BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Lyonia ligustrina | Maleberry 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Maleberry is a native, branching shrub with longitudinally furrowed bark
[14,28].  The typical variety is deciduous but L. l. var. foliosiflora
may retain its leaves for much of the year [12,14].  Maleberry grows to
13 feet (4 m) in height.  The fruit is a five-valved dry capsule.  The
seeds are 0.03 to 0.07 inches (0.7-1.7 mm) long [14,28].

Aerial stems arise from branched rhizomes to form maleberry clones.  The
aerial stems may be as much as 13 feet (4 m) apart on the rhizomes.  The
woody rhizomes are usually 0.13 to 0.38 inches (0.3-1.0 cm) in diameter.
They are generally confined to the humus layer and the top 2 inches (5
cm) of the A1 soil horizon.  Roots are generally confined to the same
soil level as the rhizomes, but may extend as deep as 4 inches (10 cm)
[19].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Geophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Maleberry regenerates by vegetative reproduction and seed.  It
reproduces vegetatively after disturbance by sprouting from rhizomes
[13].  Maleberry probably colonizes new sites by animal-dispersed seed [2].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Maleberry is adapted to a wide range of ecological conditions from dry
rocky sites to just above the standing water in bogs and swamps [13].
The typical variety occurs from sea level to nearly 6,500 feet (2,000 m)
elevation.  Lyonia ligustrina var. foliosiflora occurs to 1,000 feet
(300 m) elevation [14].

Maleberry primarily grows on acidic, organic soils [13,16], but it grows
on sandy soils as well [6,12,28].

Maleberry is a facultative phreatophyte; its roots extend to the water
table in lowland areas but do not reach the water table in upland areas
[19].  The typical variety occurs on both moist and dry sites whereas L.
l. var. foliosiflora occurs primarily on moist sites [14].  In the
Okefenokee Swamp on the border of Georgia and Florida, L. l. var.
foliosiflora occurs on relatively high, dry sites [5].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Maleberry is intermediate in shade tolerance but grows best in light [13].

During primary succession, maleberry does not appear in tree island
communities in the Okefenokee Swamp until islands have been occupied by
woody species for 30 to 45 years.  On the islands, maleberry is most
abundant on old-growth sites, and typically does not occur in places
lacking an almost complete canopy [5].

In the Appalachian Mountains, maleberry occurs in stable heath bald
communities which are resistant to tree invasion.  These communities may
have formerly supported trees but shrub species became dominant after
disturbance [29].

In New Hampshire, maleberry occurs in a mid- to late-successional forest
of white oak (Quercus alba), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and
sassafras (Sassafras albidum) [22].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Maleberry flowers from late April to early July [14], and fruits from
September to October [23].

Related categories for Species: Lyonia ligustrina | Maleberry