08 September 2018.
Texas, United States
Locality: Newton County; ; Both sides of the road along Texas Route 87 north of Burkeville, TX.
Coordinates: 31.1199, -93.7266
(Map it)
Elevation: 137m.
Environment description: Upland mixed coniferous and deciduous woodlands in part to full shade; soils are sandy loam and very loose (pH range 4.5 to 6.0). Soils are highly drought prone. Plants seem to always occur on the top of dry ridges or well-drained slopes.
Associated species: Sassafras albidum:Desmodium sp.:Sideroxylon lycioides:Rhus copallinum:Rhus aromatica:Crataegus spathulata:Pinus taeda:Pinus echinata:Callicarpa americana:Vaccinium arboreum:Ilex vomitoria:Bignonia capreolata:Liquidambar styraciflua:Carya glabra:Pteridium aquilinum:Quercus marilandica:Gelsemium sempervirens:Zanthoxylum clava-herculis:Viburnum rufidulum:Quercus falcata:Hypericum hypericoides:Carya cordiformis:Smilax bona-nox:Vaccinium stamineum:Asimina parviflora:Morus rubra:Asclepias sp.:Prunus angustifolia:Quercus nigra:Smilax pumila:Elephantopus carolinianus:Styrax grandifolius:Toxicodendron radicans:Chionanthus virginicus:Acer saccharum subsp. leucoderme:Ulmus alata:Rubus sp.:Vitis sp.:Quercus hemisphaerica:Viburnum acerifolium:Commelina virginica:Quercus alba:Acer rubrum:Celtis laevigata:Prunus serotina:Scutellaria sp.:Ilex opaca:Vernonia texana:Chasmanthium sessiliflorum:Euphorbia corollata:Clematis pitcheri:Nyssa sylvatica:Coreopsis sp.:Parthenocissus quinquefolia:Cercis canadensis:Cornus florida:Crataegus marshallii:Helenium amarum:Monarda sp.:Carya tomentosa:Mikania scandens:Yucca arkansana subsp. louisianensis:Prunus caroliniana:Centrosema virginianum:Erythrina herbacea:Vitis rotundifolia:Quercus stellata:Aesculus pavia:Liatris elegans:Hamamelis virginiana:Symplocos tinctoria
Aspect: ;
Soil Texture:
Comment: Multi-stemmed, deciduous, upright to spreading shrub that is typically modestly to heavily suckering with runners several inches to several feet away from the base of the main stems. Mature plants range in size from 3 to 3.5 meters tall with a clonal mass generally 2 meters or larger in diameter. The parent plants typically have 3 to 5 main stems and various numbers of suckering stems (runners) closer and/or further from the base of the plant depending upon the maturity of the plant. The range of flower colors indicates that there are many seedling individuals in this population. Flowering ranges from plants with petals that are short, pale red at the base, and mostly yellow to the end of petals to plants with short, uniformly red petals. There is a wide range of variation between these two extremes in color as well as petal length. Additionally, while anecdotal, at least some of the plants seemed heavily scented while others were less so. This could be due to the stage of anthesis when evaluated, but it is worth exploring further. Leaves are broadly ovate to orbicular with consistent and, at times, heavy stiff hairiness on the top and bottom of the leaves. Leaves range in length from 12.5 cm to 20 cm. Both surfaces of the leaves are dull green. Leaves often have a non-distinctive floppiness that is difficult to characterize, but unique. Finally, some plants appear to hold dead leaves through the winter while others were completely leafless. It is uncertain whether this is due to age, site, exposure or a combination of factors.
Collector(s):