Hamamelis ovalis

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

Species Distribution Map
Family:HAMAMELIDACEAE
Species:Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
Common Name:Leonard's Witch Hazel
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Leonard's Witch Hazel is a native deciduous shrub in the Witch-Hazel family (Hamamelidaceae). It is found in south Alabama. Leonard's Witch Hazel grows in hardwood or mixed pine/hardwood forests on mesic slopes. S. W. Leonard described this new species of Witch Hazel from specimens he collected on Camp Shelby in the Desoto National Forest, Perry County Mississippi in 2004 (Sida 22: 850. 2006). Brian Keener first reported this species as new to Alabama in 2010 from populations originally discovered by Wayne K. Webb. (Castanea 75: 500. 2010). It has since been documented from seven counties in southwest Alabama. Leonard's Witch Hazel is a multi-trunked shrub reaching heights of 15-20 feet, though most plants are only a few feet tall. The leaves are alternate, ovate in outline, with crenate (rounded teeth) margins. The flowers are produced between late December and February. Flowers are red or orange red in color. Each flower has four strap-shaped petals. The fruit is a woody capsule that explosively ejects the seed when it splits. The seed may be ejected several yards from the plant. Leonard's Witch Hazel differs from our common Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana Linnaeus) by having larger, more rounded leaves. The flowers are red or orange instead of the clear lemon yellow of common Witch Hazel, and it flowers in the late winter instead of autumn. So how did this plant go undiscovered for so long? It is much less common than our other species of Witch Hazel, and often grows in remote, difficult to access areas. The flowering time (February) also makes it less likely that a botanist would be out collecting. Plus, if you see the plant when it is not in flower, it is easy to dismiss it as a common Witch Hazel with unusually large leaves. Leonard's Witch Hazel is commercially available from some native plant nurseries. It prefers a semi-shaded location with moist loamy soil.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:This species was first reported as new to Alabama by Keener in 2010. The report and subsequent collections were made from populations originally discovered by Wayne K. Webb. Castanea 75: 500. 2010.
Status:Native
References:**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyHAMAMELIDACEAE - Witch-Hazel family
Genus Hamamelis
Species Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard - Leonard's Witch Hazel

Citation

Citation Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard, Sida 22(2): 850–855, f. 1–2. 2006.
Basionym: **
Type: USA: MISSISSIPPI: Perry Co.: shallow ravine in mixed pine-hardwoods near headwaters of Garraway Creek, Camp Shelby Training Area T-17, Compartment 96, DeSoto National Forest, T2N, R11W, Sec. 6, NE1/4, 7 Jul 2004, S.W. Leonard 11073 (holotype: MO; isotypes: FSU, NCU, NY).

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

No synonyms exist for this species.

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: Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Monroe, Wilcox

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, SAMF, TROY, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: -

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.		 Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used		 Image
UWAL0014160 Conecuh 28 Jul 2013 Diamond, Alvin R.
24398		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0007931 Crenshaw 05 Oct 2011 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000034387 Monroe 18 Oct 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5642		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
AUA000031601 Covington 6 May 2011 Hansen, Curtis J.
5025		 AUA
Hamamelis Ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0006106 Covington 18 Oct 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5654		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0014749 Crenshaw 19 Oct 2012 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0012437 Butler 21 Sep 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
23391		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
AUA_ACC_70811 Clarke 28 Aug 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5609		 AUA
Hamamelis Ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000041780 Crenshaw 19 Oct 2012 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000034194 Clarke 28 Aug 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5609		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000035643 Butler 21 Sep 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
23391		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
SAMF0001397 Monroe 18 Oct 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5642		 SAMF
Hamamelis ovalis S. W. Leonard
TROY000046679 Covington 06 May 2011 Hansen, Curtis J.
5025		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000039048 Conecuh 09 Jan 2014 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
ALNHS00002657 Monroe 9 May 2014 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1348		 ALNHS
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0010284 Clarke 28 Aug 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5598		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000033869 Crenshaw 01 Oct 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22614		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000038187 Conecuh 28 Jul 2013 Diamond, Alvin R.
24398		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000033884 Crenshaw 05 Oct 2011 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
ALNHS00002636 Monroe 9 May 2014 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1348		 ALNHS
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0006107 Monroe 18 Oct 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5642		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0015217 Wilcox 09 Jan 2014 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0015218 Conecuh 09 Jan 2014 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000034381 Covington 18 Oct 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5654		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0007775 Crenshaw 01 Oct 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22614		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0006108 Monroe 20 Jan 2010 Diamond, Alvin R.
21129		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
ALNHS00003189 Monroe 15 Jul 2010 Barger, T. Wayne
RH-1		 ALNHS
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000039006 Wilcox 09 Jan 2014 Webb, Wayne K.
s.n.		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
TROY000030589 Monroe 20 Jan 2010 Diamond, Alvin R.
21129		 TROY
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
UWAL0003002 Clarke 28 Aug 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5609		 UWAL
Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard
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