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Hiding in Plain Sight: Natives at Wekiwa Springs State Park
We did a long 12 km hike around Wekiwa Springs State Park last weekend, and I managed to observe some interesting native grasses in their early spring season gear. Wekiwa Springs State Park lies north of Orlando, and is visited by many who would like to bathe in the crystal clear waters of the natural…
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Why Alligator Encounters are a Botanizing Hazard in Gatorland
The type of botanizing I do is typically easy and safe, and even one that could be termed almost synonymous with a leisurely stroll. At worst, I might collapse of heat stroke, or encounter a fairly annoyed snake or other venomous critter, or be struck by passing cars. But when I was taking photos of…
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Spring up at Lake Kissimmee State Park
We did a quick day hike at Lake Kissimmee State Park yesterday. It’s about an hour or so away from Orlando, and the first thing I noticed during the hike along one of the trails is the fact that many of the vegetation bore marks of fire. The lower parts of the pine were blackish,…
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Another fire ant fiasco: Trying to eradicate or control widespread grass invasives
In the 1960s, and extending into the 1980s, large-scale government efforts to eradicate fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) in the United States of America failed miserably. This was in my thoughts as I read a fascinating and well-researched piece about efforts by the government to contain an invasive grass called Arundo donax in Texas, because even…
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King Bok: El Retiro’s Bambusa chungii at Bok Tower Gardens
When I became interested in banyan trees, I used to travel long distances to view individual specimens of these magnificent critters. By virtue of their lignified long-standing trunks and stems, it is possible for single tree specimens to last and be seen in one spot for multiple human generations. Most grasses do not have this…
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How grasses created traditional gender roles in human societies
In a post last year, we looked at how grasses shaped human evolution, which included changing the shape of our skulls and perhaps even the color of our skin. But the tight partnership between people and grains that started with the advent of agriculture, affected many things beyond just the human phenotype. There have been…
Sejarah Poaceae (Volume 2)
The Story of Grasses – Grasslands and Grassy Open Ecosystems