Florida Native Plant Society Blog

Coastal Groundcherry, Physalis augustifolia submitted by Carol Tebay, Longleaf Pine Chapter I spent my first winter on the Intercoastal Waterway at Big Lagoon in Escambia County getting to know some of the plants in this scrub dune habitat.  I spotted one plant I couldn't identify. Then, in April, while searching the internet to identify some tracks I’d found in the sand, I came across a list of plants that beach mice depend on for food.  I’d recently spotted one of them, the Coastal Groundcherry, Physalis angustifolia (narrow-leaved).  In this harsh, coastal environment, where I tower over many mature runner oaks, Coastal Groundcherry hugs the ground. Just the right height for a tiny beach mouse. The Groundcherry is a member of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. Photo by Carol Tebay According to the Atlas of Florida Plants , there are ten native species of Physalis growing in Florida.   While Coastal Groundcherry seems to prefer Gulf Coast counties...

Utricularia cornuta, Horned Bladderwort  Submitted by Carole Tebay, Longleaf Pine Chapter Photo by Carol Tebay, Escambia County "How charming," was my thought upon noticing dainty yellow flowers blooming on the floor of a nearly dry ephemeral pond. Then I remembered their identification and realized I was strolling among predators. The diminutive horned bladderwort, Utricularia cornuta , has an underground bladder which sucks in tiny insects and worms when its hairs are triggered. The plant's genus, Utricularia, comes from the Latin for bladderwort. Cornuta, is from the Latin, horned, which describes the horn on the snapdragon-like flower. Thus the common name, horned bladderwort. It is also called leafless bladderwort because the small leaves are underground. The flowers of the horned bladderwort are a reminder of the drama taking place in the world just below our feet. Family Name: Bladderwort Genus/Species: Utricularia cornuta Common Name(s): Horn...