04 September 2022.
Cecil County, Maryland, United States
Locality: Plants growing at Elkton State Forest along roads and woodlands over a distance of approximately 5 kilometers labelled as the address of 717 Irishtown Rd, North East, MD 21901. Kalmia is very common along the unnamed gravel road as well as the understory of the upland woodlands.
Coordinates: 39.5885, -75.9045
(Map it)
Elevation: 60m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are growing in a mesic to dry, well-drained habitat of mixed deciduous and evergreen woodlands comprised primarily of acid-loving plants. Plants are growing in shade to part shade along the unnamed road as well as the woodlands. The soils in the collection area are generally described as a complex series of fluviomarine deposits. The soils range from a thin loam layer at the surface to varying levels of loam to sandy loam and/or extremely gravelly sandy clay loam strata, depending upon geographical location (ie. Hillslope summits, slopes, footslopes, swales, etc.). The primary soil types in the collection area are classified as Russett-Christiana-Hambrook Complex and/or Sassafras and Croom Soils; though, others may intersect and overlay in specific areas.
Number of plants sampled: 50
Associated species: Sassafras albidum, Quercus marilandica, Fagus grandifolia, Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia frondosa, Pinus virginiana, Populus grandidentata, Acer rubrum, Quercus phellos, Castanea pumila, Castanea dentata, Quercus montana, Viola primulifolia, Nyssa sylvatica, Diospyros virginiana, Vaccinium stamineum, Quercus stellata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Kalmia latifolia, Quercus velutina, Prunus serotina, Lyonia ligustrina, Vaccinium corymbosum, Toxicodendron radicans, Quercus alba, Rhododendron periclymenoides, Solidago sp., Aronia prunifolia, Pteridium aquilinum, Smilax sp., Hypericum hypericoides, Cornus florida, Ilex opaca, Medeola virginiana, Mitchella repens, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Rubus sp., Viburnum dentatum var. lucidum, Aralia nudicaulis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus falcata, Clethra alnifolia, Baptisia tinctoria, Quercus coccinea, Dichanthelium sp., Carex sp., Panicum virginicum, Panicum sp., Viola macloskeyi subsp. pallens, Comptonia peregrina, Chimaphila maculata, Pinus echinata, Amelanchier arborea, Betula lenta
Comment: Plants are multi-stemmed, evergreen, irregularly rounded to slightly upright shrubs with a dense habit. Mature plants range in size from 1.5 to 3.5 meters tall and wide. Several fruits are borne in terminal panicles. Fruits are round, woody, and 5-loculed, containing many tiny winged seeds. Leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, and generally elliptic to lanceolate. Leaves range in size from 4-12 cm long to 1.5-5 cm wide
Collector(s):