A FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF DISMAL KEY AND FAKAHATCHEE ISLAND—TWO SHELL MOUNDS SITUATED WITHIN THE TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS REGION IN THE GULF OF MEXICO (COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA)

2012·2.5 MB·

by  G J Wilder

«
AND FAKAHATCHEE ISLAND-
INVENTORY OF DISMAL KEY
FLORISTIC
A
THOUSAND
MOUNDS WITHIN THE TEN ISLANDS
SITUATED
TWO SHELL
THE GULF OF MEXICO COUNTY, FLORIDA)
(COLLIER
REGION IN
MJ.
Barry
GJ. Wilder
Garden Institute for Regional Conservatio
Naples Botanical
Avenue#
22601 Southwest 152nd
4820 Bayshore Drive
USA U.SA
Miami, Florida 33170,
341 12-7336,
Naples, Florida
[email protected]
[email protected]
RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION
(Wilder
southwestern Florida
This is the third of a series of papers focused on the flora of
& and nonnati taxa of vascular
we study of the native
Wilder Roche 2009). Herein, present the results of a
Pknts growing wild on Dismal Key and Fakahatchee Island.
mounds
situated 3.7
and massive shell
Dismal Key and simultaneously, islands
Fakahatchee Island are,
Honda
miles apart within the Ten Thousand Islands region in the Gulf of Mexico, in Collier Co., (Figs. 1, 2).
W
and W81°29'25", respectively.
The t™wo islands are centered atN 25053’27" and 81°33'28", and at N25°52'15"
ranked both
Hk (2003) is-
2003). Beriault el al.
of each island approximately, 73 acres (Beriault et al.
is,
“ the four largest a
and Key, as
together with Chokoloskee Island Russell
. . .
max
mound On two islands the
each of the
complexes Ten Thousand
in the Islands.”
20
feet (South Florida Water Management District 2010).
,
The served
islands
prolonged time period.
from over a
shells
Prehistoric Indians constructed both islands
on
based data
concluded,
Schwadron
(2010)
dumps.
as waste
platforms as
for habitation and, possibly,
Ten Thousand Islands region,
work within the
foot mounds
radio-carbon ("shell sites’)
dating, that for large
with a possible
1900 900 years before the present,
from about to
construction seems have occurred
to
Key and Fa
Dismal a-
however, parts of
l**
present;
in construction 1600 1300 years before the
at ca. to
wit
(an island
Island
of Horr’s
takhee studies
according to
Island might be considerably older than that,
from radio-
derived
Based o n data
Ten Dismal Key).
Thousand northwest of
miles
Islands region situated 5.6
primarily
Island
of Horr’s
n
v
occupied the
dating, Russo concluded that Indians
(1991)
The Calusa Indi-
and
later.
““ween 3000 and and to a lesser exte r
4000 years before the present,
housand Islands.
atls were
likely the
last of a
Key and Fakahatchee Island. Beria.
Non Dismal
and
settled
Indians Indians
wicted the
Teased):
2
Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas
260 6(1)

262
(2003) reported historic artifacts and refuse from Dismal Key dating from the 1870s onward, and they
et
al.
home on They
indicated evidence for at least three distinct historic sites the Island. also quoted from observa-
tions made by Hrdlicka, in 1918, that much “high ground” on Dismal Key was then under cultivation. Also,
until approximately 1980, a succession of hermits occupied a house on Dismal Key that was constructed,
per-
was
haps, in the 1920s or 1930s (Seely 2010). Fakahatchee Island reportedly settled as early as 1870 (Tebeau
1966) and was subjected to long and intensive use by historic white settlers” (Beriault et al. 2003). The in-
. .
habitants farmed, raised livestock on, and fished near the Island. They constructed houses (including a school-
house), cisterns, and a small cemetery, and they left behind various artifacts. They departed from Fakahatchee
Island, probably during the early-to-mid-1950s (Beriault et al. 2003; Seely 2010).
Today the islands are uninhabited and are included within a group of overlapping preserves. Dismal Key
belongs both to the Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve and to the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife
Refuge. Fakahatchee Island included within the Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve. The Ten Thousand
is
Islands Aquatic Preserve and Rookery Bay Aquatic Preserve, jointly, compose the Rookery Bay National Estua-
Research Reserve (Burch
rine 1998).
We
we
undertook the present study for three main reasons. First, wished to compile a list of the plant spe-
cies present on both islands. There existed no thorough, previously published flora or list of voucher specimens
for either Island; however, Beriault et al. (2003) had produced a brief, undocumented list of species for each
island; Burch (1998) had published an inventory of the vascular plants of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve; and, Barry (2009) had compiled unpublished of endangered, threatened, and exotic
lists
species of the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Second, we wished to document the island
floras by vouchering inventoried species. Third, by implementing study immediately, rather than by delaying
we and
until the future, desired to preempt the continuing rise in sea level that is likely to alter, to eventually
inundate, both
islands.
Herein, besides addressing the three objectives, aforementioned, we briefly characterize the topography
of the islands and certain relicts of human habitation, we describe the main kinds of habitats present on each
we
island and indicate the species that occupy each kind, and we compare Dismal Key and Fakahatchee Island,
floristically, to other areas.
METHODS
George Wilder visited Dismal Key 23 times, from May 8, 2010 throughJan. 2012, and Fakahatchee Island 24
7,
times, from Aug. 6, 2009 through Dec. 10, 2011. Beginning in the early 1990s, Michael Barry independently
our
during
visited the Islands, focusing greatest attention on them during 2005 through 2009. For each island,
entire study each month of the year was represented by one or more however, in any year we did not al-
visits;
ways visit an island during any two successive months. George Wilder vouchered species with dried herbari-
um
Naples
specimens that were deposited at the Herbarium of Southwestern Florida (SWF), housed at the
We
Botanical Garden (Appendix according to
1). characterize species as native, exotic, and endemic to Florida,
Wunderlin and Hansen with we Ward and con-
(2011), the exception of Carica papaya, where follow (2011)
Ap-
sider this species to be native. Mostly, our nomenclature Wunderlin and Hansen however,
follows (2011);
pendix
1 (footnote 1) specifies nomenclatural differences between that work and the present paper.
AND
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
Topography and
relicts of former habitation
Presented
and Schwadron
Beriault et al. (2003) (2010) have provided detailed descriptions of these aspects.
low-ly-
here is a brief account that reflects personal observations. Dismal Key and Fakahatchee Island exhibit
each is-
ing, relatively flat substrate, but additional topographic For example,
features interrupt the areas.
flat
band
land exhibits a prominent curved band each
of elevated substrate connecting two sides of the island;
characterize
consists of conjoined, short ridges oriented perpendicular to the band’s long The islands are
axis.
app^'
by Some (an
additional ridges. ridges occur inland, but on Dismal Key massive ridge
there also exists a
263
situated just landward of the island’s southern margin in a position facing open ocean; Fig.
seawall) (i.e., 1,
ent
seawall manifests a long extension that continues northeastward from the main body of the island.
this
S);
An mound known
Fakahatchee Island exhibits a less obvious seawall (Fig. 2, S). isolated tall as Youman’s
hammock
Mound occurs within the westernmost on Fakahatchee Island. Also, regularly spaced trenches—
—
as the remnants of Indian canals are oriented perpendicular to the shoreline, both along the
interpreted
portion of Dismal Key and along the eastern and southern parts of Fakahatchee Island (Figs. Ca).
western 1, 2,
extends northeastward across Fakahatchee Mangrove vegetation dominates trenches.
A trench Island. all
long
Both islands manifest relicts of the non Indian inhabitants. Cisterns occur on each island. The small cem-
by hardwood hammock) remains on Fakahatchee Likewise, on Faka-
(now enclosed coastal Island.
ry
an
e (perhaps, a group of two) isolated gravefe) within the apparent seawall; ac-
Elizabeth Hart and her date of death (1892).
s
and hardwood
main kinds of habitats: mangrove habitat, insolated terrain, coastal
:
photograph of Fakahatchee Island (from 2009) these habitats appear dark green, ca.
rial
cream colored, and light green, respectively (Fig. M, C). Insolated terrain is either barren or manifests low-
2, I,
hammock,
growing vegetation, and its shell substrate is commonly exposed. In coastal hardwood topsoil cov-
ers the shell substrate.
Each island exhibits peripheral mangrove vegetation and mangrove habitat also occupies depressed areas
inland (including the apparent Indian canals; Figs. M).
1, 2,
On
Dismal Key
on Dismal Key and two on Fakahatchee Island.
Insolated terrain defines three crescents
median and an eastern crescent
there occur a western crescent (traversed by the apparent canals), a crescent,
which one narrow
on Fakahatchee exhibits
(Fig Crescents of insolated terrain are less defined Island,
1,
1).
median both cres-
crescent near the eastern and southern shores of the Island, and a broad crescent (Fig. 2, 1);
—
by and both crescents being pene-
cents are interrupted and south being interrupted canals,
that to the east
On remote from the
some
trated by other stands of and shrubs each island insolated terrain is
trees (Fig.
2).
hamm
On
Coastal hardwood hammock remainder of each island. Dismal Key,
covers the
On
Fakahatchee Island,
•atge stand between the western and median crescents of insolated terrain (Fig. 1, C).
hammock composes smaller stands
also
defines a broad stand between the two crescents of insolated terrain; it
hammock well de-
especially
northward and The westernmost stand of is
westward on
the Island (Fig. 2, C).
veloped and absent from the other stands (Chrysophyllum oliviforme,
includes certain plant species that are
On hammock predominates on the elevated
Mongifera both islands
indica, Petiveria Psidium guajava
alliacea,
).
hands of and additional higher shell ndges.
substrate and apparent seawalls
also lines the
it
and
prickles, col-
Concentrated on armed species that manifest spines, thorns,
in places each island, are
Opun-
Erythrina herbacea,
kttmely: iguanaea,
Acacia Agave decipiens, Celtis
tortuosa, Acanthocereus tegragonus,
and
Sideroxylon
Randia aculeata,
humifusa, unguis-cati,
Opuntia Pithecellobium
Pisonia aculeata,
stricta,
and (spinous species of Cacta-
ftfostrinum. In particular the dense concentrations of A. tetragonus O. stricta
comparable habitat
reported
Ceae render Small (1922)
) parts of each’island challenging and painful to traverse.
Ten Thousand Islands region-
Caxambas Marco within the
Island
(habitat no a part of
longer present there),
^
by
Small hammock which was made almost impenetrable
indicated with
“. .hills nearer the water clothed
. . . .
armed
by
as well as scraggly
mtanglements tetragonus],
[Acanthocereus
of anddildoe
prickly-pear [Opuntia
sp.l
Key
Dismal
^bs,
on Schimper
” Based (1903),
gre
all of which were laced together in the course of their
thorn-woodlands (including
hammocks— resemble the
Fakahatchee likewise
Island—
especially, their
Caatln American
tropics.
gas) that are widespread and often coastal within the
axonomic
Analysis Data
of Present
A*
stenk
including
and 172 species (not
floras 138 genera,
of both 63 families,
include
islands,
collectively,
^Aoe
from Fakahatchee Island;
Kolmchce species
a
sp. from Dismal which might be equivalent to
Key,
numbers and
Appendix Between parentheses, for both islands together the of families, genera, species are
1).
each of the following major groups of vascular plants: pteridophytes angio-
indicated, respectively, for (2, 3,
3),
sperms monocotyledons 23, 39) and dicotyledons (52, 112, 130). For species of each major
(61, 135, 169), (9,
group, their percentage of all 172 species is listed: pteridophytes, 1.7%; angiosperms, 98.3%; monocotyledons,
and dicotyledons 75.6%.
22.7%;
,
For both islands, collectively, the five largest families of monocotyledons, as gauged by the numbers of
and
Cyperaceae Agavaceae Orchidaceae
Poaceae Bromeliaceae
species present, are (18), (8), (5), (2), (2) (for
each family, the number of species is listed between parentheses). The eleven largest families of dicotyledons
on both islands, as gauged by the numbers of species present, are Fabaceae (15), Asteraceae (9), Euphorbiaceae
Solanaceae Convolvulaceae Malvaceae Amaranthaceae Cactaceae Myrtaceae
(6), (6), (5), (5), (4), (4), (4),
and
Rubiaceae Sapotaceae
(4), (4).
Fakahatchee Island supports more species than does Dismal Key (151 vs. 135 species, respectively). Of all
172 species present, 113 species (65.7% of species) are shared by both islands. Gymnosperms and oaks are ab-
and
Species Habitats
We
Habitat data presented herein are a summation of data from both islands. noted: one hundred and
(1)
hardwood hammock; and
twenty-six species within insolated terrain; ninety-four species within coastal
(2)
We
thirty-six species within mangrove habitat (Appendix observed certain species solely at habitat
(3) 1).
hammock
between and hardwood between insolated terrain
boundaries: insolated terrain coastal (9 species);
hammock
and mangrove and between hardwood and mangrove habitat species).
habitat (5 species); coastal (1
Acalypha and Lantana camara grew only within the cemetery on Fakahatchee Island. Antigonon lep-
ostryifolia
hammock
cemetery and at the boundary between coastal hardwood and insolated terrain.
Individuals of Tillandsia species are abundant on both islands and we noted all eight of the observed Til-
occur
landsia species in of the three main kinds of habitats (Appendix Twelve species of other genera also
all 1).
Capparisjanua-
in all three habitat types: Acanthocereus tetragonus, Altemantherajlavescens, Capparisflexuosa,
censis, Cissus verticillata, Conocarpus erectus, Encyclia tampensis, Ipomoea indica, Opuntia stricta, Pisonia acu-
and
leata, Schinus terebinthifolia, Sideroxylon celastrinum.
Native and Endemic Taxa
Oxalis
Native species included 127 of the 172 species (73.8%) recorded (this calculation does not include sp.,
which was Appendix Dismal Key and Fakahatchee Island
sterile and, therefore, not clearly native or exotic;
1).
on
exhibit 111 and 113 native species, respectively, these numbers representing 82.2% and 74.8% of species
reported
each of the islands, respectively. Agave decipiens, noted from both islands, is the sole species presently
endemic
that is to Florida.
Native Species Listed as Rare in Florida
native
The two havens (12.6% of all
islands are for rare species (Table Sixteen presently reported species
1).
&
Weaver
species present) are listed as Endangered (nine species) or Threatened in Florida (seven species;
Imperiled
Anderson 2010). For South Florida, one species listed as Historical and three listed as Critically
endangered
(Gann et al. 2002) were documented during this study. Occurring on both islands, are each of six
fascicu'
species Cheilanthes microphylla, Cyperusfiliformis, Gossypium hirsutum, Setaria chapmanii, Tillandsia
(
lata, and Tillandsia utriculata) and each of six threatened species Acanthocereus tetragonus, Chrysophyllum o\-
(
Key ex-
Dismal
iviforme, Myrcianthes fragrans, Opuntia stricta, Tillandsia balbisiana, and Tillandsia Jlexuosa).
manifests
two
hibits additional endangered species Acacia iguanaea) and Fakahatchee Island
tortuosa, Celtis
(
phyllanthoides)
one additional endangered species Celosia nitida) and one other threatened species (Maytenus
(
Duri
Acanthocereus tetragonus, Opuntia stricta, and Cyperusfiliformis are abundant on both islands.
”jj
find
we saw was hard to
2010, thousands of individuals of C.filiformis on Fakahatchee Island, but that species
*
we Previously,
there in 2011; during 2011, also observed hundreds of plants at localized sites on Dismal Key.

& md
Uruguay (Austin 2004; Correll Correll 1982). The plants are described as trees, shrubs. climbing shrubs
&
&
Gann Long Lakela Nelson 199
2002; 1976;
(Austin 2004; Correll Correll 1982; et al.
ground and high
Dismal Key were vines that extended both along the into e forest canopy. The
viduals at t]
main stems were thick, thorny, and ropelike, and a stem and its branches, jointly, somet nes approached 100
We was because one thick stem was
suspect that our material a clone, (a) r<
long.
feet
were
places along the ground, suggesting possible asexual reproduction, (b) all vines roc ed fairly close to one
and were suggesting possible absence of cross pollination.
another, fruits rare,
(c)
Rare on Dismal Key and Fakahatchee Island
Species that are
On each island there exists a considerable number of species that are represented solely by one to several indi-
common
viduals or presumed clones. Those species, indicated in Appendix vary from rare to in Florida, overall.
1,
Exotic Species
Appendix
Forty-four species are exotic within Florida (not counting Kalanchoe sp; 1). Certain exotic species
Annona
are probably escapes from previous cultivation on the islands. They include fruit trees squamosa, Cit-
(
rus Dimocarpus longan, Mangi/era indica, Manilkara zapota, Psidium guajava, Spondias purpurea) and other
sp.,
horticultural plants Agave sisalana. Aloe vera, Antigonon leptopus, Catharanthus roseus, Cereus repandus, Cryp-
(
Kalanchoe Lantana camara,
tostegia grandiflora, Delonix regia. Euphorbia tirucallijatropha gossypifolia, species,
Leucaena leucocephala, Sansevieria hyacinthoides, Schinus terebinthifolia, Senna atomaria, Tecoma stans, and
Thespesia populnea). Escapes are most problematical on Fakahatchee Island, where six species, aforemen-
tioned, compose dense colonies: Aloe vera, Cereus repandus, Agave sisalana, Euphorbia tirucalli, Sansevieriahya-
on Dismal
cynthoides, and Schinus terebinthifolia. Schirms terebinthifolia is also problematical Key.
within
The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) recognizes two categories of plant species exotic
Florida, that pose especial threats to the ecology of the State, overall, Category I and Category II (these cat-
i.e.,
We
egories indicate decreasing degree of threat; Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council 2011). noted seven Category I
and
four solely
species: three from both islands Manilkara zapota, Melinis repens, and Schinus terebinthifolia)
(
Seven
from Fakahatchee Island Colubrina Lantana camara, Psidium guajava, and Thespesia populnea).
asiatica,
(
and
aegyptium,
Category species also occurred: three from both islands Antigonon leptopus, Dactyloctenium
II
(
Leucaena
Stachytarpheta cayennensis) and four from Fakahatchee Island Agave sisalana, Kalanchoe pinnata,
(
comprised
leucocephala, and Sansevieria hyacinthoides). The Category and Category species on both islands
I II
9.3% and 9.6% of 75 Category species and 73 Category species recognized for Florida, respectively.
all I II
m
we
vis-
Previous workers, apparently, collected inimally on Dismal Key and Fakahatchee Island. Although,
FTG
an
we from
ited four virtual herbaria, located solely five herbarium specimens collected from the islands,
New Virtual
USF (The York Botanical Garden 2011; University of Florida Herbarium Collections Catalog 2011;
&
were from
Herbarium 2011; Wunderlin Hansen The specimens, which represented four species,
2011a.).
Dismal Key Leptochloa dubia, Senna atomaria) and Fakahatchee Island Eugenia axillaris, Piscidia piscipula)-
( (
We are
herbaria
also noted the same four species during current work (Appendix Perhaps, as virtual
field
1).
updated additional specimens from the islands will be represented online.
Faka-
from
Beriault et (2003) reported 52 species from Dismal Key and approximately 53 species
al.
Unlike
hatchee Island. They listed Eugenia uniflora for both islands, a species that we do not report presently.
ee
Fakahatc
Dismal Key and
ourselves, for they also listed Kalanchoe pinnata and Spathodea campanulata, for
citrifofo
Ficus
Island they reported Dalbergia ecastaphyllum, Eugenia foetida, and short-leafed fig (probably
Key
Dismal
We
John Beriault, personal communication of Dec. 30, 2011). did report sterile Kalanchoe sp. for
which might correspond to the Kalanchoe pinnata that Beriault et (2003) found there.
al.
We
documented new Dimocarpus langun,
five species as for Collier County: Aloe vera, Cereus repandus,
Robert K.
and Department
taria chapmanii, Sporobolus pyramidatus (The Florida State University Biology
Cata-
New
frey Herbarium 2011; The York Botanical Garden 2011; University of Florida Herbarium Collections
&
& & Hanse"
log 2011; Virtual Herbarium 2011; Wilder McCombs 2006; Wilder Roche 2009; Wunderlin
Rooked
of
plants
2011a). Also, fifty-two species represent additions to Burch’s (1998) inventory of the vascular