Spatterdock grows in the water; some of the leaves float, while others stick up above the water providing cover for a wide variety of wildlife. The yellow flower never seems to open past the yellow ball in this photograph on the right:

Before you go swimming in the swamp, have a close look under the Spatterdock leaves:

That's one big gator! Not far from where that alligator swam along the edge of the Spatterdock, a Purple Gallinule nest housed several eggs nearly hidden from view by the large Spatterdock leaves.

This Least Bittern stood briefly on the Spatterdock leaf, and then flew for better cover beneath the leaves.

Here the Spatterdock is in the foreground, and the purple flowered taller Pickerelweed is growing behind it. In the top right corner a few Fireflag leaves tower over both plants.

The low flying bird heading away from the camera is a Tricolored Heron. It was fishing in the shallows in front of the Spatterdock.

Spatterdock is one of many wetland plants.