Florida Flora and Woody Plants Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture slides on Florida plant species, botanical characteristics, family classifications, key differentiating features, and habitats.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)

A member of Arecaceae (=Palmae) that differs from other palms in having a stoloniferous (rarely ascending) habit and palmate leaves with petiolar spines $<2\,mm$ long; found in Flatwoods and Temperate Hardwoods.

Gallberry (Ilex glabra)

A shrub in Aquifoliaceae distinguished from other Ilex species by its black fruit and coriaceous (leathery) leaves that are remotely crenate (scalloped) towards the apex; found in Flatwoods, Bogs, and Coastal Swales.

Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

A tree in Magnoliaceae that differs from other Magnolia species in having coriaceous leaves that are dark lustrous green above and rusty beneath; found in Temperate Hardwoods and rarely Dunes.

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

A tree in Cornaceae (sometimes called Benthamidia florida) featuring flowers in compact clusters subtended by $4$ white petal-like bracts and red fruit; found in Temperate Hardwoods.

Wiregrass (Aristida stricta)

A grass species in Poaceae (=Graminae) found in High Pine, Flatwoods, and Scrub, characterized by a three-awned lemma.

Lemma

The lower of two bracts immediately enclosing the flower in grasses, which in the genus Aristida possesses three awns.

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

A tree in Altingiaceae with alternate, palmately lobed leaves (differing from Acer) and known as a source of chewing gum; found in Temperate Hardwoods, Floodplain Forests, and less frequently Flatwoods.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

A tree in Aceraceae distinguished from other Acer species by leaf margins that are serrated and 3-lobed with lobes less than halfway to the main vein at the base; found in Floodplain Forests, other swamps, and less frequently Flatwoods.

Turkey oak (Quercus laevis)

A tree in Fagaceae found in High Pine with leaves held perpendicular to the ground, bristle-tipped lobes, glabrous lower leaf surface (except in vein axils), and a leaf blade divergent from the petiole at an angle of $45^\circ$ or less.

Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

A tree in Fagaceae with widely spreading branches and flat or slightly revolute, entire, dark green leaves that are densely tomentose below; found in Temperate Hardwoods, High Pine, and Flatwoods.

Water Oak (Quercus nigra)

A tree in Fagaceae distinguished from other Quercus species by its spathulate (spoon-shaped) leaves; found in Temperate Hardwoods and less frequently Flatwoods.

Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera)

A shrub in Myricaceae (sometimes treated as Myrica cerifera) found in Temperate Hardwoods, Flatwoods, Cypress Domes, fresh to slightly brackish Marshes, and other Swamps.

Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

A fern in Dennstaedtiaceae with a horizontally spreading stem and a bipinnately compound leaf that is generally 3-parted and deltoid in outline; found in High Pine, Flatwoods, Temperate Hardwoods, and Scrub.

Swamp Tupelo (Nyssa biflora)

A tree in Cornaceae (or Blackgum, sometimes treated as Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora) with leaves $<15\,cm$ long and drupes mostly $1$ or $2$ per peduncle; found in Acid Swamps, Floodplains, Pond Margins, Bogs, and Temperate Hardwoods.

Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto)

A tree in Arecaceae (=Palmae) differing from Sabal minor in being a tree with leaf margins that have threads; found in Savannas, Temperate Hardwoods, and Swamps.

Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)

A tree in Acanthaceae found in Tidal Swamps.

Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

A shrub in Cyrillaceae differing from Cliftonia monophylla in having flowers in clustered racemes at the summit of the previous season's growth, unwinged fruit, and $5$ stamens; found in Swamps, Bogs, and rarely Scrub.

Black titi (Cliftonia monophylla)

A shrub in Cyrillaceae differing from Cyrilla racemiflora in having flowers in terminal racemes, fruit that is broadly 2- to 4-winged, and $10$ stamens; found in Acid Swamps and Bogs.

Bamboo vine (Smilax laurifolia)

A vine in Smilacaceae featuring a woody stem with prickles, thick coriaceous leaves that are green below with a midvein much more pronounced than principal lateral veins, and $1$ stigma; found in Swamps and wet Flatwoods.

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)

A vine in Anacardiaceae with a climbing or trailing habit and compound leaves with $3$ leaflets that causes a rash; found in Temperate Hardwoods, Floodplain Forests, Swamps, and disturbed sites.

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

A large tree in Fagaceae with tight gray bark, long tapering terminal buds, and a densely multi-layered canopy; found in Temperate Hardwoods.

Spruce Pine (Pinus glabra)

A tree in Pinaceae found in moist sites in Temperate Hardwoods, possessing $2$ needles per fascicle ($<13\,cm$ long), ovulate cones $<7\,cm$ long, and tight bark on small branchlets.

Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra)

A tree in Juglandaceae with $5$ (sometimes $7$) leaflets, imbricate terminal buds, glabrous lower leaflet surfaces (except in axils of secondary veins), absence of strongly angled ridges near nut apex, and sparsely lepidote reddish brown to tan buds; found in Temperate Hardwoods.

Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)

A tree in Betulaceae differing from Carpinus in having fruit enclosed within an inflated papery bract, puberulent lower leaf surface, reddish brown trunk, and bark shredding into narrow strips; found in Temperate Hardwoods.

Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

A tree in Magnoliaceae differing from Magnolia in having leaves that are shallowly 4- to 6-lobed and fruit that is an aggregate of samaras; found in Temperate Hardwoods.

American Holly (Ilex opaca)

A tree in Aquifoliaceae with coriaceous evergreen leaves, spinulose-dentate or entire leaf margins, and teeth/leaf apex armed with a rigid spine; found in Temperate Hardwoods.

Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)

A shrub or small tree in Aquifoliaceae with red fruits and coriaceous, evergreen leaves that have crenate margins; found in Temperate Hardwoods, Swamps, Flatwoods, and Dunes.

Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora)

A grass species in Poaceae found in Tidal Flats, Salt Marshes, and Beaches.

Black Rush (Juncus roemerianus)

A rush species in Juncaceae found in Coastal Brackish Marshes.

Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata)

A grass species in Poaceae found in Coastal Dunes and Beaches.

Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)

A tree in Pinaceae with needles $20\text{--}45\,cm$ long ($3$ per fascicle), buds with silvery white fimbriate scales, and ovulate cones $15\text{--}25\,cm$ long; found in High Pine and Flatwoods.

Sweet Bay (Magnolia virginiana)

A tree in Magnoliaceae differing from other Magnolia in having coriaceous leaves that are pale medium green above and conspicuously grey below; found in Temperate Hardwoods, Bayheads, Bogs, and other Swamps.

Black Willow (Salix nigra)

A tree in Salicaceae distinguished from other Salix in having a serrate, serrulate, or denticulate leaf margin, leaves green or pale on the lower surface, sharp-tipped bud apex, and $3$ or more stamens; found in Floodplain Forests and other Swamps.

Cypress (Taxodium)

A tree genus in Cupressaceae enlarged at the base, comprising Taxodium ascendens (pond/lake margins) and Taxodium distichum (Floodplain Forests along lakes/streams/swamps) which differ in leaf shape, appressed vs. non-appressed leaves, and ascending vs. spreading branchlets.

Coriaceous

Leathery in texture or quality, used to describe the thick leaves of species like Gallberry, Southern Magnolia, and Bamboo vine.

Spathulate

Spoon-shaped; specifically describing the leaf structure of Water Oak (Quercus nigra).

Tomentose

Densely covered with matted woolly hairs, as seen on the underside of Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) leaves.