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Gordonia lasianthus (Linnaeus) J. Ellis. Loblolly Bay, Gordonia, Tan Bay, Black Laurel. Phen: Jul-Sep; Sep-Oct. Hab: Pocosins, bayheads, acidic, organic-rich swamp forests, wet pine savannas, bay forests. Dist: Ne. NC south to s. peninsular FL, west to s. MS (Sorrie & Leonard 1999), a Southeastern Coastal Plain endemic.

ID notes: Trees almost always have a few orange-red leaves at whatever season. The toothed margin immediately separates Gordonia from other "bays": Magnolia and Tamala.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Other Comments: Peat-filled Carolina bays and large peat dome pocosins from se. VA to e. GA typically have Gordonia as an important tree, surpassed in abundance and importance only by Pinus serotina. On deep peats, Gordonia individuals are stunted and reach sizes hardly larger than pocosin shrubs.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl5, FNA8, GW2, K1, K3, K4, RAB, S, S13, WH3

Links to other floras: = Gordonia lasianthus - FNA8

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW

Heliophily ⓘ: 6

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image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Karen Guin, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Karen Guin source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plantno rights reserved, uploaded by Daniel Estabrooks source CC0 | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: gordonia lasianthus, along highway us 17, glynn county, georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Jay Horn source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

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