02 August 2022.
Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Locality: Along Gin/Camp Road at the bridge over Thomas Creek on the east side of the road.
Coordinates: 30.7503, -87.2347
(Map it)
Elevation: 21m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Growing in part shade on the sandy bench about a meter above the creek in mixed evergreen and deciduous riparian habitat. Plants have ample access to moisture, but are not obligate wetland plants. Fruiting is occurring where increased sunlight is available; however, most plants appear to be middle understory in this habitat. The underlying geology of this area is the Citronelle Formation, of Pliocene origin, and consists of gray to orange, often mottled, unconsolidated to poorly consolidated, very fine to very coarse, poorly sorted, clean to clayey sands. It contains significant amounts of clay, silt and gravel which may occur as beds and lenses and may vary considerably over short distances. Limonite nodules and limonite-cemented beds are common.
Number of plants sampled: 5
Associated species: Clethra alnifolia, Cyrilla racemiflora, Taxodium ascendens, Cliftonia monophyla, Lyonia lucida, Rubus sp., Toxicodendron radicans, Quercus laurifolia, Ilex coriacea, Acer rubrum, Ilex vomitoria, Vaccinium elliotii, Magnolia virginiana, Rhododendron serrulatum, Callicapra americana, Wisteria frutescens, Nyssa biflora, Leucothoe axillaris, Quercus nigra, Liriodendron (new species-pointed central lobe), Ilex opaca, Chamaecyparis thyoides, Magnolia grandiflora, Oxydendrum arboreum, Eutrochium fistulosum, Smalix sp.
Comment: This species is a deciduous shrub with clear stems to about 1-2 meters and a spreading, irregularly rounded crown. Plants range from 3-4.5 meters tall x 3-4 meters wide. Leaves with excellent dark green foliage, blades are elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 5-7 cm long x 2-2.5 cm wide. Leaf margins are slightly swollen. Fruit observed were borne terminally on branches in compound inflorescences that are dome-shaped; fruit were uniformly bright pink with the pedicels ranging in color from whitish-green to red.
Collector(s):