14 February 2023.
Orange County, Florida, United States
Locality: Plants growing in woodlands of Wekiwa Springs State Park along trails accessed from the Sand Lake parking lot at the end of Palmetto Avenue. From the parking lot, take the main trail south for about 18 meters and immediately take a cut-through trail on the left to the location of this population.
Coordinates: 28.7253, -81.4716
(Map it)
Elevation: 9m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants were growing in shade to part-shade of moist mesic hammocks of lowland transitional woodlands eventually becoming wetland habitats that are comprised primarily of evergreen plants with fewer deciduous plants. Slope: 2%. Aspect: North. The underlying geology of this area is of Pliocene origin and characterized as the Cypresshead Formation. The Cypresshead Formation named by Huddlestun (1988), is composed of siliciclastics and occurs only in the peninsula and eastern Georgia. It is at or near the surface from northern Nassau County southward to Highlands County forming the peninsular highlands. It appears that the Cypresshead Formation occurs in the subsurface southward from the outcrop region and similar sediments, the Long Key Formation, underlie the Florida Keys. The Cypresshead Formation is a shallow marine, near shore deposit equivalent to the Citronelle Formation deltaic sediments and the Miccosukee Formation prodeltaic sediments. The Cypresshead Formation consists of reddish brown to reddish orange, unconsolidated to poorly consolidated, fine to very coarse grained, clean to clayey sands. Cross bedded sands are common within the formation. Discoid quartzite pebbles and mica are often present. Clay beds are scattered and not areally extensive. In general, the Cypresshead Formation in exposure occurs above 100 feet (30 meters) above mean sea level (msl). Original fossil material is not present in the sediments although poorly preserved molds and casts of mollusks and burrow structures are occasionally present. The presence of these fossil "ghosts" and trace fossils documents marine influence on deposition of the Cypresshead sediments. The permeable sands of the Cypresshead Formation form part of the surficial aquifer system. (Source: USGS Florida Geologic Map Data.) The primary soil type in the area of this collection is classified as Emeralda and Holopaw Series (frequently flooded). The Emeralda Series soil consists of very deep, poorly drained, slowly or very slowly permeable fine sandy clay soils in broad, low areas generally near lakes and streams in the lower Coastal Plain. They formed in clayey marine sediments. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Solum thickness ranges from 1-1.8 meters deep. Silt content is less than 30 percent throughout. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid in the A and E horizons, from slightly acid to moderately alkaline in the Bt horizons, from slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline in the BC horizon, and moderately alkaline in the C horizon. The Holopaw series consists of deep and very deep, poorly and very poorly drained soil that formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments. Holopaw soils are on nearly level low-lying flats, poorly defined drainageways and depressional areas. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Solum thickness ranges from 1.2-2.5 meters. Some pedons have a thin layer of muck on the surface. Soil reaction ranges from strongly acid to neutral in the surface layers and from strongly acid to moderately alkaline in the other layers. (Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey.)
Number of plants sampled: 15
Associated species: Agarista populifolia; Carex sp.; Persea palustris; Gordonia lasianthus; Serenoa repens; Quercus virginiana; Chasmanthium sessiliflorum; Smilax pumila; Osmundastrum cinnamomeum; Woodwardia areolata; Cephalanthus occidentalis; Lyonia ligustrina; Vaccinium sp.; Ilex glabra; Ilex opaca var. arenicola; Pteridium aquilinum; Solidago sp.; Morella cerifera; Lyonia ferruginea; Quercus nigra; Diospyros virginiana; Arundinaria gigantea; Magnolia grandiflora; Pinus palustris; Carpinus caroliniana; Hypericum sp.; Onoclea sensibilis; Sabal palmetto; Drosera capillaris; Sabal minor.
Comment: Description: Plants growing in this colony are broadleaved evergreen, multi-stemmed, medium to large shrubs. Plants range in size from 1-4 m tall x 2-5 m wide. Plants have generally an upright ascending branching pattern; however, upon closer inspection, branching often lay down, layer and produce new vertical stems. Young stems, 1-2 years old, remain green, while older stems become tan to brown. Leaves are simple opposite and dull green with an elliptic to obovate-elliptic shape; size ranges from 7-17 cm long x 2-4 cm wide. The base is generally acute and the apex ranges from obtuse to rounded. Plants are common at the collection site, but otherwise quite rare. Cuttings collected from more than 15 plants. Two images showing one or more of the plants in situ were provided by the collector.
Collector(s):