- First described
- 2022
- Type
- single clone
Origin
A S. rubra clone Mike obtained via a contact, reportedly from the same Tattnall Co, GA site as the rare Tattnall Co venosa purpurea. Mike has visited the site and did not see ancestral rubras there himself, so presence is per-contact rather than direct observation.
Subspecies controversy
Mike labels it "ancestral" but the source thread immediately drew pushback: forum member alexis says no published record places ancestrals in Tattnall (only an extirpated Montgomery Co site, two counties away) and that the plants look like ssp. rubra — and acalvin agrees. The ID should be treated as unsettled [VERIFY].
Standout traits
- Compact, well-shaped plant.
- Color and form lean toward ssp. rubra per multiple observers.
History
First documented 2022-10-05 (post #1, id=49087). Mike's stated next step is heavy propagation; he draws an analogy to the Tattnall venosa, where ex-situ numbers now exceed in-situ, reducing wild- collection pressure.
Standout traits
- Compact, beautiful overall form.
- Looks more like S. rubra ssp. rubra than other 'ancestral' forms — opinions differ in the thread.
Cultivation
Mike's stated next step is to propagate-the-F-out-of this clone. Notes that ex-situ population for the related Tattnall purpurea ssp. venosa now greatly exceeds the wild population, reducing collection pressure on the site.
Photos (3)
Naming
Mike labels this 'ancestral' (Atlantic-coastal pre-rubra-radiation form), though forum members alexis and acalvin both note the plant looks more like ssp. rubra; alexis reports no published mention of ancestrals in Tattnall (only an extirpated site in Montgomery Co, two counties away).