{
 "scientific_name": "Morella caroliniensis",
 "common_name": "Southern Bayberry",
 "family": "Myricaceae",
 "genus": "Morella",
 "slug": "morella-caroliniensis",
 "region": "North Carolina",
 "also_known_as": [
  "Myrica heterophylla"
 ],
 "nc_state_rank": "S5",
 "nc_status": null,
 "invasive_rank": null,
 "caterpillar_species_on_genus_nc": 71,
 "single_host_specialists_on_genus_nc": 3,
 "genus_percentile_among_nc_natives": 0.954,
 "wetland_indicator": "FAC",
 "wetland_indicator_listed": true,
 "ph_range": [
  4.5,
  7.0
 ],
 "factors_measured": [
  "caterpillars",
  "bees",
  "specialists",
  "birds",
  "structure"
 ],
 "sources": [
  {
   "name": "Vascular Plants of North Carolina, plant list export 2026-09-01 (LeGrand, Sorrie & Howard)",
   "url": "https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/"
  },
  {
   "name": "Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)",
   "url": "https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1261.160796"
  },
  {
   "name": "Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0",
   "url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18303036"
  },
  {
   "name": "Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0",
   "url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14226492"
  },
  {
   "name": "Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)",
   "url": "https://github.com/hurlbertlab/dietdatabase"
  },
  {
   "name": "USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, growth habit (public domain)",
   "url": "https://plants.usda.gov/"
  },
  {
   "name": "Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications",
   "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19565-4"
  },
  {
   "name": "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Wetland Plant List 2022, Eastern Mountains & Piedmont",
   "url": "https://wetland-plants.sec.usace.army.mil/"
  },
  {
   "name": "USDA NRCS PLANTS Database",
   "url": "https://plants.usda.gov/"
  }
 ],
 "insect_support": {
  "version": "insect-support-1",
  "groups": {
   "ants": {
    "label": "Ants",
    "status": "unknown",
    "recorded_names": [],
    "recorded_name_count": null,
    "flower_visits": [],
    "seed_interactions": [],
    "credit": 0
   },
   "beetles": {
    "label": "Beetles",
    "status": "unknown",
    "recorded_names": [],
    "recorded_name_count": null,
    "flower_visits": [],
    "seed_interactions": [],
    "credit": 0
   },
   "flies": {
    "label": "Flies",
    "status": "unknown",
    "recorded_names": [],
    "recorded_name_count": null,
    "flower_visits": [],
    "seed_interactions": [],
    "credit": 0
   },
   "moths_butterflies": {
    "label": "Adult butterflies / moths",
    "status": "unknown",
    "recorded_names": [],
    "recorded_name_count": null,
    "flower_visits": [],
    "seed_interactions": [],
    "credit": 0
   },
   "other_hymenoptera": {
    "label": "Other wasps",
    "status": "unknown",
    "recorded_names": [],
    "recorded_name_count": null,
    "flower_visits": [],
    "seed_interactions": [],
    "credit": 0
   },
   "other_insects": {
    "label": "Other insects",
    "status": "unknown",
    "recorded_names": [],
    "recorded_name_count": null,
    "flower_visits": [],
    "seed_interactions": [],
    "credit": 0
   }
  },
  "credit": 0,
  "maximum_credit": 5,
  "interpretation": "One provisional point per additional documented insect group, capped at five. Flower visits are a resource-use proxy, not confirmed feeding or pollination. Missing evidence is unknown. Study volume and repeated records earn no extra credit."
 },
 "baseline_genus_score": 73,
 "insect_credit_applied": 0,
 "quercus_score": 73,
 "band": "Strong",
 "verdict": null,
 "genus_score": 73,
 "abundance_adjustment": 0,
 "factors": {
  "caterpillars": {
   "value": 71,
   "percentile": 0.955
  },
  "bees": {
   "value": 1,
   "percentile": 0.527
  },
  "specialists": {
   "value": 0,
   "percentile": 0.432
  },
  "birds": {
   "value": 18,
   "percentile": 0.96
  },
  "structure": {
   "value": [
    "Shrub",
    "Tree"
   ],
   "percentile": 1.0
  }
 },
 "bees_on_genus_se": 1,
 "specialist_bees_on_genus": 0,
 "birds_on_genus_na": 18,
 "growth_habit": [
  "Shrub",
  "Tree"
 ],
 "observed_caterpillars_nc": null,
 "reason": "Native. The Morella (Myrica in the source data) genus feeds 71 caterpillar species in NC, draws 1 bee species in the Southeast; 18 bird species have recorded feeding interactions with this genus in North America. Strong for caterpillars and birds.",
 "confidence": "5 of 5 factor datasets used; missing records do not prove absence (genus-level)",
 "moisture": "wet or dry ground",
 "light_range": [
  "shade",
  "part sun"
 ],
 "light_source": "USDA PLANTS shade class 'Low', read inverted (coarse)",
 "nc_counties_recorded": 40,
 "nc_counties": [
  "Beaufort",
  "Bertie",
  "Bladen",
  "Carteret",
  "Catawba",
  "Columbus",
  "Craven",
  "Cumberland",
  "Currituck",
  "Dare",
  "Duplin",
  "Franklin",
  "Gaston",
  "Halifax",
  "Harnett",
  "Hertford",
  "Hoke",
  "Hyde",
  "Johnston",
  "Jones",
  "Lee",
  "Lincoln",
  "Martin",
  "Montgomery",
  "Moore",
  "Nash",
  "New Hanover",
  "Northampton",
  "Onslow",
  "Orange",
  "Pasquotank",
  "Pender",
  "Pitt",
  "Richmond",
  "Robeson",
  "Sampson",
  "Scotland",
  "Swain",
  "Wake",
  "Wilson"
 ],
 "fit_inputs": {
  "light": [
   1,
   3
  ],
  "moisture": [
   1,
   3
  ],
  "ph": [
   4.5,
   7.0
  ]
 },
 "fit_status": "not_assessed",
 "hardiness_guidance": null,
 "fit_note": "Yard fit has not been assessed. County occurrences and condition proxies are not proof of local nativity or suitability.",
 "fit_provenance": {
  "counties": "USDA PLANTS: recorded in 40 NC counties",
  "ph": "USDA PLANTS",
  "light": "USDA PLANTS shade class 'Low', read inverted (coarse)",
  "moisture": "USACE wetland occurrence proxy; ; tolerates saturated soil (USDA/Niinemets)"
 },
 "factor_evidence": {
  "caterpillars": "records_present",
  "bees": "records_present",
  "specialists": "no_records_or_unknown",
  "birds": "records_present",
  "structure": "records_present"
 },
 "nc_provinces": [
  "Coastal Plain",
  "Mountains",
  "Piedmont"
 ],
 "search_terms": [
  "Myrica heterophylla",
  "sweet gale",
  "sweet-gale"
 ],
 "display_count_scales": {
  "caterpillars": 496,
  "bees": 176,
  "specialists": 45,
  "birds": 58,
  "insect_ants": 20,
  "insect_beetles": 12,
  "insect_flies": 74,
  "insect_moths_butterflies": 15,
  "insect_other_hymenoptera": 75,
  "insect_other_insects": 5
 },
 "version": "0.6.4",
 "built": "2026-09-24"
}