Gaylussacia tomentosa

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Gaylussacia tomentosa
Gaylussacia tomentosa AAP.jpg
Photo by the [ Atlas of Alabama Plants Database]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida - Dicots
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Gaylussacia
Species: G. tomentosa
Binomial name
Gaylussacia tomentosa
(A. Gray)
GAYL TOME DIST.JPG
Natural range of Gaylussacia tomentosa from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common Name(s): hairytwig huckleberry[1], hairy dangleberry[2]

Taxonomic Notes

Synonym(s): G. frondosa (Linnaeus) Torrey & A. Gray ex Torrey var. tomentosa A. Gray;[1][2] Decachaena tomentosa (Pursh ex Small) Small[2]

Description

G. tomentosa is a dioecious perennial shrub.[1] It grows low and spreads locally via underground stems. Leaves are 2.5-7 cm (1-2.8 in) long, leathery, oblong or elliptic, and obtuse and apiculate at the apex. Pedicels are 1-1.5 cm (0.39-0.59 in) long and the calyx is glabrous and about 3.5 mm (0.14 in) wide. It is typically found in sandy soils.[3]

Distribution

Its primary distribution extends north from central peninsular Florida to central Georgia and southern South Carolina and westward to southwestern Alabama.[1][2] Occurrences have also been reported in a southern county of North Carolina and a northern county in Georgia.[1]

Ecology

Habitat

This species inhabits pine flatwoods, sandhills, and xeric coastal fringe sandhills.[2]

Phenology

G. tomentosa has been observed to flower from March through May.[2][4] Fruits mature afterwards from June through August[2][3]

Fire ecology

In Osceola National Forest, Florida, a burn frequency of 2 years yielded the greatest coverage of G. tomentosa, although it remained present in the 1 and 4 year fire interval treatments as well.[5]

Conservation and Management

Cultivation and restoration

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 USDA, NRCS. (2016). The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 20 December 2017). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Weakley A. S.(2015). Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Herbarium.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Small J. K. (1897). Shrubs and trees of the southern states. –II. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 24(9):437-445.
  4. Nelson, G. PanFlora: Plant data for the eastern United States with emphasis on the Southeastern Coastal Plains, Florida, and the Florida Panhandle. www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ Accessed: 20 DEC 2017
  5. Glitzenstein J. S., Streng D. R., and Wade D. D. (2003). Fire frequency effects on longleaf pine (Pinus palustris P. Miller) vegetation in South Carolina and northeast Florida, USA. Natural Areas Journal 23(1):22-37