Chionanthus

Blooming Snow Tree ( Chionanthus virginicus )

Snow trees or snowflakes trees ( Chionanthus, Syn. Linociera Sw ) are a genus of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae ( Oleaceae ). The genus includes about 80 species worldwide.

Most species are found only in subtropical or tropical regions around the world. Only the two species C. retusus in East Asia and C. virginicus in North America growing in the temperate climate zones.

Description

There are shrubs and trees with plant height 3-25 meters. Most tropical and subtropical species are evergreen. The opposite, stalked leaves are simple and have a smooth or toothed margin.

Your, summarized in large inflorescences, flowers of the first kind described, when seen from a distance are reminiscent of snowflakes in appearance, the genus gave their German names snow tree, snowflakes tree, snow drops rare tree. The hermaphrodite, radial symmetry flowers are cruciform. The four small sepals are fused more or less bell-shaped. The four fused petals are white or yellow; the corolla tube is short. There are only two (rarely four) stamens present in each flower; the stamens are short. Are formed fleshy stone fruit.

Types and distribution (selection)

The genus includes about 80 to 100 species worldwide:

  • Chionanthus axillary R.Br.: Australia (Queensland ).
  • Chionanthus axilliflorus ( Griseb. ) Stearn. Caribbean.
  • Chionanthus brachythyrsus ( Merrill ) PSGreen. Southern China (Hainan ), Vietnam.
  • Chionanthus caudate ( Collett & Hemsley ) Bahadur & Gaur: . Myanmar.
  • Chionanthus compactus Sw. Caribbean.
  • Chionanthus domingensis Lam. Caribbean.
  • Chionanthus foveolatus ( E.Mey. ) Stearn. Southern Africa.
  • Chionanthus guangxiensis BMMiao. Southeastern China (Guangxi ).
  • Chionanthus hainanensis ( Merrill & Chun ) BMMiao. Southern China (Hainan ).
  • Chionanthus henryanus PSGreen. Southwestern China, Myanmar.
  • Chionanthus holdridgei ( Camp & Mona Chino ) Stearn: Caribbean.
  • Chionanthus intermedius ( Wight ) F.Muell. India.
  • Chionanthus ligustrinus ( Sw. ) Pers. Caribbean.
  • Chionanthus longiflorus ( HLLi ) BMMiao. Southwestern China ( Yunnan ).
  • Chionanthus panamensis ( Standl. ) Stearn: (Panama).
  • Chionanthus picrophloia F.Muell: Australia (Queensland ).
  • Chionanthus pubescens Kunth: Ecuador, Peru.
  • Chionanthus pygmaeus: Southeastern United States (Florida ).
  • Chionanthus quadristamineus F.Muell: Australia (Norfolk Island).
  • Chionanthus ramiflorus Roxburgh: Australia (Queensland ), southern China, India, Nepal, Vietnam.
  • Chionanthus retusus Lindley & Paxton: China, Japan, Korea.
  • Chionanthus sleumeri ( CTWhite ) Stearn: Australia (Queensland ).
  • Virginian Virginian snow snowflakes shrub or tree, poison ash ( Chionanthus virginicus L.): Eastern United States.

Pictures

Chionanthus retusus:

Habitus.

Inflorescences and leaves.

Inflorescence.

Fruit.

Fruits of the previous year.

Swell

  • Description in the Flora of China. (English)
  • Description from Flora of Australia Online. (English)
Asterids Drupe
183828
de