21 November 2023.
Madison Parish, Louisiana, United States
Locality: Interstate 20, westbound, approximately 6 miles west of U.S. Highway 65 and 7.5 miles east of Louisiana Highway 577. Tensas River watershed.
Coordinates: 32.4195, -91.2967
(Map it)
Elevation: 21m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Environment description: Damp wooded treeline. Slope: 12%. Aspect: West-southwest. Elevation: 69 feet.
Number of plants sampled: 3
Associated species: Crataegus viridis; Cocculus carolinus; Sabal minor; Quercus nigra; Acer negundo; Cornus drummondii; Celtis laevigata; Ampelopsis sp; Carex sp.; Lonicera japonica; Toxicodendron radicans.
Comment: Possumhaw is an upright deciduous shrub or small tree with a spreading, rounded crown, 7-15' tall in cultivation (to 30' in the wild). Bark is gray-brown, smooth, blotchy, with occasional warts. Leaves 2-3” long, glossy, dark green, alternate, simple, obovate- elliptic, narrow, margins crenate; turning a dull yellow in fall. Dioecious; flowers whitish, non-showy, April-May. Fruits pea size orangish-red, red, occasionally golden yellow; ripen September and persist throughout the winter until mid-March when new growth begins. Seeds collected from 3 plants. Species is scattered but common.
Collector(s):