Field Report by Michele Dani Sanchez, Ph.D.
Wild seed collecting fieldwork for Stewartia ovata was conducted in South Carolina in September across multiple populations in Sumter National Forest along the Chattooga River. A newly identified population will be surveyed early next year for inclusion in GIS, with plans to collect seed in a future season.
This year’s collections represent an important contribution to the conservation of South Carolina populations. A total of 1,488 seeds were collected from three populations. At Ellicott Rock Wilderness, 312 seeds from 14 maternal lines were collected. At Woodall Shoals, 306 seeds from 5 maternal lines were collected. At Thrifts Ferry, 870 seeds from 15 maternal lines were collected.
All seeds were cleaned, dried, and stored at the South Carolina Botanical Garden Seed Bank. Seeds from all three populations were also shared with the Polly Hill Arboretum (MA) for the National Stewartia ex-situ collection.
Photos from the fieldwork include images from all three collection sites, as well as a small mouse observed feeding on Stewartia fruits at Thrifts Ferry.
Photos by Martin Hamilton and Michele Dani Sanchez.
