10 December 2023.
Henry County, Alabama, United States
Locality: Slopes along Poke Springs Branch inlet accessed by boat from Walter F. George Reservoir. Generally uncommon, but frequent at this site.
Coordinates: 31.7232, -85.1291
(Map it)
Elevation: 69m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are growing in part-shade to shade on the well-drained mostly deciduous woodland slopes approximately 3-6 meters above the inlet.
Soils: The underlying geology of this area is of Cretaceous origin and characterized as Selma Group; Providence Sand. The upper part of the profile consists of cross-bedded fine to coarse sand and white, dark-gray and pale-red-purple mottled clay containing lignite, sand, and kaolin. The lower part consists of dark-gray laminated to thin-bedded silty clay and abundantly micaceous, carbonaceous, fossiliferous very fine to fine sand.
Source: USGS Alabama Geologic Map Data (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=ALKp%3B1)
The primary soil types in the collection area are classified as Nankin-Lucy Complex soil (20 to 60 percent slopes). The Nankin Series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils on uplands of the Coastal Plain. They formed in stratified loamy and clayey marine sediments. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. Soils are comprised of sandy loam in the upper 25 cm to sandy clay loam and sandy clay in lower strata to about 1.7 meters deep; these soils are strongly acid. The Lucy Series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on uplands. They formed in sandy and loamy marine and fluvial sediments of the Southern Coastal Plain. Slopes vary from 0 to 45 percent. These soils are generally loamy to sandy loam in the upper 25 cm and sandy clay loam in the lower strata to 2 meters; these are strongly acid soils.
Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey (https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx)
Number of plants sampled: 25
Associated species: Alnus serrulata, Eubotrys racemosa, Morella cerifera, Viburnum nudum, Pinus taeda, Ilex opaca, Vaccinium elliottii, Osmunda regalis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Taxodium distichum, Nyssa sylvatica, Hamamelis virginiana, Quercus nigra, Quercus alba, Quercus coccinea, Fagus grandifolia, Hexastylis arifolia, Mitchella repens, Liquidambar styraciflua, Symplocos tinctoria, Solidago caesia, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, Magnolia grandiflora, Decumaria barbara, Polystichum acrostichoides, Carya glabra, Vaccinium arboreum, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Acer floridanum, Smilax sp., Bignonia capreolata, Itea virginica, Oxydendrum arboreum, Quercus falcata, Smilax pumila, Rhododendron colemanii, Cartrema americana, Viburnum acerifolium, Sideroxylon lanuginosum, Rhododendron canescens, Quercus phellos, Asimina parviflora, Arundinaria gigantea, Carex sp., Cyrilla racemiflora, Tipularia discolor, Muscadinia rotundifolia, Calycanthus floridus, Pteridium aquilinum, Smilax walteri, Toxicodendron radicans, Dioscorea quaternate, Aesculus pavia, Uvularia perfoliata, Celtis tenuifolia, Pleopeltis polypodioides var. polypodioides, Carya alba, Crataegus sp., Collinsonia anisata, Elephantopus sp., Lilium michauxii, Swida alternifolia, Magnolia pyramidata, Ditrysinia fruticosa, Callicarpa americana, Amelanchier arborea, Persea palustris, Toxicodendron vernix, Stenanthium gramineum var. gramineum, Dichanthelium sp., Halesia sp., Vernonia novaboracensis, Benthamidia florida, Spigelia marilandica, Juniperus virginiana, Hydrangea quercifolia, Prunus serotina, Viburnum rufidulum, Rhus copallinum, Erythrina herbacea, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Chionanthus virginicus, Magnolia virginiana, Gelsemium sempervirens, Coreopsis major
Comment: Plants are multi-stemmed, deciduous shrubs, forming an broadly round, spreading habit. Mature shrubs are approximately 3-4 meters tall x 2.5-4 meters wide. Leaves are completely gone and plants are dormant. Twigs of current season’s growth are dark reddish-brown and glabrous. Fruits are woody capsules borne on erect pedicels; capsules are 15-22 mm long × 4.5-7 mm wide. Capsules are dark brown, densely and stiffly eglandular-hairy; the style is frequently still attached. Notes: This site has been visited by this collector a few times during the growing season as well. It and the associated woodlands beyond are very rich in diversity and worthy of expanded exploration. This site also includes yellow-flowering forms of Lilium michauxii and dwarf clonal forms of Viburnum acerifolium.
Collector(s):