baldeagle's Identifications

Key to the invasive privets:
https://www.cavs.msstate.edu/publications/docs/2010/03/6587IPSM-D-09-00060.1.pdf

1b .Leaves less than 7.5 cm long
2a . Branchlets and leaves smooth, usually glossy . . .................................. L. ovalifolium
2b .Branchlets minutely hairy
3a . Leaf blades narrowly oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate-elliptic or narrowly obovate, usually broadest slightly
above the middle; flowers sessile to subsessile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... L. quihoui*
3b .Leaf blades variously shaped; flowers sessile to pedicellate
4a . Inflorescence terminal and lateral; corolla tube equal to or exserted from the calyx tube . . . . L. sinense*
4b . Inflorescence terminal; corolla tube distinctly exserted from the calyx tube.

On this specimen, it is difficult to see the "minutely hairy," but the branchlets certainly are not glossy. This species is also partially deciduous, and it can be seen that the leaves are not present for choice 3. What is apparent, though is choice 4: in addition to the fruit cluster at the end of the branch (terminal) there are also fruit clusters growing out the sides of the branch (lateral).

This is the common, ubiquitous invasive privet in Greenville. Glossy privet is also present (see observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/145986506), but in lesser numbers.

I had a feeling it was invasive, because it just didn't seem to "fit" in the landscape, but I was surprised that it came out to privet because it looks so different from the privet that I am used to -- the leaves are much bigger and evergreen.

The key in Petrides (1972):

Simple, opposite leaves

1 . Erect trees and shrubs:
2 . Leaves not toothed, although sometimes wavy-edged:
3. Leaves not heart-shaped:
4 . Papery scales not present at twig bases:
6 . Leaves with veins only slightly, if at all, following the leaf edges:
9 . Buds otherwise [i.e., not Viburnum]; bundle scars 1-3; evergreen or not:
MISCELLANEOUS

This narrowed it down to Kalmia, Ligustrum, Cephalanthus, Borrichia, Calycanthus, Chionanthus, Osmanthus, Buckleya, Nestronia, Decodon, Symphoricarpos, Hypericum, Shepherdia, or Leiophyllum. All except Ligustrum were easily ruled out by reading the individual descriptions.

This invasive privet is present in lesser numbers than the ubiquitous Chinese privet (see observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/146358298).

This plant was mostly green at the tip of its height while the rest of the bottom of the plant its leaves had browned. There was also some plants that looked similar to this one but didnt have the long browned leaves that made the majority of its height. Those plants mostly looked like a spikey bush. The leaves on the spikey bush were also mostly green some of the bushes had browned completely. There was also a long structure that shoot out of the plant. It looked like it could've had flowers if it was healthy and not browning.