Florida Native Plant Society Blog

I could not think of a better native wildflower to feature in February than Yellow Jessamine,  Gelsemium sempervirens  . After reading Roger Hammer's sinister portrayal of this "pretty and evil” native, your appreciation for its lovely flower and fragrance will be restored by the poem “Yellow Jessamine” written by Constance Fenimore Woolson in 1874. Thank you to Peg Urban, who brought this poem to my attention when she remembered it from a past issue of the Palmetto .    CAROLINA JESSAMINE Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) W.T. Aiton Gelsemium Family (Gelsemiaceae) text and photos by Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter Carolina Jessamine, by Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter This twining vine has stems to 20' long with light green, lanceolate leaves from 1"–3" long and ½"–¾" wide. The fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers are about 1½" long and are typically present from January into April. Look for it in deciduous forests south...

Golden Club, Orontium aquaticum L. Text and Photos by Donna Bollenbach, Suncoast Chapter Golden Club, Alderman Ford Preserve, Hillsborough County photo by Donna Bollenbach Golden Club is an aquatic plant that grows from stout rhizomes in shallow streams, ponds and swamps throughout most of Florida, and much of the eastern United States, and on the coastal plains The Waxy leaves repel water. Photo by Donna Bollenbach of Southeast Texas.  Typical of plants in the family Araceae, its tiny flowers are closely arranged around a fleshy stem, forming a yellow spadix, thus the common name “Golden Club.” It’s other common name “Never Wet”, refers to its large velvety bluish green leaves with a waxy coating that repels water .   Its Latin generic name derives from a plant that grows in the Orontes River of Syria. Golden Club is a member of the arum family, and related to Jack-in-the pulpit, skunk cabbage and the garden calla lily. It is the only arum ...

Today's Wednesday's Wildflower features two species of Lupine, the Sandhill Lupine, submitted by Roger Hammer, and the Sundial Lupine, submitted by Bill Berthet. Edited by Valerie Anderson. Sandhill Lupine,  Lupinus cumulicola                                                          Text and photo by Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter Sandhill Lupine, Lupinus cumulicola , by Roger Hammer From January to May each year the white sand scrub on the Lake Wales Ridge in Lake, Osceola, Polk, and Highlands Counties are adorned with the cheery blue flowers of the Florida endemic skyblue lupine (pronounced LOO-PIN). Some botanists consider it a synonym of Lupinus diffusus but others argue that L. diffusus differs by its habitat, range, prostrate to decumbent stems, orbicular-reniform (kidney-shaped) standard, and a nearly straight beak on ...

Submitted by Don Spence and Sonya Guidry, Pawpaw Chapter of FNPS Once again the Pawpaw Chapter sponsored a special award at the annual Tomoka Regional Science and Engineering Fair, held at Spruce Creek High School on Jan. 28. Pawpaw’s judges were Don Spence, Danny Young and Sonya Guidry. Emma Schlageter, 1st Place Winner. Photo by Sonya Guidry The PawPaw Chapter selected Emma Schlageter as first-place winner. Ms. Schlageter’s project reported on the biodiversity of salt marsh restoration in the Halifax River basin. The first-place winner received a certificate, a wildflower guide by Dr. Walter Taylor, $60.00, and a student membership. Isabel Kraby, honorable mention. Photo by Sonya Guidry. An honorable mention was awarded to Isabel Kraby.  Ms. Kraby examined leaf pigments of plants commonly found in Florida. Our honorable mention winner received a certificate and a student membership.   Both young women are middle school students.  ...

Senna mexicana var. chapmanii Submitted by Beryn Harty, Miami-Dade Chapter, resident of the lower Florida Keys Photo by Beryn Harty in a refuge area of Lower Florida Keys Bahama Senna is a small shrub, or sprawling groundcover with showy yellow flowers that bloom year-round in its natural, southern range. The bright yellow, five petal flowers, about the size of a US quarter, bloom the heaviest in the fall and winter.  Photo by Beryn Harty in a refuge area of Lower Florida Keys Bahama Senna is the host plant for Cloudless Sulphur, Orange Barred Sulphur, and Sleepy  Orange Butterflies. Its preferred habitat is pine rocklands and rockland hammock edges in moist, well-drained limestone soils, typically in full sun to light shade.     While listed as threatened in the state of Florida, it is easy to find and grow, stocked by many native nurseries, and can be grown from seed.   Family Name: Fabaceae Genus/Species: Senna mexicana var...