Florida Day 6 Fakahatchee Strand Preserve

On this day in Florida with my wonderful hosts, Joe and Betty we visited Fakahatchee Reserve. 

I will start with some photos and add/update text as i go along. 

The trees were covered in Tillandsia fasciculata, in stretches along the roadside especialy as we drove through the swampy areas. 

Images above and below. I think this is Guzmania monostachia, native to Florida, i'am told a variegated form has been found in these swamps. But im not getting in there with all those Aligators!

Above is a leaf-less Orchid, Joe knew these plants were growing around here and that they were very hard to find. We searched and eventualy found this specimen. What you can see is a seed pod and the roots stretching out to the sides, no leaves! As i reached around the tree to get a good image of the Orchid just as i was about to step out bam! there was this snake, it frightened me at first but it didnt move so i managed to get these photos of it. Joe kept his distance! He had told me that he packed a snake bite kit and that there was a pair of rubber lips in there, i said 'what, to suck the venom out?' and he said 'no, to kiss your arse goodbye!' Im certain this is a Viper probably a Cottonmouth so it could have done me some serious damage. Not the first time ive had close encounters with poisonous snakes in the wild.

Some sort of Ipomea. Not a Bromeliad i know. 

Vanilla planifolia, native to Florida

Im not sure, but im hoping this was T. pruinosa

A fantastic large growing plant that was common during my visit in Florida Tillandsia utriculata

 This species, i think T. setacea was every where, covering many branches.