15 December 2022.
Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Locality: Yellow River: plants are growing along a several mile stretch of the Yellow River and accessed by boat via the Yellow River Boat Ramp on the east side of Florida State Hwy 87.
Coordinates: 30.5815, -86.9112
(Map it)
Elevation: 1m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are typically found growing in full sun to part shade in permanently saturated to submersed conditions along the edge of the Yellow River, growing in association with a wide array of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs and perennial plant species. Most of the plants along the river are adapted to acidic conditions and, while the aquatic habitats are generally fresh water, there is occasionally tidal or hurricane-caused saltwater intrusions. The underlying geology of this area is classified as Alluvium, of Pleistocene/Holocene origin and consists of undifferentiated Quaternary sediments of varying thickness including siliciclastics, organics and freshwater carbonates. The siliciclastics are light gray, tan, brown to black, unconsolidated to poorly consolidated, clean to clayey, silty, unfossiliferous, variably organic-bearing sands to blue green to olive green, poorly to moderately consolidated, sandy, silty clays. Organics occur as plant debris, roots, disseminated organic matrix and beds of peat. Freshwater carbonates, often referred to as marls in the literature, are scattered. (Source: USGS Florida Geologic Map Data). The surface soil profile of this area is primarily Bibb-Kinston Series association. Bibb Series soils are coarse-loamy, sandy, acid soils that are poorly drained. They are soils of flood plains and streams subject to frequent flooding. These are found in association with Kinston Series soils that are fine-loamy, sandy, acid soils of flood plains and stream subject to frequent flooding. The Bibb-Kinston association ranges from 1-1.5 meters thick and is strongly acid. (Source: Soil Survey of Santa Rosa County and NRCS Web Soil Survey).
Number of plants sampled: 20
Associated species: Chamaecyparis thyoides; Morella cerifera; Ilex hybr. (I. myrtifolia x opaca); Itea virginica; Magnolia virginiana; Taxodium distichum; Nyssa biflora; Cephalanthus occidentalis; Bignonia capreolata; Alnus serrulata; Quercus laurifolia; Pinus glabra; Ilex opaca; Ilex verticillata; Nyssa aquatica; Gelsemium rankinii; Acer rubrum; Eubotrys racemosus; Liquidambar styraciflua; Ilex vomitoria; Clematis sp.; Vaccinium elliottii; Rhododendron austrinum (“Yellow River Pink Austrinum”); Hypericum fasciculatum; Cyrilla racemiflora; Cornus foemina [listed as Swida foemina]; Clethra alnifolia; Crinum americanum; Ilex decidua; Fraxinus caroliniana; Nuphar advena; Eriocaulon decangulare; Carpinus caroliniana; Toxicodendron radicans; Salix caroliniana; Amorpha fruticosa; Osmunda regalis; Vaccinium sp.; Viburnum dentatum var. scabrellum [listed as V. scabrellum].
Comment: This species is a single- to multi-stemmed, broad-leaved evergreen large shrub to small tree forming an upright to upright-oval spreading, loose, and open habit. Plants are approximately 5-9 meters tall x 4-7 meters wide. Leaves are simple, alternate and evergreen. They range from elliptic and narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate with entire margins and are 20-35 mm long x 5-10 mm wide. Fruits are berry-like round drupes, 6-9 mm in diameter that mature in autumn and range from red to orange and occasionally yellow in color. Seed collected from 20 plants. The species is common along several miles of the Yellow River.
Collector(s):