Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Magnoliids: Laurales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Tamala palustris
FAMILY
Lauraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
You may also want to check Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina
Learn more about Swamp Redbay from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Persea palustris
FAMILY
Lauraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Persea palustris
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 084-01-001?:
Persea borbonia FAMILY Lauraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Tamala pubescens
(?) -
Persea borbonia var. pubescens
COMMON NAME:
Swamp Redbay, Swamp Bay
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico) (Sargent, 1905) mtna_i_390
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_pepu19_001_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm160416_205
April Lowndes County GA
The hairs of T. palustris leaves are a distinctly different character than those of T. borbonia, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
JK Marlow jkm160416_209
April Lowndes County GA
The newly emerged leaves contrast sharply with those that have overwintered.
)
JK Marlow jkm160416_210
April Lowndes County GA
Crushed leaves have a fragrance similar to the related commercial bay leaf, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
)
Will Stuart wil_8703627629_369141b06b
May Chesterfield County SC
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
Lvs abaxially densely pubescent when young w rusty brown erect crisped hairs, per Flora of North America.
)
Will Stuart wil_9079913593_687bea71dc
June Chesterfield County SC
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
The outer 3 perianth segments about 2mm long, the inner about 1mm long, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
)
Will Stuart wil_9079934375_592532f1b3
June Chesterfield County SC
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
The flower buds develop in clusters on very red-hairy young stems. — Will Stuart
)
JK Marlow jkm090717_054
July Georgetown County SC
Hobcaw Barony
Leaf blade ovate to elliptic; leaf surface adaxially green, lustrous, per Flora of North America.
)
JK Marlow jkm090717_140
July Georgetown County SC
Hobcaw Barony
)
JK Marlow jkm090717_142
July Georgetown County SC
Hobcaw Barony
)
Will Stuart wil_9047993513_c64d737082
September Columbus County NC
Lake Waccamaw State Park
Pubescence of underside of mature leaves shaggy, rusty, abundant on main veins, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Tamala palustris
FAMILY
Lauraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Persea palustris
FAMILY
Lauraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Persea palustris
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 084-01-001?:
Persea borbonia
FAMILY
Lauraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Tamala pubescens
(?)
-
Persea borbonia var. pubescens
2313
Shrub; Tree
Perennial
Habitat: swamps, pocosins, bay forests, maritime forests, generally in wet peaty soils, but also in fairly dry, sandy soils in maritime forests, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Alternate
Margins entire
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Yellowish
Radially symmetrical
3-merous
6 persistent tepals
9-12 stamens (inner 3 sterile)
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Flowers in compact clusters in axillary stalks
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Blue/Black
Drupe
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p418
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p501
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p414
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007) p229
- Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia (Chafin, 2007) p193
- Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988) p213
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p230
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