Deciduous shrub
General Habitat: Found in steeply sloping land containing stands of deciduous hardwood trees more typically found to the north. The present populations are possibly remnants of a vegetative distribution which developed during the Pleistocene period and remain stable. The species is found along Stevens Creek, 1.5 mi (2.4km) northeast of Clarks Hill, McCormick County, South Carolina. The population covers approximately 35 acres (14 hectares) and runs into the hundreds. This population seems to be stable.
General Description: The Miccosukee Gooseberry is a spiny- stemmed shrub growing to 3.2ft (1m) in height and forming clumps that often measure several meters in diameter. This plant has three-lobed leaves that measure approximately 1.0in (2.5cm) long. The flowers are greenish-white and small, 0.5in (15-20mm) long. The fruits are spiny and measure up to 0.5in (22mm) in diameter. The plant sheds most leaves in the summer and new leaves emerge in the autumn and over-winter. Flowering occurs in March and April and fruits mature in May to July. Reproduction is from seeds and also occurs asexually by the rooting of stem tips when they touch soil.Seed dispersal and pollinators have not been studied
