Favoritos de bbk-htx

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.

Magnified pictures added, showing the fine, golden pubescence on the twigs, buds, and undersides of the leaves. The hairs on redbay are not really visible by eye; the leaf undersides feel smooth. Swamp bay (P. palustris) leaves have more long and shaggy pubescence. 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. Compare to swamp bay, here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/15019191

Sand pine & coastal chenier forest. This is same plant as https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36170690. Just verifying species ID. On "thumbnail test," a stringy vein pulled away when edge of leaf pulled off (so it's either S. laurifolia or S. auriculata), and berries had 2 seeds (so it's not S. laurifolia, which has one seed).

Smilax characters, "thumbnail test" showing marginal vein in S auriculata when edge of leaf is pulled away by a thumbnail. See also https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18649238
(Although other Smilax, such as S. bona-nox, may have a vein embedded in the margin, it's much more delicate and usually breaks easily with this test rather than remaining as a string. Try two or three leaves if you're not sure.)

Mexican Plum found growing in young but thick swampy woodland along east side of County Road 309 near Hinkle's Ferry TX. Nearby are two smaller specimens. At time of photos, the specimen had lost many leaves, and those remaining were bedraggled. Right-most photos were added on 10- and 17-Feb-2019, when specimen was found in bloom.