When collecting my data on the Callicarpa using the systematic method, the only difficulty I had was identifying the species of fern around it to document. This challenge arose due to the vast diversity of fern species and their intricate features. However, with the assistance of a nature guide and plant identification apps, we were able to accurately identify and document the fern species associated with the Callicarpa. The data collected was surprising to me because, before doing a count of the callicarpa, I thought there was only one kind of callicarpa growing in this ecosystem until going farther in the forest. I plan to continue with my sampling technique of counting the number of Callicarpa spotted on each side of the trails.
I will be interested to see what apps you use and how long it took you to identify species. I’m guessing there were no issues with your sample unit size, it seems to be capturing the information you need.