14 November 2023.
Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Locality: Francis Marion National Forest: plants growing in open wetlands/swamps on the south side of US Forest Service Road 5097 approximately 0.07 kilometers southwest of the junction with US Forest Service Road 223.
Coordinates: 33.0679, -79.6721
(Map it)
Elevation: 11m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are growing in full sun to part-shade along the edges of an extensive acid wetland in seasonally inundated habitat. The vegetation, is a mix of evergreen and deciduous species; it is so dense that it is almost impenetrable. Slope: N/A. Aspect: N/A. The underlying geology of this area is of Pleistocene origin and characterized as a Socastee Formation. This is a low coastal formation in the Carolinas like Penholoway but younger and lower in altitude. It is comprised primarily of unconsolidated, fine-detrital clay. It is described as variegated quartzose sands, argillaceous sands, and clays, 5 m thick at the type section near Socastee Swamp. (Source: USGS South Carolina Geologic Map Data.) The primary soil type in this collection area is classified as Seewee Complex soils. The Seewee series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils that formed in sandy marine sediments. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. The upper strata soil, 0-38 cm, is black, loamy fine sand, friable, and extremely acid. The lower strata soil, 38-75 cm, is fine sand, commonly mottled with shades of brown or yellow and very strongly acid to moderately acid. (Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey.)
Number of plants sampled: 15
Associated species: Pinus palustris; Ilex glabra; Pteridium aquilinum; Carphephorus sp.; Lyonia ligustrina; Lycopodiella sp.; Rhexia sp.; Vaccinium crassifolium; Marshallia sp.; Persea palustris; Osmundastrum cinnamomeum; Agalinis sp.; Lyonia lucida; Aristida stricta; Xyris sp.; Morella cerifera Pumila Group (presumed; originally listed as Morella humilis); Hydrocotyle sp.; Vaccinium corymbosum; Lyonia mariana; Aronia arbutifolia; Lachnanthes caroliniana; Hypericum sp.; Clethra alnifolia; Solidago sp.; Smilax laurifolia; Rhododendron atlanticum; Rhexia alifanus; Magnolia virginiana; Ilex coriacea; Polygala lutea; Andropogon virginicus.
Comment: This species is a multi-stemmed, deciduous, highly rhizomatous low growing shrub, forming large masses of sparsely branched ascending shoots. Mature fruiting plants are approximately 0.5-1.5 m tall x 1-2 m wide. Leaves are simple, alternate, and ovate with smooth margins and a rounded to acute tip; leaves are approximately 2-8 cm long x 0.5-2.5 cm wide. The underside of the leaves is green and glaucous without any white glaucous bloom. Foliage is in peak fall color ranging from bright yellow to dark wine red and occasionally tints of purple. Fruits are 5-valved capsules borne terminally and sub-terminally in clusters; capsules are round, 3.2-5 mm long x 4.8-6.5 mm wide. Plants are common at this site.
Collector(s):