Hirsute huckleberry

Lasiococcus mosieri (Small) Small

Plants 3-10(-15) dm, forming small to extensive colonies; branches somewhat spreading; twigs of current season pale green, often finely glandular-hairy (hairs reddish). Leaves: petiole 1-2 mm; blade pale green abaxially, green adaxially, ovate to oblong, 2.5-5 × 0.7-2.5 cm, subcoriaceous, base cuneate, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse, surfaces stipitate-glandular-hairy and eglandular-hairy (hairs relatively shorter), abaxial surface also sessile-glandular. Inflorescences spreading, 4-8-flowered, bracteate, 3-6 cm, often glandular-hairy (hairs silvery-silky, reddish, 1-1.5 mm); bracts persistent, leaflike, 5-12 mm at maturity, longer than pedicels, hairy and stipitate-glandular-hairy. Pedicels 5-7 mm, stipitate-glandular-hairy; bracteoles 1-2, 3-6 mm. Flowers: sepals 5, 2-3 mm, stipitate-glandular-hairy (hairs 1-1.5 mm); petals 4-5, corolla white or pinkish, campanulate, 6.5-8.5 mm (averaging 7.4 mm), lobes triangular, 1.2-1.7 mm; filaments 3-4 mm, glabrous; anthers included, 2.5-4.3 mm, thecae divergent distally; ovary stipitate-glandular-hairy (hairs 1-1.5 mm). Drupes juicy, sweet, glossy black, 6-9 mm diam., stipitate-glandular-hairy (hairs to 1 mm). Seeds 2-2.3 mm.

Flowering spring. Pitcher plant bogs, hillside seepage bogs, wet pine savannas and flatwoods; 0-100 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss.

Gaylussacia mosieri is an eastern Gulf coastal plain endemic found in Sarracenia-dominated seepage bogs; it is related to G. bigeloviana, G. dumosa, and G. orocola and is easily distinguished by the glandular hairs on the hypanthium, bracts, pedicels, and twigs: 1-1.5 mm versus less than 0.5 mm for the other three species.