Proudly supporting the "Forever Wild" Program in Alabama, I chose a personalized license plate that donates a portion of its cost towards land acquisition and education. Being the Botanist for this program (in the Department of Conservation) I thought this tag was appropriate!

This Carnivorous (insectivorous) plant consists of a small rosette of yellowish-green leaves with upturned margins. The flypaper method of capture is employed whereby the insect becomes mired down in the mucilage which covers the leaves. The margins may slowly enfold the animal over a period of time, after which, enzymes are released which begin the digestive process. Pinguicula lutea is a member of the Lentibulariaceae - Bladderwort family.

Sarracenia purpurea subsp. purpurea is the beautiful Purple Pitcher-plant. I was fortunate enough to find it in full bloom. Notice that you can see the bloom spikes from the previous year still hanging on.

I found this shrub in bloom with a little critter nestled underneath a leaf. Can you see him?

Though not really a rare plant, I only recently saw Goldenclub (Orontium aquaticum) blooming for the first time. This picture was taken in Baldwin County, AL. Golden club is a medium sized immersed plant. It grows from stout rhizomes in the mud of shallow waters. Its leaves are usually out of the water, but often are floating. Golden club has dark green, velvety leaves, which have a water repellant surface. Leaves are two to four inches wide and six to 12 inches long. They are oblong-eliptic. Leaves grow in groups and emerge from the water on stalks. Golden clubs are named for the shape of their flower clusters. Many tiny yellow flowers grow at the tip of a club-shaped structure. The club is on a stalk that arises separately from the leaves.

I found these sundews (Drosera intermedia - Spoonleaf Sundew) growing in a ditch down in Lillian, AL. The swamp is literally covered in sundews of two species: D. intermedia and D. capillaris. They are so charismatic, that it is hard not to love these plants...this makes walking in the swamp sometimes very difficult. Not from all the muck, but from trying not to kill the plants by stepping on them.