asteraceae)

Native

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Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata, Fabaceae)

Native

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Button rattlesnakemaster (Eryngium yuccifolium, Apiaceae)

Native

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Wickham Park, June 16, 2011

Recently I was contacted by a graduate student at University of Georgia re: Florida false sunflower (Phoebanthus grandiflorus). The student was doing research on the genetic variation of that species. He had discovered this blog and noted that I had seen Phoebanthus in Wickham Park. He was planning on visiting the area soon and wanted to know exactly where in Wickham Park I had seen the Phoebanthus. I knew I had not seen it this year, but decided to explore a wider area in this day to see if I could find any. My search was unsuccessful. A few of the plants I did find are shown here.

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This was the area in which a Florida false sunflower was found in July 2010. To the right is an Adam's needles plant where a small Florida milkweed currently can be found. This area is near the south end of the fire-break trail that runs along the eastern edge of the youth camping area.

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Florida milkweed (Asclepias feayi, Apocynaceae)

Native, Florida endemic

A singe, small Florida milkweed plant is currently growing very close to an Adam's needles plant, as mentioned above. On this day there was only one open blossom. Previously, this plant has had many blossoms.

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Small-leaf climbing fern; Old-world climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum, Schizaeaceae)

Not native

This exotic and invasive fern was found during the Wickham Park field trip I led on June 4, 2011. It was located in the extreme southeast corner of the youth camping area. A much larger infestation of this plant was found in another part of the park and reported here on August 12, 2010.

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Rosy camphorweed (Pluchea baccharis, Asteraceae)

Native

During the Wickham Park field trip, my identification of this plant was questioned. It was believed to be Pluchea odorata, or sweetscent. Both species have a pink corolla; however, the P. baccharis has stemless, clasping leaves (as shown in the photo), while P. odorata leaves have stems. (P. baccharis was previously called P. rosea.)

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Coastalplain honeycombhead; yellow buttons (Balduina angustifolia, Asteraceae)

Native

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