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Plants

Florida's botanical diversity has been well-documented over the centuries, starting with the travels of botanist John Bartram in 1765. Currently, there are 3,038 vascular plant species (which doesn't include mushrooms, fungi, and mosses) known in Florida, including more than 530 species of trees.

Our National Forests in Florida protect some of the rarer endemic species found in the state amid unique landscapes. In 1908, the Ocala National Forest was created to preserve the world's largest remaining sand pine scrub on some of the most ancient sands of Florida. The Apalachicola National Forest has vast wet pine flatwoods where carnivorous plants thrive, and impenetrable inland swamp forests known as bays, as does the Osceola National Forest, where the recent addition of the Pinhook Swamp has added greatly to its botanical diversity.

Species Identification

Botanists and naturalists who contributed significantly to the knowledge of native plant species in Florida

  • John Bartram, 1699-1777
  • William Bartram, 1739-1823
  • Hardy Bryan Croom, 1797-1837
  • Alvan Wentworth Chapman, 1806-1899
  • Charles Torrey Simpson, 1846-1932
  • John Kunkel Small, 1869-1938
  • William Willard Ashe, 1872-1932

Modern botanists whose work continues to uncover new species and new locales in Florida.

  • Angus K. Gholson, Jr.
  • Robert K. Godfrey, 1911-2000
  • Roger Hammer
  • D. Bruce Means
  • Gil Nelson

Additional Resources

Last updated April 11th, 2025

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