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Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
The Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) System, located in four separated areas on the Lake Wales Ridge east of US 27 between Davenport and Sebring Florida. The 1,194 acre (4.8 km2) refuge was established in 1990, to protect a host of plants and animals. It is also the first to be designated primarily for the preservation of endangered plants, and is not open to the general public. It contains a high proportion of remaining Florida scrub habitat. It is administered as part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Management Since 2012 the Lake Wales Ridge NWR has been administered by the ''Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge Complex'', along with the Pelican Island NWR, Archie Carr NWR, and the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 census. Its county seat is Bartow, and its largest city is Lakeland. Polk County comprises the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. This MSA is the 81st-most populous metropolitan statistical area and the 89th-most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012. The center of population of Florida is located in Polk County, near the city of Lake Wales. Polk County is home to one public university, one state college, and four private universities. History Early history The first people to inhabit the area now called Polk County were the Paleoindians who arrived in Florida at least 12,000 years ago, late in the last ice age. With large amounts of water locked up in continental ice caps, the sea level was more than lower than at present. The Florida peninsula was twice as wide as it is today, and Flor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liatris Ohlingerae
''Liatris ohlingerae'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names Florida blazing star, Florida gayfeather, scrub blazing star, and sandtorch. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where it occurs only on the Lake Wales Ridge along with many other rare plants. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat, and it is federally listed as an endangered species. This is a perennial herb growing 30 centimeters to one meter in height from a cylindrical corm. The glandular leaves are linear in shape and the longest near the base of the plant may reach 15 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a flower head containing up to 30 disc florets. It is lined with purple-edged green phyllaries and contains tubular lavender corollas. This plant grows in Florida scrub habitat on the Lake Wales Ridge of Central Florida. It grows on rosemary balds in areas of sand pine scrub, open areas where sunlight reaches through the canopy of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Florida Scrub Jay
The Florida scrub jay (''Aphelocoma coerulescens'') is one of the species of Aphelocoma, scrub jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird Endemism in birds, endemic to the U.S. state of Florida and one of only 15 species endemic to the continental United States. Because of this, it is keenly sought by Birdwatching, birders. It is known to have been present in Florida as a distinct species for at least 2 million years, and is possibly derived from the ancestors of Woodhouse's scrub jay. It measures in length, and weighs from , with an average . The wingspan of the jay is . It has a strong black bill, blue head and nape without a crest, a whitish forehead and supercilium, blue bib, blue wings, grayish underparts, gray back, long blue tail, black legs and feet. Ecology The Florida scrub jay is found only in Florida scrub habitat, an ecosystem that exists only in central Florida and in limited areas along the Atlantic coast, and is characterized by nutrient-poor soi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prunus Geniculata
''Prunus geniculata'' is a rare species of plum known by the common name scrub plum. The species is endemic to Florida. Description This plant is a low, rounded shrub with a gnarled trunk emerging from the sand and branching densely to form a mound up to two meters tall. The zig-zagging, angled, sharp-tipped branches are sometimes buried in sand and emerge covered in lichens. The gray bark cracks, revealing new reddish brown bark beneath. The alternately arranged leaves have smooth blades 1 to 3 centimeters long with wavy or toothed edges. Blooming occurs before the leaves appear. The flowers are usually solitary. They have five red sepals and five white petals a few millimeters long. There are many stamens at the center, each with a yellow anther. The species is andromonoecious, with individuals bearing both bisexual and male-only flowers. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ziziphus Celata
''Ziziphus celata'', commonly known as the Florida jujube or Florida ziziphus, is a terrestrial flowering plant endemic to central Florida. Description It is a small spiny shrub that is usually less than 2 meters tall. Clusters of highly fragrant tiny green flowers are borne in winter, and grape-sized, yellow-orange fruit develop in spring. Range The species is currently restricted to just eight sites which collectively support only a few genetically distinct individuals. The first known record of the plant was from a single, mysterious, dried herbarium specimen originally collected in 1948 near the city of Sebring in Highlands County, Florida, U.S. Because the precise location of the locality had not been recorded by Ray Garrett, of Avon Park, and because no living plants were known to exist in the wild, the species was presumed extinct. In 1984 the species was described and named posthumously by W.S. Judd & D.W. Hall of the University of Florida. Many botanists later search ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polygonum Dentoceras
''Polygonum dentoceras'' (synonym ''Polygonella myriophylla'') is a rare species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names sandlace, woody wireweed, and Small's jointweed. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where it is limited to the central ridges of the peninsula, including the Lake Wales Ridge. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Description This plant is a mat-forming subshrub which spreads along the ground and grows up to 2 meters long. The sprawling branches have shreddy bark. The leaves are needle-like and under a centimeter long. The small inflorescence contains white, pink or yellow flowers each 1 or 2 millimeters long.''Polygonella myriophylla''. Flora of North America. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polygonum Basiramia
''Polygonum basiramia'' (Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Polygonella basiramia'') is a rare species of flowering plant in the Polygonaceae, knotweed family known by the common names wireweed, hairy wireweed, purple wireweed, and Florida jointweed. It is endemism, endemic to Florida in the United States, where it is limited to the central ridges of the peninsula, including the Lake Wales Ridge. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Description This plant is a perennial herb growing 30 to 80 centimeters tall. The roots of the plant may be much longer than the plant's diameter and spread out under the soil. The wiry stems may branch and may extend beneath the surface of the soil. The plant only has leaves for a short time. They are linear in shape and measure no more than 2 or 3 centimeters in length. The stem and leaves are red to green in color. The plant is plant sexuality, gynodioecious, with s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chionanthus Pygmaeus
''Chionanthus pygmaeus'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the olive family known by the common name pygmy fringetree. It is endemic to Florida, where there are 46 known occurrences as of 2010.USFWS''C. pygmaeus'' Five Year Review.August 17, 2010. The plant is found in increasingly rare habitat in Central Florida that is being consumed for development, and some protected areas are not managed adequately. Most populations are small. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Characteristics This plant is quite variable in appearance, depending on the type of habitat in which it grows. It is usually a shrub remaining under a meter tall, but at times may grow into a tree 4 to 5 meters in height. The branches may grow directly from the sand if totally buried in a dune. The dark yellowish-green, leathery leaves are rough in shape and up to 10 centimeters long. The petioles may be maroon in color. The inflorescence is a panicle of three to six flowers borne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dicerandra Frutescens
''Dicerandra frutescens'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names scrub mint and scrub balm. It is endemic to Highlands County, Florida, where it is known only from the Lake Wales Ridge. Its habitat is quickly being lost as it is converted to residential and agricultural use. It was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1985.USFWSDetermination of endangered status for two Florida mints.''Federal Register'' November 1, 1985. This shrub grows about half a meter tall from a deep taproot. It is glandular and strongly aromatic with a mint scent. The oblong leaves are roughly 2 centimeters long, smooth-edged, oppositely arranged, and dotted with visible oil glands. The inflorescence is a pair of flowers each roughly 1.5 centimeters long. The flower has a tubular throat and a lobed, lipped mouth. The corolla is white to light pink and dotted with darker pink on the lips. The protruding stamens are tipped with tiny horn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dicerandra Christmanii
''Dicerandra christmanii'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the Lamiaceae, mint family known by the common names Garrett's mint, yellow scrub balm, and Lake Wales balm. It is Endemism, endemic to Highlands County, Florida, in the United States, where it is known from only four sites on the Lake Wales Ridge.USFWS''Dicerandra christmanii'' Five-year Review.September 2009. All are contained within a tract of land measuring 6 kilometers by 3 kilometers. The plant is steadily declining due to the destruction and degradation of its habitat, and only one of the four occurrences is on protected land. It is a federally listed endangered species. The plant was first collected in 1948 by Ray Garrett. Over the years it was included within the description of its close relative, ''Dicerandra frutescens''. In 1989 it was reexamined and named as a new species on the basis of the color of its stamen, anthers, its scent and certain related chemical compounds in the herbage, and the length of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hypericum Cumulicola
''Hypericum cumulicola'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae known by the common name highlands scrub hypericum, or highlands scrub St. John's wort. It is endemism, endemic to Florida, where it is threatened by habitat loss and degradation.''Hypericum cumulicola''. Center for Plant Conservation. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. This is a perennial herb with wiry, sometimes woody, stems growing from a taproot and reaching about 60 centimeters in maximum length. The leaves have slightly succulent blades which are linear in shape and measure just a few millimeters long. Flowers occur on the upper branches in a scattered fashion. Each has five yellow petals 3 to 4 millimeters long and many stamens at the center. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lupinus Aridorum
''Lupinus aridorum'' is a rare species of lupine known by the common name scrub lupine. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where there were 10 known populations remaining in 2003.USFWSScrub lupine Five-year Review.November 2007. Fewer than 6000 individual plants were counted. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. The scrub lupine is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. This plant was first collected in 1900, but it was not described until 1982 to science as a species.USFWSEndangered status for ''Lupinus aridorum'' (Scrub Lupine).April 7, 1987. It is often treated as a variety of '' Lupinus westianus''. The scrub lupine is a biennial or perennial herb growing up to a meter tall. The leaves are oval with pointed tips, not palmate as in most other lupines. Each leaf blade may be up to 7 centimeters long by 4 wide and is borne on a long petiole. The herbage is coated in silvery hairs. The inflorescence is a raceme-like spike ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
