(9/28/16) Scrub Habitat:

NAMED

Lyonia Preserve 360 Acre Preserve

RUSTY LYONIA (ERICACEAE LYONIA FERRUGINEA HEATH FAMILY)

Scrub Habitat: LARGELY RESTRICTED TO FLORIDA
1. Life must adapt & avoid being eaten / survive occasional fires / deal with heat and little water
2. Named for appearance NOT dominant plant type
3. Endangered subtropical forest ecoregion: life here occur nowhere else in the world.
4. Xeromorphic plants: (xeric = very dry) drought tolerant plants
AFTER

5. Maintained by fire: or artificial methods: Without fire Habitat structure becomes unsuitable for scrub jays
Herbs used for food by gopher tortoises decline
Bare ground needed for pine reproduction is absent
Openings required by rare plants decline
6. Harsh environment: Desert like
No tree canopy: summer temperatures are hotter than in other plant communities.
Rain rushes through the deep, low-nutrient sandy soils as fast as it falls no retention
Fires sweeps through at unpredictable intervals, burning the scrub to the ground
Loose sands are shifted about by wind, abrading and sometimes burying small plants
7. Adaptations of Scrub Plants to Harsh Environment:
Adorned with thorns and spines
Highly aromatic, containing volatile oils which protect plants from being eaten by giving them a
strong taste & smell (camphor/peppermint/oregano). Some are toxic & kill- one scrub plant
has been shown to have important insecticidal properties. Others may have medicinal uses.
Most have not even been investigated
Thick leathery and waxy leaves resist evaporation
Leaves curl under at margin, wind protection of undersurface stomata - H2O loss. Eg.

Scrub holly has curled, spiny leaves oriented vertically to better direct water drops to its roots.
PUBESCENCE- Hairs on undersurface of leaves creating microenvironment to resist evaporation
by maintaining high humidity at the surface trapping H 2O. These hairs also increase the
surface area for dew to form on.
Modified leaf structures and photosynthetic organs (Cacti spines and stem)
PHREATOPHYTES- (Oaks) deep root system that draws water from near the water table. Most
scrub plants do not have long taproots - the water table is too far below the sandy surface
Shallow wide ranging massed roots in broad area near surface to capture condensation and
brief afternoon thunderstorms. Because there is no tree canopy in scrub, temperatures drop
rapidly at sundown causing moisture to condense on leaves then fall right above the roots.
Stunted growth of woody species - H2O requirements
Scrub is maintained by fire. Quick regrowth after fire underground connecting root systems,
SERITONIOUS cones open only after fire melling resin allowing cone to open & release seeds.
No turf-forming grasses at all, only bunch grasses

8. Adaptations of Animals to Harsh Environment:

Underground, cooperative living
Concentrated urine
Nocturnal

Thick protection of skin: Shell, scales

Eggs: retain water and nutrients in young

Rusty Lyonia [ERICACEAE LYONIA

FERRUGINEA] Heath Family AKA Rusty Staggerbush or

Dragon Tree
Evergreen shrub or small tree with crooked trunk, irregular

crown, and tiny, nearly round flowers.

This tree is often called staggerbush because of its crooked
trunks.
The Latin species name means rust-colored, refers to lower
leaf surfaces.
Distinguished from heath family by rusty pubescence on all plant parts
Leaves that are elliptic and are usually tipped with a sharp point.
The fragrant flowers of this plant occur in small axillary clusters and are white in
color.

Florida Rosemary [EMPETRACEAE CERATIOLA

ERICODES]

Blueberry Family
Scrub plant with needle-like leaves conserve H2O by
evaporation
Rounded dome-like shape, typical of many scrub plants, protects
from wind and blowing sand damage
Releases a chemical into soil that prevents germination of own
seeds which remain in soil and dont germinate until after death of
parent plant insuring a sunny spot for the new plant
Aromatic, the result of volatile oils in the foliage which protect plant
being eaten.
Not related to culinary rosemary from the Mediterranean region. In mint family.

Lichens: Deer Moss [CLADINA SPP.] British Soldiers [CLADONIA LEPORINA] Family
CLADONIACEAE

Not a moss or a plant Named by

species of fungus
Not a single plant, but combination of
fungus and alga or cyanobacteria
Ground lichens, reindeer moss
sometimes carpet the scrub sand

Relationship is a type of symbiosis called obligate mutualism 2 domains of

living organisms that work together. Obligate dry land plant.

Neither fungus nor algae can live alone; susceptible to air pollution

Have no roots, obtains moisture from evening air and dew

Ground lichens are killed by fire and slow to repopulate

Gray [C. EVANSII] & yellow lichens [C. SUBTENUIS], like puffy ground-clouds

[CLADONIA LEPORINA], often called match-sticks or British soldiers because of their

red tops.
Prickly-pear Cactus [CACTACEAE OPUNTIA

HUMIFUSA]

Scrub: inhospitable to walk through, prickly-pear is one

reason why
Spines can be so dense as to provide temporary shade
Spines are modified leaves for protection
Stems are green and location of photosynthesis
Flowering plant and produces fruit
Succulent tissues in stems and pads and the fruit of pricklypear are edible

Silk Bay AKA Scrub Bay [LAURACEAE PERSEA

Family
Shiny green leaf top

HUMILIS]

Avocado

Rusty color underside - dense carpet of silky hairs, H2O

loss by maintaining high humidity at the leaf surface
Reaches ~ about 10' tall
When crushed, the leaves smell like the culinary bay leaf
[LAURACEAE LAURUS NOBILIS], which is in the same family
Sand Pine [PINACEAE PINUS CLAUSA] Dominant Pine

Species in a dry area

Only real tree in Florida scrub, leans due to shallow roots
Adapted to live in a plant community dependent on fire

existence
SEROTINOUS CONES of sand pine remain on the tree and
do not open until the tree actually burns to death
(serotiny when cones open after fire)
Only the heat of a killing fire can melt the wax that seals the cones & opens (1-2
days after fire) allowing release of seeds to start a new generation. Able to
repopulate the site quickly after a devastating fire. Ash is the nutrient for the soil.

Slash Pine [PINACEAE PINUS ELLIOTTII] appearance indicated from upland to wetland
area @ Lyonia
Doesnt like very dry areas, xeric conditions.
Indicates transition from a desert habitat to wetlands area, is what allows slash
pines to grow here.
Sedges: grass-like plant which grows in wetlands
Sundews present here
Scrub Palm AKA Scrub Palmetto [ARECACEAE SABAL
ETONIA]
Only in central Florida scrubs
Same genus as sabal/cabbage palm, Florida's
state tree.
Unlike sabal palm, scrub palm is low-growing w/
trunk below ground, safe from scrub's recurrent
fires.

Looks a lot like saw palmetto, distinguished by the leaves, which are COSTAPALMATE
-petiole continues into the center of the frond as a midrib.
Opposed to PALMATE which has true palmate leaves, the petiole terminates at base
of the frond.

Saw Palmetto [ARECACEAE SERENOA REPENS]

Always present in Florida scrub- teeth like
edges
A creeping palm with a trunk that lies on or
below the surface
Just 3 days following a fire, palmetto begins
to sprout back from its unburned growing tip
Berries are an important food for many wildlife species including
bears, raccoons, possums, and various insects
Berries also have found a medicinal use for humans in the
treatment and prevention of enlarged prostate gland
Gopher Apple Vine [CHRYSOBALANACEAE LICANIA MICHAUXII]
Chrysobalana, Grape Family
Shrub looks more like a bunch of oak seedlings or leather-fern
ground cover
Underground stem maze: send up woody shoots w/ evergreen
oak like leaves
1 clonal plant can spread subterranean stems and branches more than 100 ft 2
Green young fruit turning dirty white when ripe ~an inch (2-3 cm)
Ripe fruits are edible and soft, tastes like pink bubblegum
Food of Gopher Tortoise

Shiny Evergreen & Glaucous blueberry [ VACCINIUM

MYRSINITES] & [VACCINIUM DARROWII] ERICACEAE: Heath Family
Knee-high shrub that has glossy little
leaves all year long
Pinkish white urn-shaped flowers in
spring, and shiny blueblack berries that ripen in summer
Both species can get up to 3 ft and are
closely related in
Ericaceae family
Both have edible berries which can be
just as tasty as the
cultivated commercial blueberries
Shiny Evergreen blueberry has glossy green leaves UNLIKE
Glaucous blueberry [V. DARROWII] leaves, berries and flower stalks are usually
covered with a powdery bloom that can be wiped off with the
finger. The condition is called "glaucous", and it imparts a
beautiful bluish cast to new leaves and stems
Blueberry family has symbiotic relationship with fungus on the roots
which fix nitrogen for use: MYCORRHIZAL RELATIONSHIP

Garberia [ASTARACEAE GARBERIA

HETEROPHYLLA]

Aster Family

Virginia Creeper [VITACEAE

PARTHENOCISSUS
Muscadine [VITACEAE VITAS
ROTUNDIFOLIA] Grape family

Low Panicum [POACEAE DICHANTHELIUM

Switch Grass [POACEAE PANICUM

SP.

VERGATUM]

] Grass Family
Grass Family
Golden Rod [Asteraceae Solidago sp. ]
Deerberry [Ericaceae Vaccinium staminium ]

Scrub Holly [AQUIFOLIACEAE ILEX

OPACA VAR. ARENICOLA]

Oaks of the Florida Scrub [QUERCUS SPP.] Family FAGACEAE

Florida scrubs typically are dominated by one or more of four oak species
These oaks are not trees, but shrubs, rarely exceeding 8' in height
Structurally, the scrub oaks look similar, but can be identified by their leaves
Sand Live Oak [Q. GEMINATA] oblong, evergreen leaves, ~ 2-3" long, curled-under
edges and pubescence (hairiness) beneath. (Use the tip of your tongue to feel for
pubescence on leaves.)
Myrtle Oak [Q. MYRTIFOLIA] shiny, rounded evergreen leaves, ~ 2" long, that are
glabrous (without hairs)
Chapman's Oak [Q. CHAPMANII] larger, deciduous leaves with various irregular
shapes and irregular pubescence. These three oaks are found in nearly all Florida
scrubs.
A fourth species, Inopina Oak [Q. INOPINA] occurs in scrubs in central Florida only,
and usually replaces myrtle oak. The leaves of inopina oak are curled and directed
upward.
Periodically these bushy oaks are burned to the ground only to resprout from
underground root systems that may actually be more massive than the above
ground parts.

Quercus
geminata

Scrub Lupine [FABACEAE LUPINUS

Quercus
myrtifolia
ARIDORUM]

Quercus

Quercus
inopina

Bean Family

Almost extinct,
this pinkish
lupine barely
persists in a
few small colonies
on road
shoulders and
undeveloped lots
in two
widely distinct
areas:
around Vineland
and
Windermere on
the
festering outskirts
of Orlando
in Orange County,
and around
Auburndale and
Winter
Haven in Polk County. This is perhaps the most endangered of the scrub endemics and
may well go extinct within a few years. It has proven extremely difficult to grow in
cultivation, usually falling victim to fungus and root rot. Plants in the wild seem to
produce very few seeds and are susceptible to root rot and even late frosts.
The best place to see this Endangered Species is along the shoulder of Florida's Turnpike
near its junction with I-4. It also may still occur at Turkey Lake Park and Lake Cain and
Marsha Park, all in Orlando.
Animals of the Florida Scrub- Lyonia Preserve is a habitat for scrub dependent
species, including the threatened scrub jay and gopher tortoise. In general, the larger
animals move freely into and out of scrub. Most birds, as well as black bears, bobcats,
raccoons and other mammals visit scrub but can't be considered strictly scrub animals.
There are only a few vertebrates that are totally restricted to scrub. Florida's famous
scrub jay and Gopher tortoise are probably the most well-known scrub endemic. There
are several species of lizards and snakes that are practically restricted to Florida scrub.
Some of these, such as the sand-swimming sand skink, and the peninsula mole skink
Scrub Jay [APHELOCOMA COERULESCENS]
Federally listed threatened species DO NOT FEED!
Declining from habitat loss due to development
which happened upland as wetland is protected.
Very inquisitive and personable, will come to people.
Only bird species confined entirely to Florida
Similar to blue jays, but lack a crest
Usually live in small family groups, called clans,
consisting of the male, female, and one or more
related "helpers" who assist with defending territory and feeding nestlings.

forage for small fruits, insects, esp. acorns, burying many in the sand for later use

Florida Gopher Tortoise [GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS]

Digs half-moon shaped, deep burrows: ~ 6' deep x 15' long
COMMENSILATE Species builds burrow that many other
animals depend upon without benefiting from them.
COMMENSALS: burrow-guests are dependent on burrow
including gopher frogs, mice, insects, indigo snakes,
diamondback rattlesnakes and bobwhite quail.

KEYSTONE SPECIES: Disproportionate importance in community of animals; if it

didnt live, others animals could not.
Vegetarians, dining on grasses, legumes and fruits (Gopher apple, prickly pear
cactus)
They live over 50 years and don't reach sexual maturity until 10-20 years of age.
Females lay 3-12 eggs annually, but few of the little hatchlings survive the intense
predation
Possession of Florida gopher tortoises is now strictly prohibited.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake [CROTALUS ADAMANTEUS]

Rarely encountered in scrub; more likely found in
palmetto flatwoods & and sandhills habitats not quite as
harsh and have food of choice
Most dangerous snake in North America by virtue of its
large size (up to 6') and its highly toxic venom
Not aggressive and prefer to avoid all contact with people
Their infamous rattle wont sound unless they think they
are in danger
Blue-tailed Mole Skink [EUMECES EGREGIUS LIVIDUS]
On the US list of Threatened species
Only from scrub and sandhills habitats
About 5" in length, with tail making up slightly
more than half
Feed on tiny invertebrates
Spend most time below the surface where they
"swim" through the loose scrub sand
Many species of skinks have blue tails as
juveniles, but the blue-tailed mole skink tends to retain the trait as an adult
Sand Skink [SCINCIDAE NEOSEPS
REYNOLDSI]
On the U.S. list of
Threatened species vulnerable
to extinction because of
habitat loss as more and more of the Florida scrub is
cleared for development

4" sand skink occurs nowhere in the world except 6 counties in Florida
Highly adapted scrub creatures smooth-scaled, shiny lizard that likes to stay out of
sight
Specialized adaptations for sand swimming eel-like through the loose sand
The whole body is streamlined & leave "sine-wave" trails in the sand which are
unique
Eat ant lions (doodlebugs) and other subterranean invertebrates just below the
surface

Florida Scrub lizard [SCELOPORUS

WOODI]

Lives in scrubs and sand pine forests

Up to 6 in length with brown stripe on each side
Spends more time on ground
Are sexually dimorphic (differences in size, coloration, body
structure between the sexes), adult males have bright turquoise patches on the
throat & belly which females lack.

Gopher Frog [RANA CAPITO]

Spend their days in the cool protection of gopher tortoise
burrows
Venture out at night to hunt insects
Migrate in spring up to a mile to isolated ponds: sing, mate and
lay eggs
Breeding song is a resonant snore & can be heard mile on calm, rainy nights

Head-hiding behavior defensive response to protect the head and make itself
harder to swallow

Scorpions Nocturnal and fluoresce under UV light @ night.