02 November 2023.
Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Locality: Navarre, Florida: Adams St. cul-de-sac, on nine-acre private property. Infrastructure development began and was terminated due to the lack of any engineering or environmental site planning (designated wetland status). It has remained idle for a number of years.
Coordinates: 30.4108, -86.9284
(Map it)
Elevation: 11m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Environment description: Wet Pine Flatwood transitioning to a shrub bog habitat under fire suppression. Slope: flat. Aspect: East Elevation: 36 feet.
Number of plants sampled: 15
Associated species: Cyrilla racemiflora; Cliftonia monophylla; Ilex glabra; Lyonia lucida; Serenoa repens; Pinus elliottii; Magnolia virginiana; Morella cerifera; Quercus laurifolia; Sporobolus vaseyi (as Calamovilfa curtissii); Seymeria sp.; Conradina canescens; Magnolia grandiflora; Smilax glaucescens.
Comment: Hairy wicky is an evergreen subshrub, usually 6-24” in height. Often decumbent, with a somewhat scraggly, wiry growth habit. Twigs have long, spreading hairs. Leaves alternate, sessile, elliptic to ovate, with revolute margins; densely to sparsely pubescent. Flowers on new growth, axillary, singular or up to 2-3 per leaf axil, pale pink, dark pink, or lavender. Petals often marked with red dots. Prefers full sun to partial sun and a moist, acidic soil. Found in pine flatwoods, bogs, white cedar wetlands, and sandhill communities. Within these communities, hairy wicky is often found situated on small rises or seepage areas to take advantage of the necessary adaptive edaphic and microtopographic variation. Seems to appreciate, and even require a level of disturbance, and responds dramatically. Spreads by underground runners. Infrequent, but where found, quite often forms extensive populations. Seed collected from 15 plants.
Collector(s):