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: 34.9601, -79.4875
(Map it)
Elevation: 108m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants growing in shade to part-shade as well as sun (when moisture is abundant) of a spring fed wetland that is comprised of a mixed evergreen and deciduous woodland habitat. Slope: 3 to 10 percent. Aspect: Various. : The underlying geology of this area is of Cretaceous origin and characterized as Middendorf Formation. It is characterized by sand, sandstone, and mudstone, gray to pale gray with an orange cast, mottled; clay balls and iron-cemented concretions common, beds laterally discontinuous, cross-bedding common. (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: 30
Associated species: Pinus palustris; Pinus taeda; Persea palustris; Cyrilla racemiflora; Vaccinium corymbosum; Aronia arbutifolia; Smilax sp.; Smilax laurifolia; Liriodendron sp.; Salix sp.; Ilex laevigata; 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; Ilex laevigata.
Comment: Plants are multi-stemmed, deciduous, upright shrubs with a tendency toward upright lateral branching. Mature stems are smooth and tan to brown; young shoots often pubescent, but losing this feature as the growing season progresses. Mature plants range in size from 0.75-2.0 m tall. Fruiting capsules are borne terminally, on solitary racemes or in clusters. The many small, sub-globose capsules borne on each raceme are dehiscent and loculicidal with a persistent calyx. Leaves are alternate, simple, and generally obovate with teeth particularly on the upper third of the leaves. Leaves generally glabrous above and sparsely to prominently pubescent beneath. Leaf size ranges from 3.5-6.0 cm long x 2.0-3.0 cm wide. Many plants are blooming on the edge of the wetland where prescribed fire has resulted in aggressive resprouting and heavy flowering and fruiting. Plants are found commonly along the mesic open edges of woodlands associated with the spring fed wetland. Seeds collected from 30+ plants.
Collector(s):