26 December 2023.
Gulf County, Florida, United States
Locality: George Washington Swamp, Highway 98, approximately 0.1 miles west of Twine Rd.
Coordinates: 29.7765, -85.2754
(Map it)
Elevation: 5m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Environment description: Roadside. Wet wooded edge running along George Washington Swamp bottom. Slope: less than 4%. Aspect: South-southwest. Elevation: 16 feet.
Number of plants sampled: 3
Associated species: Bignonia capreolata; Smilax laurifolia; Morella cerifera; Clethra alnifolia; Ilex glabra; Sabal minor; Magnolia virginiana (listed as var. australis); Persea palustris; Cyrilla racemiflora; Cliftonia monophylla.
Comment: Red chokeberry is a deciduous shrub with usually whip-like, single stems 3-8’ tall, sparsely clonal, occasionally shrub-like [denser]. Occurs in bogs, seeps, wet flatwoods, and along streams. Stems brownish-red when young with appressed pubescence and red buds that almost circle the stem; stems become smoother and greyish when older. Leaves alternate, 1-3”, oblong, obovate, or elliptical, margins toothed; upper surface is glossy, smooth, medium to dark green; undersides grayish-green and pubescent. Orange to bright red fall color, October. Flowers white to light pink with red anthers, in corymb, appearing along end of stems/branches in late spring to early summer. Fruit is a bright red 1/4” pome, ripening September-November, persisting after leaf fall and throughout the winter months. Uncommon. Fruit collected from 3 plants. NOTE: Interesting collection! Overall size of plants taller, 8 ft, less whip-like, noticeably thicker stems and “trunking;” leaves much larger, [more] leathery, and fruit seems larger as well. Photographed.
Collector(s):