The Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
Palmetto
FNPS LEGACY SOCIETY
Cornelia McNamara
Leaves Legacy to FNPS
Cornelia McNamara moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 2013. Her love of her new home kindled a passionate interest in Florida’s native plants, and she became active in the Florida Native Plant Society’s Broward Chapter, serving on the chapter’s board. Cornelia chose to leave FNPS a legacy gift. She passed away recently, and we honor her memory and are grateful for her legacy of support.
FROM THE EDITOR
Two captions printed in Palmetto 35:1 contained errors. On page 8, photographer Bob Simons’ name was misspelled, and on page 11, the photo of Jim Bruckner was taken by Willy The Losen. The corrected captions and photos appear below.
FNPS Awards and Grants
The FNPS Legacy Society was established to thank and recognize friends and members who wish to offer their support through deferred gifts to special programs, the endowment or the permanent assets of FNPS. The following individuals have remembered FNPS in their will or estate plan and established a legacy of support for FNPS.
Janet Bowers l Shirley Denton
Devon Higginbotham
Marlene Rodak l Cornelia McNamara Anonymous l Anonymous l Anonymous
Three popular bequest options are to leave a percentage of your estate after making provisions for family and friends; leave a specified sum of money; or leave a particular piece of property. Many other options, which provide you with numerous tax benefits, exist for legacy giving. It is important to explore options with your financial planner so that both you and FNPS receive the full benefit of a legacy gift.
If you would like to become a member of the FNPS LEGACY SOCIETY, please contact Juliet Rynear, FNPS Executive Director, at 228-238-4657 or executivedirector@fnps.org
At the 39th Annual Conference in Crystal River, FNPS honored members and chapters for outstanding service. The Society also awarded conservation and research grants to support projects benefitting Florida’s native plants.
Mentor Award
• Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter – The hallmark of a mentor is the ability to share knowledge with everyone, from novice to expert. Roger accomplishes this daily, whether giving a talk in person or communicating online in numerous forums.
Green Palmetto Award for Education
• John Bradford, Martin County Chapter
• George Rogers, Martin County Chapter
Green Palmetto Award for Service
• Christine Brown, Cuplet Fern Chapter
• Jim Buckner, Marion Big Scrub Chapter
• Jane Higgins, Conradina Chapter
• Barbara Whittier, Cuplet Fern Chapter
Outstanding Chapter of the Year
• Conradina Chapter
Special Recognition
FNPS also honored three members with special recognition for their service and devotion to the FNPS mission in action:
• Ginny Stibolt was recognized for her years of service as an ambassador for FNPS and her generosity in time and contributions.
• Jim Buckner was recognized for his dedication and work on the Warea conservation project.
• Guy Marwick, Executive Director of the Felburn Foundation was recognized for his support of the Warea conservation project.
Continued on page 11
Left to right: Clasping warea. Photo by Bob Simons. Jim Buckner with clasping warea. Photo by Willy The Losen.
The Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
Palmetto
Executive Director
Juliet Rynear
Board of Directors
Officers
President ..............................Susan Carr
Past President.......................Catherine Bowman
Vice President, Administration ...David Martin
Vice President, Finance .........Jim Erwin
Treasurer ..............................Bonnie Basham
Secretar y ..............................Jacqueline Rolly
Committee Chairs
Communications ...................Shirley Denton
Conference ...........................Marlene Rodak
Conservation ........................Todd Angel
Education .............................Wendy Poag
Land Management Partners ....Grace Howell
Landscape ............................Ronald Blair
Policy & Legislation ...............Eugene Kelly
Science ................................Paul Schmalzer
Council of Chapters
Chair.....................................Kara Driscoll
Vice Chair .............................Gail Parsons
Secretary ..............................Athena Philips
Directors-at-Large
Carole McKay
Carol Sullivan
Christine Warren
To contact board members:
Visit www.fnps.org or write care of: FNPS PO Box 278, Melbourne, FL 32902-0278
Society Services
Administrative Services ........Cammie Donaldson
Director of Communications and Programming .............Valerie Anderson
Editor, Palmetto .....................Marjorie Shropshire
Webmaster ...........................Paul Rebmann
MEMBERSHIP
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.
Memberships are available in these categories: Individual; Multi-person household; Sustaining; Lifetime; Full-time student; Library (Palmetto subscription only); Business or Non-profit recognition.
To provide funds that will enable us to protect Florida's native plant heritage, please join or renew at the highest level you can afford.
To become a member:
Contact your local chapter, call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or join online at www.fnps.org/join
The purpose of the Florida Native Plant Society is to conserve, preserve, 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.
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LinkedIn: Groups, Florida Native Plant Society
Features
4 State Parks Benefit From Native Plant Expertise
The Florida Native Plant Society is a valuable partner in preserving natural state park landscapes, and last year, FNPS volunteers served on 100 percent of state land management review panels. Article by Eric Draper
6 Books of Note: The Nature of Plants
Craig Huegel’s new book brings to light the complex ways plants live and interact with their environment. Not only does the book discuss topics like growth and reproduction, it includes real-life examples from Craig’s own gardening experiences to increase understanding of what plants need to thrive. Review by Ginny Stibolt.
8 The False Rosemaries of Florida
In the southeastern United States, the genus Conradina is comprised of 7 species, each occupying a distinct geographic range, and 5 of these species are endemic to Florida. Conradina species are photogenic, attractive to pollinators and sun-loving, however, all but one species are listed as endangered. Article by Todd Angel, Hanna Rosner Katz and Michael Jenkins.
14 Building Chapter Success
Challenged to survive a change of venue and answer the call to increase membership, the Martin County Chapter grew by 65% through enhanced communications, vigorous outreach, strong mission-focused programs, and the friendliest meetings in town.
Article by Linda Eastman.
Palmetto
Editor: Marjorie Shropshire Visual Key Creative, Inc. pucpuggy@bellsouth.net l (772) 285-4286 (ISSN 0276-4164) Copyright 2019, 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. 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 welcome 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.
ON THE COVER: Conradina brevifolia (short-leaved false rosemary) is endemic to the white sand scrub habitat of the mid- to lower Lake Wales Ridge in Polk, Highlands, and Osceola Counties. Photo by Mike Jenkins, Florida Forest Service.
State Parks Benefit From Native Plant Expertise
by Eric Draper, Director, Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service
A t Lake Griffin State Park in Fruitland, Florida, stands a giant live oak tree that is more than three centuries old, and its branches create a beautiful shaded canopy. The park’s centerpiece may be this old oak, but the park also protects a swath of rare and valuable sandhill habitat.
The sandhill at Lake Griffin State Park is distinct as it is home to one of the most stable populations of clasping warea ( Warea amplexifolia). The distribution of the federally endangered species is limited to a small strip along the northern part of the Lake Wales Ridge.
P rotection of the park’s habitat is guided by a 10-year unit management plan. That plan, shaped in part by volunteers who sit on an advisory committee, sets goals for protection and restoration.
The clasping warea at Lake Griffin State Park depends on the careful application of prescribed fire to its sandhill home. Other species like sand skink, scrub buckwheat and gopher tortoise also benefit from the application of fire to this community, and fire is our main management tool at the park.
The timing of fire is especially important for clasping warea given its annual life cycle and endangered status. Because clasping warea is an annual, the application of prescribed burns must be timed to avoid key reproduction cycles such as germination, sprouting, blooming and seeding. Preserving this species requires specialized knowledge, and land managers must consider a wide range of ecological factors.
In June, park staff and Florida Department of Environmental Protection biologists were joined by Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) volunteer Ron Blair to survey the park as part of a state land management review. Help from native plant experts like Ron improves how the Florida Park Service protects imperiled endemic species such as clasping warea.
L and management reviews help ensure that publicly owned lands are managed in the best interest of Florida’s native ecosystems and wildlife, and for resource-based recreation. Dedicated volunteers like Ron work behind the scenes to improve how we care for conservation lands. The work of land management review volunteers may be invisible
The massive oak at Lake Griffin State Park is a popular location for photos.
A management plan public meeting. Public meetings and advisory committees give citizens and experts a chance to review and provide input on state park planning.
Advisory and review committees play an important role in guiding the management of public lands like state parks.
to many visitors, but our research shows that natural Florida landscapes are what draw people to state parks.
The Florida Native Plant Society is a valuable partner in preserving natural state park landscapes for residents and visitors to enjoy. Last year, FNPS volunteers served on 100 percent of state land management review panels.
The relationship between FNPS and Florida State Parks is continually growing. Each state park unit management plan will now get input from an additional native plant advisor from the FNPS land management review team. This input will help state park planners make informed decisions based on the in-depth familiarity FNPS land management volunteers have with many parks.
I’m thankful for the many volunteers who have served on land management review panels in the past. The review process gives us the opportunity to use your knowledge and experience and make a real impact on our public lands. If you would like to
volunteer for a land management review, please contact FNPS Land Management Partners Committee Chair Grace Howell at gracehowell@gmail.com.
About the Author
Eric Draper is the director of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service. Florida’s 175 state parks and trails provide resource-based recreation, and preserve, interpret and restore Florida’s natural and cultural resources. Learn more at FloridaStateParks.org.
Sandhill natural communities are dependent on the regular application of prescribed fire.
Photos courtesy of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Review by Ginny Stibolt
Even though I earned my MS in Botany long ago, I have delved deeply into various aspects of the field in the past dozen years as I’ve researched my fi ve gardening/landscaping books and other projects to update my knowledge. So when I agreed to review this book, I did not expect to learn a whole lot. I was correct to some extent: I was familiar with much of what Craig Huegel presents, but he has made what could be dry and impersonal science into his personal tour of each topic as a grower and gardener. In this manner, he has not just imparted the basic information to the reader, but has provided reasons why each aspect of how plants work is important to a gardener or is just fun to know.
There are color illustrations and photographs throughout the book that help to explain the science. Huegel includes real-life examples (both positive and negative) from his own experiences in his garden and as a nurseryman. This method of story-telling makes it easy for even the most novice gardener to gain an understanding of plants and gardens. On the other hand, there is plenty of information that will allow even experienced botanists to learn new details that will be useful in their landscapes.
BOOKS of NOTE
The Nature of Plants: An Introduction to How Plants Work
Craig Huegel
288 pages
Published by University Press of Florida, 2019
ISBN 13: 9780813064086
There are eleven chapters, an introduction, and a very short conclusion. I might have expected a glossary, but that’s not included. As Huegel explains in the introduction, this is not a botanical textbook and makes a recommendation for one, if that’s what you want. Most terms are well explained within the text and there is an index if you want to refer back to a term that has been previously explained.
Light, Water and Soil
In the fi rst three chapters, Light, Water, and Soil, Huegel describes the basic botanical concepts. He begins with light and the chemistry and process of photosynthesis, plant circadian rhythms, and how best to position plants to receive optimal sunlight. Some of this goes back to his work for his book Native Florida Plants for Shady Landscapes where he describes the variations in shade. He also explains how artifi cial lights for landscaping can disrupt the fi nely tuned need plants have for certain lengths of uninterrupted darkness so they know when to bloom or when to put out new leaves for the season.
In the Water chapter, he explains how, even though more than 90% of water moves straight through the plants and evaporates into the air (transpiration), the plants can extract the water they need to stay turgid, for photosynthesis, and other uses. This absorbed water is stored in the vacuoles in the cells. He also discusses why too much or too little water can damage the plant. And sometimes no matter how much moisture is in the soil, plants may wilt during a hot afternoon. The Soil chapter explains the macro and micro -nutrients plants need and the critical roles bacteria, fungi, and insects play to help make those nutrients more available to the plants. He explains how the typical urban landscape practices of too much lawn and removing all of the dead
plant matter is the exact opposite of what you should do to have to a healthy soil that will take care of your plants.
Structure and Growth, Roots, Stems and Leaves
T he next four chapters on plant structure focus in detail on major plant vegetative organs. They are: Basic Plant Structure and Growth, Roots, Stems, and Leaves. Here, Huegel cover the basics of various cell types, organelles within the cells, and tissue types, including wood. If you’ve been working in botanical studies, these chapters are the least surprising, but there are wonderful moments, such as why palms, which have no real wood, last longer as logs than true trees when used as building material. You’ll also learn how the very specialized leaves of carnivorous plants function, and why some plants go to all this work to supplement their diet. He explains that most plant carnivory occurs in plants that live in highly acidic soils where nutrients are unavailable. Sometimes the actual insects are digested by the plant, but other plants trap the critters, attracting predators that eat the trapped insects. The predators then deposit their feces, which the plant can more readily use.
Reproduction and Seeds
C hapters 8 and 9 are titled Reproduction and Seeds. Huegel covers flowering, flower structure, pollination, fruit development, and seed germination. These details of how plants reproduce, sexually and/or asexually are important for gardeners so they can help plan for the next generation of plants. Also, knowing which plants need pollinators helps the gardener place plants in the landscape to invite pollinators to the party. Huegel describes how fruit evolved to tempt the appetites of various animals – but not until the fruit is ripe and seeds can withstand the trip through animal’s digestive tract. Animals carry the seeds far from the parent plant, and the seeds are deposited with a dollop of rich organic matter, giving them a head start in their new environment. The Seeds chapter not only covers the various structures of seeds, but it also provides some good information on how seeds require different conditions to germinate such as exposure to light, fire, or stratification. Some even require a prolonged period of cold, which we can emulate in our refrigerators.
Plant Hormones and Plant Communication
But probably the most interesting chapters for more experienced gardeners and landscapers are the last two: Plant Hormones and Plant Communication – where Huegel delves into the mysterious world of plant communication, exploring the messages and warnings conveyed to animals
The Peer Review Process
The Nature of Plants was published by the University Press of Florida (UPF), which means that it was “peer-reviewed.” Over the years people have asked me about this, so here’s an explanation of how it works. The Press engages at least two experts with differing fields of expertise to carefully read the manuscript for accuracy, to make suggestions for improvement, to analyze the marketability of the book, and more. In general, the peer-review process adds six months to a year or more to the publishing cycle, and in some cases, the reviewers may nix the whole idea of the book. I've been on both ends of this interesting process – serving as the author and as the reviewer.
A s an example, for my first book, Sustainable Gardening for Florida, the three peer reviewers corrected a bunch of errors and also said the order of the topics needed to be reversed because I’d begun with the most difficult topics when I should have started with the easiest. The new order of topics meant that I had to rewrite the whole book, which added a more than a year to the process, because after I’d rewritten it, two of the reviewers read it again. People have asked me if the rewriting and delay made me angry. My answer is that while it was certainly frustrating in the short term, the end result of the review and rewriting process was a much better book. My other three UPF books have also been enhanced by suggestions and input from peer reviewers.
F or Huegel’s book, there were three reviewers: Gil Nelson, botanist, author, and professor emeritus at Florida State University; Erin Goergen, ecologist, conservation biologist, and professor at St. Petersburg College; and Nicole Pinson, educator, urban horticulture agent, and Master Gardener Coordinator for Hillsborough County.
W hat you may notice about these reviewers is that their experience and fields of expertise vary. This helps to produce a book suitable for a wide audience. If all the reviewers were university botany professors, then the book might be attuned to what professors want to see, but maybe not what a gardener or homeowner would find most useful.
or other plants through chemical scents and hormones. These two chapters help the reader realize that while plants don’t have brains as we know them, they have evolved in surprising ways to get things done. Some of these we’re just finding out with the latest rounds of current research.
For the chapter on plant hormones, Huegel covers the various types of hormones and goes far beyond just the auxins present in the apical bud that cause two or more side buds to sprout and vie to take over as the plant’s new main leader. In addition to auxins, the major hormones discussed include gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene, and abscisic acid. He also introduces the more minor hormones,
Continued on page 11
Climate, Speciation, Rarity, and Beauty: The False Rosemaries of Florida
By Todd Angel, Hanna Rosner Katz and Michael Jenkins
This article is dedicated to Dr. Mark Whitten, researcher at the University of Florida Herbarium. Mark passed away this spring and will be missed by his fellow botanists worldwide. He contributed to research in orchid pollination biology, plant genetics, and was a long-time, active FNPS member. He was extremely generous with his time, effort, and knowledge.
Article and photos by Roger L. Hammer
Conradina brevifolia. Photo by Mike Jenkins, Florida Forest Service.
The North American Coastal Plain (Noss, 2015) is identified as a global biodiversity hotspot. This region contains over 6,200 native vascular plant taxa and over 1,800 endemic plant species. Florida contributes extensively to this endemic rich region with close to 300 recognized endemic species. Ancient upland ridges throughout Florida, with their associated sandhill and scrub communities harbor a number of narrow-range, endemic plant species that are vulnerable to extinction due to their small range and specific habitat requirements. These ridges are remnant “islands” of once widespread habitat types that existed during the last glacial maximum. As climate changed and these habitat islands became more restricted and isolated, species evolved within specific geographic ranges.
In Florida, endemic plants with specific geographic ranges are well represented in the Mint Family (Lamiaceae). Out of the ~6,800 mint species worldwide (Christenhusz et al., 2017), ~130 mint species are found in Florida (Weakley, 2019). Twentyfive rare Florida mint species are protected by the federal government (9 species) and the state (24 species) or tracked by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (23 species). Of these, 13 are Florida endemics.
Mints are a charismatic family of plants, cherished by plant enthusiasts. Why do the mints have so much interest? Is it because of their beauty; being super-photogenic with their bilateral symmetry, elaborate anthers, stamens, stigmas, and coloration of their showy corollas? Is it the numerous flower visitors and pollinators attracted to their nectar guides? Is it that they are somewhat easy to grow and provide a showy sub-shrub for xeric plantings? Is it their enticing and relieving smell and taste? Is it that they can flavor teas and dishes, or be used in essential oils and even bug repellents? Yes!
Yes, and this is especially true for a group of mints in the “Southeastern Scrub Mint Clade”. This beloved group is made up of 5 very closely related genera: Piloblephis, Stachydeoma, Dicerandra, Conradina, and the southeastern U.S. members of the genus Clinopodium (species formerly placed in Calamintha) (Edwards, et al., 2009, Edwards et al., 2008).
Here we focus on Conradina, a southeastern U.S. endemic genus comprising seven peripatric species, each occupying a “distinct geographic range” (Edwards et al., 2008). The common name of the species, false rosemaries, denotes their distinction from the culinary herb, rosemary, of the mint genus Rosmarinus, also placed in the genus Salvia. Five of the Conradina species are endemic to Florida; C. brevifolia, C. cygniflora, C. etonia, C. glabra, and C. grandiflora. C. canescens is found in the midto southern portions of the western Florida Panhandle (with an interesting collection from Hernando County), and into southern Alabama and extreme southeastern Mississippi. Conradina verticillata is endemic to a specific floodplain type within the Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky and Tennessee; so far away from its Florida congeners!
The genus Conradina was named in 1870 in honor of Solomon White Conrad (1779 – 1831). Conrad endeavored in printing enterprises but was most often found on lengthy field excursions gathering plant specimens for a local natural history salon and collecting and dealing in minerals. Through those activities he became a very productive botanist, mineralogist, University of Pennsylvania professor, and writer of important natural science and agricultural publications.
Distinguishing Conradina species from other mints can be done by looking at the >90 degree angle of their petals, bent upwards. They bear two nearly similar pairs (didynamous sets) of anthers that lack hornlike projections and their trichomes are simple. Their stigmas are arching, slightly longer than the anthers and branched/bifurcate (a Mint Family trait) with equal branches (or nearly so). They are “generous to flower visitors” as they can be found with at least some flowers for most of the year, but peaking at different times, depending on species. All Conradina species are sun-loving and that usually requires periodic disturbance such as fire, flooding, or mowing that keeps competing vegetation from shading them out. They like open, well drained, sandy or rocky areas.
A s is the story with many threatened/endangered, endemic, pyrophytic plants; habitat loss and degradation, and lack of fire management all drive Conradina population decline. All Conradina species are federal and state listed as endangered, except C. grandiflora (only state listed endangered), and the non-listed
Range map of Conradina species in the southeastern United States.
C. canescens. Protecting, restoring, and managing intact habitat is key. Because Conradina species occupy high quality habitat and are commonly associated with other rare and endemic plants and animals, each site should be proactively mapped, managed, and monitored.
Good Conradina habitat management always results in increased sunlight for the plants. Trees and shrubs, such as scrub oaks (Quercus spp.) and staggerbush (Lyonia spp.) that outcompete individual plants must be reduced with periodic prescribed fires that mimic natural wildfires. Burning commonly causes an explosion in seedling numbers from this species’ persistent soil seed bank, produced through the years by profusions of flowers that fruit and disperse seeds into the soil. One C. glabra plant can have over 1,000 flowers at one time and produce over 5,000 seeds (Pruner and Schmidt, 2017). Once in the soil, seeds wait for fire or other disturbance to open up the habitat, increase sunlight and cause germination. Adult plants commonly die after fire, but moderately burned plants can resprout 2.5 months post-fire. Long-term studies show that shortly after fire, the initial increase in the number of individuals can last up to five years (Slapcinsky et. al. 2010). Although intense fires consume adult individuals, periodic, patchy fire benefits Conradina populations. In the absence of fire, mowing, or other disturbance, populations decrease steadily with decreased sunlight and increased woody competition.
If prescribed fire is not being used, habitat can be opened up with mowing treatments or the removal of competing vegetation using hand tools. Hand removal may be needed in times of drought when no prescribed fire can be applied and/or mechanical treatments are not feasible or desired. Hand removal of competing vegetation around plants is fun and healthy exercise, done in the cooler months. This kind of work is similar to what Danny Young of the FNPS Pawpaw Chapter calls “reverse landscaping” where plants are removed instead of planted, to benefit a target species. Hand removal in the warmer months is not advised because it can stress the plants (Cheryl Peterson, pers. comm.).
P ropagation of Conradina species has been successfully conducted for decades by Bok Tower Garden’s Conservation Program, now led by Cheryl Peterson. She summarizes some of her efforts, “We have done some hand-crossing between all of the mints here at Bok and each cross has produced fecund offspring. We regularly have hybrid seedlings pop up in the collection beds (some look pretty odd!), so we have learned to pull all seedlings and remove all seeds so we are not growing hybrids. Seed germination of the mints is very low, but plants produce hundreds of thousands of seeds each year, so seedlings do recruit in populations even with a natural low viability. When we need to propagate mints for reintroduction work, we typically do so by cuttings, since that is successful, easy and quicker. When we have lots of wild-collected seeds we germinate seedlings also, since that will add to the genetic diversity of the seedlings (since cuttings are just clonal). When plants/populations are not robust enough to support cutting or seed collection, we resort to tissue culture, which is why it’s important to know tissue culture protocols for a species.”
Conradina Species in Florida
Conradina brevifolia – short-leaved false rosemary
This narrow-leaf Conradina is endemic to the white sand scrub habitat of the mid- to lower Lake Wales Ridge in Polk, Highlands, and Osceola Counties. Flowering peaks in midApril until early May. It is very similar to C. canescens of the Panhandle. Besides the geographic disjunction and recent genetic analysis that separates C. canescens and C. brevifolia, these two species differ in that C. brevifolia tends to have shorter leaves, less nutlet width, and is more decumbent, commonly rooting at the nodes (Edwards et al. 2009, Wunderlin et al. 2019). Healthy populations occur at the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest where a rare plant biologist, staff, and volunteers (including FNPS volunteers) monitor and manage for this species and fourteen other federally listed plants. Research revealed that peak seed germination occurs in the spring from February to May.
Conradina canescens – false rosemary
C. canescens is found in the Florida Panhandle and a noteworthy herbarium specimen exists from Hernando County, Florida. It also grows in southern Alabama and extreme southeast Mississippi. Populations in the interior Florida Panhandle can have different characteristics and may be distinctive or well on their way to becoming individual species or forms/varieties. Close examination of several different populations is under way and may result in taxonomic revisions. This highly variable species has a narrow leaf and can be abundant and robust in well managed coastal ridges, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, and dry disturbed areas. Pollinators and flower visitors are highly attracted to this ecologically important species. Its peak bloom is in April and occurs at the same time as lupine (Lupinus) species in the area, making for an amazing show on the bluer side of the color spectrum.
Conradina cygniflora – swan-flowered false rosemary
This is a wider-leaf species whose flowering peaks in late October and early November. Its entire population occurs at Dunn’s Creek State Park in Putnam County, where it is thriving due to proactive monitoring and management efforts. The hilly topography of the Crescent City-Deland Ridge where this species exists is beautiful, with deep, white sands. This species is closely related to C. etonia and the two differ in their number of inflorescences, calyx and corolla size, and leaf hairs. Analyses of microsatellite data revealed that C. cygniflora populations are genetically divergent from all of the other six Conradina species (Edwards et al. 2008b).
Conradina etonia – Etonia false rosemary
This wider-leaf species is endemic to a five-square mile, contiguous xeric upland in Etoniah Creek State Forest (ECSF ) in Putnam County. Florida Forest Service (FFS) biologist, Charlie Pederson has led monitoring efforts there since 2000 with the help of FFS staff and dedicated volunteers, with FNPS volunteers Continued on page 12
FNPS Grants and Awards
Continued from page 2
FNPS Conservation Grants
Conservation Grants support projects that promote the preservation, conservation, or restoration of rare or imperiled native plant taxa and rare or imperiled native plant communities.
• “Habitat enhancement and restoration of clasping Warea (Warea amplexifolia)” – submitted by Putnam Land Conservancy. This award was sponsored by the Tarflower Chapter in honor of Dick Deuerling, the Sea Rocket Chapter, the Dade Chapter in honor of Don and Joyce Gann, the Nature Coast Chapter, and Annie Schmidt.
• “Save Florida’s Bromeliads Conservation Project” – submitted by Martha Pessaro and sponsored by Florida Power & Light.
Dan Austin Award for Ethnobotany
This award is limited to graduate or undergraduate students studying Florida ethnobotany. Research must focus on Florida native plant species or plant communities and must have a human/plant connection.
• “The North Florida Heritage Garden Project” – submitted by the University of Florida and sponsored by Anne Cox in memory of Dick Workman and Debbie Dixon.
• “The adoption of Florida natives as insectary plants to promote beneficial insects in agricultural communities via trophic resource enhancement” – submitted by Andrea Salas Primoli, Ph.D. Candidate in the Plant Ecology Lab, Florida International University, and sponsored by the Coccoloba Chapter of FNPS in honor of Dick Workman.
Research Grants
FNPS Research Grants support research that promotes the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida.
• James W. Horn, Florida Gulf Coast University, Department of Biological Sciences – “Testing species boundaries and inferring the biogeographic history of Stillingia (Euphorbiaceae) in the North American Coastal Plain, with a focus on Florida.”
• Charles Ray, Auburn University, Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology – “Understanding how pollination can guide conservation of Spigelia gentianoides, a Federally-listed endangered plant.”
• Jasmine S. Peters, Cornell University, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology – “Do prescribed burns control a viral plant pathogen in native and endemic prairie grass species?”
• K asey Kiesewetter, University of Miami, Department of Biology – “Effects of soil microbiome on growth and dispersal of a native plant (Croton linearis) in a fragmented landscape.”
This year FNPS received contributions of $500 from the Sea Rocket Chapter and $1,500 from the Tarflower Chapter in honor of Sam Hopkins. The award to Kasey Kiesewetter is funded by the contribution in honor of Sam Hopkins.
BOOKS of NOTE
The Nature of Plants: An Introduction to How Plants Work
Continued from page 7
pointing out that “...much of the cutting edge work on plant hormones is based on other hormones discovered in the past few decades and for which a developing body of information is now emerging.” It turns out that plants are just as complex as animals when it comes to hormonal activity.
Plants use hormones as a means of defense, and Huegel includes fascinating information on how this works and what compounds are involved in the process. He writes, “Because plants cannot avoid danger by moving away, they must form defenses against pathogens, competitors, and herbivores while standing their ground.” Huegel closes the chapter with a discussion of the roles plant hormones play as growth regulators, in coping with stressful situations such as drought, salt, or nutrient deficiencies, and in flowering, where the primary hormone involved, florigen, was not pinpointed until 2005.
I n the chapter on plant communication, Huegel discusses both above and below-ground communication methods. Above ground, plants may release volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) to warn other plants about danger and/or to attract predators to the presence of herbivores attacking the plant. Plants can even tell the difference between damage from hedge clippers and that of herbivores and respond accordingly. Below ground communication methods involve special fungi, mostly mycorrhizae, as the message bearers to other plants’ rhizospheres. This is fascinating stuff to know and drives home the case that we should “stop treating our soil like dirt.”
Huegel concludes his book with this thought, “Perhaps your understanding of plants and how they work has been changed a bit. If we have done that together, we will have accomplished something significant both for ourselves and this amazing world we share with the rest of creation. Tend your plants and garden with reverence.”
A s a botanist, I think this is an important book to add to your collection, because the more you know, the better your landscape grows. You can order it online at the University Press of Florida website: www.upf.com
coming from several chapters. Surveys are at peak flowering in late October to early November, letting volunteers work in some very nice inland scrub and scrubby flatwoods (notably, Halloween candy is supplied to volunteers to help restore lost nutrients during hard monitoring work). Populations are proactively managed with invasive plant removal, prescribed fire, and major habitat restoration efforts. The late, great Dr. Mark Whitten of the University of Florida Herbarium documented carpenter bees ( Xylocopa sp.) at ECSF, stealing nectar from C. etonia flowers by piercing the base of the calyx and corolla, acquiring the nectar without pollinating the flowers. He also noted germination of C. etonia seedlings where roots were exposed from hurricane treefall.
Conradina glabra – Apalachicola false rosemary
This species occurs only in Liberty County at Torreya State Park and was successfully introduced into The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Apalachicola River Bluffs and Ravines Preserve with the help of Bok Tower Gardens in the early ’90s. Populations are being managed and monitored by the Florida Park Service and TNC staff, and most recently by the Atlanta Botanical Garden and volunteers, with a heavy showing of FNPS volunteers. This species flowers heaviest in autumn and spring but it has been noted during recent intensive monitoring that perhaps April is the peak flowering month. Sandhill habitat where C. glabra grows is being restored and plants are numerous; that trend will be continuing exponentially as aggressive management efforts continue. Plants also grow on the ecotone of sandhill and slope forest (itself, a highly diverse habitat). Two Southeast Scrub Mint Clade species grow with C. glabra here: Clinopodium dentatum (Florida calaminth) grows abundantly with C. glabra in some areas, creating an amazing mintscape; as does Dicerandra linearifolia var. robustior (coastalplain balm) but to a much lesser degree.
Conradina grandiflora – large-flowered false rosemary
This Conradina has larger flowers and blooms loosely all year, peaking in late winter and early spring. Its northernmost population starts in the Rima Ridge at Tiger Bay State Forest and goes to the central-east and southeast portion of the state, down the Atlantic Coastal Ridge. The Florida Natural Areas Inventory Natural Heritage database has this plant in 9 counties and 54 different managed areas/conservation lands, with over 80 populations. However, the majority of populations’ last observations were over twenty years old and in need of updating. This species is in need of field surveys and management of its habitat, as well support and advocacy by local plant enthusiasts.
Conradina verticillata – Cumberland false rosemary
This Conradina exhibits very interesting phytogeographical distribution in southeast Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. It mainly grows in sandy soils within Cumberland Plateau rocky river floodplains, in distinct “scour prairies” or “cobble bars” (Todd Crabtree pers. comm). The populations are found
Conradina etonia. Photo by Bill Chitty, FNPS Payne’s Prairie Chapter.
Conradina canescens. Photo by Floyd Griffith, FNPS Magnolia Chapter.
Conradina cygniflora. Photo by Brenda Herring, Florida Natural Areas Inventory.
on National Park Service lands, including Big South Fork and Obed National Wild and Scenic River and are monitored by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Natural Areas.
Conradina species are some of the most compelling plants for us to conserve; one can imagine them in pre-settlement times, millions of acres feeding massive populations of butterflies and other arthropod groups. They are a major part of an ecological system. The more the better! They have useful life traits and attributes developed while surviving the millennia in harsh conditions on Earth. Knowledge and use of them is to our advantage, and for the “better-mint” of the human condition.
References Cited
Christenhusz, M. J., M. F. Fay, and M. W. Chase. 2017. Plants of the World: an illustrated encyclopedia of vascular plants. University of Chicago Press.
Edwards, C. E., D. E. Soltis, and P. S. Soltis. 2006. Molecular phylogeny of Conradina and other scrub mints (Lamiaceae) from the southeastern USA: evidence for hybridization in Pleistocene refugia? Systematic Botany, 31(1), 193-207.
Edwards, C. E., D. E. Soltis, and P. S. Soltis. 2008. Using patterns of genetic structure based on microsatellite loci to distinguish among hypotheses of current hybridization, ancient hybridization, and incomplete lineage sorting in Conradina (Lamiaceae). Mol. Ecol. 17: 5157-5174.
Edwards, C. E., W. S Judd, G. M. Ionta, and B. Herring, B. 2009. Using population genetic data as a tool to identify new species: Conradina cygniflora (Lamiaceae), a new, endangered species from Florida. Systematic Botany, 34(4), 747-759.
Noss, R.F., W. Platt, B.A. Sorrie. 2015. How global biodiversity hotspots may go unrecognized: lessons from the North American Coastal Plain. Diversity and Distributions 21: 236–244.
Pruner, R. and A. Schmidt. 2017. Survey, Monitoring and Recognition of Conradina glabra. Florida Park Service and Wildland Resources LLC. Final Report to Florida Endangered and Threatened Plant Conservation Program, Florida Forest Service, Tallahassee.
Slapcinsky, J. L., D. R. Gordon, and E. S. Menges. 2010. Responses of rare plant species to fire in Florida's pyrogenic communities. Natural Areas Journal, 30(1), 4-20.
USFWS. 1999. Recovery Plan: Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Atlanta, Georgia.
Weakley, A. S. 2019. Lamiaceae of Florida, Flora of the southern and mid-Atlantic states. University of North Carolina Herbarium, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2019. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.
About the Authors
Mike Jenkins is a member of the FNPS Magnolia Chapter and a Florida Forest Service Biologist for the Florida Plant Conservation Program.
H anna Rosner-Katz is Plant Conservation Biologist at the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest.
Todd Angel is a Minneola fireman, biologist, and FNPS Conservation Committee Chair.
Conradina grandiflora. Photo by Mike Jenkins, Florida Forest Service.
Conradina verticillata. Photo by Todd Crabtree, Tennessee Department of Natural Areas.
Conradina glabra. Photo by Floyd Griffith, FNPS Magnolia Chapter.
Building Chapter Success
Martin County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
By Linda Eastman
At the August 2018 Council of Chapters meeting, then membership chair Anne Cox issued a challenge to all FNPS chapters: raise membership by 5%. Martin County complied. From June 2018 to date chapter membership increased from 86 to 141, or 65%! Our motivation for growth was more significant than compliance, though. That summer we were concerned with survival.
I n the fall of 2017, just before the start of the program season, we were forced to move our meeting venue from the quaint 1930s era school building where the chapter was founded in the 1980s. Fortunately, we were offered a temporary meeting location at the modern offices of a local service organization. This new site was centrally located, included convenient, lighted parking, reliable AV equipment, upholstered seating and quiet central air conditioning that didn’t compete with our featured speakers. Such modernity seemed to attract people to meetings in greater numbers and we recognized that the upgraded venue elevated our chapter’s identity as a serious organization thereby attracting even larger audiences. With high hopes for finding a permanent home, we contracted with Indian River State College’s Wolf High-Technology Center in Stuart for 2018-19 and immediately began planning how to pay the rent. Since our two main sources of revenue are proceeds
from our annual native plant sale and the chapter support from FNPS based on membership numbers, our energies focused on growth in those two areas.
For years our plant sale had been held in conjunction with the school district’s Earth Day celebration and mainly served a small local community of students and parents. Profits were minimal and shared with the school council. Since our closest native nurseries are in Palm Beach or Indian River Counties, we reasoned that our plant sale had potential to fill a niche locally for an increasing number of gardeners looking for native plants. In our new expansion mode we sought a partnership with local Master Gardeners and our first joint sale, although somewhat challenging, was successful beyond all expectations. This past year we moved our sale from Earth Day to Arbor Day in conjunction with the Martin County Master Gardeners’ annual Native Tree Give-away. With the Master Gardeners’ extensive marketing and our own publicity efforts on social media and radio spots, our entire inventory was sold out in the first two hours. Our profits tripled over those from the old days. Based on the demand this year we plan further increases for January 2020.
The plant sale success gave us confidence in our ability to fund our new meeting venue. However, we also needed growth in membership to increase our revenue from FNPS Chapter support and to fill the seats in the huge new conference room we were paying for. Our board resolved to attract and recruit new people to our chapter through enhanced communications, vigorous outreach, strong, mission-focused programs, and the friendliest meetings in town.
Improved Communication
The chapter’s monthly newsletter went through a complete redesign. Our eNews is well written, beautiful to look at, easy to navigate and content rich, inspiring readers to action. For example, a feature on the orchid Sacoila lanceolata (leafless beaked ladiestresses), revealing that this plant is vouchered in every south Florida county except Martin, prompted one of our members to locate several populations on roadsides and alert county employees to avoid mowing them. This quick action enabled our members to voucher the species here and preserve the beautiful flowers to be enjoyed by travelers.
Additionally, our chapter website was revamped and we began sharing information about chapter events and invitations to join on social media pages, with friends, and with other organizations.
A resource table is located near the plant exchange table to display plant books and is staffed with an expert to answer questions. Photo by Anne Cox.
Board members who are active in other groups became liaisons, recruiting from like-minded organizations. We brought friends to meetings and carried membership brochures in our handbags, backpacks and consoles, always prepared to hand one to a prospective new member. One by one, they joined.
Increasing Outreach Efforts
I nstead of waiting for people to come to us, we went in search of them at state parks, conservation events and in community organizations. We organized a series of wildflower walks in three seasons at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The group Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park advertised the walks in their social media channels and strategically posted flyers. Over 125 participants who had not previously interacted with our chapter attended the walks. Many who attended the first walk came back for more and shared photos and positive feedback through their own social networks.
We were becoming recognized in the community, and Audubon of Martin County invited us to teach a class of young birders about native plants. We were asked to share information about living shorelines at Florida Oceanographic Society’s Rally for the River and to survey the plants in a local historic cemetery. We gave talks at garden clubs and collaborated with the Martin County Orchid Society to place over 100 Encyclia tampensis (Florida butterfly orchid) seedlings in a county park.
M aximizing our outreach efforts markedly increased our visibility, sparking increased collaborative opportunities. Though exhausting at times, we accommodated every single request – and added more members.
Improving Speaker Programs
For the last several years we have built our speaker program around substantive themes intended to make our audience’s experience memorable. Some recent themes included natural connections, landscaping with natives, and Martin County’s native plant communities. Knowledgeable presenters and exciting field trip destinations have resulted in meaningful programs that keep participants interested and coming back for more.
R eplacing our traditional sparsely attended holiday potluck with a fun “members only” workshop and picnic in a park doubled our attendance in the first year and tripled it the next, increasing memberships in the process.
Friendly Meetings
We strove to make the best first impression ever. Two smiling board members greeted every attendee, offering information and, of course, membership brochures. There were multiple sign in sheets (no waiting) for members and non-members. We collected email addresses from first-time attendees. Between our expanded outreach events and meeting sign-ins, our email list has grown five-fold in the last year. A half hour social time is built into our meeting schedule providing all board members opportunities to chat with people, learn their names, explain our program and introduce them to the inner workings of our plant exchange.
We staffed a resource table near the plant exchange table with plant books and an expert to answer questions. A volunteer sign-up table provided information on volunteer opportunities, clip boards with sign-up sheets and, when appropriate, information about current legislative issues. Our plant exchange took on a carnival-like atmosphere at times; board members hawked tickets, remarked on the quality and diversity of plants and encouraged everyone to “take a chance.” During this half hour we ran a power point loop with announcements, field trip information, photos of chapter activities, and upcoming events. This gave our audience something to enjoy while waiting for the meeting to start, time to note dates and places, and stimulated interest. With all these conscious efforts, our membership numbers continued to rise.
These achievements were possible with strong support in many small ways from FNPS and because an exceptional Martin County Chapter board committed themselves to our chapter’s success. We look forward to continued growth in 2020.
A half hour social time is built into the meeting schedule, providing board members opportunities to chat with people, learn their names, explain the program and introduce them to the inner workings of our plant exchange. Photo by Anne Cox.
The Florida Native Plant Society
PO Box 278
Melbourne FL 32902-0278
Chapters and Representatives
1. Big Bend Jaya Milam .................................jayamilam@gmail.com
2. Broward Richard Brownscombe ................richard@brownscombe.net
3. Citrus Athena Philips ..............................borntrouper@yahoo.com Gail Taylor ....................................gfgtaylor55@gmail.com
4. Coccoloba Ben Johnson ................................bcjohnson0831@gmail.com
5. Conradina Martha Steuart.............................mwsteuart@bellsouth.net
6. Cuplet Fern Mark Kateli ..................................cupletfern@gmail.com
7. Dade Susan Walcutt ..............................walcutts@bellsouth.net
8. Eugenia ..................................David L. Martin ............................cymopterus@icloud.com
9. Heartland Gregory L. Thomas .......................enviroscidad@yahoo.com
10. Hernando Janet Grabshirlowski ...................jggrenada@aol.com
11. Ixia .........................................Jessica Spencer ..........................jessicaspencer28@hotmail.com
12. Lake Beautyberr y Patricia Burgos ............................patriciab@lcwa.org
13. Longleaf Pine Cheryl Jones ................................cher yls21660@gmail.com
14 Magnolia Nicole Zampieri............................nicolezampieri1@gmail.com
15. Mangrove ...............................Al Squires ....................................ahsquires1@comcast.net
16. Marion Big Scrub Deborah Lynn Curry .....................marionbigscrubfnps@gmail.com
17. Martin County Dianna Wentink............................dw18hpc@gmail.com
18. Naples Kara Driscoll ................................k.dreamflow@gmail.com
19. Nature Coast Gail Parsons.................................gailpar1@verizon.net
20. Palm Beach County Helen Laurence ...........................helen.laurence@gmail.com
21. Passionflower Susan Knapp ...............................suzy5684@aol.com
22. Pawpaw Sonya H. Guidry ...........................guidr y.sonya@gmail.com
23 Paynes Prairie Sandi Saurers ..............................sandisaurers@yahoo.com
24. Pine Lily Tayler Figueroa ............................harper.tkf@gmail.com
25. Pinellas David Perkey ...............................dperkey@hotmail.com
26. Sarracenia Jeannie Brodhead ........................jeannieb9345@gmail.com
27. Sea Oats Judith D. Zinn ..............................jer yjudy@valinet.com
28. Sea Rocket Greg Hendricks ............................gatorgregh@gmail.com
29. Serenoa Erica Timmerman ........................timmerme3@gmail.com
30. Sparkleberr y Carol Sullivan...............................csullivan12@windstream.net
31. Sumter Judith Bradley .............................ham1e@aol.com
32. Suncoast Virginia Overstreet .......................voverstr@tampabay.rr.com
33. Sweetbay Jonnie Smallman .........................jsmallman2@gmail.com
34. Tarflower Julie Becker.................................jlbecker@cfl.rr.com38.
35. The Villages Carol Spears ................................caroljspears@cs.com
Contact the Florida Native Plant Society PO Box 278, Melbourne, FL 32902-0278. Phone: (321) 271-6702. Email: info@fnps.org Online: www.fnps.org
To join FNPS: Contact your local Chapter Representative, call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or join online at www.fnps.org
Contact the PALMETTO Editor: Marjorie Shropshire, Visual Key Creative, Inc.
Email: pucpuggy@bellsouth.net Phone: (772) 285-4286