31 July 2015.
Washington County, Florida, United States
Locality: Along Holmes Creek at Live Oak Landing.
Coordinates: 30.5924, -85.8374
(Map it)
Elevation: 11m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Shade to partial shade of bluffs above the creek in well-drained mesic to dry deciduous woodlands with a few broadleaved and coniferous evergreens. Slope: 3 to 8 percent. Aspect: West. Elevation: 37 feet.
Associated species: Quercus hemisphaerica; Oxydendrum arboreum; Vaccinium arboreum; Fagus grandifolia; Rhododendron austrinum; Mitchella repens; Symplocos tinctoria; Hamamelis virginiana; Quercus alba; Carya sp.; Smilax pumila; Amelanchier arborea; Ilex opaca; Carpinus caroliniana; Viburnum dentatum; Vaccinium elliottii; Magnolia grandiflora; Styrax americanus; Morella cerifera; Vitis rotundifolia; Sabal minor; Pinus taeda; Cartrema americana [listed as Osmanthus americanus]; Clethra alnifolia; Juniperus virginiana; Liquidambar styraciflua; Pinus glabra; Quercus nigra; Vaccinium stamineum; Rubus sp.; Parthenocissus quinquefolia; Chasmanthium sessiliflorum; Halesia diptera; Indigofera caroliniana; Castanea pumila; Desmodium sp.; Gelsemium sempervirens.
Comment: Single and multi-stemmed, coarsely branched deciduous shrubs/trees, many with basal sprouts, developing a narrow to broadly spreading habit. Plants ranging in size from under 3 ft. tall to 30 feet tall. Many mature plants have dead or dying stems and are in various states of rejuvenation. It's interesting to note that while we surveyed for Magnolia ashei, we could not find any evidence of young seedlings. This seems to be at the core of decline in the populations. If the plants produce viable seed, there is almost certainly a problem with changing site conditions for the germination of seedlings.