Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, evergreen
Shape
Oblanceolate to elliptical with an acute apex and tapering base
Margin
Finely serrate or crenate-serrate along the upper half to two-thirds of the blade
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent midrib and visible secondary veins looping near the margins
Key Features
Leathery evergreen leaves with finely serrate margins, tapering bases, alternate arrangement, and association with acidic wetland habitats
Description
Gordonia lasianthus, commonly known as Loblolly Bay, is an attractive evergreen tree native to the acid swamps and wetland margins of the American Southeast. It features dark green, leathery leaves that persist year-round, showy, fragrant white flowers that resemble single camellias, and woody capsule fruits. The tree typically has dark, furrowed bark and a slender, upright form.
Habitat
Wetlands, swamps, bayheads, and damp acidic soils of the southeastern coastal plain
Native Range
Native to the coastal plain of the southeastern United States, ranging from southeastern Virginia south to Florida and west to Louisiana
Notes
In Sumter South Carolina