Okefenokee's American White Waterlily

When one says, “swamp”, one of the first images related to the flora and vegetation of the habitat is, of course, the towering Cypress trees and flowing curtains of Spanish Moss. The next most common image of swamp vegetation is that of the “lily pad”...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 35934505 - American White Waterlily; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 5, 2017.

Like shiny green dinner plates floating upon black water, the white, fragrant American White Waterlily, Nymphaea odorata abounds in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (more abundantly on the eastern side). These verdant saucers are garnished with large, white, sweet-scented flowers. Not only is the American White Waterlily a picturesque part of the swamp, but it is an important part of the ecosystem. Wildlife such as Deer, beaver, and muskrat will eat the leaves and rhizomes; while the seeds are consumed by various waterfowl. The underwater parts of the plant also provide food and habitat for invertebrates, which are also sustenance for reptiles, amphibians and avian life.

Publicado el 28 de marzo de 2024 por williamwisephoto