Scrub 1 Snapshot Information and Images
If this is the first page you are seeing for Lesson 3, go back to the maroon menu bar at the top of the page and click directly on "Lesson 3." The page you are on now is the second page for Lesson 3. All the remaining lessons work the same way.
The information you see below repeats the information from the narrated snapshots in the Gigapan image.
Cocoplum
Chrysobalanus icaco (krise-oh-BAL-ahn-us ick-KOK-oh)
See the Blog (clickable link)
Cocoplum is one of the more abundant shrubs in our area, both in the wild and in landscaping. It thrives in scrub and in additional habitats. Look closely at the bottom sides of the alternate leaves, where the stem joins the blade; there are tiny nectar glands to feed ants that protect the shrub. 'Red Tip' Cocoplum is a cultivar valued for its especially red young growth, although red young growth is characteristic of the species in general and of many other plants. The small white flowers reveal relationship to the Rose Family. The edible fruits come in purple, reddish, and white. The hard stone splits along preformed lines to expose the seed. The seed is loaded with oil and is flammable; the seeds have served as cheap candles.
If this is the first page you are seeing for Lesson 3, go back to the maroon menu bar at the top of the page and click directly on "Lesson 3." The page you are on now is the second page for Lesson 3. All the remaining lessons work the same way.
The information you see below repeats the information from the narrated snapshots in the Gigapan image.
Cocoplum
Chrysobalanus icaco (krise-oh-BAL-ahn-us ick-KOK-oh)
See the Blog (clickable link)
Cocoplum is one of the more abundant shrubs in our area, both in the wild and in landscaping. It thrives in scrub and in additional habitats. Look closely at the bottom sides of the alternate leaves, where the stem joins the blade; there are tiny nectar glands to feed ants that protect the shrub. 'Red Tip' Cocoplum is a cultivar valued for its especially red young growth, although red young growth is characteristic of the species in general and of many other plants. The small white flowers reveal relationship to the Rose Family. The edible fruits come in purple, reddish, and white. The hard stone splits along preformed lines to expose the seed. The seed is loaded with oil and is flammable; the seeds have served as cheap candles.
Dayflower
Commelina erecta (comb-ah-LINE-ah ee-WRECKED-ah)
Florida is home to several native and introduced Dayflowers, this one being White-Mouth Dayflower, a species fond of but not limited to dry sand. Also common, Commelina diffusa is a lawn weed. Commelinas are easy to recognize by having two large petals and one small petal. In C. erecta the small petal is white. They are named for the three Commelin brothers, two who amounted to something while the third apparently didn’t.
Commelina erecta (comb-ah-LINE-ah ee-WRECKED-ah)
Florida is home to several native and introduced Dayflowers, this one being White-Mouth Dayflower, a species fond of but not limited to dry sand. Also common, Commelina diffusa is a lawn weed. Commelinas are easy to recognize by having two large petals and one small petal. In C. erecta the small petal is white. They are named for the three Commelin brothers, two who amounted to something while the third apparently didn’t.
Love Vine
Cassytha filiformis (CASS-eh-thu fill-ah-FORM-iss)
See the Blog (clickable link)
(In TC Natives there are two entries concerned with Love Vine)
Love Vine is a parasite, penetrating the sugar-bearing phloem tissue of its host plants. Easy to tell this species, it looks like yellowish spaghetti draped across other species. A similar plant is Dodder, but Dodder is far less common around here. Love Vines have fleshy fruits vs. dry in Dodder, and flower parts in multiples of three as opposed to five in Dodder.
Cassytha filiformis (CASS-eh-thu fill-ah-FORM-iss)
See the Blog (clickable link)
(In TC Natives there are two entries concerned with Love Vine)
Love Vine is a parasite, penetrating the sugar-bearing phloem tissue of its host plants. Easy to tell this species, it looks like yellowish spaghetti draped across other species. A similar plant is Dodder, but Dodder is far less common around here. Love Vines have fleshy fruits vs. dry in Dodder, and flower parts in multiples of three as opposed to five in Dodder.
Myrtle Oak
Quercus myrtifolia (kwer-CUSS mir-tah-FOLE-ee-ah)
Three small oaks are especially common in local scrub: Myrtle Oak (left-hand picture), Chapman's Oak (center), and Sand Live Oak (right-hand picture). Chapman’s is easy to tell because the glossy leaves tend to be conspicuously widest above the middle, often with three subtle lobes. Sand Live Oak tends toward extremely narrow leaves with the edges strongly rolled under, fuzzy beneath. Myrtle Oak has small glossy leaves shaped like a spoon, much smaller than Chapman’s Oak leaves. There are often intermediates, usually hybrids, so many individuals do not fit one species exactly.
Quercus myrtifolia (kwer-CUSS mir-tah-FOLE-ee-ah)
Three small oaks are especially common in local scrub: Myrtle Oak (left-hand picture), Chapman's Oak (center), and Sand Live Oak (right-hand picture). Chapman’s is easy to tell because the glossy leaves tend to be conspicuously widest above the middle, often with three subtle lobes. Sand Live Oak tends toward extremely narrow leaves with the edges strongly rolled under, fuzzy beneath. Myrtle Oak has small glossy leaves shaped like a spoon, much smaller than Chapman’s Oak leaves. There are often intermediates, usually hybrids, so many individuals do not fit one species exactly.
Partridge Pea
Chamaecrista fasciculata (chem-ah-KRIST-ah fass-ick-you-LAY-tuh)
See the Blog
Our area is home to abundant Partridge Pea. This legume is almost weedy in scrub and other habitats. The delicate buttery yellow flowers are often profuse, and open just one day. Look where the leafstalk joins the stem, and see a gland producing food for ants. You will notice near that spot also two long sharp-tipped stipules. The long flat pods curl when they open.
Chamaecrista fasciculata (chem-ah-KRIST-ah fass-ick-you-LAY-tuh)
See the Blog
Our area is home to abundant Partridge Pea. This legume is almost weedy in scrub and other habitats. The delicate buttery yellow flowers are often profuse, and open just one day. Look where the leafstalk joins the stem, and see a gland producing food for ants. You will notice near that spot also two long sharp-tipped stipules. The long flat pods curl when they open.
Sand Pine
Pinus clausa (PIE-ness KLAUS-ah)
See the Blog
There are two native pines around Palm Beach and Martin counties, Slash Pine, and the usually smaller Sand Pine characteristic of scrub. Sand Pine cones often remain closed until heated by a passing fire. Although usually small, given freedom from fire and hurricanes, sand pines are capable of becoming substantial trees, altering the scrub habitat from the desert look to a pine woods. The extent to which scrub depends on fire to self-sustain is arguable, and probably varies on different sites.
Pinus clausa (PIE-ness KLAUS-ah)
See the Blog
There are two native pines around Palm Beach and Martin counties, Slash Pine, and the usually smaller Sand Pine characteristic of scrub. Sand Pine cones often remain closed until heated by a passing fire. Although usually small, given freedom from fire and hurricanes, sand pines are capable of becoming substantial trees, altering the scrub habitat from the desert look to a pine woods. The extent to which scrub depends on fire to self-sustain is arguable, and probably varies on different sites.
Saw Palmetto
Serenoa repens (sayr-ah-NO-ah REE-pens)
Saw Palmetto is one of the dominant species of South Florida, not limited to scrub. Often mixed with them is a similar species, Scrub Palmetto, Sabal etonia, which differs by having the leaf stalk smooth rather than having the sawtooth petiole margin of Saw Palmetto. Saw Palmetto has the leaf stalk end bluntly at the leaf blade edge (vs. extending as a point into the blade). Saw Palmetto fruits have commercial value, probably spuriously, as a remedy for enlarged prostate. The species is fire-resistant and able to regrow readily after a burn. Rarely do Saw Palmetto trunks rise up as small trees.
Serenoa repens (sayr-ah-NO-ah REE-pens)
Saw Palmetto is one of the dominant species of South Florida, not limited to scrub. Often mixed with them is a similar species, Scrub Palmetto, Sabal etonia, which differs by having the leaf stalk smooth rather than having the sawtooth petiole margin of Saw Palmetto. Saw Palmetto has the leaf stalk end bluntly at the leaf blade edge (vs. extending as a point into the blade). Saw Palmetto fruits have commercial value, probably spuriously, as a remedy for enlarged prostate. The species is fire-resistant and able to regrow readily after a burn. Rarely do Saw Palmetto trunks rise up as small trees.
Scrub Hickory
Carya floridana (CARE-ya floor-ah-DAY-nuh)
See the Blog
We have two Hickories in our area, Water Hickory in water and Scrub Hickory in scrub. Know this species by its compound leaves with sawtooth edges, and a Hickory smell when crushed. The huge terminal buds (buds at the branch tips) are messy in appearance. And of course you might find wild Hickory nuts. This tree is more abundant in Martin County than in Palm Beach County.
Carya floridana (CARE-ya floor-ah-DAY-nuh)
See the Blog
We have two Hickories in our area, Water Hickory in water and Scrub Hickory in scrub. Know this species by its compound leaves with sawtooth edges, and a Hickory smell when crushed. The huge terminal buds (buds at the branch tips) are messy in appearance. And of course you might find wild Hickory nuts. This tree is more abundant in Martin County than in Palm Beach County.
Sugar Sand
The scrub soil is white sugar sand, a formal name for this being Entisol. The sand is exceedingly nutrient-poor and well drained, and thus often dry. Species adapt in several ways to the nutrient- and water-shortages. Different species show different combinations of: very deep roots, shallow but wide-spreading roots, parasitism, slow growth, thorns, needlelike foliage, thick succulent tissues, seasonal growth, allelopathy (production of natural herbicides), and underground fruit development.
The scrub soil is white sugar sand, a formal name for this being Entisol. The sand is exceedingly nutrient-poor and well drained, and thus often dry. Species adapt in several ways to the nutrient- and water-shortages. Different species show different combinations of: very deep roots, shallow but wide-spreading roots, parasitism, slow growth, thorns, needlelike foliage, thick succulent tissues, seasonal growth, allelopathy (production of natural herbicides), and underground fruit development.
Wire Grass
Aristida sp. (ah-WRIST-ah-dah)
South Florida has several species of Wiregrass, species of Aristida, occupying habitats from scrub to swamps. Sorting out the species is beyond the scope of this class, and interested students can explore www.floridagrasses.org. Wiregrasses all have three needles (awns) on their seedheads.
Aristida sp. (ah-WRIST-ah-dah)
South Florida has several species of Wiregrass, species of Aristida, occupying habitats from scrub to swamps. Sorting out the species is beyond the scope of this class, and interested students can explore www.floridagrasses.org. Wiregrasses all have three needles (awns) on their seedheads.