Bonamia grandiflora
Encyclopedia
Bonamia grandiflora is a rare species of flowering plant in the morning glory family
known by the common names Florida lady's nightcap, Florida bonamia, and scrub morning glory. It is endemic to Central Florida
, where there are about 100 known populations remaining, many of which are within the bounds of the Ocala National Forest
. The plant has declined in recent decades primarily due to the development of its habitat, which is being converted to urban zones and citrus
groves
. This is the primary reason that the plant was federally listed as a threatened species in 1987.
This native Florida wildflower is a perennial vine
which trails along the ground to a maximum length around 3 meters. There is a deep root and multiple underground stems. The hairy stem is lined with leathery, gray-green leaves up to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is a single showy flower borne on a short, erect peduncle
. The flower corolla opens in the morning, spreading 7 or 8 centimeters wide and up to 10 centimeters long. It is pale to bright blue-purple with a white throat. At the center of the funnel-shaped corolla are five stamen
s tipped with yellow anthers. The fruit is a capsule around a centimeter in length containing a few seeds.
The plant occurs in Florida scrub
habitat on deep, dry, white sand in clearings among sand pines (Pinus clausa) and other scrub flora. Other rare plants in the region include highlands scrub hypericum
(Hypericum cumulicola), papery whitlow-wort
(Paronychia chartacea), scrub plum
(Prunus geniculata), and scrub lupine
(Lupinus aridorum). It is adapted to the occasional wildfire
that naturally occurs in the scrub habitat. Fire clears brush and heavy forest canopy which shade out the morning glory, providing the clearings that it requires. Fire suppression efforts are generally detrimental to the species. Controlled burn
s and other methods of clearing excessive vegetation are part of the recovery plan. Where the morning glory is provided appropriate habitat, it can become plentiful and even abundant. It has the capacity to introduce itself into newly cleared, sandy plots and take hold vigorously; however, it does not tolerate much disturbance once established.
Convolvulaceae
Convolvulaceae, known commonly as the bindweed or morning glory family, are a group of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species of mostly herbaceous vines, but also trees, shrubs and herbs.- Description :...
known by the common names Florida lady's nightcap, Florida bonamia, and scrub morning glory. It is endemic to Central Florida
Central Florida
Central Florida is a regional designation for the area surrounding Orlando in east central Florida, United States. The area represents the third largest population concentration in Florida, after the South Florida and Tampa Bay regions, respectively....
, where there are about 100 known populations remaining, many of which are within the bounds of the Ocala National Forest
Ocala National Forest
The Ocala National Forest is the second largest National Forest in the U.S. state of Florida and covers approximately of Central Florida. It is located three miles east of Ocala and southeast of Gainesville...
. The plant has declined in recent decades primarily due to the development of its habitat, which is being converted to urban zones and citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
groves
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
. This is the primary reason that the plant was federally listed as a threatened species in 1987.
This native Florida wildflower is a perennial vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
which trails along the ground to a maximum length around 3 meters. There is a deep root and multiple underground stems. The hairy stem is lined with leathery, gray-green leaves up to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a single showy flower borne on a short, erect peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
. The flower corolla opens in the morning, spreading 7 or 8 centimeters wide and up to 10 centimeters long. It is pale to bright blue-purple with a white throat. At the center of the funnel-shaped corolla are five stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s tipped with yellow anthers. The fruit is a capsule around a centimeter in length containing a few seeds.
The plant occurs in Florida scrub
Florida scrub
Florida scrub is an endangered temperate coniferous forest ecoregion of the state of Florida in the United States. It is found on coastal and inland sand ridges and is characterized by a xeromorphic plant community dominated by shrubs and dwarf oaks. Scrub soils, a type of entisol, are derived...
habitat on deep, dry, white sand in clearings among sand pines (Pinus clausa) and other scrub flora. Other rare plants in the region include highlands scrub hypericum
Hypericum cumulicola
Hypericum cumulicola is a rare species of flowering plant in the St. John's wort genus known by the common name highlands scrub St. John's wort, or highlands scrub hypericum. It is endemic to Florida, where it is threatened by habitat loss and degradation...
(Hypericum cumulicola), papery whitlow-wort
Paronychia chartacea
Paronychia chartacea is a rare species of flowering plant in the pink family known by the common names papery Whitlow-wort and paper nailwort. It is endemic to Florida in the United States. There are two subspecies of the plant; ssp. chartacea occurs in Central Florida, especially the Lake Wales...
(Paronychia chartacea), scrub plum
Prunus geniculata
Prunus geniculata is a rare species of plum known by the common name scrub plum. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where it occurs on the Lake Wales Ridge in the central ridges of the peninsula...
(Prunus geniculata), and scrub lupine
Lupinus aridorum
Lupinus aridorum is a rare species of lupine known by the common name scrub lupine. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where there were 10 known populations remaining in 2003. Fewer than 6000 individual plants were counted. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat...
(Lupinus aridorum). It is adapted to the occasional wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
that naturally occurs in the scrub habitat. Fire clears brush and heavy forest canopy which shade out the morning glory, providing the clearings that it requires. Fire suppression efforts are generally detrimental to the species. Controlled burn
Controlled burn
Controlled or prescribed burning, also known as hazard reduction burning or Swailing is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for...
s and other methods of clearing excessive vegetation are part of the recovery plan. Where the morning glory is provided appropriate habitat, it can become plentiful and even abundant. It has the capacity to introduce itself into newly cleared, sandy plots and take hold vigorously; however, it does not tolerate much disturbance once established.