Dahoon Holly

Hello, EcoFlora participants and inquirers! It’s time for a new EcoQuest.

For the months of September and October, we will be doing something a little different. We usually center our EcoQuests on certain plant families, but for this quest, we’ll be looking for species on the FISC list. If you live in Florida, chances are you have seen some of these species right in your own backyard. 

So, what is the FISC List? It’s the Florida Invasive Species Council’s list of invasive plants. You might be familiar with its old name, FLEPPC (Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council). The name was recently updated to reflect more accurate terminology. Terminology and categorization are crucial when it comes to invasive species. The new FISC list of invasive species is divided into two sections: Category I and Category II.  

Category I plants are the most severe. This is measured by displacement of native species, or by the disruption of a stable native ecosystem.

Category II plants are invasive plants that have not yet disturbed or displaced habitats or species but are reproducing outside of cultivation. These plants have the potential to become Category I plants if left unchecked, so both categories should be treated as a threat.

Currently, there are 165 species on the FISC list. This list is updated every two years to include any newly introduced species and to reclassify the severity of existing invasive species.  

Some of the species we’ll be on the lookout for include the widely known Brazilian Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Caesarweed (Urena lobata), and Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius). We will also be highlighting some of the “charismatic” invasive species that are commonly found in landscaping and in the Florida plant trade. These include: 

Category I 

• Pink Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin) 
• Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) 

Category II 

• Golden Pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum cv. Aureum) 
• Mother of Millions (Kalanchoe x houghtoni)  

Brazilian Pepper flowers

So, why should we care about documenting invasive species? By utilizing apps like iNaturalist, we can help natural land managers track the spread of an invasive plant. By doing so, we are better prepared to stop it from spreading further. Economically, invasive species management is a laborious and expensive endeavor. For example, it costs the state of Florida over $200 million annually.  

One of the best ways to help the fight against invasive species can happen right from your home. By removing known invasive species from your garden and planting native alternatives, you are helping to restore habitat. Plant nurseries throughout the state have a large variety of Florida native plants that look just as nice as, if not better than, their invasive counterparts.

We hope you will join us to learn more about our local ecosystems and how they are being impacted by invasive species. You can find dates, locations, and sign-up information for upcoming Bioblitzes here or by emailing us at ecoflora@selby.org.  

The post FISC-ally Responsible Flora appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Happy June, EcoFlora participants! 

We are now in the second half of our May-June Ecoquest, “Mustard Madness!” To learn more about mustards and why we should be mad for them, the EcoFlora team looked to one of the expert botanists here at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Dr. Tatiana Arias.

Dr. Arias has over 15 years of experience conducting plant research and is currently focused on orchid evolution and conservation. Long before her work with orchids began, Dr. Arias studied mustard species as part of her graduate research in Colombia. We asked her to share a little bit about her thesis and what got her interested in mustards. Here’s an overview of the discussion: 

“For my research, I worked on the tribe Brassiceae, which includes all of the major economically important species in the Brassicaceae family,” she said. There are over 4,000 species in the family, and 250 species in the tribe she was working on, but her research focused on six species that are collectively referred to as the “Triangle of U”. Three of these species are diploids and three are polyploids. A diploid is an organism that contains two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent organism. In contrast, a polyploid is an organism that contains more than two total sets of chromosomes. In the case of these Brassica species, they contain two sets from each parent organism. 

Plants in the Brassiceae tribe have a variety of beneficial qualities apart from their genetic diversity; some are salt tolerant, are able to accumulate heavy metals, and, according to Dr. Arias’ findings, are able to hybridize with other brassicas that genetically diverged millions of years apart from one another. Specifically, Brassica nigra (black mustard) is less closely related than B. oleracea (wild cabbage) and B. rapa (field mustard). 

Dr. Arias traveled abroad during her research on Brassicaceae to the Mediterranean, which is where the family originated. From there, it spread to Europe and beyond, becoming a foundational agricultural crop that is still crucial today. 

Dr. Arias said she was inspired to research the family because of its impact on plant domestication and agricultural and economic importance. The three species that Dr. Arias highlighted in her research encompass nearly all cruciferous vegetables we eat today. Brassica rapa consists of cultivars such as turnips, bok choy, napa cabbage, and oilseed. Brassica oleracea includes cultivars such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and kale. Lastly, B. nigra is responsible for the mustard seeds that are commonly used as spices or in spreads. Can you imagine a world without a single one of these on your kitchen table?  

To learn more about Dr. Arias and the extensive research she has done throughout her botanical career, you can browse her online CV for more information. Her Brassiceae publication, “Diversification times among Brassica (Brassicaceae) crops suggest hybrid formation after 20 million years of divergence,” can be found in the American Journal of Botany.  

You also can read a profile of Dr. Arias and learn how her childhood inspired her career path in this story from the latest issue of Selby Gardens’ member magazine The Sanctuary. 

The post Talking Mustards with Dr. Tatiana Arias appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Pepperweed (Photo credit: Kaylynn Low)

Most of us are familiar with the sight and taste of cabbage, broccoli, kale, radishes, turnips, and mustards on our dinner plates. But did you know that these vegetables–collectively known as cruciferous vegetables–are all related?

These plants are members of the Brassicaceae family, which comprises approximately 4,060 different species. Many of them have been cultivated for agricultural purposes and are staple foods in diets across the world. All members of the Brassicaceae family are characterized by cruciform (“cross shaped”) flowers that are usually yellow or white. Hence the name cruciferous!

This month’s EcoQuest will focus on members of the mustard family that grow in our own backyards, some of which are also edible! There are six native mustard species that have been documented via preserved specimen collections in Sarasota and Manatee counties:

Coastal searocket (Cakile lanceolata)

Pennsylvania bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica)

Western tansymustard (Descurainia pinnata)

Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum)

Florida watercress (Nasturtium floridanum)

Southern marsh yellowcress (Rorippa teres)

Our native mustards inhabit a variety of habitats. Coastal searocket, for example, grows in coastal dune ecosystems, while Florida watercress grows in spring and swamp ecosystems. Florida watercress is also our only endemic mustard species, meaning it is not only native to Florida but also only found in Florida.

One of the most common Florida native Brassicaceae species, Virginia pepperweed, is likely growing in your neighborhood or a disturbed site nearby. Not only is this peppery native edible to humans, it is also a host plant for both the checkered white butterfly (Pontia protodice) and the great southern white butterfly (Ascia monuste).

Great southern white caterpillar on a Pepperweed Plant
(Photo credit: Kaylynn Low)

There are five non-native species that have been documented in the two counties as well:

India mustard (Brassica juncea)

Lesser swinecress (Lepidium didymum)

European watercress (Nasturtium officinale)

Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum)

Charlock mustard (Sinapsis arvensis)

All non-native species that have been introduced to Florida ecosystems are edible! Most have been grown as agricultural crops, so it is likely that they originally spread by escaping from cultivation. European watercress is specifically grown as a crop in Florida to supplement the supply for other states that cannot grow it during the winter months.

Keep an eye out for updates on Bioblitz times and locations where we will forage for our local mustard species! Have your weeds and eat them too!

You can join the project through the iNaturalist app by searching for the “Mustard Madness – May & June Sarasota-Manatee EcoFlora EcoQuest.”

You can learn more about this project by going to the Selby Gardens EcoFlora website or emailing us at ecoflora@selby.org and  spatton@selby.org.

The post May-June 2022 EcoQuest: Mustard Madness appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Sarasota-Manatee EcoFlora Project is seeking partners and participants for this year’s City Nature Challenge.  

The City Nature Challenge is an international effort to get people outside to document their local biodiversity. Over the course of four days, “citizen scientists” around the globe will log as many observations of the natural world as they can. Then experts will help to identify those observations to see how many different species were documented. Read on to see how you can participate here in our region. 

Who should participate?

YOU! You don’t need to be a professional photographer, botanist, or naturalist to be a helpful citizen scientist. All you need is a smartphone or GPS-enabled camera, a free iNaturalist account, and a willingness to get out and explore! Our team, and the iNaturalist community, will help you with troubleshooting, photo tips, and species identification. Anyone can participate, but only observations made in Sarasota or Manatee counties will contribute to this challenge!

Why should you participate?

There is nature all around us, even in our urban areas! Let’s get to know the plants and animals living around us in Sarasota and Manatee counties. By documenting what species we have, we will discover what we need to protect. By participating in the City Nature Challenge, you will learn more about nature in your community and make our region (and world) a better place for all species. And let’s not forget, it’s FUN and EASY to participate!

Find Wildlife

It can be a plant, animal, or any other evidence of life found in your city.

 

Take a Picture

Take a picture of what you find. Be sure to note the location of the critter or plant.

 

Share

Share your observations through iNaturalist.

 

The post Join the 2022 City Nature Challenge! appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

(Pteridium aquilinum) Photo: Claire Herzog

Ferns provide a variety of contributions to the ecosystems in which they exist. For example, they provide shelter, shade, erosion protection, chemical sequestration, and microhabitats that serve other species. In addition, there is also a high demand for ferns in the horticulture industry as they provide aesthetics to the cultivated landscape and make great houseplants with their lush fronds, air filtering capabilities, and are easy to maintain. Cut fronds are also sold in flower arrangements, utilized for dyes, fibers, crafts, medicine, and building materials.  

Ferns are not a popular food item for animals. The fact that ferns lack flowers and seeds is a likely reason animals and insects are not enticed. Another factor is the defensive chemistry of most fern species. Vertebrates seem to avoid eating ferns with the exception of humans and the occasional white-tailed deer. Arthropods that are known to feed on ferns include aphids, whiteflies, caterpillars, mites, and crickets.  

Some ferns produce secondary compounds that deter herbivores. Secondary compounds are biproducts of the main metabolic processes that can perform other functions. There are a number of ferns that produce human carcinogens as a secondary compound such as the bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). This species produces ptaquiloside, a highly water-soluble chemical that contains carcinogenic properties. Bracken fern is found throughout Florida and in many parts of the world. In Japan, young bracken fronds are boiled and pickled prior to consumption. Given the right preparation techniques, some harmful secondary metabolites can be reduced or eliminated, making it less toxic but still not entirely safe to eat.   

Because of the importance to natural habitats as mentioned above, and their beauty, efforts should be made for their protection through land conservation and in botanical gardens through cultivation before many of them become endangered or even go extinct.

Awareness of native fern species is a great first step to contributing to their preservation. Taking the time to observe ferns in the ecosystem and bring awareness to their significant contributions to biodiversity will prolong their existence.  

Please join us on our next BioBlitz this Presidents Day, February 21st 9am –12pm at Conservatory Park. This will be our last Finding Ferns EcoQuest as we conclude the month so we continue to focus on, but not limit our observations, to fern species. 

Register Here: https://7082.blackbaudhosting.com/7082/Conservatory-Park-BioBlitz 

Happy Finding Ferns! 

The EcoFlora Team 

The post The Value of Ferns appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Dr. Emily Sessa
Photo Credit: Alan Cressler

Dr. Emily Sessa is currently an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Florida. Research in the Sessa Lab focuses broadly on plant systematics and understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes that shape plant diversity. In this interview we learn more about Dr. Sessa’s current work and how she incorporates citizen science and iNaturalist into her research.

Who are you and what do you do? 

I identify as a plant evolutionary biologist, primarily studying ferns and lycophytes. Research in my lab focuses broadly on plant systematics and understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes that shape plant diversity. 

Why are ferns so cool? 

Ferns play significant roles in the ecosystems where they occur. For example, they enhance biodiversity and contribute to nutrient cycling, create habitat for insects and other creatures, and more. They are found both in temperate and tropical climates; in tropical canopy ecosystems they are frequently epiphytes, and in the temperate zone they occur in the understory. There are approximately 10,000 species of ferns and they are the second largest group of vascular plants after flowering plants. They belong to one class in the Linnean hierarchy but include 48 different families, from tree ferns to water ferns to desert-adapted ferns.

Do you have a favorite genus or species? 

Woodferns – the genus Dryopteris – are a longtime favorite. There is one species native to Florida, Dryopteris ludoviciana, whose common name is the southern shield fern. I have been studying how the genus as a whole has evolved and how the different species are related to each other. Another genus I’m currently studying is Asplenium, the spleenworts. Many species in this genus can be found growing in Florida, on limestone, as epiphytes, or on old logs. Sadly, many Florida spleenworts have become rare due to habitat loss. Evolution is a slow process and most species cannot adapt quickly enough to match the rate of climate change.  

How are you using iNaturalist in your work? 

There are two ways in which I use iNaturalist. First, as a personal field notebook, not just for ferns but also other plants and interesting species that I come across. Second, I use it to track ferns and lycophytes and scout populations of species that I’m interested in finding. Often when I see an observation that interests me, I will message the person that shared the observation to ask for further details and a more detailed GPS location so I can validate and further research the listed species. I am in the process of writing a book, a Field Guide to Ferns and Lycophytes of Eastern North America (scheduled to be published spring 2023), and I have been referencing iNaturalist in planning my research route and to seek out species.  

Can you give us an example of a citizen science observation used to further research? 

I noticed a rare species of fern documented in Manatee County through the iNaturalist platform and contacted the observer, who happened to be a member of the EcoFlora team at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. I was able to get clear directions from her about the location of this species, Pityrogramma calomelanos (silver fern), a fern that can be found in many locations globally but that is pretty rare in Florida.  

How can we improve the quality of our observations to make them most useful to researchers? 

It is important to take good quality photographs, making sure they are not blurry, and as many as possible. For ferns, it’s really important to document the undersides of leaves (where the reproductive structures known as sori occur), the venation pattern, and take a variety of views including the base of plants near the soil line.  

It is also important to consider the rarity of species and obscure the location in order to protect the species if needed. This will help avoid illegal collection or damage from visitors, and scientists can always send a message to the observer if they would like to locate and research the species.

Pityrogramma calomelanos
Photo credit: Anastasia Sallen

If you are interested in volunteering your time with the EcoFlora project and citizen science, please email ecoflora@selby.org to be added to our mailing list. In addition to making observations on your own time, each month we meet as a group at a particular Sarasota or Manatee County preserve or state park to observe and upload botanical observations. Join our January and February iNaturalist project, Finding Ferns, and begin documenting species today. If you would like to volunteer at our next BioBlitz February 9th 9am-12pm, at Lemon Bay Park, please register here.  

The post EcoFlora: Interview with Dr. Emily Sessa appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Pleopeltis michauxiana
Photo Credit: Wade Collier

The EcoFlora project is kicking of 2022 with our new EcoQuest, Finding Florida Ferns! This EcoQuest will take place during January and February with the goal of observing as many local ferns as possible and help citizen scientists in effectively identifying fern species and exploring fern diversity in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Ferns, which reproduce by spores, are the second-most diverse group of vascular plants on Earth. Outnumbered by the seed-bearing plants, ferns range in size from giant trees over 60 feet tall to tiny plants that are millimeters in size. They are also one of the oldest groups of plants, with a fossil record dating to nearly 400 million years ago. Ferns have adapted to a variety of biomes, from tropical to boreal forests and semiarid deserts. They also span elevational gradients, occurring near sea level to high elevation mountain tops. In Florida, most fern species can be found in damp and shady areas; rock crevices, bogs, swamps, acid wetlands, as epiphytes on tropical or even temperate trees, and even dry, cold places.

To identify a specimen to genus or species, botanists often utilize things like habitat, frond division, venation and spore pattern, and rhizome scale presence and color. For most fern species, spores are located on the underside of the frond (leaf), and are often aggregated into clusters of sporangia known as sori. Spores are then released into the environment via a catapult like action of the mature sporangia, where they can germinate and grow into new individuals. Because of their ability to disperse by spores and their potential to produce both sex organs and self-fertilize, ferns are more adapted to long-distance dispersal and establishment than seed plants.

Fern rhizomes are technically stems that are often inconspicuous, growing above or below the substrate. Rhizomes should not be confused with roots which grow off and under the stem and are generally thin and wiry in texture. Roots and leaves are produced near the tip of the rhizomes and can be short or long-creeping, horizontal or vertical. Rhizome scales are often important characteristic to examine when identifying a fern. Some species have a relatively naked rhizome while others may be covered in beautiful scales that resemble that of a rabbit’s foot.

Leaves (fronds) vary significantly from species to species in shape, size, texture, and form. They are composed of a leafy blade and peitiole (stipe or leaf stalk). The primary role of the frond is photosynthesis and reproduction. The degree in which the frond shape varies can help identify the species, as can the venation pattern present within the frond blade. EcoFlora will write a separate blog dedicated to key frond structures that assist in identification so stay tuned!

Florida has 141 officially recognized fern species due to its accommodating and diverse climate, and ferns love limestone, a common rock substrate in the state. Let us see how many species we can observe in Sarasota- Manatee counties by uploading fern findings to our iNaturalist project. In addition, join our EcoFlora team of botanists and citizen scientists on our upcoming BioBlitz January 12th 9am-12pm at the Old Miakka Preserve.

The post Finding Florida Ferns appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Botanist Elizabeth Gandy and Volunteer Sandra Robinson at the Deer Prairie Creek BioBlitz. Photo credit: Anastasia Sallen.

As we come to the end of our second year with the EcoFlora project we wanted to share some highlights and statistics from a variety of our projects. We are thankful to our volunteers for their valuable contributions to citizen science and hope these observations continue to enrich their understanding of our local flora and fauna as well as aid in botanical research.  

The Sarasota-Manatee EcoFlora project went live on iNaturalist at the beginning of October 2019. Since then, there have been over 20,300 observations of 1,522 species by 689 identifiers uploaded to the project. The majority of these observations were made by citizen scientists and validated by botanists, earning them the “Research Grade” status. 

Some of our most exciting accomplishments this year include:  

• EcoFlora has vouchered 25 plants new to either Sarasota or Manatee Counties. This means that these plants were observed on iNaturalist and that botanists determined that they had not yet been collected and prepared as a permanent herbarium specimen record.  
• Some of the most significant observations this year include the vulnerable Jameson’s waterlily (Nymphaea jamesoniana), the native saltmarsh false foxglove (Agalinis maritima var. grandiflora), and a few non-native species that appear to have escaped from cultivation and are currently under investigation.  
• Since October 1, 2020 the Sarasota-Manatee EcoFlora Project has mapped 1032 observations of 52 threatened species.  

• iNaturalist is continually used for the preservation of Florida’s largest Tillandsia population by recording the distribution of the Mexican bromeliad weevil (Metamasius callizona) which continues to attack these epiphytes throughout their range in Florida.  
• Currently, our most observed species is the Tillandsia utriculata, the giant airplant, with 320 observations in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. The giant airplant is currently listed as endangered, and documentation of the local populations helps to advance scientific understanding of the distribution, threats, and adaptations of this species. Our most recent EcoQuest, Tilly Tally Two, focused on identifying the wide variety of species of the genus Tillandsia within our area. 
  

Each month the EcoFlora project conducts one or two BioBlitzes, an event in which we visit a natural preserve or state park with a team of volunteers and botanist to document as many botanical species as possible. All are welcome to join! Check our website for updates on our monthly EcoQuest and BioBlitzes.  

Thank you again to all our volunteers this year. We wish you the best of holidays and look forward to all the future observations.  

Happy New Year!

The EcoFlora Team

The post EcoFlora: 2021 Year-End Highlights appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Photo Credit: Teresa Marie Dreams

Florida’s large airplants (Tillandsia utriculata, T. fasciculata, Guzmania monostachia, and others) have been under attack for over three decades by an invasive pest called the Mexican bromeliad weevil (Metamasius callizona). The weevil chews holes in the leaf bases of the bromeliads, then lays its eggs. All life stages of the weevil may be present in the same plant, taking roughly 58 days to progress from egg to adult. As the larvae feed and mature, they eat the base, mining into the stem and often kill the plant. Unlike most bromeliads T. utriculata does not produce vegetative offsets after blooming. If they get weevil-attacked before flowering — and some Tilandsias can take up to 10 years to bloom — they are unable to produce seed, contributing to their dwindling population.

The Mexican bromeliad weevil was first encountered in a nursery in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 1989. It was brought in through a shipment of bromeliads imported from Veracruz, Mexico. The beetle was unsuccessfully treated and within two months the weevil was found both north and south of Brevard County. By 2009 it was found in 23 additional counties and Tillandsia utriculata and T. fasciculata were added to the list of endangered species. In addition to attacking bromeliads in public lands, parks, and preserves the weevil is also known to infest private bromeliad collections and nurseries in which many more species of bromeliad may be mined and killed. Adult beetles range from 11 to 16 mm long and are black with a thin orange band width-wise across their elytra (the hardened forewing of beetles). These invasive beetles, when observed, should be terminated as they do not have the same natural predators they do in their native habitats.

Citizen science can be used to help track the spread of the beetle by documenting populations of T. utriculata and any damage that may be caused by the Mexican bromeliad weevil. If you find them or suspected damage caused by them, please upload your observations onto the iNaturalist database. For December 2021 the Sarasota Manatee EcoFlora project will keep its attention on the Tillandsia population and continue the Tilly Tally Two EcoQuest.

The post Invasive Bromeliad Weevil: How to Identify and Respond appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Tillandsias utriculata (Photo credit: Elizabeth Gandy)

Florida has 16 species of native bromeliads, 12 of which are in the genus Tillandsia. Eight are found in Sarasota and Manatee County. The other four species are from counties south and unlikely to be found in our area. For our November and December EcoQuests, we are reintroducing the Tilly Tally, an EcoQuest that took place May 2020. Once again we are focusing on identifying as many of our local species of Tillandsia (air plants) as possible. One of the reasons we are redoing this EcoQuest is to conduct a survey at a different time of the year compared to the 2020 survey. That allows us to see the various stages of growth and contribute information to the phenology knowledge base (that is, when do plants flower and produce fruits). Marie Selby Botanical Gardens specializes in epiphytes and botanists have been actively attempting to monitor the local Tillandsia population for decades. We produced some questions for Bruce Holst, the head of the Botany department at MSBG, regarding their research with Tillandsia in Sarasota-Manatee County.

• How long has MSBG been studying local population of Tillandsias? Why? Selby Gardens has been studying and documenting Tillandsia and other bromeliad populations since the founding of the Gardens in 1973. This plant family is important in ecology, providing habitat to many animal and microbial species, it is diverse in species composition, and it provides iconic views of our subtropical Florida.
• What do you appreciate most about our native bromeliads? And which are your favorites? As I mentioned, the iconic views of Spanish moss around the state, Bartram’s airplant in the central northern portions of the state, or the really tropical species you find in the southern swamps such as the fuzzy-wuzzy airplant (Tillandsia pruinosa) are fun to see, and they all provide important habitat or other resources for our native wildlife. I love seeing the cardinal airplants in bloom (Tillandsia fasciculata) and I especially love having wild Tillandsia utriculata in my front yard and watching it grow, seed, and proliferate over decades.
• What are the main threats to the local T. populations? How can science help? Bromeliads face two major and immediate threats, habitat destruction and for the larger-bodied species, the Mexican bromeliad weevil. You can add global climate change to the mix of threats as species will need to adapt and move north in some cases. For the swamp, or strand-loving bromeliad species, that will be difficult. Monitoring the populations and studying their phenology will provide information for land managers to best understand the dynamics of these threats, and working with botanical gardens and other agencies, we can work to maintain populations both in the field and in cultivation.
• How does citizen science contribute to conservation efforts? Adding the citizen science component to our knowledge of plant diversity and distribution provides an updated, and in some cases more detailed picture of the health of a species in nature. We have learned through our efforts with EcoFlora that this information can provide the most updated information for land managers to understand the threats of invasive species, and the most updated information on rare plant distribution. Herbarium records, while important historically, do not always provide such detailed information.
• What are some of the key signs to look for when observing Tillandsias? Look for rosettes! Those are, in the case of epiphytic bromeliads, tightly overlapping leaves in a whorled fashion that tend to be gray in appearance. There are no other plants in our area that look the same. Yet, some tillandsias break the mold, especially Spanish moss and ball moss, which are our most common tillandsias. Look especially for larger body types which tend to be rarer, which include Tillandsia utriculata, and T. fasciculata. Smaller narrow-leaf bromeliads are T. bartramii and T. simulata (both rare in our area), and T. setacea, which is common especially in areas with higher levels of humidity such as in hammocks and along riversides. Tillandsia balbisiana is found throughout the area, but rarely seen, and unusual in growth form with a bulbous base and twisted leaves.
• What observations are most valuable to scientist? Observations that include the plant habitat, flower structure, and leaves from above and below. Photographing flowers should also include views of the backside, and frontside of the flowers.
• Who reviews these observations and validates them? Observations are often reviewed by specialists in either the flora of Florida, or those that focus on a particular group of plants. Validations should only be made by those experts, unless the photographer or other user can do the work to research the differences between species and articulate them in the comments section.

Citizen Science through the iNaturalist platform provides the opportunity to contribute to biodiversity research on a local and global scale. The more knowledgeable we become as a community the more we can contribute to the preservation of a variety of species, including native Tillandsias. If you are interested in joining our Sarasota-Manatee County EcoFlora Project please click here to create your own iNaturalist account and begin observing the flora and fauna in your community. Our next BioBlitz will take place November 18th 9am- noon at Jelks Preserve along the Myakka River in southern Sarasota County. Please register with the link below if you are interested in joining us. Hope to see you out there!

November 18th BioBlitz Registration

The post Tilly Tally Two: Revisiting Our Local Tillandsias appeared first on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.