flora and fauna slide show

1. The Flora & Fauna of Georgia
Haley Bryan

2. Purple Giant Hyssop
Perennial herb up to 6 feet (2 meters)
tall, often forming clumps, with erect,
purple-tinged, 4-sided stems that
have hairs only on the angles. Leaves
up to 5 inches (13 cm) long with leaf
stalk up to 2 inches (5 cm) long,
opposite, oval or heart-shaped, with
rounded base, pointed tip, and
toothed edges; underside of the leaf
is hairy mainly on the veins; leaves
have a strong anise-like odor when
crushed. Flower spikes up to 6 inches
long (15 cm), erect at tips of stems,
tightly packed with flowers and small,
pinkish bracts. Flowers lavender or
purple

3. Whereas Live Oak
• Whereas - the live-oak, being a
tree indigenous to the soil of our
State and especially flourishing
along the Coastal plains and
islands thereof where the first
settlers and founders of this State
resided, and which tree is so
closely associated with our early
history, and particularly with the
lives of many famous Georgians
such as General James Edward
Oglethorpe, John Wesley, and
Sidney Lanier.

4. Mountain Spleenwort
• Fronds are numerous,
drooping, delicate, bluish-green
and evergreen. There
are four to seven pairs of
pinnae on short stalks. They
are pinnate at the base of the
rachis, and pinnatifid at the
top of the rachis. The rachis is
broad, green, flat and winged
at the apex. The rhizome is
short-creeping, dark and wiry,
often obscured by old stipe
bases. The stipe is ¾-inch to 2
inches long, brown below and
green above.

5. Coyote
• Among the non-native
wildlife found throughout
the southeast, coyotes are
unique in their ability to
rapidly acclimate to a
variety of habitats. With the
extirpation of the red wolf
in the last century across
Georgia, the coyote (Canis
latrans) has been able to fill
a once occupied void and
now can be found
statewide.

6. Eastern Indigo Snake
• The eastern indigo snake reaches
a maximum total length of 2.63 m
(about 8½ feet), making it the
longest snake in North America.
The head of this stout snake is
only slightly distinct from the
neck. Coloration is iridescent
blue-black throughout, except on
the chin, throat, and cheeks,
which are usually reddish or
occasionally cream-colored. No
pattern is present on the body.
The scales are large, shiny, and
for the most part smooth, though
scales on several middorsal rows
of mature males are partially
keeled. The anal plate is
undivided.

7. Bald Eagle
• Adult bald eagles are easily recognized by
their familiar dark brown body and
contrasting white head and tail. The bill,
eyes, legs, and feet are yellow. Immature
birds vary slightly in appearance
depending on their age. They are
generally dark brown with varying light
patches, and the eyes and bill are dark.
Full adult plumage is not attained until
sexual maturity at about 5 years of age.
The total length ranges from 30-43 in)the
average size of both sexes increases with
latitude such that birds nesting in the
northern states and Canada are
significantly larger than birds nesting in
southern states. Although there appears
to be a continuous size gradient and no
real genetic differences nor distinct
breeding ranges, southern eagles, like the
ones here in Georgia are considered to
be of the subspecies H. l. leucocephalus
and northern eagles of the subspecies H.
l. alascensis.

8. Sea Life

9. Natural Resources
• Georgia, the largest state
east of the Mississippi river,
has almost eight million
acres of farmland classified
as "prime“ which maybe
defined as available land
that is best suited for
producing food or fiber.
That is, Georgia has the soil
quality, growing season, and
moisture supply necessary
to produce sustained yields
of crops such as cotton and
peaches.

10. Chattahoochee River
• The Chattahoochee River begins as a spring in the fittingly name "Chattahoochee
Gap," little more than a trickle of water at 3200 feet. Over the first 100 miles the
river falls almost 2400 feet, forms a major Southeast lake (Lanier) and provides
water for millions of Georgians. The river has played a key role in the history of the
state of Georgia. Archaic andWoodland Indians are known to have called the
Chattahoochee home. Mound builders navigated it as far north as present-day
Helen, Georgia. The Cherokee and the Creek Nation used the river as a border,
first between their Nations, then between themselves and early settlers.