Ceratiola ericoides from Jeff SC

Aiken SC on University of South Carolina Campus. Located in a sparse, hilly, sunny, kaolin soil, possibly once planted pines cleared 10 or more years ago. Picture taken December 2nd 2021. Appears to have needles as leaves, evergreen.

Hi Jeff,

this is a wonderful and uncommon shrub often called rosemary locally, but it is not related to the cultivated rosemary.  It just looks a bit like it. It is Ceratiola ericoides, usually found in xeric turkey oak woods. It is dioecious, and I suppose, the only member of its family in South Carolina, the Empetraceae.  Good find!

Sincerely,

Dr. Steven Hill, Botanist, SCNPS

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