During my August 13th hike with the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) employees and their consultants we walked around Lake Two, where I noticed a small scrubby-looking plant with white flowers. Peering down at the plant revealed a mass of delicate flowers.
October Flower (Polygonella polygama), also known as Jointweed or Showy Jointweed, is a locally abundant plant that likes it dry. It's a native member of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), which means it smells lovely. It can be found throughout the southeast.
Ten days after my hike, recent visitors to the park have reported that it is flowering en masse along the sides of the trail and makes a striking impression.
My observation is the first iNaturalist record for October Flower in Split Oak, though it was previously documented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
See also
Huegel, Craig. 2010-08-27. October Flower - Polygonella polygama. Blog: Florida Native Wildflowers
MH Sub I, LLC. 2018. October Flower, Showy Jointweed. Webpage: Dave's Garden
Cook, Will. 2015-07-11. Common October-flower. Webpage: Carolina Nature
Florida Native Plant Society. 2018. Polygonella polygama. Webpage: Florida Native Plant Society