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Lyonia Preserve trail map
Click the numbered locations on the map for specific information.
25. Oakey dokey
Oaks are the most common plants in scrub. In fact, there are four species of oaks found throughout the preserve including myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), sand live oak (Quercus geminate), Chapman's oak (Quercus chapmanii) and turkey oak (Quercus laevis). The most common oak, myrtle oak, has small spatula shaped leaves. This oak is usually found in shrub form, but will reach small tree size without fire.
Sand live oak, with its longer thin leaves, will reach tree size in the absence of fire as seen near the wetlands. Turkey oak, the least common species, is not usually found in scrub. The deciduous turkey oak is so named because the leaf looks like the shape of a turkey's foot.
In the fall the oak acorns are a valuable food source for the scrub jays. They will gather the acorns throughout the summer, bury them and later retrieve them in the winter.Final thoughts
Had Lyonia Preserve not been designed, and trails put in place, you would have had a much shadier, although boring walk. There were far fewer species of plants and animals and very little change in general appearance throughout the site. Human impacts created unnatural areas by eliminating fire. Volusia County has attempted to overcome these human impacts by trying to make human impacts that simulate nature. We hope you have enjoyed your visit, and will encourage others to visit Lyonia Preserve.
© Copyright 2001
Volusia County Government
