26 December 2023.
Gulf County, Florida, United States
Locality: South of Highway 98, west of Twine Road. Track has a very large powerline right-of-way to the east, and George Washington Swamp bottom to the west.
Coordinates: 29.7764, -85.2741
(Map it)
Elevation: 6m.
Georeference protocol: Lat/lon determined by GPS
Environment description: Longleaf Pine-Saw Palmetto. This area appears to be declining in quality, as witnessed by the declining in Rhododendron stem/plant density. Possible contributing issues: lacking necessary fire regime, has not seen fire in 8-10 years, encroaching woody shrub layer, accumulating organic matter (pine needle), expanding tree canopy, Hurricane Michael. Slope: less than 7%. Aspect: West. Elevation: 20 feet.
Number of plants sampled: 20
Associated species: Pinus palustris; Quercus geminata; Quercus hemisphaerica; Quercus myrtifolia; Quercus nigra; Magnolia grandiflora; Ilex vomitoria; Morella cerifera; Serenoa repens; Rhododendron chapmanii; Cartrema americana; Lyonia lucida; Smilax auriculata; Vitis sp.
Comment: Inkberry is a multistemmed woody, upright to rounded, broadleaf evergreen shrub, 2-8’ tall, forming thickets or colonies. Grows beside swamps, bogs, seepage slopes, or pine flatwoods. Leaves glossy, dark green, 1” to 1.5”, ovate to elliptic, alternate, simple, flat; margins entire, with several teeth near the slightly acute apex. Flowers greenish-yellowish white, fairly inconspicuous; plants dioecious; male plants have flowers in cymes while the female plants flowers in either cymes or produced singly, May to June. Fruit 3/8” (pea-sized), jet black berries, October-November, often lasting into December. Common. Fruit collected from approximately 20 plants. NOTE: Rhododendron chapmanii site.
Collector(s):