The UCF Arboretum and What We Found Behind It
or
Yuck! My Shoes!
(Another chapter in the continuing antics of Derek and his camera)

January 3, 1998

Part 2: The Re-Discovery of Sarracenia minor

The first plant we came across was the "little" clump of Sarracenia that I had first discovered many years ago. This time, I knew what it was: Sarracenia minor. And it was doing really well. A lot better than the last time I saw it and it was maybe half-a-dozen bug-eaten pitchers. It's still bug-eaten, and unfortunately, one of only half-a-dozen plants I could find in the whole area, but at least it was still there and looking healthier than last time. (Does anyone have any idea what kind of bug would be eating this plant?)

Right nearby was another carnivore, but not a plant. I thought this little lady (guy?) was just too cool to not take its picture. I'm quite pleasantly surprised at how well all my photos turned out this shoot.

The rest of the Sarracenia that I knew about were hidden away at the end of a trail that had gotten so overgrown it didn't look like a trail anymore. I remembered my camera, but forgot my machete... I remembered two small clumps of S.minor being there, but wound up finding five in this clearing! Most were just sitting out in the middle of the clearing, but one reminded me of Paul McCullough's web page, where he talks about his trip to the New Jersey Pine Barrens and saw S.purpurea looking like it's "stalking it's prey." Well, this guy certainly wasn't stalking, he was standing there, back to the tree, daring anything to come feed it! He wasn't the only one waiting to be fed, either; while trying to find the way out of the clearing (I said the path had been grown over) I almost stepped on another one who was truly lurking in the tall grass, waiting for an unsuspecting meal. Also of interest to those who read the recent post to the CP list, these S.minor were growing in natural pine needle mulch; layer after layer of pine needles packed in on top of each other, and obviously quite healthy.

Unfortunately for those doing the hunting, the S.minor aren't growing near any of the other plants, so there's another walk to reach the other areas. At least it's a nice walk. One of the trees along the way has always made me think of a "giant bonsai." (There's an oxymoron for you.)

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