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Promoting the conservation, preservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Broward County
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Above: Callisia ornata, Florida Scrub Roseling, one of several delights from the recent Juno Dunes walk with Steve Woodmansee. You may recognize its similarity to the blue Ohio Spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis, from the same family, Commelinaceae. This delicate pink wildflower is endemic to Florida and was vouchered in Broward in 2003 by Pat Howell.
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JEdible Native Plants with Scott Bryan
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 7 pm
Secret Woods Nature Center, 2701 Florida (W. State Rd.) 84, Dania Beach, FL 33312
Elderberry, Persimmon, Passionfruit, Beautyberry, Cocoplum, Muscadine Grape, Sea Grape, and Cabbage Palm are among the first South Florida edible plants that come to mind. Scott Bryan, however, has a wealth of easy-to-digest information about many more species, including their use and flavor. Whatever your level of knowledge about edible plants, you are sure to learn something new. Which substantial food species would be best to try in cultivation? Which herbs might we snip in the garden for wild flavor in cooking? Which easy-to-identify species might we safely forage on a hike? Ask Scott.
Giant Leather Fern, Acrostichum danaeifolium
This graceful native comes with a caution and surprisingly good flavor
Walk Hugh Taylor Birch to Identify Edible Native Plants with Scott Bryan
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 8:30 am (meet in Garden Center parking lot, first sharp right turn)
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304
Park Fee: $6 for 2-8 per vehicle, $4 for single-occupant vehicle, $2 for bicycles and pedestrians
This is the followup walk for the Wednesday presentation about edible native plants, but come and enjoy this walk regardless of whether you attended the prior Wednesday evening. This is a great opportunity to learn to identify more native plants. This park is worth many visits for its diversity of local native plants and examples of a coastal habitats, including fresh water, sandy dry, and salt and fresh marsh areas. For the experienced and inexperienced there is much to see and learn here.
This is easy walking. Wet feet are unlikely, but always a possibility, with some walking on the hidden back trails. Bring a water bottle. Dress for your own comfort which may include sun protection, insect repellent, possibly long pants and sleeves and old sneakers. Bring a camera or binoculars, if you like, or just come to be in the wonderful out of doors. Additional options are to bring a lunch for afterwards and/or visit the beach with your parking fee already paid of the rest of the day.
John U. Lloyd beach by Georgiahl on Flickr
Walk with the Dade Chapter at John U. Lloyd State Park
SATURDAY, January 24, 9:30 am (meet in the first parking lot to the right of the toll booth)
John U. Lloyd State Park, 6503 N. Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida 33004
Park Fee: $6 for 2-8 per vehicle, $4 for single-occupant vehicle, $2 for bicycles and pedestrians
"This park between the Intracoastal and the Atlantic Ocean in Dania Beach contains highly disturbed dredge fill areas, mangrove, coastal hammock, beach strand and interpretive trails. Interesting and rare native strand plants include bay cedar, beach peanut and inkberry (scaevola)."
Difficuty: Easy. Bring sun protection, drinks, and lunch if you would like to picnic afterward.
Thank you, as always, to the Dade Chapter for including Broward folks in more learning and outdoor fun.
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Broward Native Plants
Featuring Three of Over 700 Wonderful Species
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Conradina grandiflora, Largeflower False-rosemary (below), has striking fine foliage, perhaps more beautiful than real Rosemary, but without the culinary fragrance. The showy blossoms, however, are mildly scented and may continue this profusion for several months, especially during the spring or fall. As native to the Florida Scrub it does well in sandy, drier soils and reaches a mound about 2-3 feet high. If you want to cultivate it, C. grandiflora can be found in some native nurseries. Water regularly (like most drought tolerant plants) for a year or so until it becomes well establish. Do not try partial sun, as it thrives in full sun. Otherwise, just enjoy it when you encounter it in the wild. It is endemic to eastern peninsular Florida with Broward near the southern end of its range.
Photo: Mary Keim
Hypericum fasciculatum, Sandweed or Peelbark St. John's-wort (below-left and larger photo) is another with attractive needle-like foliage and reddish stems. Sometimes this plant is upright like a miniature tree 2-4 feet high. H. fasciculatum is a fairly common encounter in the pineland marsh. Especially eye-catching are the blossoms of bright yellow petals with a burst of stamen from the center.
  
Hypericum fasciculatum is just one of about twelve species of the Hypericum genus in South Florida. Several Hypericum species have flowers with an appearance similar to those above, but distinctively different foliage. One such is Hypericum cistifolium, Roundpod St. John's-wort (small, upper-right photo) with leaves as if folded and much broader than H. fasciculatum. The mahogany pods of H. cistifolium after flower are particularly beautiful.
On a personal note: We struggled a bit to confirm the identification printed above. Wunderlin"s Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida (Third Edition), notes that the leaves of H. fasciculatum are longer (>13mm) than H. tenuifolium (leaves <11mm), and we could have gone wrong with H. cistifolium, too. If any wise readers can confirm or correct us, please email so that we can print a correction in the next issue and help others better learn this genus of beautiful wildflowers.
Hisbiscus furcellatus, Lindenleaf Rosemallow, is our final featured plant this month (below). We encountered it, too, on the Juno Dunes walk. The novice observer might confuse it with another large pink Hibiscus, H. grandiflora, but H. furcellatus has an easy-to-notice identifier. The bracts (in this case a spiked collar of green needle-like structures surrounding the bud or below the calyx of the open flower), are "forked". If you can't see the "fork" in this photo, you can see that each bract forms a distinctive right angle at the tip. The flower is very showy not only for its size and bright pink color, but because it stands very tall at 5 or more feet.
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Speaker events are on 2nd Wednesdays at 7 pm at the Secret Woods.
Field Trips are usually on a following weekend but they vary,
so always check the Calendar and check again for last minute trip updates.
Visit Coontie.org for a wealth of information about local plants.
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