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Project Noah Nature School
Diamorpha smallii
Plants reddish, succulent. Leaves fleshy, blades obtuse & nearly circular. Leaves at first crowded in a winter rosette, then alternate cauline. Spring flowers are white with four sepals, four petals, and eight stamens.
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia; Uncommon (rare in Mountains); Habitat is thin gravel and sand of vernal pools on flat granitic and sandstone rocks, sandy flats; 100-600 m; Ala., Ga., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Va. This one was observed at Heggies Rock near Appling (Columbia County), GA.
Although bees also carry the pollen, the main pollinators of Diamorpha seem to be ants of two common species, Formica schaufussi Mayr and F. subsericea Say.
Spotted on Mar 31, 2013
Submitted on Apr 3, 2013
1 Comment
Would not mind a ground cover like that, it is absolutely beautiful!!