The leaf surface can be either glabrous (i.e. hairless) or hispid (i.e. bristly). This deciduous shrub grows to 3 meters tall, often with glandular, bristly (hispid) stems. The petioled leaves are ovate and serrated are opposite branching, and covered coarse, hispid hairs. The hispid hare has a harsh and bristly coat. Capsules are hispid, 3-valved and concealed by a bract. The rare hispid hare has also been reported from the park. The rising water tables favor marsh rice rats ("Oryzomys palustris") over hispid cotton rats. They have eight to 10 ribs usually and are hairless or moderately hispid. It is a hispid (hairy) perennial plant, with a basal rosette of leaves. Cameron and McClure compiled reports of hispid cotton rat population densities. Male hispid cotton rats exhibit a lower degree of habitat selectivity than females. In North Carolina, bobcats ("Lynx rufus") consumed substantial numbers of hispid cotton rats. Gestation in hispid cotton rats lasts about 27 days. Sand pine scrub has little ground cover and is marginal habitat for hispid cotton rats. In Texas male hispid cotton rats also had larger home ranges than females.