Tar Flower

Description:

Woody evergreen shrub 4-7 feet (sometimes more). Twigs are fuzzy. Leaves alternate, entire, ovate to elliptic. Underside of leaves are whitish green to faintly pinkish. Flowers are white to pinkish (mine were all white, with a pink tinge in the very center where the petals connected.) 6 or 7 petals, with long stringy stamens sticking out from the center. Flowers were fragrant and slightly tacky-sticky.

Habitat:

I photographed this plant (and saw several others) at Lyonia Preserve, in Deltona. This is an absolutely gorgeous Rosemary/Oak Scrub. According to my guide "Florida Wildflowers in their Natural Communities", they are also found in Pine Flatwoods.

Notes:

SEVERAL WEBSITES HAVE THE GENUS AS "BEFARIA"... WITH AN "F". THIS IS INCORRECT. IT IS BEJARIA...WITH A "J". Our guide said "this is a flower that wants to be carnivorous, but doesn't quite know how to go about it yet." Apparently it catches flies with it's stickiness, but it doesn't actually digest them.