On this page - Brazilian Vervain, Lindenleaf rosemallow, Salt Marsh Mallow, Orange Milkwort, Dwarf Sundew, Pink Sundew, Largeflower Jointweed, Powderpuff, Paintedleaf, Lion's Ear, Catesby's Lily
Brazilian Vervain - Verbena brasiliensis
Family - Verbenaceae
Habitat - Wet Prairie, Ruderal on
moist or wet soils
Description - Not native, an introduced herbaceous annual with angled branching stems to 6 feet or slightly
more in height. Leaves are opposite, elliptic to obovate with fine to coarsely
Brazilian Vervain produces umerous small pink to
lavender on 2 inch long heads.
Lindenleaf Rosemallow - Hibiscus furcellatus
Family - Malvaceae
Habitat - Commonly found
at edges of wet prairies and freshwater marshes, swamps and
other moderately moist sites.
Description - Native,
perennial, may grow as a shrub or herbaceous plant, 6 to 8 feet tall.
Flower - Pale pink, pale purple with red to purple center, 6 inches
Salt Marsh Mallow - Kosteletzkya virginica
Family - Malvaceae
Habitat - Fresh and salt
marshes, low lying moist woodlands primarily in coastal areas.
Description - Native perennial, may grow as a herbaceous plant or as a small shrub 5 to 6 feet tall.
Leaves are cordate to lanceolate with toothed margins,
stems and leaves are hairy.
Flower - Pink hibiscus type flower, just under 3 inches across with 5 petals surrounding a
tube consisting of the fused stamens and style.
Orange Milkwort - Polygala lutea
Family - Polygalaceae
Habitat - Moist sandy soils in pinelands, wet prairie.
Numerous tiny orange flowers in dense clusters, 3/4 inch diameter and 1 to 2 inches long.
Description - Biennial, Forb/herb. 6 to 12 inches high.
Dwarf Sundew - Drosera brevifolia
Family - Droseraceae
Habitat - Small carnivorous plant found in wetlands, generally in
moist sandy soils at margins of marshes, swamps, wet prairies and pineland depressions.
Flower - White to pink, rising above plant on stalks.
Pink Sundew - Drosera capillaris
Family - Droseraceae
Habitat - Wetlands, moist sandy soils at margins of marshes, swamps, wet
prairies and pineland depressions
Description - Native perennial, forb/herb. Carnivorous plant, Leaf hairs produce a
sticky liquid from glands to trap small insects which the plant
digests to supplement the nutrient poor soils in which it grows.
Flower - White to pink, rising on stalks up to 1 foot in height.
Largeflower Jointweed - Polygonella robusta
Family - Polygonaceae
Habitat - Scrub, Scrubby Flatwoods,
moderately moist to dry, well drained sandy soils, endemic to Florida.
Description - Perennial sub-shrub, Forb, herb, 3 to 4 feet in height. Generally taller than broad, stem leaf
elliptic, basal leaf ovate-lanceolate.
Flower - 17 to 30 white to pale pink tubular disk flowers on a branched inflorescence.
Habitat - Dry to moist open areas in
sandy soils, statewide.
Description - Native. Perennial,
Sub-shrub, Forb, herb. Forms dense mats. 2-10 inches high, flowers with stalk to
about 3 inches. Leaves are pinnately compound, sensitive to touch, folding closed
Flower - Rose-mauve, pink, 1 inch
in diameter on 2-3 inch long stalk.
Description - Introduced annual, native
to Africa. Lion's ear is very attractive to bees, butterflies and
hummingbirds which dine on nectar from the tubular, 1 inch orange flowers.
Growing to about eight feet tall this erect herb has square stems and
aromatic leaves typical of members of the mint family.
Florida tasselflower - Emilia fosbergii
Family - Asteraceae
Habitat - Flatwoods, ruderal areas in south and central Florida.
Description - Not native, introduced plant with red urn shaped flowers
less than an inch long, a common yard weed that grows to about 20 inches
Catesby's Lily - Lilium catesbaei
A.K.A. - Catesby's lily, Pine lily
This is one native wildflower that's hard to miss in the moist flatwoods, bogs and savannahs where acidic soils are present. With large brightly colored red, orange and yellow flowers it stands out against the surrounding greenery of the landscape.
Habitat - Grows in wet to moist flatwoods, bogs, savannahs, wet prairies in sun to partial shade.
The plant itself is a simple basal rosette with liner to lance shaped leaves, the flower is the largest among Florida lilies, sometimes bending its long slender stem to the ground.