05 October 2022.
Cecil County, Maryland, United States
Locality: Plants growing at Elkton State Forest along road and in wet woodlands near the Elk Neck State Forest Shooting Range labelled as the address of 717 Irishtown Rd, North East, MD 21901. Plants are locally common but restricted to the low-lying wet woodlands.
Coordinates: 39.5873, -75.9140
(Map it)
Elevation: 55m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are growing in part-shade to part-sun of deciduous forests on hummocks in very moist to wet low-lying areas along seasonal or year-round flowing seeps.
Soils: The underlying geology of this area is of Cretaceous origin and comprised of Potomac Group, including Raritan and Patapsco Formations, and Patuxent Formation. The Potomac Group includes: interbedded quartzose gravels; proto-quartzitic to orthoquartzitic argillaceous sands; and white, dark gray, and multicolored silts and clays. Included withing this zone are Raritan and Patapsco Formations comprised of gray, brown, and red variegated silts and clays; lenticular, cross-bedded, argillaceous, subrounded sands; minor gravels; thickness. The Patuxent Formation is also interbedded in this zone and comprised of white or light gray to orange-brown, moderately sorted, cross-bedded, argillaceous, angular sands and subrounded quartz gravels; silts and clays subordinate that are predominantly pale gray.
Source: USGS Maryland Geologic Map Data https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=MDKp%3B5
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. The soils in the collecting 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.).
Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey (https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx)
Number of plants sampled: 5
Associated species: Fagus grandifolia, Gaylussacia frondosa, Acer rubrum, Quercus phellos, Nyssa sylvatica, Vaccinium corymbosum Liquidambar styraciflua, Kalmia latifolia, Eubotrys racemosa, Toxicodendron radicans, Rhododendron viscosum, Solidago sp., Smilax sp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, Osmunda regalis, Carex sp., Amelanchier sp., Lyonia ligustrina, Aronia prunifolia Aronia arbutifolia, Pinus virginiana, Bidens tripartita, Sphagnum spp., Ilex verticillata, Magnolia virginiana, Thelypteris palustris, Scirpus cyperinus, Quercus alba, Ludwigia alternifolia
Comment: This species is a deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub with a coarse upright spreading to rounded habit depending on light conditions; usually 1-3.5 meters tall x 2-3 meters wide. The lower branches become woody and brown, while new growth is green or red. Leaves are opposite and 7.5-15 cm long and 3.5-7.0 cm across, ovate or ovate-oblong in shape, and have slender petioles, smooth margins, and a glossy upper surface. Fruit are spherical and green turning brown; they are borne terminally in clusters.
Collector(s):