Sabatia calycina

Sabatia calycina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Gentianaceae
Genus:	Sabatia
Species:	S. calycina
Binomial name
Sabatia calycina (Lam.) A. Heller
Natural range of Sabatia calycina from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: coastal rose gentian

Ecology

Habitat

In the Coastal Plain in Florida, S. calycina can be found in floodplains, clearings along floodplains, hydric hammocks, riparian mixed hardwood communities, mucky soil of spring runs, wooded areas along rivers, hardwood swamps, and pine-palm woodlands (FSU Herbarium). Soils include sandy loam, moist loam, and loamy sand (FSU Herbarium).

Associated species include Acer, Taxodium, Nyssa, bald cypress, American elm, and dwarf palmetto (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

It has been observed to flower in June and October and fruit in June, July and October (FSU Herbarium).

Use by animals

Studies conducted with animals

To determine which seed species are preferred by fire ants, we set up a cafeteria-style experiment in which we presented fire ants with seeds of native species and recorded the rate of removal in eight separate trials. However, several species... Sabatia calycina and...were discontinued after one or two trials due to lack of interest by ants even after extended periods of exposure (Cumberland et al 2013)

References and notes

Cumberland, Margaret S. and L. Katherine Kirkman. 2013. The effects of the red imported fire ant on seeds fate in the longleaf pine ecosystem. Plant Ecology 214:717-724.