Geobalanus oblongifolius

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:CHRYSOBALANACEAE
Species:Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michx.) Small
Common Name:Gopher Apple; Ground Oak
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Gopher Apple is a native shrub in the Coco-Plum family (Chrysobalanaceae). It is native to the southern third of Alabama. Gopher Apple occurs in sand hills, scrub oak woods, xeric Longleaf pine woods, on dunes, and on roadside banks. It is a woody shrub that is extensively colonial from stout underground stems. Stems are from 6 inches to 1 foot in height. Leaves are alternate, oblong to spatulate in outline, with entire or undulate margins. The leaves are thick with raised reticulate veins. The upper leaf surface is glabrous and shiny, the lower surface is dull and either glabrous or pubescent. Flowers are produced in a terminal panicle of cymes. The flower stalks and calyx are densely pubescent. Flowers are radially symmetrical and have five sepals and five white petals. The fruit is a large white drupe. The fruit of Gopher Apple are consumed by Gopher Tortoises and other wildlife. They are also edible for humans, and have a slightly sweet pulp. Gopher Apple is occasionally available from wildflower nurseries. It works well as a low ground cover, especially in dry, nutrient poor soils. Gopher Apple can also be grown from seed.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyCHRYSOBALANACEAE - Coco-Plum family
Genus Geobalanus
Species Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michx.) Small - Gopher Apple; Ground Oak

Citation

Citation Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michaux) Small, Fl. Miami 81, 200. 1913.
Basionym: Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michx. 1803.
Type: USA: GEORGIA: Without data, Michaux s.n. (holotype: P).

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Chrysobalanus incanus Chrysobalanus incanus Rafinesque, New Fl. 3: 26. 1838 ("1836"). FLORIDA: Without data, Michaux s.n. (lectotype: P). Lectotypified by Prance, Fl. Neotrop. 9: 42. 1972.
Chrysobalanus retusus Chrysobalanus retusus Rafinesque, New Fl. 3: 26. 1838 ("1836"). ALABAMA/GEORGIA: Without data, Nuttall s.n. (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by Prance, Fl. Neotrop. 9: 42. 1972.
Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 283. 1803. : GEORGIA: Without data, Michaux s.n. (holotype: P).
Geobalanus pallidus Geobalanus pallidus Small, Fl. Miami 81, 200. 1913. FLORIDA: Miami-Dade Co.: Between Cocoanut Grove and Cutler, 31 Oct-4 Nov 1903, Small & Carter 711 (holotype: NY).
Licania michauxii Licania michauxii Prance, J. Arnold Arbor. 51(4): 526. 1970.REPLACED: Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux 1803. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Houston, Mobile, Washington

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1881 - 1994

Barcode / Accession No.
County
Coll. Date
Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
AUA000041891 Baldwin 7 Aug 1925 WOLF, WOLFGANG
 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA000041857 Baldwin 5 Jul 1926 WOLF, WOLFGANG
2583		 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA_ACC_2601 Baldwin 15 May 1955 SCHARNAGEL, J.
 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA_ACC_10183 Baldwin 12 May 1962 PARKER, W.D.
 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA_ACC_4473 Baldwin May 1964 CREEL, JOHN
 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA_ACC_12323 Baldwin 1 May 1965 KOELLING, ALFRED C.
2250		 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA_ACC_5971 Baldwin 15 Jun 1968 BURTTRAM, A.KENNETH
 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA_ACC_11332 Baldwin 27 Jul 1968 SCARSBROOK, ELLEN
 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
AUA_ACC_61877 Baldwin 27 Jul 1968 BURTTRAM, A.KENNETH
 AUA
LICANIA MICHAUXII PRANCE
JSU118887 Baldwin 20 Aug 1968 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.		 JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
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