Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States
National Wildlife Refuge
System, located in four separated areas on the Lake Wales Ridge
east of US 27
between Davenport
and Sebring
Florida
. The 1,194 acre (4.8 km2) refuge was established in 1990, to protect a host of plants and animals. It is also the first to be designated primarily for the preservation of endangered plants, and is not open to the general public. It contains a high proportion of remaining Florida Scrub
habitat. It is administered as part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
.
cuneifolium), Scrub Blazing Star (Liatris
ohlingerae), Carter's Mustard (Warea carteri
), Papery Whitlow-wort (Paronychia
chartacea
), Florida Bonamia (Bonamia grandiflora
), Scrub Lupine (Lupinus aridorum), Highlands Scrub Hypericum (Hypericum
cumulicola), Garett's Mint (Dicerandra
christmanii
), Scrub Mint (Dicerandra
frutescens
), Pygmy Fringetree (Chionanthus
pygmaeus), Wireweed (Polygonella
basiramia), Sandlace (Polygonella
myriophylla), Florida Ziziphus (Ziziphus celata
), and Scrub Plum (Prunus
geniculata).
(Aphelocoma coerulescens), Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon
corais couperi), Bluetail Mole Skink
(Eumeces egregius lividus), and Sand Skink (Neoseps reynoldsi
).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
System, located in four separated areas on the Lake Wales Ridge
Lake Wales Ridge
The Lake Wales Ridge is a low ridge running for about 150 miles south to north in Central Florida. The greater part of the ridge is in Highlands County and Polk County, but it extends north into Osceola, Orange and Lake Counties. It is named for the city of Lake Wales, roughly at the mid point of...
east of US 27
U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 27 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus is at US 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Indiana...
between Davenport
Davenport, Florida
Davenport is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,925 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,994. While the city of Davenport itself is very small, the area north of the city close to Interstate 4 and US 27 is...
and Sebring
Sebring, Florida
Sebring is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States, nicknamed "The City on the Circle", in reference to Circle Drive, the center of the Sebring Downtown Historic District...
Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The 1,194 acre (4.8 km2) refuge was established in 1990, to protect a host of plants and animals. It is also the first to be designated primarily for the preservation of endangered plants, and is not open to the general public. It contains a high proportion of remaining 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. It is administered as part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is an important U.S. National Wildlife Refuge on the Atlantic coast of Florida. It is also a 'gateway site' for the Great Florida Birding Trail.-Location and extent:...
.
Flora
The plants the refuge was designed to protect are the Snakeroot (EryngiumEryngium
Eryngium is a genus in the family Apiaceae of about 230 species of annuals and perennials with hairless and usually spiny leaves, and dome-shaped umbels of flowers resembling those of thistles. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the centre of diversity in South America. Some species...
cuneifolium), Scrub Blazing Star (Liatris
Liatris
Liatris is a genus of ornamental plants in the Asteraceae family, native to North America, Mexico, and the Bahamas. These plants are used as a popular summer flowers for bouquets.They are perennials, surviving the winter in the form of corms....
ohlingerae), Carter's Mustard (Warea carteri
Warea carteri
Warea carteri, common names Carter's pinelandcress and Carter's mustard, is a fire-dependent annual herb occurring in xeric, shrub-dominated habitats on the Lake Wales Ridge of central Florida.-Description:...
), Papery Whitlow-wort (Paronychia
Paronychia (plant)
Paronychia is a genus of plants in the pink family with over 110 species worldwide, mostly from warm-temperate North America, Eurasia, South America and Africa. They are herbs that are annual or biennial or perennial in life span. Some species have a woody base...
chartacea
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...
), Florida Bonamia (Bonamia grandiflora
Bonamia grandiflora
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...
), Scrub Lupine (Lupinus aridorum), Highlands Scrub Hypericum (Hypericum
Hypericum
Hypericum is a genus of about 400 species of flowering plants in the family Hypericaceae ....
cumulicola), Garett's Mint (Dicerandra
Dicerandra
Dicerandra is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family. They are native to the southeastern United States, with several being endemic to Florida...
christmanii
Dicerandra christmanii
Dicerandra christmanii is a rare species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names Garrett's mint, yellow scrub balm, and Lake Wales balm. It is endemic to Highlands County, Florida, in the United States, where it is known from only four sites on the Lake Wales Ridge...
), Scrub Mint (Dicerandra
Dicerandra
Dicerandra is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family. They are native to the southeastern United States, with several being endemic to Florida...
frutescens
Dicerandra frutescens
Dicerandra frutescens is a rare species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names scrub mint and scrub balm. It is endemic to Highlands County, Florida, where it is known only from the Lake Wales Ridge. Its habitat is quickly being lost as it is converted to residential and...
), Pygmy Fringetree (Chionanthus
Chionanthus
Chionanthus is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae.The genus has a wide distribution primarily in the tropics and subtropics, but with two species extending north into temperate regions, one in eastern Asia and one in eastern North America...
pygmaeus), Wireweed (Polygonella
Polygonella
Polygonella is a genus of flowering plants in the knotweed and smartweed family, Polygonaceae. Members of this genus are sometimes called jointweed or wireweed.-Selected species:...
basiramia), Sandlace (Polygonella
Polygonella
Polygonella is a genus of flowering plants in the knotweed and smartweed family, Polygonaceae. Members of this genus are sometimes called jointweed or wireweed.-Selected species:...
myriophylla), Florida Ziziphus (Ziziphus celata
Ziziphus celata
Ziziphus celata, commonly known as the Florida ziziphus, is a terrestrial flowering plant endemic to central Florida. Ziziphus celata is very nearly extinct.-Description:It is a small spiny shrub that is usually less than 2 meters tall...
), and Scrub Plum (Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. There are around 430 species spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament.-Botany:Members of the genus...
geniculata).
Fauna
The animals the refuge was designed to protect are the Florida Scrub JayFlorida Scrub Jay
The Florida Scrub-Jay is one of the species of scrub-jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida. Because of this, it is heavily sought by birders who travel from across the country to observe this unique species...
(Aphelocoma coerulescens), Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon
Drymarchon
Indigo snakes are a genus of large non-venomous colubrid snakes found in Southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. Three to four species are currently recognized.-Description:...
corais couperi), Bluetail Mole Skink
Mole Skink
The Mole Skink is a species of small lizard living in the Southeastern United States.-Taxonomy:The species is subdivided into five subspecies:...
(Eumeces egregius lividus), and Sand Skink (Neoseps reynoldsi
Neoseps
There is only one species known of the genus Neoseps, the Neoseps reynoldsi, commonly known as the Florida sand skink. The species has been described by Leonhard Hess Stejneger in 1910 and named in honor of one A. G...
).