Es. Menges et al., Microhabitat of the narrow Florida scrub endemic Dicerandra christmanii, with comparisons to its congener D-frutescens, J TORREY B, 126(1), 1999, pp. 24-31
We characterized the microhabitats of the endemic Florida scrub plant Dicer
andra christmanii in comparison to random points in the same abandoned sand
road and random points in adjoining mature oak scrub lacking plants. We al
so compared microhabitat preferences of D. christmanii to its endemic, allo
patric congener D. frutescens, a plant with a similar life history growing
in similar habitats. Plants of D. christmanii occur in microhabitats with s
ignificantly more open canopies, shorter shrubs, and lower litter cover and
depth than random points in the scrub. Random points in the abandoned road
had intermediate microhabitats. D. christmanii had similar quadrat occupan
cy patterns across gradients of litter depth and cover as its congener. How
ever, it occurred less often than D. frutescens under closed canopies and n
ear tall shrubs. The microhabitat preferred by D. christmanii (canopy cover
< 60%, shrub height < 3m, litter cover < 80%, litter depth < 2 cm) is abse
nt in mature oak scrub unburned for several decades. Suitable microhabitat
can probably be provided by periodic prescribed fire or other disturbances
that temporarily remove shrub cover and litter, although the response of D.
christmanii to these treatments has not been studied.