Stalking the Wild Alligator, part I

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In the flat, coastal lands of Florida, one can barely step outside his door without falling into a swamp, and should he manage to avoid the murky waters, he will take not one more step before noticing some unabashed bird or reptilian take full advantage of the natural abundance. Indeed, as I write these words, I look out the window and see dark ripples spreading across the surface of a pond, and having now two weeks to feel the dirt and smell the air near Tampa, Florida, I can imagaine a few choice critters from which the ripples may radiate. Out in the full moon of a Gulf Coast night, with the stink of decaying plants wafting off the wetlands, the King of all predators glides without sound down through the millenia. I intend to meet him, if from a distance - a cautious yet thrilling distance. To that end, earlier this week, I studied what I could of this environment.



The Cabbage Palm, state tree of Florida. It can be distinguished from other palms by observing the midrib, which extends almost completely through the leaf.



The fruit of the Cabbage Palm is quite edible. The taste is much like that of dates: savory and not overly sweet.





The saw palmetto grows more shrub-like, with its trunk often growing prostrate along the ground. In addition, the leaves have tiny teeth along its stem (not pictured).







This relative of poison ivy is the Brazilian pepper tree. Peterson's remarks that the foliage is fragrant, though I did not find it particularly so. Online sources claim that the berries are pickled for peppercorns.







The spanish moss hangs from the live oak, sweeping down to the ground. In the throws of the Civil War, the South would weave the fibers from these plants into blankets.






This is a relative of the common St. John's Wort that blooms in the summer months up north.






There are great, towering pines in these woods. Their needles are 8 to 10 inches in length. I have yet to identify its species.






Last, but not least, these are the footsteps of the King...


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