BIODIVERSITY OF THE PRESERVE

The biological diversity of the Preserve is the result of its earlier history as part of the Everglades along with its establishment of a natural area with the planting of native species by students, faculty and staff. The initial establishment of vegetation has attracted animals, and they have brought seeds that have added even more species to the Preserve. Part of the plant diversity in the Preserve (see the following table) is a result of this earlier history and much of it is also the result of plantings. Part of the flora consists of exotic species not native to south Florida. This provisional list of 203 species includes a good number of native shrubs and trees that were planted in 1978 and in following years.

These plants provide the habitat and food for a variety of animals. We provide a complete list of the butterflies observed in the Preserve, compiled by Tom Pliske. The butterfly list is large, some 45 species, reflecting the variety of plants on which these species lay their eggs and obtain nectar.

We were not able to include complete a list of vertebrate animals in time for the charrette, but include a list of the birds. Ninety-five bird species have been observed in the Preserve, 48 of these are resident and 38 nest there. There are approximately 20 species of amphibians and reptiles, and a similar number of mammals. Notable among the latter is a single gopher tortoise observed this year, the gray fox, and possums and raccoons. With the exception of the gopher tortoise (a state species of special concern), there is nothing very rare in this list.

What makes the biodiversity special is its proximity to our laboratories and classrooms.

PLANTS OF THE FIU ECOSYSTEM PRESERVE
SPECIES	AUTHORITY	COMMON NAME	FAMILY	FORM
Abildgaardia ovata	(Burman f.) Kral		Cyperaceae	H
Acacia auriculiformis		Ear Leaf Acacia	Fabaceae	T
Acacia farnesiana	(L.) Willd.	Sweet Acacia	Fabaceae	T
Acalypha chamaedrifolia	(Lam.) Mueller Argent		Euphorbiaceae	H
Acrostichum aureum	L.	Leather Fern	Fern	H
Ambrosia artemisiifolia	L.		Asteraceae	H
Ammania coccinea			Lythraceae	H
Anemia adiantifolia	(L.) Swartz		Fern	F
Ardisea crenulata		Shoebutton Ardisia	Myrsinaceae	S
Ardisia escallonioides		Marlberry	Myrsinaceae	S
Aristida purpuascens	Poiret ex Lamarck		Poaceae	H
Asclepias currasavica	L.	Milkweed	Asclepiadaceae	H
Axonopus furcatus	(Flugge) Hitchcock		Poaceae	H
Baccharis halimifolia	L.		Asteraceae	S
Bauhinia purpurea	L.	Purple Orchid Tree	Fabaceae	T
Bidens alba	DC.		Asteraceae	H
Bischofia javanica	Bl.	Bischofia	Euphorbiaceae	T
Boehmeria cylindrica	(L.) Swartz		Urticaceae	H
Borreria laevis	(Lam.) Grisebach		Rubiaceae	H
Borreria verticillata			Rubiaceae	H
Bourreria cassinifolia	(A. Rich.) Griseb.	Smooth Strongbark	Boraginaceae	S
Bourreria ovata	Miers	Strongbark	Boraginaceae	T
Buchnera floridana	Gandoger		Scrophulariaceae	H
Bucida buceras	L.	Black Olive	Combretaceae	T
Bumelia celastrina	HBK.	Saffron Plum	Sapotaceae	T
Bumelia salicifolia	(L.) Swartz	Willow Bustic	Sapotaceae	T
Bursera simaruba	(L.) Sargent	Gumbo Limbo	Burseraceae	T
Calyptranthes zuzygium	(L.) Swartz	Myrtle of the River	Myrtaceae	T
Carica papaya	L.	Papaya	Caricaceae	T
Cassia chapmanii	Isely	Bahama Senna	Fabaceae	S
Casuarina equisetifolia	Forst.	Australian Pine	Casuarinaceae	T
Catharanthus roseus	(L.) F. Don. f.	Madagascar Periwinkle	Apocynaceae	H
Cenchrus pauciflorus	Benth.		Poaceae	H
Cestrum diurnum	L.		Solanaceae	S
Chamaesyce hirta	(L.) Millspaugh		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chamaesyce hypericifolia	(L.) Millspaugh		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chamaesyce hyssopifolia	(L.) Small		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chamaesyce opthalmica	(Persoon) Burch		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chrysophyllum oliviforme	L.	Satinleaf	Sapotaceae	T
Cirsium horridulum	Michx.		Asteraceae	H
Citharexylum fruticosum	L.	Fiddlewood	Verbenaceae	T
Cladium jamaicense	Cranz	Sawgrass	Cyperaceae	H
Clusia rosea	L.	Autograph Tree	Clusiaceae	T
Coccoloba diversifolia	Jacq.	Pigeon Plum	Polygonaceae	T
Coccoloba uvifera	(L.) L.	Sea grape	Polygonaceae	T
Colubrina elliptica	(Sw.) Briz. & Stern	Soldierwood	Rhamnaceae	T
Conocarpus erecta	L.	Buttonwood	Combretaceae	T
Conyza canadensis	(L.) Cronquist		Asteraceae	H
Crotolaria pumila	Ortega		Fabaceae	H
Croton glandulosus	L.		Euphorbiaceae	H
Cyanchum northropiae	(Schltr.) Alain		Asclepiadaceae	H
Cynanchum blodgettii	(Gray) Shinners		Asclepiadaceae	H
Cynoctonum mitreola	(L.) Britt.		Loganiaceae	H
Cyperus brevifolius	(Rottboel) Hassk.		Cyperaceae	H
Cyperus polystachyos	Rottboel		Cyperaceae	H
Cyperus retrorsus	Chapman		Cyperaceae	H
Dactyloctenium aegyptum	(L.) Willdenow		Poaceae	H
Desmodium incanum			Fabaceae	H
Dichromena colorata	(L.) Hitchcock		Cyperaceae	H
Digitaria ciliaris	(Retzius) Koeler		Poaceae	H
Diodia virginiana	L.		Rubiaceae	H
Eclipta alba	(L.) Hasskarl		Asteraceae	H
Eleocharis geniculata	(L.) Roemer & Schultes	Spike Rush	Cyperaceae	H
Emilia fosbergii	Nicholson		Asteraceae	H
Eragrostis elliottii	S. Watson		Poaceae	H
Erechtites hieracifolia	(L.) Rafinesque		Asteraceae	H
Erigeron quercifolius	Lam.		Asteraceae	H
Eryngium baldwinii			Apiaceae	H
Erythrina herbacea	L.	Firebush	Fabaceae	S
Eugenia axillaris	(Swartz) Willd.		Myrtaceae	T
Eugenia foetida	Persoon		Myrtaceae	T
Eupatorium capilifolium	(Lam.) Small		Asteraceae	H
Eupatorium coelestinum	L.		Asteraceae	H
Eupatorium leptophyllum	DC.		Asteraceae	H
Eustachys glauca			Poaceae	H
Eustachys petraea	(Swartz) Desv.		Poaceae	H
Evolvulus sericeus	Swartz		Convolvulaceae	H
Exothea paniculata	(Juss.) Radlk.		Sapindaceae	T
Ficus aurea	Nutt.	Strangler Fig	Moraceae	T
Ficus citrifolia	Miller	Short leaf Fig	Moraceae	T
Flaveria linearis	Lagardh		Asteraceae	H
Fuirena breviseta	(Cov.) Cov. Ex Harper		Cyperaceae	H
Galium obtusum	Bigel.		Rubiaceae	H
Gaura angustifolia	Michx.		Onagraceae	H
Gomphrena decumbens	Jacq.		Amaranthaceae	H
Guapira discolor	(Spreng.) Little	Blolly	Nyctaginaceae	T
Hamelia patens	Jacq.	Firebush	Rubiaceae	S
Heliotropium polyphyllum	Lehman		Boraginaceae	H
heliotropium polyphyllum	(Boissier) Millspaugh		Euphorbiaceae	H
Hibiscus tiliaceus	L.	Seaside Mahoe	Malvaceae	T
Hypericum brachyphyllum	(Spach) Steudel		Clusiaceae	H
Ilex Cassine	L.	Dahoon Holly	Aquifoliaceae	T
Ipomoea indica	(Burm.) Merr.		Convolvulaceae	H
Ipomoea sagittata	Poiret		Convolvulaceae	H
Ipomoea triloba	L.		Convolvulaceae	H
Juncus megacephalus	M.A. Curtis		Juncaceae	H
Krugiodendron ferreum	(Vahl) Urban		Rhamnaceae	T
Lantana camara	L.	Lantana	Verbenaceae	S
Lantana depressa	Small		Verbenaceae	S
Lantana involucrata	L.		Verbenaceae	S
Leersia hexandra	Swartz		Poaceae	H
Lolium perrene	L.		Poaceae	H
Lysiloma latisiliqua	(L.) Benth.	False Tamarind	Fabaceae	T
Lythrum alatum	Pursh		Lythraceae	H
Magnolia virginiana	L.	Sweet Bay	Magnoliaceae	T
Mastichodendron foetidissimum	(Jacq.) Cronquist	Mastic	Sapotaceae	T
Medicago lupulina	L.		Fabaceae	H
Melanthera parvifolia	Small		Asteraceae	H
Melothria pendula	L.		Cucurbitaceae	H
Mikania scandens	(L.) Willd.		Asteraceae	H
Momordica charantia	L.	Bitter Melon	Cucurbitaceae	H
Myrica cerifera	L.	Wax Myrtle	Myricaceae	S
Myrsine floridana	A. DC.	Florida Trema	Myrsinaceae	T
Nectandra coriacea	(Sw.) Griseb.	Lancewood	Lauraceae	T
Oldenlandia corymbosa	L.		Rubiaceae	H
Panicum dichotomiumflorum	Michx.		Poaceae	H
Panicum puertoricense			Poaceae	H
Panicum repens	L.		Poaceae	H
Parietaria floridana	Nuttall		Urticaceae	H
Parthenocissus quinquefolia	(L.) Planchon	Virginia Creeper	Vitaceae	V
Paspalum caespitosum	Flugge		Poaceae	H
Paspalum conjugatum	Bergius		Poaceae	H
Paspalum floridanum			Poaceae	H
Paspalum notatum	Flugge		Poaceae	H
Paspalum setaceum	Michx.		Poaceae	H
Paspalum urvillei	Steudel		Poaceae	H
Passiflora suberosa	L.		Passifloraceae	H
Pectis leptocephala	(Cassini) Urban		Asteraceae	H
Persea borbonia	(L.) Spreng		Lauraceae	T
Phyla nodiflora	(L.) Greene		Verbenaceae	H
Phyllanthus amarus	Schumach.		Euphorbiaceae	H
Phyllanthus caroliniensis	Walter		Euphorbiaceae	H
Phyllanthus tenellus	Roxb.		Euphorbiaceae	H
Physalis viscosa	L.		Solanaceae	H
Picramnia pentandra	Swartz	Bitterbush	Simaroubaceae	T
Pilea microphylla	(L.) Liebm.		Urticaceae	H
Pinus elliottii	Engel.	Dade County Pine	Pinaceae	T
Piriqueta caroliniana	(Walter) Urban		Turneraceae	H
Piscidia piscipula	(L.) Sargent	Jamaica Dogwood	Fabaceae	T
Pithecellobium guadalupense	(Pers.) Chapman	Black Bead	Fabaceae	T
Pluchea odorata	(L.) Cassini		Asteraceae	H
Pluchea rosea	Godfrey		Asteraceae	H
Pluchea symphytifolia	(Miller) Gillis		Asteraceae	H
Poinsettia cyathophora			Euphorbiaceae	H
Polygala grandiflora	Walter		Polygalaceae	H
Polypremum produmbens	L.		Loganiaceae	H
Portulaca oleracea	L.		Portulacaceae	H
Psychotria nervosa	Swartz	Wild Coffee	Rubiaceae	S
Psychotria sulzneri	Small	Velvet-leaf Wild Coffee	Rubiaceae	S
Pteris bahamensis	(Agardh) Fee			F
Quercus virginiana	Miller	Live Oak	Fagaceae	T
Rhus coppalina	L.	Sumac	Anacardiaceae	S
Rhynchosia minima	(L.) DC.		Fabaceae	H
Rhynchospora microcarpa	Baldwin ex Gray		Cyperaceae	H
Rhynchospora odorata	C. Wright ex Grisebach		Cyperaceae	H
Rhynchospora pusilla	Chapman ex M.A. Curtis		Cyperaceae	H
Richardia grandiflora	Steud		Rubiaceae	H
Ricinus communis	L.	Castor Bean	Euphorbiaceae	S
Sabal palmetto	(Walter) Lodd. Ex Schultes	Sabal Palm	Arecaceae	T
Sabatia stellaris	Pursh		Gentianaceae	H
Salix caroliniana	Michx.	Willow	Salicaceae	T
Samolus ebracteatus	HBK.		Primulaceae	H
Sapium sebiferum	(L.) Roxb.	Chinese Tallow Tree	Euphorbiaceae	T
Schinus terebinthifolius	Raddi	Brazilian Pepper	Anacardiaceae	T
Schizachyrium gracile	(Spreng.) Nash ex Small		Poaceae	H
Schizachyrium rhizomatum	(Swaller) Gould		Poaceae	H
Schizachyrium sanguineum	(Retzius) Alston		Poaceae	H
Scirpus validus	Vahl.		Cyperaceae	H
Serenoa repens	(Bartr.) Small	Saw Palmetto	Arecaceae	S
Setaria geniculata	(Lam.) Beauvois		Poaceae	H
Sida acuta	Burm. F.		Malvaceae	H
Simarouba glauca	DC.	Paradise Tree	Simaroubaceae	T
Solidago leavenworthii	Torrey & Gray		Asteraceae	H
Solidago Stricta	Aiton		Asteraceae	H
Sophora tomentosa	L.	Necklace Pod	Fabaceae	S
Spigelia anthelmia	L.		Loganiaceae	H
Spiranthes laciniata	(Small) Ames		Orchidaceae	H
Spiranthes lanceolata			Orchidaceae	H
Sporobolus indicus	(L.) R. Br.		Poaceae	H
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis	(L.) Vahl	Porterweed	Verbenaceae	S
Stenotaphrum secundatum	(Walter) Kuntze		Poaceae	H
Stylosanthes hamata	(L.) Taub		Fabaceae	H
Swietenia mahogani	(L.) Jacq.	Caribbean Mahogany	Meliaceae	T
Pteris vittata	L.	Brake Fern	Fern	F
Taxodium distichum	(L.) A. Rich.	Bald Cypress	Taxodiaceae	T
Thelypteris kunthii	(Desv.) Morton		Fern	F
Thelypteris palustris	Schott		Fern	F
Tillandsia balbisiana	Schultes		Bromeliaceae	E
Tillandsia flexuosa	Swartz		Bromeliaceae	E
Tillandsia utriculata	L.		Bromeliaceae	E
Tradescantia discolor	L'Herit.	Oyster Plant	Commelinaceae	H
Trema micranthum	(L.) Bl.	Florida Trema	Ulmaceae	T
Tridax procumbens	L.		Asteraceae	H
Typha domingensis	Pers.	Cat-tail	Typhaceae	H
Vernonia blodgettii	Small		Asteraceae	H
Vicia acutifolia	Elliott		Fabaceae	H
Vigna luteola	(Jacq.) Benth.		Fabaceae	H
Vitis rotundifolia	Michx.	Wild Grape	Vitaceae	V
Waltheria indica	L.		Byttneriaceae	H
Wedelia trilobata	(L.) A. Hitchc.	Wedelia	Asteraceae	H
Youngia japonica	(L.) DC.		Asteraceae	H
Zamia pumila	L.	Coontie	Zamiaceae	S
Zanthxylum fagara	(L.) Sarg.	Wild Lime	Rutaceae	T

LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED IN THE PRESERVE

Prepared by Philip Stoddard

Rufous-Sided Towhee

Green-Backed Heron

	Nesting	Resident	Summer visitor	Migrant	Winter resident
pied-billed grebe				x	x
anhinga				x	x
green-backed heron		x
white ibis		x
turkey vulture		x
black vulture		x
osprey				x	x
sharp-shinned hawk				x
Cooper's hawk				x	x
red-shouldered hawk				x	x
broad-winged hawk				x	x
short-tailed hawk					x
American kestrel				x	x
merlin				x	x
common moorhen	x	x
American coot				x	x
rock dove		x
white-crowned pigeon		x
Eurasian collared dove	x	x
white-winged dove					x
mourning dove	x	x
monk parakeet	x	x
yellow-billed cuckoo				x
eastern screech owl		x
common nighthawk				x
chuck-will's widdow				x
whip-poor-will				x
chimney swift				x
ruby-throated hummingbird				x	x
belted kingfisher				x	x
red-bellied woodpecker	x	x
yellow-bellied sapsucker					x
eastern wood pewee				x
eastern phoebe					x
eastern kingbird				x
gray kingbird	x
purple martin			x
barn swallow				x
tree swallow					x
blue jay		x
fish crow			x
Carolina wren		x
ruby-crowned kinglet					x
blue-gray gnatcatcher			x	x	x
veery				x
American robin					x
gray catbird				x	x
brown thrasher				x	x
northern mockingbird	x	x
cedar waxwing					x
loggerhead shrike	x	x
European starling	x	x
common myna		x
white-eyed vireo			x	x	x
blue-headed vireo				x
yellow-throated vireo				x
red-eyed vireo				x
black-whiskered vireo			x	x
Tennessee warbler				x
orange-crowned warbler				x
northern parula				x
yellow warbler				x
magnolia warbler				x
Cape May warbler				x
black-throated blue warbler				x
yellow-rumped warbler				x	x
pine warbler				x
prairie warbler				x	x
palm warbler				x	x
blackpoll warbler				x
black-and-white warbler				x	x
American redstart				x	x
prothonotary warbler				x
worm-eating warbler				x
Swainson's warbler				x
ovenbird				x	x
northern water thrush				x
Kentucky warbler				x
common yellowthroat	x	x
summer tanager				x
scarlet tanager				x
western tanager				x	x
northern cardinal	x	x
rose-breasted grosbeak				x
indigo bunting				x
painted bunting				x	x
rufous-sided towhee		x
swamp sparrow					x
red-winged blackbird	x	x
boat-tailed grackle	x	x
common grackle					x
brown-headed cowbird					x
spot-breasted oriole	x	x