30 October 2023.
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Locality: Wetlands near Phillips Creek: seed collected from plants on the north and south (further east) side of Pennsylvania Route 188 approximately 6.9 kilometers east of the junction with Pennsylvania Route 487.
Coordinates: 41.3035, -76.2245
(Map it)
Elevation: 381m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Boggy to moist habitats associated with wetlands of Phillips Creek in shade to full sun next to the road. Slope: 0%. Aspect: various. The underlying geology of this area is of Devonian origin and characterized as the Catskill Formation. It is comprised of grayish-red sandstone, siltstone, shale, and mudstone; units of gray sandstone occur in upper part; lithologies in upper part arranged in fining-upward cycles. In the Altoona area, the Catskill Formation is mapped as the Duncannon, Sherman Creek, and Irish Valley Members, which are described under "Central and Eastern Pennsylvania" provinces. (Source: USGS Pennsylvania Geologic Map Data). The primary soil type in the collection area is classified as Wellsboro Series. The Wellsboro Series consists of very deep, moderately well- and somewhat poorly-drained soils formed in till derived from red sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Slope ranges from 0 to 50 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the mineral surface layer, subsurface layer, and upper part of the subsoil; and low or moderately low in the lower part of the subsoil (fragipan) and the substratum. Solum thickness is greater than 102 cm. Depth to the fragipan ranges from 36 to 76 cm. Depth to bedrock is 152 cm or more. Rock fragments of subangular and rounded sandstone, siltstone or shale range from 5 to 40 percent in the A and B horizons, and from 15 to 50 percent in the Bx and C horizons. Typically, rock fragments average about 5 to 25 percent by volume above the fragipan and 15 to 40 percent by volume in and below the fragipan. Reaction commonly ranges from very strongly acid through moderately acid. (Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey).
Number of plants sampled: 6
Associated species: Tsuga canadensis; Salix sp.; Acer rubrum; Vaccinium corymbosum; Carex sp.; Typha latifolia; Quercus rubra; Spiraea alba; Clematis virginiana; Dichanthelium sp.; Rubus allegheniensis; Cornus sp. (listed as Swida sp.); Betula alleghaniensis; Vitis sp.; Alnus sp.; Solidago sp.
Comment: Plants are multi-stemmed, deciduous, upright to broad-spreading shrubs. Mature plants 2-3 meters tall and wide. Fleshy fruits, containing 1-5 seeds, are borne along the stems and in the leaf axils singly and in small clusters. Fruits are globose and orange-red to bright red when fully mature and approximately 5-8 mm in diameter; sepals subtending the fruit are densely hairy. Leaves are simple, alternate, and finely serrate along the margins. Leaves are ovate-lanceolate, ranging in size from 7.5-10 cm long. Plants are common in wetland habitats. Seeds collected from 6 plants. NOTE: While seed were collected from several plants, one individual had extremely heavy bright red fruit set. It was one of the most heavily fruited plants this collector has seen in nature. In addition to seed, this collector gathered a few branches for asexual propagation.
Collector(s):