Botany of the Carolinas Coastal Plain, Part 1: Sand Dwellers on the Shore, Fort Macon State Park, North Carolina USA

Be they ever so humble, the fact remains that these Largeleaf Pennywort plants (Hydrocotyle bonariensis) are superbly adapted to their challenging habitat on the windswept barrier-island dunes overlooking a tidal inlet and the Atlantic Ocean.

Apparently the Pennyworts' roots can extract the moisture and nutrients they need from the hot, sun-drenched quartz sand, because these plants—part of a large colony at the time I saw them—were in full flower.

Not doubt this species's leather leaves, protected a thick, waxy cuticle layer, are one of the most important ways it conserves water in this highly dessicating environment.

Because the dune substrate does support a thriving community of psammophytes (sand-loving plants), I suppose one should classify it as an Entisol. In the USDA classification system this is the least evolved soil order. As such, it possesses no well-differentiated subsurface layers. And whatever slight amount of organic material there is on top must serve, along with the surficial sand itself, as the skimpiest of A horizons.

The other photos and descriptions of this series can be found in my Botany of the Carolinas Coastal Plain album.

Taken in: United States / North Carolina / Beaufort Township / Beaufort (show map)

Taken on: July 28, 2003

Tags:

botany

wildflowers

Pennywort

Fort_Macon

North_Carolina

plants

dune_ecology

dunes

Entisol

psammophyte « less

Sets appears in: • Botany of the Carolinas Coastal Plain • Natural History: North Carolina more » • Phytophilia • Soils, Paleosols, & Unconsolidated Sediments « less

Groups appears in: • Botany • Wildflower Field Guide, North America more » • Wildflowers • GeoTagging Flickr • Geotagged • Geology • Eastern North America Nature • Geologists • Geotagged: North Carolina • USA - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • nature and landscape photography • North American Nature & Wildlife Photography • Geology/EarthScience • Plant photography • American Photography • NC Flowers • Nature Photography // • Coastal Carolinas • All U.S. State Parks • Wildflowers of Eastern North America • Geology Flickrs • Nature Album • Georgia and Carolina Nature Shots • Photography with a Story • Nature and all that is beautiful • The Very Great Outdoors • US Wildflowers « less

Camera: Sony CD MAVICA, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony CD MAVICA
ISO:	200
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Inpaint
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