Difference between revisions of "Persea borbonia"

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===Fire ecology=== <!--Fire tolerance, fire dependence, adaptive fire responses-->

Revision as of 15:19, 17 February 2016

Persea borbonia
Per borb.jpg
Photo by Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia Bugwood.org
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order: Laurales
Family: Lauraceae
Genus: Persea
Species: P. borbonia
Binomial name
Persea borbonia
(L.) Spreng.
Pers borb dist.jpg
Natural range of Persea borbonia from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: redbay

Taxonomic notes

This species has had many scientific names since its discovery. The genus name Persea is derived from a Greek term for a Persian tree with fruits growing from the stem[1].

Redbay is in the order Ranales (formally called Magnoliids). This order includes magnolias, yellow poplars, pawpaws, anise tree, wild cinnamon, and laurels[1].

Description

A description of Persea borbonia is provided in The Flora of North America.

There are five different varieties of redbay in the southeastern U.S., they can be easily differentiated by the flower/fruit stem lengths, and trichomes on the abaxial leaf side[1].

Distribution

The native distribution of redbay includes the Coastal Plain from south Delaware to Florida, west to southeast Texas, with isolated populations in central Texas[2].

Ecology

Habitat

In the Coastal Plain in Florida, P. borbonia has been observed in cabbage palm-live oak hammocks, pine/scrub oak communities, mixed hardwood forests, vegetated shell mounds, tropical evergreen hardwood forests, dune thickets, oak-hickory-magnolia coastal hammocks, and wet pine flatwoods. It has been found in disturbed areas such as bulldozed turkey oak/longleaf pine communities and roadsides (FSU Herbarium). Redbay requires partial to fun sun, plenty of water supply, and root oxygen[1]. It does not tolerate long periods of inundation(Conner and George 1993). Soils are mostly Histosols [3]. It grows in loamy sand, sandy loam, and limestone substrate. Associated species include Gordonia lasianthus, Quercus geminata, Celtis, Exothea paniculata, Xanthoxylum, Fagara, Persea littoralis, Rapanea guianensis, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Plumbago scandens, Bumelia, Forestiera, Rhizophora, Baccharis halimifolia, black cherry and hackberry (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

P. borbonia has been observed flowering April through May and fruiting January through July (FSU Herbarium).

Flowers are perfect and monecious[1]. They flower April through May and fruit January through July (FSU Herbarium). Cross-pollination is required for viable seeds [1].

Seed dispersal

Seeds are dispersed by songbirds, white tailed deer, bobwhite, wild turkeys, and black bears [3].

Seed bank and germination

Fire ecology

Pollination

The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Persea borbonia at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):

Apidae: Apis mellifera, Bombus impatiens, Epeolus zonatus

Colletidae: Colletes banksi, C. brimleyi, C. nudus

Halictidae: Augochlora pura, Augochloropsis metallica, Lasioglossum pectoralis

Sphecidae: Cerceris fumipennis, Tachytes auricomans

Vespidae: Mischocyttarus cubensis, Pachodynerus erynnis, Parancistrocerus salcularis rufulus, Polistes metricus, Zethus spinipes

Use by animals

Diseases and parasites

Conservation and Management

Cultivation and restoration

Photo Gallery

References and notes

Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: October 2015. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Delzie Demaree, R.J. Eaton, J.P. Gillespie, Robert K. Godfrey, Bruce Hansen, R. Komarek, Robert Kral, H. Kurz, O. Lakela, Elbert L. Little Jr., Sidney McDaniel, K.M. Meyer, Richard S. Mitchell, T. Myint, Jackie Patman, Elmer C. Prichard, Gwynn W. Ramsey, James D. Ray Jr., G. Robertson, Cecil R. Slaughter, Annie Schmidt, C.E. Smith, R.R. Smith, R.F. Thorne, A. Townesmith, Rodie White, C.E. Wood, Jean W. Wooten, Richard P. Wunderlin. States and Counties: Florida: Alachua, Brevard, Calhoun, Citrus, Columbia, Dade, Dixie, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Marion, Martin, Nassau, Okaloosa, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Taylor, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton. Georgia: Grady. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 [[1]]Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Accessed: February 20, 2016
  2. [[2]] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Accessed: February 19, 2016
  3. 3.0 3.1 [[3]]Accessed: February 19, 2016