Habitat Interupted

What the heck is this doing here? A critically imperiled ecosystem, grasping this linear tract of land that runs for miles between the tracks and the neighboring houses and expressways. Pine rockland, a habitat restricted to South Florida and the Bahamas, less than 1.5% left in Dade County (excluding the glades, which have another 11%).


A native woodland, dependant on fire for its survival, is dominated by the once prized Dade County pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) whose valuable wood was over harvested for building, being known for its termite resistance. Below the pines, almost endemic to Florida are two undervalued palms. Florida's state tree, the Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), whose hearts were once used (and still used in some areas) as a food source by early peoples; it is our state tree. Along with, is the red-headed stepchild of Florida palms, the Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), a fascinating palm whose habitats are rapidly declining, possessing trunks that radiate from the center along the forest floor appearing as a wagon wheel on its side.


Native grasses abound. Many have just started flowering, acting as a harbinger for the upcoming fall. Bluestems (Schizachyrium spp.), Broomsedges (Andropogon spp.), Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), and one of my favorites, Lopsided Indiangrass (Sorghastrum secundum), all showing off their temporary inflorescences (flower clusters) trying to cast & catch pollen in the wind.


Amid the grasses, colorful wildflowers make certain of their appearance. The scorpiontail shaped yellow inflorescences of Pineland heliotrope (Heliotropium polyphyllum) are scattered among the grasses to the delight of the bees and wasps. Along with other insects, they are grateful for this track side smorgasbord that allows them to live and eat, providing a safe place to travel to the other islands in the stream. Dancing amongst the heliotropes, Painted leaf (Poinsettia cyathophora) with its fiddle shaped leaves and striking red colored bracts reminescent of Christmas. Twining around the shrubs and palms are two vines in the Dogbane family (Apocynaceae). Calling forth are the yellow trumpets of Pineland allamanda (Angadenia berteroi) and the white pinwheels of Devil's potato (Echites umbellata). Tall flowering stalks of Wand goldenrod (Solidago stricta), conduct their magic waving in the wind. Many, many more occur along this echo of a better vanished time; I counted over seventy species.


I smile, the heart pumps in exhilaration. These guys are still hanging on, despite no help from others. Across the fence along the expressway, the story was similar. But progress mandated that the wildflowers amidst the sod be removed, and a tall concrete barrier be put in place. New sod will surely be planted, only, it won't contain any of these jewels. I think to myself, maybe our railroad friends will hop the fence, and give that sod a run for its money.


No, the railroad company doesn't manage for these plants, at least, not intentionally. I am certain an occasional spark from a train rumbling on down the tracks creates nice, slow-burning little fires, which undoubtedly are extinguished all too soon. I am thankful for the railroad company's frugality, as I am sure they don't wish to spend a lot of money altering this patch of Eden, unlike too many government agencies who should know better.


I have visited it only once, but this place is already sacred to me. I am not alone, others visit all along these 4 miles of tracks, I have seen evidence since I started my journey from the shop. Scattered everywhere are chicken bones, there is the occasional wooden carving or carefully created altar....it appears that Chango' must live here too. (Railroad 3of 5)

Tracks revealed

I've always loved trains. Not to play with, but to hear the thumping along the tracks, and not to mention that good old whistle ablowin'. They remind me of the past, which is silly, since they are still useful, and we could do with a bit more of them considering how inefficient transporting cargo in motor vehicles is. But I digress, I am here to talk about the plant jewels of the tracks.

Last summer, I dropped my car off at the shop, about 4 miles from the house (my hobo life is occurs in my interests). The car shop is along some railroad tracks that run close to my house, so I decided to hike back home along them. I've always wanted to walk the lines, as I suspected much could be learned from these now "ancient" corridors, now reserved for the uncommon train that passes along them. So off I went.

The beginning of the journey was great. Being August, sweat was really pouring off of my brow, and the air was thick and heady. The first plant species were of less interest to me, being common weedy exotics, but even they have their stories, which I'll save for later.

Now remember, plants are everywhere (just about), and not all plants are, or continue to be useful. Conservationists tend to separate those species that are native, which do little harm to the environment they're a part of, from those species which have been introduced by people and cause havoc in our natural areas.

Don't get me wrong, all plants have uses. After all, one of the definitions of a weed is "a plant whose use has not been discovered" (and I'll add "or no longer utilized"). Today, as a people, few of us grow or harvest plants for direct personal need. Our energy and food come from elsewhere by and large. So these poor non-native (or exotic) plants fill up spaces being unutilized. As a result, they crowd out existing native plant species, and all other creatures that use them. This can happen in our natural areas, but often happens in empty unmanaged lots and remnant natural fragments, such as these along the railroad tracks.

Walking from railroad timber to railroad timber, the scene began to change. Remnant habitat popped up, and I saw what I knew to occur there, pine rockland species. (Railroad 2 of 5)

Islands in the Stream

Yeah, I live in the suburbs of the city. Yet it is a bizarre metropolis, one of the few places in the U.S. where I can consider myself an ethnic minority. I grew up here. Hell, its still the best place to eat a mango, which are ripening on the trees as I write this. The flavors are intense here, changing from year to year, and yet I still don't mind calling it home.

One may think being in the city is lonely for a botanist. They'd be wrong. Large tracks of unfettered land are nearby, and hardly visited. The Everglades. The Big Cypress. The Florida Keys. All are perfectly intact, and generally perfectly regulated. I visit them often. What separates the academics from the truly passionate ones, is whether they can see the outliers. What is left, amidst the supposed nothingness caused by development's destruction. But alas, that is the curse of those with the untrained eye. For floating in the seas of suburbia and the streams of streets, are islands of nature, delicately strewn across like the freckles on the chest of a Castillianita. These jigsaw puzzle pieces may be tattered and torn, or have faded almost beyond recognition. But, they are still there if you know where and how to look. I enjoy the hidden beauties. They all have stories to tell. So in this series, the hobo botanist shall elaborate on one of his favorites: the railroad tracks. (Railroad 1 of 5)

Early Ramble

Nature is never far. This is just give a glimpse of a botanist's life from his journal. Not the first watershed event, but the beginnings of a catalytic reaction. A blast from the past, it is hard to believe such youthful hubris, and no, drugs weren't involved.

12/09/96, 16:30

A very glorious day indeed. Roughly 62 deg F. At Tamiami Pineland along a fire road cutting N/S through the center of the pineland. I wish to reiterate the poignant fact that a sense of awareness can be very powerful! I can absorb my surroundings and become very understanding of them to the degree of knowing my place in the universe. Yes, gestalt is a very powerful notion enhanced by experience...thus pleasure. I am blessed by Natural Beauty in its tragic yet exhilarating form. Death to the pines is only temporary, a pause in the grand continuum.

Humanity's destruction of its surroundings only strengthens my appreciation for what is still left. I hope to possess knowledge to a higher degree in order to increase my sense of power in the Natural World.

Is it not time to heighten one's Sense of Awareness?