Counting Blessings: Warea amplexifolia
By Jackie Rolly with contributions from Juliet Rynear Above & below: counting W. amplexifolia at Seminole State Forest Just over a year ago, the Florida Forestry Service stood by as flames engulfed the Warea Tract - a 40-acre portion of Seminole State Forest that the agency is responsible for maintaining. Apparently, this prescribed burning was just what the doctor ordered. Earlier this month (October, 2011), Jackie Rolly and others had the privilege of counting approximately 1,158 specimens of Warea amplexifolia (commonly known as “Wide-leaf Warea” or “Clasping Warea”) on the site. This plant, endemic to central Florida, has remained on the Federal Register of endangered plants since its listing in 1987. Additional endangered plants that Rolly and her group identified include Lewton’s Milkwort ( Polygala lewtonii ), Trailing Milkvine ( Matelea publiflora ), Scrub Plum ( Prunus geniculata ), and Scrub Morning Glory ( Bonamia grandiflora ). Habitat loss is the pr...