26 December 2023.
Gulf County, Florida, United States
Locality: East backwoods adjacent to Forest Hill Cemetery, 0.4 mi north of Hwy 98, off Twine Rd.
Coordinates: 29.7803, -85.2716
(Map it)
Elevation: 7m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Environment description: Edge of a wet pine savanna/flatwood. Slope: flat. Aspect: Southeast. Elevation: 23 feet.
Number of plants sampled: 20
Associated species: Cyrilla parvifolia; Lyonia ferruginea; Serenoa repens; Ilex coriacea; Ilex vomitoria; Pinus palustris; Quercus geminata; Persea borbonia; Smilax auriculata; Rubus sp.; Aristida stricta.
Comment: Maleberry is an erect to spreading, multistemmed, deciduous shrub, 6-10' tall and wide. Grows in low, alluvial woods & thickets, wet meadows, and bogs. Bark brown to reddish-brown, develops long horizontal splits. Leaves alternate, oblong, elliptic, or ovate, 1.5” to 3”, grey-green, covered with fine hairs; margins entire, serrate; apex pointed; fall color orange, red, burgundy. Flowers white to pink in drooping racemes, late spring-early summer on previous year’s growth. Fruits are small, brown-copper capsules. Common. Seed collected from approximately 20 plants.
Collector(s):