The Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
Palmetto
Inky Story of the Dinky Oak Gall
A Native Celebration
The Rebirth of Cape Florida
Tupelo Trees in Florida – Richard
The name tupelo is derived from the Muskogee word for “swamp tree” and three or four species of tupelo are found in eastern North America, ranging from Central Florida to Canada, and west to Texas. All species seem to prefer moist to wet acidic soils, and often develop swollen trunks in the plant at ground level (for air exchange), a common reaction to flooding. Some species also develop looping roots aboveground, similar to the knee roots formed by cypress trees.
The plants are mostly dioecious, so that male and female flowers are on different trees. Perfect flowers (with both male and female in the same flower) do occur on some plants. The single seeds are held in a fleshy fruit eagerly eaten by birds and other animals. All tupelo trees are in the genus Nyssa, in the family Nyssaceae (closely related to the Cornaceae, the Dogwood family.)
The most common and wide-ranging species is Nyssa sylvatica (blackgum, sourgum, or pepperidge tree), a tree of mixed forests. It grows tall and straight, and develops a tap root. The fall color of all species is beautiful, with the oblong leaves turning a fluorescent red in the early fall.
Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora (swamp tupelo) is the southernmost species found in the United States. This species forms colonies in swamps, growing alongside cypress trees. According to the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants, vouchered specimens of swamp tupelo have been recorded growing as far south as Martin County on Florida's east coast and Lee County on the west coast. Swamp tupelo also grows in western Palm Beach County, where more than 100 trees have grown in Heritage Farms for decades. These trees
Moyroud
flower and fruit every year, providing nectar for bees and food for birds.
Nyssa aquatica (water tupelo) is of special interest since it is tolerant of extreme flooding, in both depth and duration. This species is common in the floodplains of the south, and can endure twenty feet of inundation for extended periods. It is a tall tree with a greatly swollen base, a feature which may provide more stability in wet soils. The irregularly toothed leaves have long petioles.
Nyssa ogeche is the odd plant in the group, but economically the most significant. This species can grow as a large shrub or tree, and is restricted to a small region in northwest Florida and Georgia (along the Ogeechee River, probably its namesake.) The common name Ogeechee lime refers to the large fruit (1.5 inches in size) which has a pleasant acid flavor. It produces large clusters of flowers which are the source of nectar high in fructose, and beekeepers in the native region are the sole source of authentic “Tupelo Honey”, known for its delectable flavor and stability (it does not granulate.)
Although these long-lived native trees supply wood, fruit, and honey, the established ornamental nursery trade has shown little interest in the group. Fortunately, the native nursery industry is producing and selling tupelo trees, and they should be included in most wetland plantings for the benefits they offer.
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.
FNPS Board of Directors
Executive Officers
President .............................Steve Woodmansee
Past President......................Gene Kelly
Vice President, Administration Devon Higginbotham Vice President, Finance ........Brenda Mills
Treasurer .............................Kim Zarillo
Secretary .............................Martha Steuart
Committee Chairs
Communications ..................Shirley Denton
Publications .....................VACANT
Social Media ....................Laurie Sheldon Website ...........................Shirley Denton
Conference ..........................Marlene Rodak
Conservation .......................Juliet Rynear
Education & Outreach ..........Debra Klein
Finance ...............................Brenda Mills
Development ...................VACANT
Landscape ...........................Karina Veaudry
Membership ........................VACANT
Policy & Legislation ..............Gene Kelly
Land Management Partners ...Anne Cox
Vice Chair East ................Danny Young
Vice Chair West................Kevin Love
Science ...............................Paul Schmalzer
Council of Chapters ............Julie Becker
Directors-at-Large, 2012–2014
Jon Moore, Julie Wert
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
Administrative Services .......Cammie Donaldson
Editor, Palmetto ....................Marjorie Shropshire
Editor, Sabal Minor ...............Stacey Matrazzo
Webmaster ..........................Paul Rebmann
The Palmetto (ISSN 0276-4164) Copyright 2014, 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 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. Editor: Marjorie Shropshire, Visual Key Creative, Inc. palmetto@fnps.org ● (772) 285-4286 ● 1876 NW Fork Road, Stuart, FL 34994
The
Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
Palmetto
Features
4 The Inky Story of the Dinky Oak Gall
What are those intriguing little spheres that decorate the undersides of some oak leaves? Dr. Ken Sulak takes a close look at these wooden pearls, and at the creatures that cause their formation.
8 A Native Celebration
Staff and designers of Naples Botanical Garden sought to infuse a sense of place only to be found in Naples, Florida by creating ecosystem-based, naturalistic settings using native plants. Andee Naccarato explores how the garden is fulfilling its mission to connect people and plants.
12 The Rebirth of Cape Florida
Today, the iconic 1852 lighthouse on Key Biscayne is surrounded by restored tropical hammocks and a variety of beach dune flora. But two decades ago, few native plants inhabited the invasive choked strand. Richard Brownscombe reflects on the hopeful changes that have taken place at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.
15 Book Review: Forgotten Grasslands of the South
ON THE COVER:
The view from the top of the lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park reveals stunning vistas of restored hammocks and beach dunes. (Photo by Richard Brownscombe).
Make a difference with FNPS
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The Inky Story of the Dinky Oak Gall
Spring in North Florida – and all those magnificent live oaks are sporting a bright new flush of green leaves. Last year’s old clothes, those worn out leaves now lie dry and brown on the forest floor. But look closely and you will soon notice that many of those leaves are decorated with rows or clusters of little round woody galls on their underside, like little brown pearls.
Pea galls on live oak leaves (Quercus virginiana) induced by Belonocnema treatae, a gall wasp.
Article and photos by Ken Sulak
Maybe you have noticed these little spheres before – but did not give them much thought. Or maybe, you puzzled: What are these wooden pearls? How did they get there? Well, a tiny wasp, called the pea galler wasp or gallfly, Belonocnema treatae, is the culprit. The diminutive female gallfly (one of nearly a thousand species in the gall wasp family Cynipidae), about the size of a fire ant, lays eggs on a freshly budded live oak leaf in spring. When the larva hatches, it produces a chemical that induces the oak to enclose it in a protective and nurturing gall: nifty chemical subterfuge, producing a durable little house for the gall wasp larva – no house of bricks, but nearly as good – indeed maybe even better. It comes equipped with a food supply as well. At the chemical direction of the larva, the gall provides an inner layer of nitrogen-rich pulp, similar to seed tissue. A tough lignin-rich1 outer layer protects the larva from predators, and a chemical shield of anti-microbial tannic acid is concentrated within. Tannic (or gallotannic) acid concentrated in the gall is the tree’s way of isolating the parasitic larva. Ironically, however, the same phenol-rich barrier helps deter predators and disease. Perhaps the bitter taste of tannins and phenols may also discourage predation of gall larvae by birds.
Each gall (called a pea gall or smooth oak gall) is a small wonder, a complex world unto itself, typically less than the size of a pea. Gall wasp larvae transform within leaf galls, one gall per customer, and emerge as winged adults after drilling a tiny circular hole through the protective shell. Only female gall wasps
Microwasp parasitoids of pea gall wasp larvae. Left to right: Synergus sp. and Ormyrus sp.
Belonocnema treatae, live oak pea galler wasp (3 mm long).
Microwasp parasitoids with long ovipositors used to penetrate pea galls. Left to right: Torymidae sp. and Sycophila sp.
emerge from leaf galls. Pea gall wasps alternate between an asexual (parthenogenic) all-female generation hatching from leaf galls, and a sexual generation hatching females and males from multi-chambered galls on live oak roots. However, death often comes prematurely to larval females while still in their leaf gall houses. In the natural scheme of things, countermeasures often evolve to defeat even the strongest defenses like a tough, tannin-filled gall. So, many species of tiny parasitic wasps (called ‘parasitoids’ because they eventually kill their host) have evolved as the nemesis of gallfly wasps. These parasitoid wasps (families Eurytomidae, Torymidae and Chalcidae) use a long slender ovipositor like a needle to penetrate the gall and deposit an egg on the gallfly larva. When the egg hatches, it devours the larva and/or the gall pulp and takes over its house as its own tiny pupal chamber. Incredibly, there are still other wasps, called hyperparasitoids, which parasitize the initial parasite – dishing out the same treatment over again! Not the end of this intricate story - however. Defying the tannin barrier, certain fungi can attack the gall, digesting its resident larva. Many other insects, called inquilines, have evolved to dispossess the gall wasp, resulting in a brief period of co-occupancy. Unfortunately, this is not a peaceful coexistence. Eventually, the unwelcome guest larva outpaces its host, growing rapidly and crowding out or smothering the gall wasp larva. As a result, what emerges from a pea gall is quite often not its original inhabitant. And, to add one final twist in the story of evolutionary tit-for-tat, the gall wasp egg may never get beyond square one to begin with. It seems some live oaks have developed their own elegant countermeasure to prevent energy theft by pea gall wasps. Certain live oak trees can detect a gall wasp egg deposited on a leaf, recognizing it as a pathogen. Then, chemical defenses are mobilized to kill off leaf cells surrounding the egg, halting formation of a gall.2 Even when the pea gall wasp survives such defenses and the lethal gauntlet of parasitoids and inquilines, life as an adult female will be brief, 3-5 days at most – just long enough to lay eggs in live oak rootlets, setting the stage for the sexual generation that will hatch as both females and males.
Many species of oak trees are victimized by different gall wasps, but each wasp species prefers a certain species of oak.3, 4 In Florida, the pea gall wasp only parasitizes the southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) and the closely-related sand live oak (Q. geminata). Look for galls on the undersides of green leaves while still on the tree. Or, better yet, scan fallen brown leaves in October and November (when the pea gall wasps first emerge) or in February and March when the annual big leaf fall occurs (when parasitoids and inquilines predominate). When you find a gall-bearing leaf, look for others nearby. If a gall has a tiny hole, its resident has already emerged. If not, place collected galls in a sealed jar or plastic bag, set in a sunny window, and wait for tiny insects to emerge – you will need a microscope to get a close look. Mysteriously, gall wasps
will favor one individual oak tree (and often one side of that tree), leaving its close neighbors lightly or totally unparasitized. Scientists are closing in on why that happens.5 By the way, those irregular knotty swellings on oak twigs (called ‘gouty galls’, ‘potato galls’, ‘horned galls’, and ‘bullet galls’) are yet a further chapter in the gall wasp story – each gall with a different gall wasp species, each with a different story.
The small natural wonder of the magic oak gall and its curious inhabitants continues to stimulate scientific inquiry, sometimes leading in rather unexpected directions. Gall The Inky Story of the Dinky Oak Gall (continued from page 5)
But who really cares about dinky little brown oak galls and their diminutive parasitic wasps? Well, humans have cared very much for about 2,000 years. Back in ancient times, some clever person discovered that those galls concentrate tannic acid, and tannic acid makes a fantastic ink – but only when combined with iron sulfate. From the early days of the Roman Empire, right up to the mid-20th century, nearly all written words put to paper in Europe, and later its colonies worldwide, were penned with oak gall ink – also called iron-gall ink. Indeed, the Declaration of Independence and the first drafts of the Constitution of the United States were penned in iron-gall ink. So were the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls and almost all medieval and Renaissance documents, including Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical drawings and Johann S. Bach’s symphonies. This ink is simply made, is incredibly permanent, cannot easily be erased (tannin binds to the paper fibers), and does not fade over hundreds of years. In fact, it gets darker over time. In some European countries, laws specified (some still do) that iron-gall ink must be used for original legal documents. Recipes for gall ink go way back in time, the earliest passed down from the Roman naturalist and philosopher, Pliny the Elder. Galls are gathered, their juice extracted, boiled, sometimes fermented, and mixed with iron particles or iron sulfate – the iron reaction turning the ink darker. Then gum arabic, or the resin of hemlock or pine, is added as a binder. The result is a nearly black ink that binds very tightly to papyrus, parchment, or vellum, the plant fiber and animal skin forerunners of modern cellulose fiber paper. Oak gall ink was the dominant ink of the feather quill pen and inkwell era, used by ancient scribes, and by all of our Founding Fathers. A free bounty of nature, oak galls still had to be gathered, a tedious task. Pity the poor page or apprentice whose job it was to wander the forest, bent over for unending hours, scanning millions of fallen leaves, seeking out enough oak leaf galls to make a few ounces of ink. But, oak gall gatherers were spared when wood pulp paper replaced parchment and rag bond papers, and as the fountain pen replaced the quill pen. Gall ink does not bind well with the cellulose fibers in modern paper. Even more critically, acidic gall ink corroded metal fountain pen points, bringing the age of iron-gall ink to a close. However, gall ink continues to be used by artists and enthusiasts of the ancient arts, and for certain official purposes.
wasps inhabiting a certain live oak for generations become genetically isolated from their neighbors on other host trees. The acorn does not fall far from its mother tree – nor does the gall wasp. So, each tree is like an island with its own inbred population of wasps. Wasps inhabiting adjacent ‘islands’ differ in small ways and provide a readily-studied genetic model of fine-scale evolution in action. Recent research also indicates that gall extract has powerful anti-oxidant properties.6 However, this should come as no surprise – gall extract has a long history as a traditional anti-inflammatory and astringent medicine in Asia. Indeed, dried oak galls as a folk remedy for numerous ailments are readily available at street markets in India. Modern research confirms that tannins do have many important pharmaceutical applications.7 But oak galls may possess even more mysterious powers. Too much exposure to oak galls may have unexpected consequences. A noted entomologist, Dr. Alfred Kinsey spent most of his scientific career researching gall wasps, then suddenly switched to the study of human sexuality, authoring the ground-breaking books: Sexual Behavior in the Human Male and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. Such are the twists and turns in the long and intricate story of evolutionary and social interaction between gall wasps, oak galls, and humans!
Making your own gall ink
A gall ink recipe can be found online at: http://www.ehow. com/way_5251227_oak-gall-ink-recipe.html. You can make up your own iron solution from rusty nails and vinegar, or
Inquilines of live oak pea gall wasps. Clockwise from upper left: Midge, Bark Louse, Twirler Moth (family Gelechiidae), Mite, Thrip.
you can find iron sulfate (ferrous sulfate) available as an inexpensive, readily-dissolved, dietary supplement in health food stores or from online vendors. ❂
Notes and References Cited
1 Lignin is the resilient biopolymer that strengthens wood in trees by linking cellulose molecules into a tight matrix.
2 Cristina M. Campbell, Glen R. Hood, and James R. Ott 2009. Hypersensitive-like defense in Live Oak: Discovery and efficiency against a host-specific gall former. Presented at 94th meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Albuquerque, NM. http://eco.confex.com/eco/2009/techprogram/P18803.HTM
3 Abrahamson, W. G., G. Melika, R. Scrafford, and G. Csoka. 1998. Gall-inducing insects provide insights into plant systematic relationships. American Journal of Botany 85:1159-1165.
4 Abrahamson, W. G., M. D. Hunter, G. Melika, and P. W. Price. 2003. Cynipid gall-wasp communities correlate with oak chemistry. Journal of Chemical Ecology 29:209-223.
5 Scott P Egan, and J. R. Ott. 2007. Host plant quality and local adaptation determine the distribution of a gall-forming herbivore. Ecology 88(11):2868-2879.
6 Hamid, H., G., Kaur, S. T. Abdullah, M. Ali, M. Athar, and M. S. Alam. 2005. Two new compounds from the galls of Quercus infectoria with nitric oxide and superoxide inhibiting ability. Pharmaceutical Biology 43(4):317-323.
7 Chung, K. T., T. Y. Wong, C-I. Wei, Y-W Huang, and Y. Lin. 1998. Tannins and human health: A review. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition 38(6):421-464.
About the Author
Ken Sulak is a research biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (Biological Resources), Gainesville, FL. His current work involves the conservation of the Gulf Sturgeon in Florida's Suwannee River. Dr. Sulak holds doctorate and master's degrees from the University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and a bachelor's degree from Harvard University. Contact: Ken Sulak, U.S. Geological Survey, Gainesville, FL ksulak@usgs.gov 352-264-3500
Native plants at the Naples Botanical Garden. 1.
);
);
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marlberry (Ardisia escallonioides
2. The James and Linda White Birding Tower; 3. Leavenworth’s tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii
4. lignumvitae (Guaiacum sanctum); 5. milkwort (Polygala species); 6. sabal palm (Sabal palmetto); 7. semaphore cactus (Opuntia corallicola); 8. rose-rush (Lygodesmia aphylla
Photos © Naples Botanical Garden.
A Native Celebration
Botanical icons such as the lotus flower and baobab tree naturally occur between 26 degrees north and south on the globe. These latitudinal boundaries represent the theme of Naples Botanical Garden (NBG) – “Gardens with Latitude.” With construction of the new Eleanor and Nicholas Chabraja Visitor Center underway, NBG is preparing to welcome even more visitors who desire to see tropical plants thriving in our warm climate.
Andee Naccarato
A
Native Celebration (continued from page 9)
However, staff and designers of NBG also strive to infuse a sense of place only to be found in Naples, Florida. This non-profit garden is part of a positive movement to maintain a sense of place by creating ecosystem-based, naturalistic settings using native plants.
Guests with a penchant for native plants can find them in more areas of NBG than one might think. Of course, plenty of natives reside in the Karen and Robert Scott Florida Garden’s Wildflower Meadow, which is maintained by Emily Wilson (NBG’s Natural Areas Gardener and member of the Naples Chapter of FNPS). Within the expansive meadow, bees hum and butterflies dash between common and rare native wildflowers, including Leavenworth’s tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii), wild pennyroyal (Piloblephis rigida), and button rattlesnakemaster (Eryngium yuccifolium). One look at the Wildflower Meadow on a sunny morning should move any conscious observer to replace their sterile lawn with native diversity.
Just outside the Wildflower Meadow, an open air patio called Lucy’s Solstice Landing aligns with the setting sun on the winter solstice, our shortest day and longest night. Here, some of Florida’s native palms soak up the sun’s rays, including Florida’s state tree (Sabal palmetto), Sargent’s cherry palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii), and needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix). This is also a great vantage point to watch Anhingas drying their wings or glimpse a basking alligator. The Solstice Landing encourages us to ponder how changes in day length and light intensity influence the lives of nearly all living creatures.
Just north of the Scott Florida Garden is the Mary and Stephen Byron Smith Family River of Grass, which honors and emulates the Everglades. The River of Grass is part of the multiple award-winning storm water management system at NBG. This corridor of aquatic plants stretches from the Water Garden to West Lake, and filters rainwater originally collected in parking lot bioswales. Two boardwalks cross this filtration system, so visitors can admire Everglades palms ( Acoelorraphe wrightii), bulltongue arrowhead (Sagittaria lancifolia), and pickerelweed ( Pontederia cordata). The River of Grass is a perfect place to meditate on the past, present, and future of Florida’s landscapes.
Following the boardwalk north transports us to the Kapnick Caribbean Garden. Many visitors are surprised to discover a multitude of Florida’s native plants in this cultural exhibit. Mixed in with produce grown on Caribbean plantations, the observant investigator can locate little strongbark (Bourreria cassinifolia), maidenberry (Crossopetalum rhacoma), and spicewood (Calyptranthes pallens). Strike out across the open lawn of seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) to come ashore at the arid shell island, which displays the endangered semaphore cactus (Opuntia corallicola). Stumbling across these native plants in the Kapnick Caribbean Garden may remind us that Florida’s sandy spine used to be a chain of islands.
Even the Vicky C. and David Byron Smith Children’s Garden is brimming with natives. Along its Wild Florida Loop Trail, search the Duane Repp Hardwood Hammock for marlberry ( Ardisia escallonioides), holywood lignumvitae (Guaiacum sanctum), and white indigoberry (Randia aculeata). The trail slopes down to meet gumbo limbos (Bursera simaruba) planted in created shell mounds honoring the Calusa, historical native Floridians who lived off the bounty of our coasts. Sounds of rushing water draw adventurous children across stepping stones into a miniature swamp of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) draped with Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides). This native playground was designed to ensure children can experience Florida’s unique habitats, even if they don’t have the opportunity to explore the wilderness.
The native plants within the cultivated gardens just hint at the diversity to be found in NBG’s Preserve, overseen by Chad Washburn (NBG’s Director of Conservation and Education, and past President of the Naples Chapter). The Vicky C. and David Byron Smith Florida Uplands Preserve trail transitions from shady pine flatwoods to the sunnier scrub. The scrub’s low-nutrient soil is colonized by sand live oak ( Quercus geminata), myrtle oak ( Quercus myrtifolia), and rusty staggerbush ( Lyonia ferruginea). Spring and fall are the best times to search for naturally-occurring wildflowers, like Curtiss’s milkweed ( Asclepias curtissii), rose-rush ( Lygodesmia aphylla), and the dainty milkworts ( Polygala sp.). This upland preserve holds special meaning to staff because it represents the founders’ botanical love before any cultivated gardens were built.
Any biologist or perceptive naturalist knows increased plant diversity means more chances to see wildlife. Many visitors are drawn to the James and Linda White Birding Tower to scan the Collier Enterprises South Wetlands for wading birds and waterfowl, like White Pelicans and Roseate Spoonbills. These and more feathery friends may be sighted resting and foraging among sand cordgrass (Spartina bakeri), soft rush ( Juncus effusus), and giant leather fern ( Acrostichum danaeifolium). Staff, contractors, and volunteers manually removed nearly 24 acres of invasive melaleuca ( Melaleuca quinquenervia) to allow these native plants to reestablish. NBG’s Preserve reinforces the fact that, without native plants driving an ecological network, none of us would be here at all.
NBG is also home to the Herbarium of Southwestern Florida, run by Dr. George J. Wilder (NBG’s Herbarium Curator and past President of the Naples Chapter). With over 35,000 specimens, the Herbarium is a valuable resource for botanical researchers and students alike. George personally collected virtually every herbarium specimen, including rarities documented during his floristic studies of Marco Island, shell mounds in the Gulf of Mexico, and Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park. Between the cultivated Gardens, protected habitats, and indoor Herbarium, NBG
seeks to fulfill its mission to connect people and plants. If you are a Florida native, or if you were won over by Florida’s natural splendor, you are sure to revel in the satisfying sense of place at Naples Botanical Garden.
About the Author
Andee Naccarato received a master's degree in environmental science from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2011. Currently, Andee works in the Department of Education and Conservation at Naples Botanical Garden. She has contributed over 50 articles to the Fort Myers News-Press for their Meet The Native column. Andee has been involved with the Naples Chapter of the FNPS since 2010 and served on their board of directors this year.
In addition to the living collection of plants with features such as a boardwalk that makes it easy for visitors to get close to wetland plants, the Naples Botanical Garden is home to the Herbarium of Southwestern Florida, with over 35,000 specimens. Photos: herbarium cabinets and their contents; wetland boardwalk; mounted Nymphaea elegans specimen. Photos © Naples Botanical Garden.
Cape Florida The Rebirth of
by Richard Brownscombe
Above: Land management review participants at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. The iconic lighthouse provides a good platform for viewing the extensive native plant restoration project. Photos by Richard Brownscombe.
The iconic 1852 lighthouse at the southern tip of Key Biscayne, Cape Florida, is the oldest structure in South Florida. Near its base is a Tequesta midden, shards of pottery, and an unconfirmed “sand burial mound” reported by archaeologist Robert Carr in 1944. A little north near No Name Harbor facing Coral Gables, a 1996 discovery unearthed more evidence of Tequesta: middens and a burial site dated from pottery 300 to 1,300 years old. Such is the scant and fragile evidence of human prehistory there. Imagine the island then, lush with native flora and perhaps a pleasant stopover or home for the Tequesta inhabiting the Miami coastline nearly 2,000 years ago.
Walking today on the wooded trails and beaches of Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park it is easy to visualize that time before European habitation. You can walk among gumbo limbo ( Bursera simaruba), blolly (Guapira discolor), poisonwood ( Metopium toxiferum), sabal palm (Sabal palmetto), and Spanish stopper ( Eugenia foetida), species that were probably there when the Tequesta wore paths among them. You can look over the mangroves and shiny black waters of the quiet inlets like those they may have fished. You can enjoy the wide variety of beach dune flora: inkberry (Scaevola plumieri), bay cedar (Suriana maritima),
railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae), beach clustervine (Jacquemontia reclinata), and sea oats (Uniola paniculata) waving against the blue greens of the open sea as they once did. The Florida Natural Areas Inventory identifies seven land plant communities in the park: Beach Dune, Coastal Berm, Coastal Grassland, Coastal Strand, Maritime Hammock, Coastal Interdunal Swale, Mangrove Swamp and two marine substrates. Almost all the park flora is native.
This variety of wooded strand and grassland environments with ocean views is a unique natural oasis very close to dense urban living. Downtown Miami is just 20 minutes away. The ocean breezes and south Florida weather, the natural beaches, the cooling ocean swims, and the shade of buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) make this island park a paradise. It must have been paradise, too, for those first human inhabitants who enjoyed enough seafood “picnics” to build middens. Few of today’s visitors to the park would ever guess that they are on land that was restored less than 20 years ago.
Between the Tequesta and the 1992 Hurricane Andrew were some hard times for plants and wildlife. The early habitation of a light keeper in 1825, the 40-year period of Seminole Wars, Fort Bankhead, and the military encampments probably had little environmental impact on the south end of Key Biscayne. Cape House, owned by Waters Davis, was built there in the 1890’s with the help of Ralph M. Munroe (builder of The Barnacle, in Coconut Grove) and later purchased by industrialist James Deering of Villa Vizcaya fame. Even this use as an estate was probably not widely impactful to the flora since there wasn’t extensive farming or industry.
The first great assault to the land didn't begin until 1949 with the construction of a seawall on the western perimeter. Hydraulic fill was pumped behind the wall and spread over most of the land for a proposed development. An 1855 granite survey marker was found 5 feet down and aerial photographs prove the devastation to these elevated areas. But the killing blow was not further development. Careless land speculation and hurricanes stopped land sales, sparing the site from the post World War II building boom. Surviving flora was killed by the relentless invasion of the Australian pine (Casuarina equisetifolia).
This tree’s monoculture growth habit was nearly total. A few native species survived in a small patch of the coastal berm on the eastern shore. These plants became the only legacy of thousands of years of evolution on the island and provided
the only truly native seed for a surprising rebirth.
Bill Baggs, editor of The Miami News and civil rights activist, came to the defense of the land. It was finally purchased in 1966 for public recreation. The public enjoyed the beaches and shade of the Australian pines until 1992 when Hurricane Andrew flattened the trees which were so poorly adapted to the winds of south Florida. Wise conservationists saw an opportunity to replace the invasive tree with native plants and encourage a comeback for native wildlife. It took years of fight and struggle for the concept to win favor and be funded. Two years were required to gather, grind, and haul the downed trees away. A year was needed to study old aerial photos and reshape the land before restoration of the seven historic plant communities could begin.
One of those early conservationists was naturalist Elizabeth Golden, who still works as a biologist at the park. For many years she has carefully researched and implemented the long and complex processes of restoration to achieve what we see there now. We can think of few places that have changed so remarkably in such a short period of time, only two decades. Walking through the park’s mature wooded strand or among the dunes gives us great hope. If we change our overdevelopment behaviors, save critical properties, study, fund, and carefully implement restoration, we can recover what we thought was lost forever.
The Florida Native Plant Society participated in the recent Land Management Review to evaluate Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. The Review team also had knowledgeable representatives from the Florida Division of Recreation and Parks, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Forest Service, a conservationist from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and a biologist from Miami-Dade Parks. These outside Reviews are a requirement of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under conditions of the voter-initiated Florida Forever program and an important tool to ensure that public lands fulfill their promise to benefit the public and protect wild species.
The Society has participated in every land review statewide for a variety of properties since 2010. The public should be proud of its role in preserving natural lands on Key Biscayne, and continue to support funding, as well as showing up and speaking out to ensure we have natural areas nearby and a place for every species to survive.
About the Author
Richard Brownscombe earned his way through college with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, and the tropical greenhouse trade. He reveived a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon in park management and worked for Seattle parks. He later earned a doctorate in humanistic psychology from Saybook University and managed an independent living program in Berkeley, California. RIchard also managed public housing and nonprofit child care agencies. In retirement he has returned to his first love, biological science and native plants.
Review by Ginny Stibolt
Forgotten Grasslands of the South: Natural History and Conservation
Reed Noss
Published by Island Press. 336 pages. ISBN-10:
159726489X
Reading Reed Noss' excellent book is like being on an extended field trip throughout the southeastern United States, accompanied by the region's best field biologists and ecologists. The book is so dense with details that I know I'll be rereading it to absorb more important information.
E. O. Wilson, who wrote the foreword to this book, stated, "To understand, cherish, and preserve the great natural heritage of the South Grassland Biome should be a priority goal in America's environmental movement. Reed Noss' book provides a valuable map to that end."
This book covers many types of previously unrecognized grasslands including the pine flatwoods and dry prairies of Florida, the grassy balds of the southern Appalachians, the cedar glades of Tennessee, and the blackland prairies of Mississippi. While Noss includes charts with data of fossil records and population analyses, this is not an ivory tower book. He takes us into the field with experts of their local ecosystems. Over the course of four years of fieldwork across the region we look over his shoulder as we learn secrets and shared insights of interesting plants and animals and the ecosystems needed for their survival.
When most people think of grasslands in the United States, they most likely focus on the Great Plains and in many textbooks it is stated that grasslands occur where there is too much rain for desert, but not enough rain to support a forest. Obviously here in Florida and the rest of the southeastern states, there is enough precipitation to support forests, so our grasslands are explained by their natural history – including a long history of fire and large herbivore predation. While some people think that these ecologies were recently created and maintained by Native Americans' use of fire, Noss claims that they are ancient and authentic because of the enormous number of grassland species and their narrow distribution. He proves his point by comparing several genera of grassland plants. Take for example big bluestem ( Andropogon sp.) – in the Great Plains there are two
species, but there are 19 species in Florida, 16 in North Carolina, and 11 in Louisiana. If these were recently created systems, the number of species would be much lower and there wouldn't be so many endemics.
Only a few human generations ago grasslands were abundant, but now they have been replaced by development, agriculture, tree farms, and heavily-forested areas where fire has been suppressed. We have lost more grasslands in the southeast than the Great Plains. They are the most imperiled because most people have forgotten our grasslands even existed. This book fills that void with its in-depth discussion of the origins and natural history.
Noss provides various conservation strategies for making sure that grasslands are recognized as being worth saving. He advises us that conservation is not comparable to triage where we can "write off" some sites as being too small or too insignificant to be worth saving. When we do this, "we effectively preclude further consideration of them even if more money or new technologies become available, or if species new to science are discovered in an area that previously was written off as unimportant." He is encouraged by some specific examples of small sites that became important for one reason or another.
Noss states, "My intent is to provide an accessible, engaging, and yet scholarly account of southern grasslands that will be comprehensible to the educated general reader interested in ecology, natural history, or conservation. I want people to be aware of how biologically amazing and enchanting southern grasslands are." In my opinion, he has accomplished his goal with a master's touch. I think this book belongs on the bookshelves of FNPS members who are interested in preserving the forgotten grasslands in "The Real Florida."
About the Author
Ginny Stibolt earned a master's degree in botany at the University of Maryland and has written Sustainable Gardening for Florida and Organic Methods for Vegetable Gardening in Florida – both published by University Press of Florida. In addition Ginny has been a lead blogger for FNPS since 2010.
FNPS Chapters and Representatives
CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVE E-MAIL
1. Broward Richard Brownscombe richard@brownscombe.net
2. Citrus Gail Taylor citrusnps@gmail.com
3. Coccoloba Dick Workman coastplan@embarqmail.com
4. Cocoplum Debra Klein greenmansion@comcast.net
5. Conradina Vince Lamb vince@vincelamb.com
6. Cuplet Fern Neta Villalobos-Bell netavb@cfl.rr.com
7. Dade Buck Reilly (P) buck@habify.com
8. Eugenia David L. Martin bartramixia@comcast.net
9. Heartland Jennifer Navarra jennifernavarra@gmail.com
10. Hernando Mikel Renner pinery@wildblue.net
11. Ixia Linda Schneider lrs409@comcast.net
12. Lake Beautyberry Jon Pospisil jsp@isp.com
13. Lakela’s Mint Ann Marie Loveridge (P) loveridges@comcast.net
14. Longleaf Pine Amy Hines amy@rustables.com
15. Lyonia Jim Jackson (P) jbjacksondvm@cfl.rr.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 Aimee Leteux paintedpony175@aol.com
20. Nature Coast Russell Watrous russelljwatrous@yahoo.com
21. Palm Beach Brenda Mills nativesun_99@yahoo.com
22. Pawpaw Sonya H. Guidry guidry.sonya@gmail.com
23. Paynes Prairie Sandi Saurers sandisaurers@yahoo.com
24. Pine Lily Jenny Welch (P) mwelch@cfl.rr.com
25. Pinellas Debbie Chayet dchayet@verizon.net
26. Pineywoods James Flegert (P) j_flegert@yahoo.com
27. Sarracenia Jeannie Brodhead jeannieb9345@gmail.com
28. Sea Oats George Waters georgew2@hotmail.com
29. Sea Rocket Paul Schmalzer paul.a.schmalzer@nasa.gov
30. Serenoa Dave Feagles feaglesd@msn.com
31. South Ridge Vacant info@fnps.org
32. Sparkleberry Carol Sullivan csullivan12@windstream.net
33. Sumter Steve Gustafson gorightgus@gmail.com
34. Suncoast Devon Higginbotham archiveproperties@gmail.com
35. Sweet Bay Ina Crawford inacrawford1@gmail.com
36. Tarflower Julie Becker jlbecker@cfl.rr.com
37. Univ. of Central Florida Vacant info@fnps.org
38. Univ. of Florida Vacant info@fnps.org
(P) = Chapter President
CONTACT US:
Florida Native Plant Society PO Box 278
Melbourne FL 32902-0278
Phone: (321) 271-6702 info@fnps.org www.fnps.org
To become a member: Contact your local Chapter Representative, call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or join online at www.fnps.org