#growbotany

Aside from running the dailyplantfacts blog, I am also the president of the GROW Botany club at University of Florida. Today, we hung plant fact signs on trees around the UF campus! Many people are unaware of the awesome plants that can be found around campus, so these signs will help to foster interest in Botany, and end the plant blindness that many people face every day!

Zamia pumila, commonly known as Coontie, is in the family Zamiaceae. This species is a gymnosperm, meaning just like pine trees, it produces cones, not fruits! Unlike angiosperms, which have seeds enclosed by a fruit, the seeds of a gymnosperm are exposed, as pictured above. The roots of Coontie were used as a starch source for Florida native tribes, but require careful preparation to render them edible. Follow for more plant facts and photos!

Agrostemma githago is in the family Caryophyllaceae. Originally from Europe, seeds of this plant were stored with wheat exported to other nations, leading to the introduction of this species across the world. This specimen at the University of Florida Herbarium was collected in 1875! The flowers still retain some of their original purple color over 125 years! Follow for more plant facts and photos!

Chrysopsis delaneyi is in the sunflower family Asteraceae. Endemic to Florida, this species was discovered in the 1980's along with a few other species in this genus. New plants are being found every day, and not only in tropical jungles! Follow for more plant facts and photos!

Follow to watch me embarrass myself and for more plant facts and photos!

Carpobrotus chilensis is in the family Aizoaceae. Commonly known as Sea Fig, this plant is commonly found near the ocean growing on sandy beaches. Both this and the closely related species C. edulis have bright purple flowers. Follow for more plant facts and photos!

Tillandsia usneoides Spanish moss isn't actually a moss at all! It is a flowering plant in the pineapple family Bromeliaceae. It grows as an epiphyte by hanging onto the branches of trees. The plant is covered by a dense mat of crystal-like hairs that help to trap rain water, allowing it to grow without being rooted in the soil. Follow for more plant facts and photos!