Celestial Lily at Kissimmee Prairie by Christina Evans Via Flickr: Had a thrilling experience on Monday afternoon discovering a population of the Florida endemic and state-endangered species - Nemastylis floridana, (common name, Celestial Lily or Fall-flowering Ixia) blooming out in Kissimmee Prairie Preserve. These beautiful flowers are only open in the late afternoon/ evening for a few hours. The wind was blowing like crazy and the flowers are on fairly tall, thin stalks. Although we went out specifically looking for them, had no wind box or diffuser in case they were actually found! The color of the flower is quite difficult as well -- the camera sensor wanted to make it pink instead of the gorgeous, rich purple/blue that it is. I hope to get a "do-over" on it some time in the near future, but very happy that I did get some in focus and had the amazing experience of seeing them for the first time out there. It is also quite a bonus to have our discovery add such a rare gem to the Preserve species list (and it will also be vouchered for Okeechobee County).
