Lyonia ligustrina|male-berry|Ericaceae

Lyonia ligustrina .Janet Novak.ct.botanical-society.org

Lyonia ligustrina is a shrub to 4 m tall, usually much shorter; roots associated with highly specialized ascomycota ericoid mycorrhizae, (Allen1991).

Leaves alternate, to 7 cm long, widest above middle, tip pointed, margins minutely toothed.

Flowers white, vase-shaped, numerous, to 0.5 cm long; inflorescence umbrella-shaped, branched, at ends of stems; blooms June-July.

Fruit dry, rounded with pale stripes, 0. 4 cm, numerous, eventually splitting open along stripes to disperse seeds, persistent through winter, seeds wind dispersed.

Wetland status: FACW.

Frequency in NYC: Infrequent.

Origin: Native.

Lyonia ligustrina.fruit.© 2002. Janet Novak.ct-botanical-society.org

Habitat: Understory shrub in undisturbed swamp forests, pond edges, oak forests, acid soil, pH 4-6. Tolerant of flooding, salt, drought, soil compaction. Moderately shade tolerant (Hightshoe 1988).

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Lyonia ligustrina male-berry Ericaceae LYLI; R, h, is, lp, t, w;