15 September 2022.
Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Locality: This species is growing in the Blackwater River State Forest approximately 0.24 kilometers north of Wof W20 and approximately 0.93 kilometers west of the junction of 3 Notch Trail/Road.
Coordinates: 30.8451, -86.9494
(Map it)
Elevation: 38m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: The plants were growing in part shade of a moist mesic transition slope between a dry upland habitat and a bog.
Soils: 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 (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/state.php?state=fl)
The surface soil profile found in this area is primarily Troup Series. These soils are sandy and loamy marine deposits. They are well drained and typically on the tops and sides of broad and narrow ridges on uplands typically with 0-12% slopes. These soils are very strongly acid with a depth of 2-3 meters. Pactolus Series soils comprise a minor, but important percentage of the lower slopes that are nearly level to gently sloping and account for the somewhat poorly drained, yet, sandy conditions. These soils are also strongly acid with very dark gray loamy sands.
Source: Soil Survey of Santa Rosa County and NRCS Web Soil Survey (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/florida/FL113/0/SantaRosa.pdf and https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx)
Associated species: Pinus palustris, Quercus laevis, Aristida stricta Illicium floridanum, Nyssa biflora, Taxodium ascendens, Persea borbonia, Gordonia lasianthus, Oxydendrum arboreum, Morella cerifera, Vaccinium darrowii, Clethra alnifolia, Ilex glabra, Ilex coriacea, Morella pumila, Hamamelis virginiana, Ceanothus americanus, Ceanothus microphyllus, Gaylussacia dumosa, Gaylussacia frondosa, Licania michauxii, Rhododendron canescens, Lyonia lucida, Lyonia ligustrina, Kalmia hirsuta, Platanthera ciliaris, Platanthera blaphariglottis, Sarracenia leucophylla, Sarracenia rosea, Calopogon, Cleistesiopsis oricamporum, Morella caroliniensis, Stillingia sylvatica, Pteridium aquilinum, Osmunda regalis, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, Hibiscus aculeatus, Cartrema americana
Comment: Ron Miller refers to this form of azalea as Rhododendron aemulans or Rhododendron viscosum var. aemulans; this collector is unsure of the validity/acceptance of this taxon and/or its attribution; therefore, a descriptor is used above to avoid potential confusion. Ron has noted numerous times, that the diversity of Rhododendron viscosum across the eastern and southern U.S. deserves special consideration for diversity that appears to be both taxonomically and geographically distinctive. This includes this highly rhizomatous, low-growing form that this collector has seen in the company of Ron Miller in numerous geographical areas of the southern U.S. growing over hundreds, maybe thousands, of acres in east Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
Collector(s):