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the aborigines before them. Now it is sold under the name, 

 Florida arrow-root. 



Perhaps the most striking tree, both because of its abundance 

 and its general appearance, is the Australian Pine, Casuarina 

 equiseUfolia. It has been introduced everywhere along the coast 

 and flourishes particularly well in the dry coral sands. The 

 resemblance to a pine is only superficial as it has not true 

 needles. The very slender green branches give the appearance 

 of needles when seen from a distance but, closely examined, 

 show a structure much like our common Horse-tail Rush, hence 

 the specific name, equisetifolia. 



Often plants are striking because of their manner of growth 

 and not by the brilliance of their blossoms. This is the case of 

 a leguminous shrub with no common name, Ecastophyllum 

 Brownei. It is very bushy, but also sends out thick green runners 

 often twenty feet in length, lying flat on the ground. It has 

 axillary panicles of small white flowers. Although the leaves 

 are compound there is only one leaflet, which is indicated by a 

 joint between the blade and the leaf stem. 



The beautiful Day Flower, Commelina augustifolia; Prickly 

 Pear, Opuntia austrina, with large yellow blossoms; a pretty 

 matting Verbena; a Helitrope with white blossoms; and two 

 small species of Poinsettia, unmistakable because of their 

 close likeness to our much larger one used for Christmas dec- 

 oration, are among other common shore and dune plants. 



The Pixey Woods 



The pine forests of Florida are a disappointment as forests 

 but they are full of interest for the botanically inclined. The 

 pines are principally of three species, the commonest being the 

 Long-leaf, Pinus australis, with three very long needles to the 

 cluster; next the Slash Pine or Caribbean Pine, Pinus caribaea 

 which prefers calcareous soil and is particularly abundant in 

 the southern part of the state; and, third, the Spruce Pine, 

 Pinus clausa. The Slash Pine has two or three needles to a 

 cluster, shorter than those of the Long-leaf. The Spruce Pine 

 has needles only two to three inches long and only two in a 

 bunch so that it may be easily identified as one rides along the 

 road. 



In general the trees are so far apart that abundant sunlight 



