U. of I. natural resources and environmental sciences graduate student Sara Johnson and her colleagues search for an elusive white flower in the Florida Panhandle.

"It’s summer in the Florida Panhandle, and we are either drenched in rain or covered in sweat. The mosquitoes are out in full force, and the risk of stumbling upon a venomous snake in the seepage slope and swamps is palpable. If I can look beyond the immediate discomfort, the payoff is enormous.

We walk through areas that were burned last fall, now coated with wildflowers blooming in a rainbow of colors. Here is savannah meadowbeauty (Rhexia alifanus) in bright pink; there is kidneyleaf rosinweed (Silphium compositum) in brilliant yellow. The contrast of the dusky pine flatwoods with the flowers’ vibrancy is stunning...."

Read the full Behind the Scenes blog post from the Illinois News Bureau.