We believe this plant has never been found since its original discovery by William Bartram. All the plants known are only those under culture. We found on a recent visit to the Bartram Gardens that the original tree had disappeared. In his travels Bartram gives the following account of the location: - "I set off early in the morning for the Indian trading-house, on the river St. Mary, and took the road up the north-east side of the Alatahama to Fort Barrington. I passed through a well inhabited district, mostly rice plantations, on the waters of Cathead Creek, a branch of the Alatahama. On drawing near the fort, I was delighted at the appearance of two new beautiful shrubs in all their blooming graces. One of them appeared to be a species of Gordonia, but the flowers are larger and more fragrant than those of Gordonia lasianthus."