04 September 2022.
Cecil County, Maryland, United States
Locality: Plants growing at Elkton State Forest on Elk Neck Trail #3 (Starkey Lane) labelled as the address of 717 Irishtown Rd, North East, MD 21901. This species was infrequent throughout most of Elk Neck State Park, but relatively common.
Coordinates: 39.5879, -75.8885
(Map it)
Elevation: 54m.
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 part shade to shade. 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.
Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey (https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx)
Number of plants sampled: 7
Associated species: Sassafras albidum, Fagus grandifolia, Gaylussacia baccata, Pinus virginiana, Acer rubrum, Nyssa sylvatica, Diospyros virginiana, Vaccinium stamineum, Liquidambar styraciflua, Kalmia latifolia, Prunus serotina, Vaccinium corymbosum, Toxicodendron radicans, Aronia prunifolia, Quercus alba, Pteridium aquilinum, Smilax sp., Hypericum hypericoides, Cornus florida, Ilex opaca, Rubus sp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus falcata, Dichanthelium sp., Carex sp., Panicum virginicum, Panicum sp., Pinus echinata, Viola macloskeyi subsp. pallens, Amelanchier arborea, Betula lenta
Comment: Plant is a multi-stemmed, deciduous, spreading small tree. Mature plants ranged in size from 3 to 4 meters tall and 3 to 6 meters wide. Fruit is a woody capsule containing two black seeds that springs open, ejecting the seed in late summer. Leaves are deciduous, simple, alternate and broadly-elliptic to nearly rounded or obovate, 3.5-17 cm long and 2.5 to 13 cm wide with a strongly oblique and rounded, base. The leaves are generally dull green above and pale beneath. In late summer, leaves often have cone-shaped galls on the leaves
Collector(s):