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: 29.7756, -85.2740
(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 2%. Aspect: Northeast. Elevation: 20 feet.
Number of plants sampled: 20
Associated species: Pinus palustris; Quercus geminata; Quercus hemisphaerica; Quercus myrtifolia; Quercus nigra; Magnolia grandiflora; Ilex vomitoria; Ilex glabra; Morella cerifera; Serenoa repens; Rhododendron chapmanii; Cartrema americana; Lyonia lucida; Smilax auriculata; Vitis sp.
Comment: Rusty staggerbush is a long-lived evergreen shrub, varying from small, suckering, and colony forming to large, 4 to 15 or more feet tall. Taller specimens have a characteristically windswept look with wildly crooked trunks and a broad, open, rounded crown. Native to Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina in scrub, scrubby flatwoods, xeric hammocks, and moist pine flatwoods. Leaves alternate, 1/2” to 3”, leathery, elliptic to oblanceolate; they emerge rusty colored and mature to dark olive green with rusty pubescence, especially prominent on lower surface; margins entire, flat or undulate, revolute; apex acute to obtuse. Bark grayish-whitish and brown, striated, exfoliating. Flowers white, fascicles developing from buds beyond or intermixed with vegetative buds on previous year’s growth, in late winter to early spring. Fruit is a small oval capsule, hairy, in fall and into early winter. Common. Seed collected from approximately 20 plants. Could make a highly unique, architecturally interesting specimen for the waterwise and native gardening communities.
Collector(s):