11 December 2023.
Walton County, Florida, United States
Locality: Eglin Air Force Base, Range Road 352, south of Basin Bayou Reservation Area, north of Alaqua Bayou.
Coordinates: 30.4855, -86.2202
(Map it)
Elevation: 4m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Wet pine flatwoods. Slope: 3%. Aspect: Southeast. Elevation: 14 feet.
Number of plants sampled: 1
Associated species: Magnolia virginiana; Nyssa biflora; Pinus palustris; Lyonia lucida; Clethra alnifolia; Aronia arbutifolia; Gaylussacia tomentosa; Ilex glabra; Smilax laurifolia; Xyris sp.; Euthamia sp.; Liatris sp.; Ctenium aromaticum; Aristida stricta.
Comment: Littleleaf titi is a small to medium-sized evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub to small tree, often bushy, running, multi-trunked, 3 to 15 feet tall. It seems to be restricted to the northern Panhandle of Florida, and apparently southern Georgia. While Cyrilla racemiflora is always nearby, littleleaf titi occupies its own niche and has a suite of notable and unique characteristics. Smaller leaves, 1/2” to 1 1/2” long and 1/4” to 1/2” wide, 3 to 4 times longer than wide, widest about 1/4 of the way from tip, branches spreading; racemes 2.5” to 3.5”; petals smaller. Habitat placement is also different. In Point Washington State Forest, knee high plants bloom and fruit. The surrounding habitat is flat, with small, microtopographic rises (ridges or lips) where Cyrilla parvifolia resides. The habitat is also frequently burned. The phenomenon we see with C. parvifolia seems analogous to Morella pumila, the low growing running form of Rhododendron canescens at Wolfe Creek, Rhododendron viscosum Aemulans Group [originally written Rhododendron aemulans], and Chionanthus pygmaeus; species responding, changing, and adapting to environmental conditions (frequent fire and xeric conditions). NOTE: this collection is different in that C. parvifolia is not only growing on the edge of a wet pine savanna/flatwood, but occurring well within the wet pine flatwood. Individuals are taller, but the unique morphological characteristics remain the same. Fruit collected off of 1 plant.
Collector(s):