11 December 2023.
Washington County, Florida, United States
Locality: Holmes Creek, Live Oak Landing.
Coordinates: 30.6045, -85.7667
(Map it)
Elevation: 6m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Bottomland floodpain of Holmes Creek. Slope: flat. Aspect: Southwest. Elevation: 20 feet.
Associated species: Quercus lyrata; Quercus laurifolia; Carya aquatica; Nyssa ogeche; Viburnum dentatum; Sabal minor; Ilex decidua; Ilex opaca.
Comment: Winterberry is a small, multistemmed, deciduous shrub to small tree, 3 to 15 feet tall. Bark is grey to blackish with knobby lenticels. Stems olive-brown to purplish-brown, also lenticelled; buds grey to grey-brown. Flowers inconspicuous, greenish-white, axillary, late spring-early summer. Dioecious. Fruit very showy, late summer-early fall, but persists into winter, hence the common name. The pea-sized red berries form clusters and have the appearance of twisting along the stem. Leaves 1.5 to 4 inches long, alternate, oblong to oblanceolate, with serrate margins; pubescent beneath. Leaf veins impressed, giving an almost quilted look. Beautiful soft yellow to gold yellow fall color.
Collector(s):