The Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
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Volume 27: Number 2 > Summer 2010 PalmettoThe Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society Everglades Tree Islands ● Schizaea pennula ● Pricing the Priceless BOOK REVIEW Native Bromeliads of Florida Reviewed by Chuck McCartney Among plants adding to the bromeliads and orchids. Thus, the as well a mention of its distribution tropical ambience of much of Florida’s reader of Native Bromeliads of Florida outside Florida, plus other interesting natural landscape are members of could not ask for a more authoritative tidbits about the species. the plant family Bromeliaceae, the pair of writers on the subject. There is also a dichotomous key bromeliads. These are our so-called The book delineates Florida’s 18 to help distinguish among the three “air plants,” and they are the most native bromeliads, including the three native bromeliad genera (Catopsis, commonly seen and widespread that do not occur in the southern Guzmania and Tillandsia), with further group of epiphytes, or tree-growing end of the state – Tillandsia bartramii, keys to the three Catopsis species and plants, found in our state. the apparently endemic Tillandsia 14 tillandsias. The keys are written Bromeliaceae is sometimes called simulata, and Tillandsia x floridana, in language that’s fairly easy to under- the pineapple family because that a putative hybrid of T. bartramii and stand for the amateur, and there ground-growing species, Ananas T. fasciculata var. densispica. is a glossary in the back of the book comosus from Brazil, is the most It also discusses familiar South to help with any unfamiliar terms. familiar representative of the group. Florida species, such as the widespread But what makes this book equally But equally familiar to people who and beautiful Tillandsia fasciculata, informative is the introductory have traveled in the American South with its flame red flower spikes (even material. In just 42 pages, the is Spanish Moss, Tillandsia usneoides, though the red comes from colorful authors provide a primer on the which is, at first glance, about as un- bracts protecting the small, tubular family Bromeliaceae, which is made pineapple-like as you can get. But this purple flowers) and the even more up of some 3,400 species mainly in most widespread of all bromeliads – widespread but not so beautiful Ball the New World tropics and subtrop- it ranges from coastal Virginia all the Moss, Tillandsia recurvata. There’s a ics, with an odd outlier in adjacent way south to central Argentina and discussion of our largest bromeliad, West Africa. In clear, accessible prose, is found in all 67 counties of Florida Tillandsia utriculata, which is unique the authors discuss the anatomy and – is one of the 16 species and two among our native species in that it physiology of bromeliads, as well as presumed natural hybrids in the flowers only once then dies. The rari- providing a brief look at the general family considered native to our state. ties also are covered, including the taxonomy of the family, always put- These plants are spotlighted tiny Catopsis nutans, which is known ting the Florida species into context in an excellent new book titled in the state only from the Fakahatchee within the topic being discussed. Native Bromeliads of Florida by Harry Strand, and the comical and/or eerie There is also a discussion about the E. Luther and David H. Benzing. At little Fuzzy-Wuzzy Air Plant, Tillandsia threat to our bromeliads by the just 126 pages, this concise, informa- pruinosa, which doesn’t venture very invasive Metamesius beetle. tive book is published – appropriately far from the Fakahatchee. Also with This introductory material is enough – by Sarasota’s Pineapple its major Florida populations in the invaluable, as is the whole volume. Press for the modest price of $16.95. Fakahatchee is Guzmania monostachia, Students and lovers of our indigenous It is nicely illustrated with black-and- the only member of that genus in the flora will definitely want to add Native white pictures and a few line draw- state. And then we learn about our Bromeliads of Florida to their library. ings plus 38 generally high-quality insect-eating “carnivorous” air plant, And it’s a publishing bargain to boot. color photographs depicting all the Catopsis berteroniana. species discussed. Each of these bromeliads and Harry Luther is the resident the others in the state is treated with Native Bromeliads of Florida bromeliad expert at the Marie Selby a short chapter that includes a brief Harry E. Luther and David H. Benzing Botanical Gardens in Sarasota. David taxonomic history of the species, Pineapple Press: Sarasota, Florida Benzing, who holds a Ph.D. in botany a dot distribution map showing in ISBN: 978-1561644483 from the University of Michigan, has which of Florida’s 67 counties the $16.95 researched and written extensively species occurs, a description of the on vascular epiphytes, especially plant and a discussion of its habitat Volume 27:2 ● Summer 2010 The Palmetto ● 13 The purpose of the Florida Native Plant Society is to conserve, preserve, and restore the native plants and native plant communities of Florida. Official definition of native plant: The Florida Native Plant Society For most purposes, the phrase Florida native plant refers PO Box 278 to those species occurring within the state boundaries Melbourne FL 32902-0278 prior to European contact, according to the best available scientific and historical documentation. More specifically, it includes those species understood as indigenous, occurring in natural associations in habitats that existed The Palmetto prior to significant human impacts and alterations of (ISSN 0276-4164) Copyright 2014, Florida Native Plant Society, all rights reserved. No part of the the landscape. contents of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without written consent of the editor. The Palmetto is published four times a year by the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) as a benefit to members. The observations and opinions expressed in attributed columns and articles are those of the respective authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official views of the Florida Native Plant Society or the editor, except where otherwise stated. Editorial Content We welcome articles on native plant species and related conservation topics, as well as high-quality botanical illustrations and photographs. Contact the editor for guidelines, deadlines and other information. Editor: Marjorie Shropshire, Visual Key Creative, Inc. [email protected] ● (772) 285-4286 ● 1876 NW Fork Road, Stuart, FL 34994 For more Information: http://fnps.org To become a member, contact your local Chapter Representative, call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or join online at www.fnps.org/join Follow FNPS online: Blog: http://fnpsblog.blogspot.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/FNPSfans Twitter: twitter.com/FNPSonline LinkedIn: Groups, Florida Native Plant Society.