14 December 2022.
Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Locality: Eglin Air Force Base: growing along the east side of Eglin AFB Choctaw Nolf Road northwest of Choctaw Navy Outlying Field. This road goes west and takes circuitous route to the north around the Field en route to Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area.
Coordinates: 30.5151, -86.9677
(Map it)
Elevation: 14m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Full sun on the top of the roadside slope in well-drained to dry conditions, 1-2 meters above surrounding lower, moist area. The underlying geology of this area is the Citronelle Formation, of Pliocene origin, and consists of gray to orange, often mottled, unconsolidated to poorly consolidated, very fine to very coarse, poorly sorted, clean to clayey sands. It contains significant amounts of clay, silt and gravel which may occur as beds and lenses and may vary considerably over short distances. Limonite nodules and limonite-cemented beds are common. (Source: USGS Florida Geologic Map Data). The primary soil type in the collection area is classified as Lakeland Sand soils (5 to 12 percent slopes). The surface soil profile of this area is primarily the Lakeland series which consists of very deep, excessively drained, rapid to very rapidly permeable soils on uplands. They formed in thick beds of eolian or marine and/or fluvio-marine sands. Thickness of the sand exceeds 2 meters. Silt plus clay in the upper meter ranges from 5-10 percent. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout. (Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey).
Number of plants sampled: 2
Associated species: Chrysoma paucifloculosa; Hypericum sp.; Solidago sp.; Ilex vomitoria; Quercus hemisphaerica; Yucca sp.; Callicarpa americana; Smilax sp.; Prunus angustifolia; Vitis rotundifolia (listed as Muscadinia rotundifolia); Quercus virginiana; Baccharis halimifolia; Pinus palustris; Quercus geminata; Quercus laevis; Crataegus lacrimata; Serenoa repens; Vaccinium sp.; Quercus falcata; Cladonia sp.; Ilex opaca; Vaccinium arboreum; Rubus sp.; Prunus caroliniana.
Comment: These plants are multi-stemmed, dioecious, deciduous shrubs, forming an upright, spreading habit. The plants are 3-4 meters tall x 3-4 meters wide. No leaves present as plants are dormant. Fruits are berry-like drupes borne along the stems on short to nearly sessile stalks, 4-10 mm in diameter. Fruits are a good red color and becoming soft; it appears they are almost ready to drop.
Collector(s):