06 December 2022.
Scotland County, North Carolina, United States
Locality: Plants growing in the wetlands and other moist depressions along Scotland Co. Road 1328 in the Sandhills Game Lands. Common at this site This plant is somewhat sporadic in its distribution, but abundant in places where it is found in moist to wet habitats of bottomlands in this area.
Coordinates: 34.8855, -79.4460
(Map it)
Elevation: 71m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are growing in shade of acid bottomland wet woodlands along streams or adjoining wetlands with constant sub-surface moisture. It prefers areas above the permanently wet conditions and can go through periods of drought.
Soils: The underlying geology of this area is of Cretaceous origin and characterized as Mittendorf Formation. The formation is comprised of sand, sandstone, and mudstone, gray to pale gray with an orange cast, and mottled. Clay balls and iron-cemented concretions are common, beds are laterally discontinuous, and cross-bedding is common.
Source: USGS North Carolina Geologic Map Data (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=NCKm%3B11)
The primary soil type in the collection area is classified as Paxville loam soil (0 to 1 percent slopes, rarely flooded). The Paxville Series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils. Permeability is moderate. These nearly level soils formed from marine deposits, fluviomarine deposits, and alluvium. They range from 0 to 2 percent slopes. The frequency of flooding is typically very rare to brief periods. The upper strata, 0-1.2 meters, is comprised of fine sandy loam that is friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; it does contain small amounts clean quartz grains and is strongly acid. Lower strata to a depth of 2.5 meters are similar with fine sandy loam in the upper portions and progressively more sandy loam to fine sand in the deepest strata.
Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey (https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx)
Number of plants sampled: 50
Associated species: Liquidambar styraciflua, Rubus sp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Persea borbonia, Ilex coriacea, Euonymus americanus, Smilax sp., Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa sylvatica, Benthamidia florida, Ilex opaca, Chamaecyparis thyoides, Clethra alnifolia, Vaccinium sp., Platanus occidentalis, Acer rubrum, Quercus nigra, Lyonia lucida, Lyonia mariana
Comment: This species is a broadleaved-evergreen, multi-stemmed, highly rhizomatous colonizing shrub with spreading unbranched to sparsely branched stems. Mature fruiting plants in this colony are approximately 40-60 cm tall x several meters wide. Stems are thin, green and have a slight zig-zag pattern. Leaves are simple, evergreen, alternate. Leaves are mostly ovate to broadly lanceolate and 3-8 cm long x 3-4.5 cm wide; leaf margins are mostly entire or occasionally finely dentate with an apex that ranges from acute to abruptly short-acuminate. Leaves are mostly glabrous. The fruits are 5-valved, flatly rounded capsules, 4.5-6 mm wide. Note: Given the clonally spreading nature of this species, it is hard to truly know how many genetically different plants were sampled. The above information is a rough estimate.
Collector(s):