On July 26th eight of us journed to Charlotte Flatwoods south of Punta Gorda for our annual walk in that always interesting place. The county has been doing a lot of work there and has cut new trails (firebreaks) that opened up new areas we could explore. Along with the common plants, we saw Rayless Goldenrods (Bigeelowia nudata), Hairy Melochia (Melochia spicata), Floating Hearts (Nymphoides aquatica) and Loosestrife (Lythrum alatum). Some of these were new to our members. The weather was warm but not overbearingly hot.
Participants: Jack and Nancy Lyons, Jane Wallace, Al Squires, Linda Wilson, Denny Girard, John and Christine Holyland
Left: The group
--photo by Nancy Lyons
Right: False Dragonhead, Physostegia purpurea
--photo by John Holyland
From left: Hairy Melochia, Melochia spicata, Floating Hearts, Nymphoides aquatica
--photos by Denny Girard
85 species listed
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Acacia, Earleaf | Acacia auriculiformis |
| Arrowhead or Duck Potato | Sagittaria spp. |
| Asiatic dollar weed | Centella asiatica |
| Bald Cypress | Taxodium distichum |
| Bay, Red | Persea borbonia |
| Beautyberry | Callicarpa americana |
| Bequilla | Sesbania herbacea |
| Blackroot | Pterocaulon pycnostachyum |
| Bluehearts | Buchnera americana |
| Brazilian Pepper | Schinus terebinthifolius |
| Bushy Buttonweed | Spermacoce remota |
| Caesarweed | Urena lobata |
| Camphorweed | Heterotheca subaxillaris |
| Cat tail | Typha sp. |
| Chalky bluestem | Andropogon virginicus var. glaucus |
| Corkwood | Stillingia aquatica |
| Desmodium, low, Ticktrefoil | Desmodium sp. |
| Dodder ; Love Vine | Cuscuta spp. |
| Dogfennel | Eupatorium capillifolium |
| Eupatorium, Summer | Eupatorium mohrii |
| False Dragonhead | Physostegia purpurea |
| Fern, Swamp | Blechnum serrulatum |
| Fireweed | Erechtites hieraciifolius |
| Floating Hearts | Nymphoides aquatica |
| Fragrant Eryngo | Eryngium aromaticum |
| Frogfruit ; Capeweed ; Matchweed | Phyla nodiflora |
| Gallberry | Ilex glabra |
| Gaura, Southern | Gaura angustifolia |
| Goldenrod, Flattop | Euthamia sp. |
| Goldenrod, Rayless | Bigelowia nudata |
| Grape, Muscadine | Vitis rotundifolia |
| Hairy Melochia | Melochia spicata |
| Hatpins | Eriocaulon sp. |
| Horseweed | Conyza canadensis |
| Knotroot Foxtail grass | Setaria parviflora |
| Lantana | Lantana camara |
| Lobelia, White | Lobelia paludosa |
| Loosestrife | Lythrum flagellare |
| Ludwigia or Savannah Prinrosewillow | Ludwigia virgata |
| Melaleuca | Melaleuca quinquenervia |
| Mexican Clover | Richardia brasiliensis |
| Milkwort | Polygala setacea |
| Morning-glory, Creeping | Evolvulus sericeus |
| Morning-glory, Glades | Ipomoea sagittata |
| Myrsine | Myrsine floridana |
| Pale Meadowbeauty | Rhexia mariana |
| Palm, Sabal; Cabbage Palm | Sabal palmetto |
| Passion flower, Corky-stemmed | Passiflora suberosa |
| Pawpaw | Asimina sp. |
| Pine, Slash | Pinus elliottii |
| Pipwort | Eriocaulon decangulare |
| Poison ivy | Toxicodendron radicans |
| Pokeberry | Phytolacca americana |
| Poor Joe | Diodia teres |
| Rabbit bells | Crotalaria rotundifolia |
| Ragweed, Common | Ambrosia artemisiifolia |
| Redroot | Lachnanthes caroliana |
| Rose-of-Plymouth | Sabatia stellaris |
| Roundpod St.John's-Wort | Hypericum cistifolium |
| Rustweed | Polypremum procumbens |
| Saltbush ; Groundsel tree | Baccharis halimifolia |
| Saltmarsh fleabane ; Camphorweed | Pluchea odorata |
| Sand Spur | Cenchrus sp. |
| Sandweed | Hypericum fasciculatum |
| Seaside Heliotrope | Heliotropium curassavicum |
| Seedbox | Ludwigia alternifolia |
| Showy milkwort | Polygala grandiflora |
| Smilax ; Greenbriar ; Catbriar | Smilax sp. |
| Spanish Needles | Bidens alba |
| Spurge | Euphorbia spp. |
| Stripeseed | Piriqueta cistoides subsp. caroliniana |
| Sweetbroom | Scoparia dulcis |
| Tarflower | Bejaria racemosa |
| Thistle, Purple | Cirsium horridulum |
| Tickseed | Coreopsis sp. |
| Twinflower | Dyschoriste sp. |
| Virginia Creeper ; Woodbine | Parthenocissus quinquefolia |
| Wax Myrtle | Myrica cerifera |
| White Head Broom | Spermacoce verticillata |
| White Star Rush ; Whitetop Sedge | Rhynchospora colorata |
| White Vine | Sarcostemma clausum |
| Wild Sensitive Plant | Chamaecrista nictitans |
| Willow | Salix sp. |
| Yellow Eyed Grass | Xyris sp. |
| Yellow-eyed grass, White | Xyris caroliniana |
| Blue jay | |
| Frog, Pig | |
| Grasshopper | |
| Woodpecker, Pileated |