Palmetto
Save the Date!
2013 Florida Native Plant Society Conference
May 16 – 19, 2013
University of North Florida, Jacksonville For updates visit www.fnps.org/conference
Leave a lasting legacy
Be a part of the Florida Native Plant Society’s Bequest and Legacy Gifts Program.
Your gift will help further the FNPS mission to preserve, conserve, and restore the native plants and native plant communities of Florida.
CORRECTION:
For more information on planned giving, please visit our “Leave a Legacy” web page: www.fnps.org/support-fnps/legacy
To participate, contact:
Vice President for Finance
Florida Native Plant Society PO Box 278 Melbourne, FL 32902-0278
Due to an editorial error, the article “Native Container Gardening” (PALMETTO 28-4, pages 8-11) states the scientific name for the native Florida blue-eyed grass is Sisyrinchium rosulatum. Thanks to Dr. Richard Wunderlin for pointing out that Sisyrinchium rosulatum is not native to Florida and is an introduced weedy plant that did not appear in the U.S. until the late 1800’s. The correct name for the native blue-eyed grass is Sisyrinchium angustifolium. For more information, visit the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants at www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu.
The purpose of the Florida Native Plant Society is to preserve, conserve, and restore the native plants and native plant communities of Florida.
Official definition of native plant: For most purposes, the phrase Florida native plant refers to those species occurring within the state boundaries prior to European contact, according to the best available scientific and historical documentation. More specifically, it includes those species understood as indigenous, occurring in natural associations in habitats that existed prior to significant human impacts and alterations of the landscape.
Organization: Members are organized into regional chapters throughout Florida. Each chapter elects a Chapter Representative who serves as a voting member of the Board of Directors and is responsible for advocating the chapter’s needs and objectives.
CONTACT US:
To join or for inquiries: Contact your local Chapter Representative, or call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or visit www.fnps.org.
Florida Native Plant Society PO Box 278
Melbourne FL 32902-0278
Phone: (321) 271-6702 info@fnps.org www.fnps.org
FNPS Board of Directors
Executive Officers
President ..................................Steve Woodmansee
Past President...........................Gene Kelly
Vice President, Administration .....Jackie Rolly
Vice President, Finance Jim McCuen
Treasurer ..................................Daphne Lambright
Assistant Treasurer ...................Eve Reynolds
Secretary .................................. Martha Steuart
Committee Chairs
Communications .......................VACANT
Publications ..........................Bob Egolf
Social Media .........................Laurie Sheldon
Conference ............................... Barbara Jackson
Conservation ............................Annie Schmidt
Vice Chair Ben Mercadante
Education & Outreach ...............Kari Ruder
Finance .........................................Jim McCuen
Subcommittee: Development ...VACANT Governance ................................Rick Joyce Landscape Awards....................Sandi Saurers
Membership .............................Shari Blisset-Clark Policy & Legislation ...................Gene Kelly
Directors-at-Large, 2010–2012 Carrie Reinhardt-Adams, Rick Joyce
Directors-at-Large, 2011–2013
Ray Jarrett, Matt King, open
Directors-at-Large, 2012–2014 Jon Moore
To contact board members: Visit www.fnps.org or write care of: FNPS PO Box 278, Melbourne FL 32902-0278
Society Services
Executive Director .....................Kellie Westervelt Webmaster ...............................Paul Rebmann
Accounting Services ................. Hershkowitz, P.A. Administrative Services ............Cammie Donaldson Editor, Palmetto .........................Marjorie Shropshire Editor, Sabal Minor ....................Stacey Matrazzo
Palmetto
Features
4 Weaving a Serenoa Field Basket
A single, waxy palmetto leaf can be used to make a convenient fan to cool off or swat mosquitoes with, but it can also be used to weave a dandy collecting basket, right in the field. Dick Workman shows us how.
8 Techniques for Growing Native Ferns from Spores
For native plant enthusiasts with shady areas, ferns can be a wonderful addition to the landscape. Although native ferns are not generally available from garden retailers, they can be grown readily from spores. Article by Evan Rogers.
12 Plants Common to Florida and Nova Scotia: Rarity and Geographic Range
Diane LaRue takes us on a surprising journey through the widely differing climatic zones of Florida and Nova Scotia to discover plants common to both areas.
Palmetto seeks articles on native plant species and related conservation topics, as well as high-quality botanical illustrations and photographs. Contact the editor for guidelines, deadlines and other information at palmetto@fnps.org
ON THE COVER:
Completed field gathering basket made from the leaf of Serenoa repens. To make your own, see the article beginning on page 4.
by Marjorie Shropshire
Make a difference with FNPS
Your membership supports the preservation and restoration of wildlife habitats and biological diversity through the conservation of native plants. It also funds awards for leaders in native plant education, preservation and research.
● Individual $35
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The Palmetto (ISSN 0276-4164) Copyright 2012, Florida Native Plant Society, all rights reserved. No part of the contents of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without written consent of the editor. The Palmetto is published four times a year by the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) as a benefit to members. The observations and opinions expressed in attributed columns and articles are those of the respective authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official views of the Florida Native Plant Society or the editor, except where otherwise stated.
Editorial Content: We have a continuing interest in articles on specific native plant species and related conservation topics, as well as high-quality botanical illustrations and photographs. Contact the editor for submittal guidelines, deadlines and other information. Editor: Marjorie Shropshire, Visual Key Creative, Inc. ● palmetto@fnps.org ● (772) 285-4286 ● 1876 NW Fork Road, Stuart, FL 34994
Photo
a Serenoa Field Basket
(Serenoa repens) is a sturdy native palm that occurs as an understory plant in wet to dry flatwoods and hammocks throughout Florida and the southeastern United States. A variety of wildlife finds the saw palmetto useful. Florida panthers prefer saw palmetto for daytime resting and natal den sites, and black bears use the plant for cover and forage, eating both the apical meristem and the abundant fruits. For human animals, a single, waxy palmetto leaf can be used to make a convenient fan to cool off or swat mosquitoes with, or to weave a dandy basket, right in the field.
Selecting a palmetto leaf
The first step is to choose a leaf. The size of the leaf will determine the size of the finished basket. Look for a fresh, young, symmetrical leaf, and cut it near the base of the plant, leaving the long stem intact (1). Use the blade of your cutting shears or knife held at an angle to scrape off the small spines along the stem, but be careful – the
spines are where the “saw” in the name saw palmetto comes from (2–3).
Preparing to weave the basket
Weaving can begin immediately after cutting if you plan to use the basket in the field, however working with a green leaf is more difficult, and the plant fiber will shrink and loosen when it dries. If you plan on keeping the basket for more than one use, a little preparation is in order. Avoid exposing the leaf to heat or direct sun. Clean the leaf with soap and water, and rinse it to remove any potential disease vectors. Pat the leaf dry, and press it between sheets of newspaper for a day or two. Placing something heavy on top will help flatten the leaf, making it easier to work with.
The weaving process
Start the weaving process by laying the leaf face up on a flat surface (4). Follow the stem visually to find the center of the leaf, and fold the first, centermost leaflet over at a right angle (5). Fold the second leaflet across the first (6). Proceed to fold the leaflets over, alternating sides and moving over and under until about 6 rows are completed (7– 9).
Tucking in the ends
The body of the basket is complete (10), but the top edges must be finished off by tucking them under. Start with the leaflets on the top of the basket, folding them down and tucking them underneath the parts you’ve already woven. Use the same “over and under” weaving technique used earlier to form the body of the basket (11–16).
By Dick Workman and Marjorie Shropshire
Dick Workman explaining the process of weaving a field basket from saw palmetto.
Proceed around to the back side of the basket, tucking in the loose leaflets, folding them and weaving them into the body of the basket (17). Crease the leaflets with your fingernail as needed. Leaflets can be folded both inside and outside of the basket. Proceed until both sides are finished. Use a pocket knife or scissors to trim off the ragged ends of the leaflets so the basket looks neat (18–19).
Making the handle
The handle of the basket is formed from the stem or petiole. Use a sharp knife to carefully split the stem into two sections, stopping when the split is about 5 inches away from the leaf end of the stem (20–21). Always cut away from yourself when using a knife. Limber up the stem by carefully bending it a little at a time. Don’t try to bend it all
at once, or it will break (22). Once you can bend the stem all the way over in a smooth arc, push it through the basket from the inside, about 2 leaflet widths down from the top edge. Make sure that it is in a centered position before allowing it to come out the front of the basket (24–25). It will be necessary to lock the handle inside the basket, so push the end of the handle back through to
the inside, (26) making sure that its end goes to the bottom point of the basket (27–28). To create the lock, one half of the split stem will point at the bottom of the basket, and the other will fold upward. Push the upward folding section of the stem underneath one of the woven leaflets to lock it securely (29). The finished basket is now ready for gathering any small fruits, nuts, or
berries you might find as you graze your way through the Florida landscape (30–33).
REFERENCES CONSULTED
Tanner, G. W. and J. J. Mullahey. Saw-palmetto: an ecologically and economically important native palm. University of Florida, IFAS, 2009. Online at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw110. Accessed June 23, 2012.
About the Author
Dick Workman attended Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and is the author of Growing Native: Native Plants for Landscape Use in Coastal South Florida He serves on the advisory board of the University of Florida Natural History Museum’s Randell Research Center at Pineland (Lee County) where he sometimes can be found demonstrating palm frond weaving, twining plant fibers, fire-carving gumbo limbo wood or playing the conch shell horn. He is a founding member of the Florida Native Plant Society.
Techniques for growing native ferns from spores
Article
and
Photographs by Evan Rogers
Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica) gametophytes, 1-2 months old.
INTRODUCTION
South Florida is home to between fifteen and twenty commonly encountered native fern species, as well as several uncommon species and aliens. These can be a challenge for the native plant gardener. In addition to whatever set of cultural requirements each species presents, native ferns are not generally available from mainstream garden retailers, although some may be found at specialized native plant nurseries (www.afnn.org). In recent months, during an internship with Palm Beach State College, I have experimented with starting most of the common ferns native to Palm Beach County from spores in a laboratory setting. Nearly every species has grown readily from spores, through the gametophyte phase, and onward to sporophytes. (Readers unfamiliar with fern terminology or the fern life cycle might enjoy this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGlKF74rItA&feature=related.)
METHODOLOGY
Spores were collected by placing fern fronds with mature spore cases sorus-side down on white paper and allowing the spores to collect more or less overnight. Cultivation took place in baby food jars, in some cases recycled from preschool nurseries, fitted with plastic snap caps, purchased from PhytoTechnology Laboratories (www.phytotechlab. com/). The medium was Fafard semi-sterile professional 3B mix. This mix is 45% Canadian sphagnum supplemented with processed pine bark,
perlite, and vermiculite. The mix was saturated with tap water and layered approximately onehalf inch deep in the baby food jars. Spores were tapped abundantly from the collection paper onto the soil surface. Jars were capped immediately and growth was allowed to proceed with supplemental water sprayed on infrequently. Growth occurred indoors at room temperature on carts fitted with a combination of standard fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs, lit continuously day and night. To allow verification of species’ identities, herbarium
Young sporophytes of mixed species. On the paper labels, the top date is the spore planting date; the bottom date is the date sporophytes were first observed in these individual jars.
Techniques for growing native ferns from spores
specimens were filed at the Palm Beach State College herbarium for each spore source. Fern names used here follow Wunderlin and Hansen (2003).
RESULTS
With no exceptions, every species in the study generated gametophytes readily, and all species, with the exception of cinnamon fern, generated sporophytes. Cinnamon fern produced gametophytes robustly but has not generated sporophytes. Perhaps not enough time has been provided for the fern to produce sporophytes, or an environmental requirement has not been met.
In a separate project, under conditions identical to mine, technician Robert Ullom generated gametophytes from shoestring fern, but sporophytes have not been produced.
DISCUSSION
Generating gametophytes and sporophytes on commercial potting mix is generally easy and quick for the native ferns tested. Sterile conditions are not necessary. Although the work occurred in a laboratory setting, I am confident that similar results could be obtained in a carefully considered residential situation. Maintaining high humidity in covered containers is
months
critical and adding water occasionally is helpful, despite the sealed container top. Transplanting from the baby food jars to a standard nursery container containing the same soil mix was challenging, since the delicate, young sporophytes are at risk for withering. The problem was mostly overcome by placing the young transplants in a plastic tray fitted with a transparent
Spores deposited on white paper from Kunth’s marsh fern (Thelypteris kunthii ) approximately 24 hours after collection. This species yielded spores abundantly and grew gametophytes easily, but has been particularly challenging to maintain long-term in culture.
Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) sporophytes approximately four
after spore collection.
Common nameBotanical nameDate collectedCollection siteFirst gametophyteFirst sporophyte
Swamp Fern Blechnum serrulatum 11/28/2011Campus12/6/20111/16/2012
Boston Fern Nephrolepis exaltata 12/6/2011Frenchman’s Forest1/3/20122/13/2012
Bracken Fern Pteridium aquilinum 11/28/2011Campus12/6/20111/11/2012
Cinnamon Fern Osmunda cinnamomea 1/22/2012JD Park1/25/2012
Golden Polypody Phlebodium aureum 12/13/2011Campus1/3/20122/27/2012
Hottentot Fern Thelypteris interrupta 12/6/2011Frenchman’s Forest12/13/20112/9/2012
Kunth’s Marsh Fern Thelypteris kunthii 11/28/2011Campus12/6/20111/30/2012
Leather Fern Acrostichum danaeifolium 11/30/2011Campus12/6/20112/13/2012
Resurrection Fern Pleopeltis polypodioides 1/17/2012Riverbend
Royal Fern Osmunda regalis 12/6/2011Frenchman’s Forest2/12/20112/27/2012
Shoestring Fern (by Robert Ullom) Vittaria lineata 1/19/2012Jupiter Farms4/2/2012
Virginia Chain Fern Woodwardia virginica 12/9/2011Mariposa1/3/20122/7/2012
dome where the moisture level was kept very high for a number of weeks. This step could be made easier by initially using containers larger than baby food jars, with generous soil, to make transplanting less delicate.
Sporoculture allows for deliberate hybridization since sperm have to splash or swim from gametophyte to gametophyte. By mixing the spores of two species, the densely packed resulting gametophytes in the culture jars would set the stage for crossing between the two species. I did not attempt hybridization in my study.
In sum, with adequate attention to the transplanting process, sporoculture shows clear potential for generation of large quantities of native ferns. This approach is inexpensive, easy, and effective. Beginning with spores permits large scale propagation with no disruption to natural populations. Incidentally, my results suggest small scale projects for classrooms and hobbyists including making a fern terrarium or growing ferns in a bottle. Readers interested in more detail may contact me at evan1550@aol.com.
REFERENCES CITED AND FURTHER READING
Wunderlin, R. P. and B. F. Hansen. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida. Second Ed. ix + 788 pp. Univ. Press of Florida. Gainesville and other cities. 2003. [Also see http://www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/]
About the Author
Evan Rogers is a student at Jupiter Community High School in Jupiter, Florida, and is a member of the FNPS Palm Beach Chapter.
Light cart with gametophytes growing in baby food jars.
Rarity and Geographic Range
By Diane LaRue
An investigation into plant species occupying widely differing climatic zones such as Florida and Nova Scotia provides an opportunity for a fascinating journey of exploration, both in the field and in the literature. This journey delves into topics as diverse as geological history, paleogeography, climate and sea level change, plant migration, rarity, endemism, glaciation, and what constitutes habitat.
Native Plants Common to Florida and Nova Scotia
Florida and Nova Scotia
Geographically, climatically and botanically, we easily recognize many differences between Florida and Nova Scotia. Both are peninsulas surrounded by sea. Florida has 1,197 miles (1,995 km) of shoreline and is 450 miles (725 km) long, north to south. Nova Scotia’s shoreline extends about 4,620 miles (7,500 km), and the province is 300 miles (500 km) long, measured from northeast to southwest. Both have considerable surface water in the form of bogs, marshes, lakes, rivers, and other wetlands. Areas of karst topography exist in both locations – limestone in Florida; gypsum in Nova Scotia – complete with associated sinkholes and plant species that prefer alkaline soils. Florida is mostly flat – its highest elevation is about 300 feet (95 m) above sea level, while Nova Scotia’s mountains range up to 1,800 feet (550 m) in elevation.
Portions of Florida’s land mass has been continually occupied by plants and animals for 25 million years, Nova Scotia for less than 12,000 years. Nova Scotia’s geographic location allows for extremes of climate, with freezing temperatures and snow during the winter,
Above: Various plants and habitats of Nova Scotia.
Photos by Diane LaRue, unless otherwise indicated.
1. Lakeshore habitat for Lachnanthes caroliana (Carolina bloodroot). The shrub line on the shore indicates the edge of ice scour. The mounds of litter, sand, and gravel indicate the ice line from the previous winter.
2. Nova Scotia – lake with water lilies, pickerel weed, spike rushes, and a rush species. Although northern forest may be seen in the background, the aquatic species have a similar look to those in Florida.
3. A solid stand of salt marsh cordgrass in a Nova Scotian salt marsh. (Photo by Alain Belliveau)
4. Viburnum nudum (wild raisin or witherod) growing with black huckleberry, leatherleaf, rhodora and lambkill. Known as possumhaw in Florida, V. nudum grows in flatwoods, bogs, and swamps. In Nova Scotia, it is found along streams, lakes, and woodland edges.
5. Netted chain fern with bladder sedge and northerly shrub species.
6. Boggy lakeshore with narrow-leaved sundew, brown beaksedge, threeway sedge, bog aster, and marsh St. John’s-wort.
7. A bog at Digby Neck in southwestern Nova Scotia, which forms a habitat for rose pogonia, grass pink, sweetgale, bog goldenrod, dwarf huckleberry, lambkill and ground juniper.
8. Epigaea repens (mayflower or trailing arbutus) growing in Nova Scotia. (Photo by Alain Belliveau)
Native
while Florida’s winters are milder, rarely freezing and without snow. Partly due to its mild climate, Florida’s human population has increased to well over 18 million, and while Nova Scotia has less than a million inhabitants, both areas have experienced massive changes in land use over the past couple of hundred years.
Florida’s flora is characterized by tropical, sub-tropical and temperate species with more than 4,200 taxa (Wunderlin, 2011, p. 1); Nova Scotia’s by temperate, boreal and arctic-alpine species with around 1,500 taxa (Zinck, 1998, p. vi). Over 450 plant species occur in both Florida and Nova Scotia. Some 200 of these are non-native species introduced to North America, and approximately 250 species are native to both localities, despite today’s vast differences in climate and the geological processes that formed the topography and soils of each locale.
When sea level was lower (up to 120 m lower 18,000 years ago), both Nova Scotia and Florida had more land mass than either does today. Nova Scotia was part of the continental land mass that included what is now New Brunswick and New England, and Florida extended to the continental shelf. In both places, remnants of sunken forests covered by sea water can be found today.
Although Florida escaped glaciation, Nova Scotia was covered by ice several times in the past million years. Its flora developed relatively recently – during the past 10,000 to 12,000 (ice-free) years, re-vegetating from vast offshore refugia exposed during maximum glaciation and from species migrating from more southerly populations.
Before sea level rose from melting glaciers, many species belonging to the Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora (ACPF) established in the southwestern part of Nova Scotia and to a lesser extent in other areas of the province. Some of these species occur today as disjunct populations – they are not found between Nova Scotia and New Jersey, but do occur throughout the ACPF and south into Florida. Many species common to both Nova Scotia and to Florida are not simply widespread across temperate regions of North America, although many of the mutual species are cosmopolitan in range. The Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora in Nova Scotia and its many endangered species will be the subject of an upcoming article.
Habitat Preference
Although species that are common to both locations may have a wide geographic and climatic range, those that are found in wetland communities in Florida generally inhabit wetland communities throughout their range. Cosmopolitan species grow in similar hydrologic and soil conditions, even when the climate is drastically different and the soil has been produced under different geological conditions. When we find a blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), we know the soil it grows in is acidic, whether it is moist, roadside soil in Nova Scotia or xeric sand pine scrub soil in Florida.
Species that do not have specific habitat needs and inhabit several types of ecosystems are more likely to be common. Species
that have specific habitat requirements are more likely to be rare or threatened, especially when that habitat is being lost. Habitat disturbances play important roles in the species composition of plant communities. Fire is a primary disturbance influencing species composition in Florida, and although fire plays a role in Nova Scotia, it is less important than ice. Ice plays a major role – on lakeshores in particular, the yearly ice scouring combined with low nutrient conditions affects what species are able to survive. For example, Lachnanthes caroliana (Carolina bloodroot), which is common throughout Florida, is a species at risk in Nova Scotia. But it is able to grow on some southwestern lakeshores, sometimes prolifically. It is successful because ice scour and the low nutrient environment eliminate other species that might compete (Photo 1).
Familiar Species
Even though Florida has a very diverse flora, many species are common and familiar. When these species also grow in Nova Scotia, they are easily recognizable to the plant enthusiast. Familiar species that occur in both locations are found in salt marsh, bog, lakeshore and dune habitats, as well as others. If we narrow our viewpoint the scene looks familiar. Throughout much of Nova Scotia, looking at the shallow water of lakeshores during the warmer months of the year is much like looking at freshwater marshes in Florida. Nymphaea odorata (American water lily), found throughout North America, Pontederia cordata (pickerelweed) and S parganium americanum (American bur-reed), both common throughout eastern North America, and Sagittaria latifolia (broadleaf arrowhead), common throughout North America, are present. Of course if it is May, you might be wearing a tee shirt in Florida and see these plants in bloom, but would need a jacket in Nova Scotia, where none would be in bloom (Photo 2).
Both Florida and Nova Scotia support common and familiar species in their salt marsh communities. Florida has an estimated 420,000 acres (170,000 ha) of salt marsh; Nova Scotia has over 42,000 acres (17,000 ha) (http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/ wetland/; http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Salt marsh.htm). Spartina alterniflora (saltmarsh cordgrass) occurs as a solid stand all along the Atlantic coast in the low marsh, where it is often inundated when the tide is in (Photo 3). Other salt marsh or seaside species common along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Newfoundland are Limonium carolinianum (sea lavender), Distichlis spicata (seashore saltgrass), Spartina patens (saltmeadow cordgrass), Cakile edentula (searocket) and on sandy beaches, Chamaesyce polygonifolia (seaside spurge or seaside sandmat).
Same Species, Different Communities
Although the more than 250 native species occurring in both areas inhabit similar habitats, the community of plants they grow with are mostly quite different. In Nova Scotia, many grow with
northern species. For example, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (royal fern) and O. cinnamomea var. cinnamomea (cinnamon fern) grow throughout eastern North America in moist areas. In Florida they grow in swamps, bogs and marshes with other species that do not grow very far to the north. But in Nova Scotia they may grow with Gaylussacia baccata (black huckleberry), Rhododendron canadense (rhodora), Chamaedaphne calyculata (leatherleaf), and Kalmia angustifolia (lambkill or sheep laurel), all of which are more northerly species that reach no further south than the mountains of Georgia. These shrub species are common throughout Nova Scotia.
Viburnum nudum (possumhaw in Florida; wild raisin or witherod in Nova Scotia) grows in flatwoods, bogs and swamps in Florida and along streams, lakes and woodland edges in Nova Scotia. Photo 4 shows it growing with companion plants such as royal fern and Ilex verticillata (winterberry), which also occur in Florida, along with common Nova Scotian shrubs: black huckleberry, leatherleaf, rhodora and lambkill.
Bogs and boggy lakeshores in Nova Scotia also contain species that occur in both Florida and Nova Scotia. Woodwardia virginica (Virginia chain fern) is common in swamps and wet hammocks throughout Florida. It occurs in southwest Nova Scotia in swamps, bogs and lakeshores. Photo 5 shows it alongside the common shrubs mentioned above, as well as Carex intumescens (greater bladder sedge), which also occurs in Florida’s northern counties. Photo 6 shows a boggy lakeshore in southwest Nova Scotia with a community of Drosera intermedia (water sundew), Dulichium arundinaceum (threeway sedge) and Triadenum virginicum (Virginia marsh St. John’s-wort). These also occur in bogs and swamps of Florida’s northern counties and central peninsula. Other plants in this photo are Oclemena nemoralis (bog aster) and Rhynchospora fusca (brown beaksedge) which only occur as far south as Pennsylvania, where both are critically imperilled.
Photo 7 shows a bog at Digby Neck in southwestern Nova Scotia containing several species that are found in Florida, including two orchids – Calopogon tuberosus var. tuberosus (grass pink) and Pogonia ophioglossoides (rose pogonia) – which are frequently found in Florida’s northern and central counties in bogs, swamps and marshes. Digby Neck also contains Gaylussacia dumosa (dwarf huckleberry), another species that ranges from Florida to Nova Scotia. Many of the common species that grow in bog and other wetland communities in Nova Scotia have a more northern distribution. Solidago uliginosa (bog goldenrod) and Juniperus communis (ground juniper) grow south to Alabama and Georgia, but are rare there and considered critically imperiled. Myrica gale (sweetgale) is a very common shrub in Nova Scotia along edges of streams and lakes and in swamps, bogs and heaths. It grows south to North Carolina where it is critically imperiled. Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla (bog rosemary) grows in the
eastern Canadian provinces and northern states, then south to West Virginia where it is critically imperiled.
Geographic Range
Temperate species common in Florida may reach their northern limit in Nova Scotia and have specific habitat needs there, and be considered rare. Temperate species common in Nova Scotia may reach their southern limit in Florida. Several of the species mentioned, and many more not mentioned, grow only in Florida’s northern counties. For example, in Florida, the rare plant Epigaea repens (trailing arbutus) is found in dry hammocks only in Liberty County. This plant, known as mayflower in Nova Scotia, is common and well known for its fragrant, early spring blossoms. It is the provincial flower. Photo 8 shows it growing in dry woods in Nova Scotia. Whether rare or common, plants continue to fascinate us with why they grow where they do, and how they got there.
REFERENCES CONSULTED
Myers, R. E. And J. J. Ewel. 1990. Ecosystems of Florida. Univ. of Central Florida Press. Orlando, FL
Roland, A. E. 1982. Geological Background and Physiography of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Institute of Science, Halifax, NS.
Whitney, E., D. B. Means and A. Rudloe. 2004. Priceless Florida, Natural Ecosystems and Native Species, Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL.
Wunderlin, R. P. 2011. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida. Univ. of Florida Press, Gainesville, FL
Zinck, M. 1998. Roland`s Flora of Nova Scotia. Nimbus Publishing and Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax, NS
On-line
http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/ This resource is excellent for distribution and conservation ranking of all US and Canadian species.
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ This resource is excellent for distribution of species within Florida, and for photo reference.
http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nhns/about.htm
Nova Scotia’s natural history described from two perspectives: Topics and Habitats. This is the electronic copy of a book of more than 500 pages. It is easy to use and search.
About the Author
Diane LaRue worked for many years for the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal as a vegetation consultant and through that work became fascinated with the world of native plants. She spends her time researching rare plants in Nova Scotia during the warmer months and migrating south in the winter. Diane spent several years in the Colorado River Delta in Mexico, and the last three winters in Florida. She has produced many reports and published a book: Common Wildflowers and Plants of Nova Scotia (Nimbus Publishing) 2004. She is currently a Research Associate at the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute in Kempt, Nova Scotia.
The Florida Native Plant Society PO Box 278
Melbourne FL 32902-0278
FNPS Chapters and Representatives
1. Broward ................................Richard Brownscombe ......richard@brownscombe.net
2. Citrus ...................................Gail Taylor ..........................ggtaylor@tampabay.rr.com
3. Coccoloba ............................Dick Workman ...................wworkmandick@aol.com
4. Cocoplum .............................Debra Klein ........................info@fnps.org
5. Conradina .............................Vince Lamb .......................vince@advanta-tech.com
6. Cuplet Fern ............................Deborah Green ..................watermediaservices@mac.com
7. Dade ....................................Buck Reilly ........................buck@habify.com
8. Eugenia ................................Judy Avril...........................jfavril1@comcast.net
9. Heartland .............................TBD ...................................TBD
10. Hernando .............................TBD ...................................TBD
11. Ixia .......................................Linda Schneider.................lrs409@comcast.net
12. Lake Beautyberry .................Jon Pospisil .......................jsp@isp.com
13. Lakela’s Mint ........................Ann Marie Loveridge ..........loveridges@comcast.net
14. Longleaf Pine ........................Cheryl Jones......................wjonesmd@yahoo.com
15. Lyonia ...................................Jim McCuen ......................jimmccuen@yahoo.com
16. Magnolia ..............................Scott Davis ........................torreyatrekker@gmail.com
17. Mangrove .............................Al Squires .........................ahsquires@embarqmail.com
18. Marion Big Scrub ..................Taryn Evans ......................terevans@comcast.net
19. Naples ..................................Ron Echols ........................preservecaptains@aol.com
20. Nature Coast ........................Russell Watrous .................russelljwatrous@yahoo.com
21. Palm Beach ..........................Lynn Sweetay ....................lynnsweetay@hotmail.com
22. Pawpaw ............................... Sonya H. Guidry ................. sonyaguidry@yahoo.com
23. Paynes Prairie ......................Sandi Saurers ....................sandisaurers@yahoo.com
24. Pine Lily ...............................Jenny Welch ......................mwelch@cfl.rr.com
25. Pinellas ................................Debbie Chayet ...................dchayet@verizon.net
26. Pineywoods ...........................Rick Dalton ........................rickinfl@comcast.net
27. Sarracenia ............................Jeannie Brodhead ..............jeannieb9345@gmail.com
28. Sea Oats ..............................Joan Kramer ......................dafambly@hotmail.com
29. Sea Rocket ..........................Paul Schmalzer ..................paul.a.schmalzer@nasa.gov
30. Serenoa ................................Dave Feagles .....................feaglesd@msn.com
31 Solidago ................................Amy Hines .........................amy@rustables.com
32. South Ridge ..........................TBD ...................................TBD
33. Sparkleberry..........................Betsy Martin ......................betsymartin@windstream.net
34. Sumter .................................Norm Isbell ........................njisbell@comcast.net
35. Suncoast .............................Shirley Denton ...................president@suncoastnps.org
36. Sweet Bay ...........................Ina Crawford ......................ina.crawford@tyndall.af.mil
37. Tarflower ..............................Julie Becker ......................jlbecker@cfl.rr.com
38. University of Central Florida ...TBD ...................................TBD
39. University of Florida ...............Nena Brown.......................NenaMBrown@gmail.com
Volunteer needed for Okaloosa/Walton County area.
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