"THE MONEY SHOT"

Plants, most rare and interesting, were the goal of a recent outing at the Babcock Webb Wildlife Management Area in Punta Gorda, FL

Above was indeed the rarest and most interesting find....read to the end of the post to find out what it is!

Liv and I were fortunate to be included in this outing of the Mangrove Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. Led by Florida Gulf Coast University Botanist, Jay Horn....we were looking for some native Milkweed....and eager to learn about other species. Jean Evoy and Jane Wallace, Liv and I were eager students.

Jay chose an area on the Tram Grade where he knew of a recent burn and the likelihood of some Milkweed.

This was a prime example of Mesic Flatwoods....but still wet from our Florida rainy season. Good time to find some interesting successional growth before the Saw Palmetto takes hold.

Horn, Jay (PhD)
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences

Thanks so much to our outing leader, Jay Horm who was a most patient teacher. We saw a lot and learned a lot. We learned to recognize new plants and more importantly we learned to use "Plant Gestalt;" to use a knowledge of habitat, surroundings, seasonality, shape and form...all keys to becoming a good field botanist...or in my case a field botany enthusiast.

What are the 5 Gestalt principles?

Gestalt psychologists argued that these principles exist because the mind has an innate disposition to perceive patterns in the stimulus based on certain rules. These principles are organized into five categories: Proximity, Similarity, Continuity, Closure, and Connectedness.

Asclepias connivens

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant.aspx?id=2634

Jay teaches Biology and the course below. I would love to audit his courses!

BOT 3153 - Flora of Southwestern Florida

Description

Principals and practical aspects of the identification, morphology, and ecology of species of vascular plants composing the flora of Southwestern Florida. Included, are field trips (one per class meeting), lectures, and laboratory exercises.

This is the text used in "Florida of Southwestern Florida.and if you want to really get some knowledge I would recommend the edition below...AND FORGET ABOUT COMMON NAMES...GET USED TO SCIENTIFIC BINOMIALS!

https://www.fnai.org/PDF/NC/Mesic_Flatwoods_Final_2010.pdf

Mesic Flatwoods link

Peucetia viridans

Green Lynx Spider

Milkweed ?? Asclepias pedicellata ?? seed pod

More for next year!

Calopogon pallidus

https://goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org/species/calopogon/pallidus/

Physostegia purpurea

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3296

Carphenephorus carnosus

Palmetto Skipper

Drosera capillaris

https://www.carnivorousplants.org/grow/guides/WarmTemperateDrosera

There are several different types of carnivorous plants native to Florida, including six species of pitcher plants (Sarracenia), five species of sundews (Drosera), fourteen species of bladderworts (Utricularia), and six species of butterwort (Pinguicula).Jul 1

Great idea to record your sightings on the inaturalist phone app.

https://www.inaturalist.org/

Strymon melinus

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Strymon-melinus

Serendipity...."the fact of finding interesting or valuable things by chance."

Even with a long, wet walk with a modicum of gestalt, the find fo the day.....THE MONEY SHOT...was spotted by Jay as our tired group made our way back to the cars. "Whoda thunk it?" One of Florida's rarest terrestrial orchids!