elliotprout 的最愛

Swamp bay trees on the Econfina River State Park. Many of the young trees were resprouting from the base of trees that were killed by laurel wilt disease (which I will document in a separate observation).

Magnified pictures added, to show the shaggy pubescence on the twigs, buds, petioles, and undersides of the leaves that distinguishes this species from redbay (Persea borbonia). The tongue is sensitive enough to detect this; if you lick the underside of a leaf (trust me), on swamp bay it will feel velvety-fuzzy. The undersides of redbay leaves will feel smooth against the tongue.

Variety tuberosa, with typical morphology of the clayhill-high pine ecotype, with cuneate leaves, occasional weakly hastate leaves, and crispate margins. This ecotype is not present in sandhills south of region on the escarpment.