06 December 2022.
Scotland County, North Carolina, United States
Locality: Plants growing around a wetland on both sides of Scotland Lake Road, approximately 1.1 kilometers southwest of the junction with Hoffman Road (Scotland Co. Road 1328) in the Sandhills Game Lands. This plant is a common component along the mesic/moist boundary on the upper edge of the understory shrub in the moist woodland habitat not far from the wetland.
Coordinates: 34.9840, -79.5427
(Map it)
Elevation: 116m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are growing in full sun to part-shade in the moist, well-drained, mesic conditions just above a wetland area occupied by obligate wetland species. The underlying geology of this area is of Tertiary origin and characterized as Pinehurst Formation. It is composed of medium- to coarse-grained sand as well as cross-bedding and rhythmic bands of clayey sand that are unconsolidated.
Source: USGS North Carolina Geologic Map Data (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=NCTp%3B11)
The primary soil type in the collection area is Pelion Loamy Sand soil (6 to 10 percent slopes). The Pelion Loamy Sand series consists of very deep, moderately well-drained marine deposits, fluviomarine deposits, and sand sheets. Permeability is moderately slow or slow. Surface layers 0-25 cm deep are comprised of loamy sand with a weak fine granular structure and are very friable. Deeper horizons are comprised of sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam in the upper part and include sandy clay or clay in the deepest strata. Soils are extremely acid to strongly acid.
Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey (https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx)
Number of plants sampled: 10
Associated species: Smilax walteri, Cyrilla racemiflora, Alnus serrulata, Arundinaria gigantea, Nyssa biflora, Sphagnum sp., Pinus palustris, Xyris sp., Ilex glabra, Pinus serotina, Spiranthes cernua, Magnolia virginiana, Lyonia lucida, Osmunda cinnamomeum, Woodwardia areolata, Hexastylis sp., Sarracenia purpurea var. venosa, Lyonia mariana, Ctenium aromaticum, Liatris spicata var. resinosa, Platanthera ciliaris, Viburnum nudum, Acer rubrum, Andropogon virginicus, Morella caroliniensis, Eubotrys racemosa, Clethra alnifolia, Rhododendron viscosum, Morella cerifera, Osmunda regalis, Gentiana saponaria, Aronia arbutifolia, Ilex coriacea, Toxicodendron vernix, Zenobia pulverulenta, Smilax laurifolia, Saccharum giganteum, Liriodendron tulipifera, Eupatorium resinosum, Magnolia grandiflora, Persea borbonia, Symphyotrichum sp., Pteridium aquilinum, Symphyotrichum paludosus, Sarracenia rubra, Vaccinium formosum, Rhexia alifanus, Sorghastrum nutans, Aletris farinosa, Lilium sp., Zigadenus glaberrimus
Comment: This species is typically a single-stemmed (occasionally multi-stemmed) deciduous tree with an upright irregular spreading to occasionally narrow crown. On this site however, plants are resprouting from recent fire that is part of a managed controlled burn program for the surrounding Longleaf pine forest. Plants are mostly multi-stemmed and strongly upright, generally, about 2-4 meters tall as they resprout following the controlled burn 2-4 years before. Leaves are alternate and generally entire with most leaves already dropped this late in the season. Fruit are tiny ovoid sutured capsules borne terminally in panicles composed of arching-weeping racemes or secondary panicles.
NOTE: This collector has seen many populations of Oxydendrum arboreum in the uplands and mountains of the southeastern U.S. Often these plants grow in dry, rocky habitats. For this reason, it is very intriguing to see this species in mesic conditions associated with wetlands in the deep south Coastal Plain. Perhaps, these provenances are worthy of evaluating for more fibrous root systems which could be better for field production of this species horticulturally.
Collector(s):