13 November 2023.
Scotland County, North Carolina, United States
Locality: Sandhills Game Land: north side of Pulpwood Road approximately 0.11 km southwest of the junction with Tyner Road.
Coordinates: 34.9594, -79.4868
(Map it)
Elevation: 114m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants growing in shade to part-shade of a spring fed wetland that is a mixed evergreen and deciduous woodland habitat. Slope: 3 to 10 percent. Aspect: Northeast. The underlying geology of this area is of Tertiary origin and characterized as Pinehurst Formation. It is comprised of sand that is medium- to coarse-grained, cross-bedding and rhythmic bands of clayey sand common, unconsolidated. (Source: USGS North Carolina Geologic Map Data.) The primary soil type in the area of this collection is classified as Pelion loamy sand, 6 to 10 percent slopes. Pelion Series soils are very deep, moderately well-drained soils with moderately slow to slow permeability. The upper 30 cm of the strata is sandy loam to sandy clay loam ranging from grayish brown to reddish yellow. This stratum has a weak fine granular structure and is very friable. It contains many fine roots and is moderately acid. Deeper strata to 2 m range from yellow to yellowish red sandy clay, often with masses of oxidized iron and few fine prominent light gray iron depletions; they are strongly acid. (Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey.)
Number of plants sampled: 4
Associated species: Pinus palustris; Pinus taeda; Persea palustris; Cyrilla racemiflora; Vaccinium corymbosum; Aronia arbutifolia; Smilax sp.; Smilax laurifolia; Liriodendron sp.; Salix sp.; Clethra alnifolia; Osmundastrum cinnamomeum; Lyonia lucida; Lyonia ligustrina; Ilex glabra; Oxydendrum arboreum; Toxicodendron vernix; Fothergilla gardenii; Hexastylis sp.; Magnolia virginiana; Morella caroliniensis; Melanthium virginicum; Vaccinium sp.; Rhododendron viscosum; Amelanchier canadensis; Pteridium aquilinum; Sphagnum sp.; Alnus serrulata; Viburnum nudum; Acer rubrum; Ilex coriacea; Rhexia alifanus; Gentiana saponaria; Zenobia pulverulenta; Vitis sp.; Drosera sp.; Arundinaria tecta.
Comment: Plants are multi-stemmed, dioecious, deciduous upright spreading shrubs. Mature plants reach 3-4 m tall and wide. Fleshy fruits, containing 1-5 seeds, are borne terminally in clusters up to 10 fruits toward the tips of stems with compressed internodes as well as occasionally along the stem on short spurs in 1 to a few fruits. Fruits are globose and bright red when fully mature and approximately 7-10 mm in diameter. The pedicels of the fruit range from 3-7 mm long; the calyces of the fruit are completely glabrous. Additionally, the seeds of Ilex laevigata lack striations, but are clearly roughened on the surface. Leaves are simple, alternate, and entire to very finely serrulate (mostly the upper third) along the margins giving the appearance of entire leaf margins; venation on the upper leaf surface is NOT prominent. Leaves are ovate-lanceolate, ranging in size from 7.5-10 cm long. Fall color is a distinctive very pale yellow as the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down. Plants are found occasionally in the woodlands associated with the spring fed wetland. Seeds collected from four plants.
Collector(s):