Pine Flatwoods Snapshot Information and Images
Bracken Fern
Pteridium aquilinum (tear-ID-ee-um ah-qua-LINE-um)
Is this the world’s most widespread plant? Possibly. Bracken occurs in varied habitats from dry scrub to soggy swamp. It is common around here. The tough leaves are multicompound, the leaflets ending in a long narrow finger. These leaves are perhaps the most complex and most-dissected of any local fern. The spores are hidden under the leaf margins, which are slightly rolled under.
Pteridium aquilinum (tear-ID-ee-um ah-qua-LINE-um)
Is this the world’s most widespread plant? Possibly. Bracken occurs in varied habitats from dry scrub to soggy swamp. It is common around here. The tough leaves are multicompound, the leaflets ending in a long narrow finger. These leaves are perhaps the most complex and most-dissected of any local fern. The spores are hidden under the leaf margins, which are slightly rolled under.
Carolina Redroot
Lachnanthes caroliana (lack-NAN-these care-oh-lee-AIN-ah)
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Carolina Redroot occurs in wet pine woods, wet ditches, depressions, shores, or marshy areas. The fuzzy flowers are yellow-green in flat-topped clusters. The leaves look like Iris foliage, and the roots and insides of the fruits are bright bloody red.
Lachnanthes caroliana (lack-NAN-these care-oh-lee-AIN-ah)
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Carolina Redroot occurs in wet pine woods, wet ditches, depressions, shores, or marshy areas. The fuzzy flowers are yellow-green in flat-topped clusters. The leaves look like Iris foliage, and the roots and insides of the fruits are bright bloody red.
Cinnamon Fern
Osmunda cinnamomea (oz-MUN-deh sin-ah-MOAM-ee-ah)
This pretty fern inhabits wet pinewoods and other moist (to not that moist) habitats, usually shaded. Easy to recognize, the spores are on a narrow vertical cinnamon stick rising from the center of the tufted leaves. A puff of armpit hairs is apparent where the leaflets join the main leaf stalk.
Osmunda cinnamomea (oz-MUN-deh sin-ah-MOAM-ee-ah)
This pretty fern inhabits wet pinewoods and other moist (to not that moist) habitats, usually shaded. Easy to recognize, the spores are on a narrow vertical cinnamon stick rising from the center of the tufted leaves. A puff of armpit hairs is apparent where the leaflets join the main leaf stalk.
Dahoon Holly
Ilex cassine (EYE-lex cass-EEN-ee)
Dahoon Holly is one of the most abundant small trees or large shrubs in local wet areas. The bark is often near-white, frequently decorated with red lichens but not necessarily. The leaves have small teeth on the margins. This helps with recognition of the tree. The small white flowers are followed by red or orange berries. The name cassine comes from a Native American tea made from this species and from Yaupon Holly.
Ilex cassine (EYE-lex cass-EEN-ee)
Dahoon Holly is one of the most abundant small trees or large shrubs in local wet areas. The bark is often near-white, frequently decorated with red lichens but not necessarily. The leaves have small teeth on the margins. This helps with recognition of the tree. The small white flowers are followed by red or orange berries. The name cassine comes from a Native American tea made from this species and from Yaupon Holly.
False Pennyroyal
Piloblephis rigida (pile-oh-BLEFF-is RIDGE-ah-dah)
This foot-tall mint has fragrant narrow super-hairy leaves. The spotted violet flowers are in thick spikes at the top of the plant.
Piloblephis rigida (pile-oh-BLEFF-is RIDGE-ah-dah)
This foot-tall mint has fragrant narrow super-hairy leaves. The spotted violet flowers are in thick spikes at the top of the plant.
Fetterbush
Lyonia lucida (lie-OWN-ee-ah LOOSE-ah-duh)
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This common member of the Azalea Family stands 3-8 feet tall with smooth hairless alternate leaves. The flowers dangle like little pink bells, decorating pine woods and scrub habitats. The fruits are small woody capsules.
Lyonia lucida (lie-OWN-ee-ah LOOSE-ah-duh)
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This common member of the Azalea Family stands 3-8 feet tall with smooth hairless alternate leaves. The flowers dangle like little pink bells, decorating pine woods and scrub habitats. The fruits are small woody capsules.
Gallberry
Ilex glabra (EYE-lex GLAY-brah)
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One of the most abundant understory shrubs in pinewoods and additional habitats, gallberry likes burned sites. This small Holly has a rhizome and can spread aggressively as a monoculture. The alternate hairless leaves have small teeth. The tiny flowers are white, often abundant, and the ripe berries are black with a nasty taste.
Ilex glabra (EYE-lex GLAY-brah)
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One of the most abundant understory shrubs in pinewoods and additional habitats, gallberry likes burned sites. This small Holly has a rhizome and can spread aggressively as a monoculture. The alternate hairless leaves have small teeth. The tiny flowers are white, often abundant, and the ripe berries are black with a nasty taste.
Muscadine Grape
Vitis rotundifolia (VYE-tus row-tund-ah-FOAL-ee-ah)
This is one of the most conspicuous vines in our area. You see it almost everywhere, often abundantly. The leaves are vaguely heart-shaped, more or less hairless, and with toothed margins. The numerous flowers are greenish white, followed by grapes. The thin kinky twist-tie organs are called tendrils. They help the grape cling and climb.
Vitis rotundifolia (VYE-tus row-tund-ah-FOAL-ee-ah)
This is one of the most conspicuous vines in our area. You see it almost everywhere, often abundantly. The leaves are vaguely heart-shaped, more or less hairless, and with toothed margins. The numerous flowers are greenish white, followed by grapes. The thin kinky twist-tie organs are called tendrils. They help the grape cling and climb.
Shiny Blueberry
Vaccinium myrsinites (vax-IN-ee-um murs-ah-NIGHT-eez)
Another member of the Azalea Family, Shiny Blueberry has tiny alternate hairless leaves. The flowers are little white to light pink bells, followed by berries that are red before becoming dark.
Vaccinium myrsinites (vax-IN-ee-um murs-ah-NIGHT-eez)
Another member of the Azalea Family, Shiny Blueberry has tiny alternate hairless leaves. The flowers are little white to light pink bells, followed by berries that are red before becoming dark.
Slash Pine
Pinus elliottii (PIE-nus el-ee-OTT-ee-eye)
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Slash Pine is the only pine of pine woods in our area.
Pinus elliottii (PIE-nus el-ee-OTT-ee-eye)
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Slash Pine is the only pine of pine woods in our area.
Staggerbush
Lyonia fruticosa (lie-OWN-ee-ah fruit-ah-COSE-ah)
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Staggerbush is related to Fetterbush. Staggerbush has distinctive rusty fuzz on young leaves and stems. The flowers are little white bells, and the fruit is a small woody capsule. Often the leaves have big ugly galls (right-hand photo) caused by fungi.
Lyonia fruticosa (lie-OWN-ee-ah fruit-ah-COSE-ah)
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Staggerbush is related to Fetterbush. Staggerbush has distinctive rusty fuzz on young leaves and stems. The flowers are little white bells, and the fruit is a small woody capsule. Often the leaves have big ugly galls (right-hand photo) caused by fungi.
Tarflower
Bejaria racemosa (bee-JARE-ee-ah rass-ah-MOSE-ah)
Yet another member of the Azalea Family, Tarflower has distinctive bristly stems. The leaves are whitish beneath. In early to mid summer the large white flowers are sticky on the outside. The fruit is a woody capsule.
Bejaria racemosa (bee-JARE-ee-ah rass-ah-MOSE-ah)
Yet another member of the Azalea Family, Tarflower has distinctive bristly stems. The leaves are whitish beneath. In early to mid summer the large white flowers are sticky on the outside. The fruit is a woody capsule.