Category Archives: Flora

Lichens

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If you have walked the trails at the Preserve you may not have given lichens a second thought. Or perhaps mistaken them for another organism, like a moss. If this is the case, then you have missed out on wonders of the natural world.

A lichen is not a single organism, but rather a mutualistic community of at least two different species: a fungus and a photosynthetic alga or cyanobacterium. Lichens can be divided into three principal body categories. 

  • Fruticose lichens are highly branched and can grow like shrubs. 
  • Crustose (crustlike) lichens adhere tightly to their substrate. 
  • Foliose (leafy) lichens are loosely attached and grow parallel to their substrate.

On a January 2020 Citrus Native Plant Society field trip lichenologists Ann DeBolt and Roger Rosentreter pointed out that all three lichen categories can be found on many substrates at the Preserve: on tree bark, on open soil, and on bare rock. 

To learn more about lichens:

Florida Wildflower App

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This App helps find and identify plants. When you give the App information about a plant, such as its location, flower color and the time of year, the App will quickly show you which plants match your selections.

The App includes 2,746 species of plants found in Florida. Overall, 1,426 are “Wildflowers”, 263 are shrubs, 276 are trees, 106 are vines, 5 are a cactus, 461 are grass-like, 59 are fern-like, 139 are moss-like, 20 are seaweed and 156 are lichen.

iOS App Store
Google Play Store

Invasive Plant Survey

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The WGP management plan calls for the periodic survey of the Preserve for invasive plants. Yankeetown was fortunate to have Marc Frank (Extension Botanist, UF/IFAS), Lucas Majure (Curator at UF Herbarium), and several of their colleague and students conduct a survey on October 5, 2018.

Accompanied by several of Friends of the WGP and local Master Gardeners the survey team broke into groups and explored the Preserve. The survey found just seven invasive plant species: Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera), Smooth rattlebox (Crotalaria pallida), Lantana (Lantana strigocamara), Springer’s Asparagus Fern (Asparagus aethiopicus), Hairy indigo (Indigofera hirsuta), and Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora). None of the invasive plant species were widespread and in several cases consisted of just a single plant. The invasive plant species found were flagged for removal.

In addition, three non-native plant species (Three-flower tick trefoil (Desmodium triflorum), Turk’s turban / Skyrocket (Clerodendrum indicum), and Creeping beggarweed (Desmodium incanum)) were found. While not native to Florida these plants are not currently regarded as invasive. Also observed were several plants (e.g., a cactus and an agave) that to date have not been vouchered in Levy County.

The Board of Trustees and the Friends want to thanks the survey team. We hope to see them again at the Preserve.

Florida’s Flora

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We had a large turnout (March 30, 2018) for UF Herbarium Extension Botanist Marc Frank. Marc talked about plant identification and introduced Florida’s Top Six Plant Families:

  • Poaceae (the grass family)
  • Asteraceae (the aster family)
  • Fabaceae (the legume family)
  • Cyperaceae (the sedge family)
  • Orchidaceae (the orchid family)
  • Lamiaceae (the mint family)

You can view Marc’s presentation slides here: PDF of Presentation

Invasive Air Potato and its Biological Control

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Air potatoes (Dioscorea bulbifera) are members of the yam family and are native to Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Air potatoes can now be found throughout Florida and are considered an extremely aggressive invasive species. The vine was added to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Noxious Weed List in 1999.

A classic method of biological control involves finding an organism that feeds exclusively on the invasive plant and then releasing it in the invaded area. Once established the control agent will provide long-term suppression of the plant.

Scientists with the US Department of Agriculture identified a beetle (Lilioceris cheni) in Nepal and China that feeds on air potato leaves. There is now a program in Florida to use this beetle to control the air potato. If you have air potato on your property you can obtain beetles free of charge. To learn more about the program and instructions for ordering beetles visit

http://bcrcl.ifas.ufl.edu/airpotatobiologicalcontrol.shtml

The Friends want to thank Elise Schuchman (Florida Department of Agriculture) for coming out to the Preserve and giving an informative presentation on the invasive air potato vine, and efforts to control it.

Help Stop Seagrass Scarring

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Seagrasses are extremely important habitat for the fish, scallops, manatees, turtles, birds and other species that support the coastal tourism economy in Florida’s Nature Coast. Seagrass scarring by propellers, anchors, and vessel groundings is 100% preventable, and yet is a growing problem in Florida.

The University of Florida has started a campaign to raise awareness about seagrass scarring caused by boating. They are calling this campaign “Be Seagrass Safe”.

To learn more visit the “Be Seagrass Safe” web site: http://beseagrasssafe.com.

Ghost Forests: How Rising Seas Are Killing Southern U.S. Woodlands

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Author Roger Drouin recently toured the Preserve guided by David Kaplan and Katie Glodzik from the University of Florida Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences. Using information from his visit he discusses the effects of rising sea levels on Gulf coastal forests in this article in Yale Environment 360.

E360 REPORT – Ghost Forests: How Rising Seas Are Killing Southern U.S. Woodlands

A steady increase in sea levels is pushing saltwater into U.S. wetlands, killing trees from Florida to as far north as New Jersey. But with sea level projected to rise by as much as six feet this century, the destruction of coastal forests is expected to become a worsening problem worldwide.

Yale Environment 360 is a publication of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Bioblitz at the WGP

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The Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve Bioblitz on March 15th & 16th, 2014 was a major success, and a fun, hands on learning experience. The goals of the Bioblitz were to identify flora & fauna and provide a program of expert-led nature walks, kayaking, and presentations. The program included:

Flora and Fauna of the Big Bend
by Dr. Linda Tyson (Santa Fe College)

Plant Lore: the History of Florida’s Coastal Flora
by Lars Andersen (Adventure Outpost)

Paddle the Estuary
by Lars Andersen (Adventure Outpost) and UF Students

Birds of the WGP
led by Mary Keith (Tampa Audubon Society/Hillsborough County Extension)

Intro to Plant ID and Plant Walk
by Amy Langston (UF)

Mapping Sea-Level Rise
by Nicholas Digruttolo (UF)

Herpetofauna and Invertebrate Surveys
by Paul Moler (FL FWC)

Botanical Inventory
by Dr. Colette Jacono (UF)

Tidal Creek Seine
by Tom Ankersen (UF), Richard Hamann (UF) and Leroy Creswell (Florida SeaGrant)

WGP Bird Inventory
by Adam and Gina Kent (Avian Research and Conservation Institute)

Intertidal Invertebrate Species Inventory
by Rebecca Squibb and Elliot Hart (UF)

Island Tree Survey
by Dr. David Kaplan (UF)

The WGP BioBlitz was organized by University of Florida Environmental Engineering Professor David Kaplan’s Watershed Ecology Lab. We want to thank them and all who participated in this great two day event.

Coastal Forests Retreat As Sea Levels Rise

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In this article in The Palmetto — Florida Native Plant Society, Francis E. “Jack” Putz discusses the effects of rising sea levels on Gulf coastal forests. The Palmetto · Winter 2012

“The effects of sea level rise are often difficult to differentiate from the myriad of other drivers of coastal change, but the expanses of dead trees looming over Gulf Coast marshes is compelling evidence. The story unfolds very clearly in Yankeetown’s Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve…”