Gordonia

Gordonia lasianthus

Gordonia is a genus in the family of Teestrauchgewächse ( Theaceae ), which is related, among other things with the camellias (Camellia ). Some species are estimated ornamental plants in warm climates.

Description

Gordonia are evergreen and deciduous trees. Their glossy, dark green, distich or spirally arranged leaves are leathery and entire or toothed. There are two to seven decrepit bracts at the tip of the peduncle.

The five sepals are unequal in shape and fall to maturity from not, the five ( rarely up to ten) petals are fused together at the base weak. The stamens are grown at the base of the corolla and form fleshy swellings, the anthers are movable. The ovaries are fünffächrig ( 3 to 10), each carpel they carry three to five (two to ten) ovules. The short to long stylus is usually simple, rarely more or less branched, the scar is little head -shaped.

The fruit is a cylindrical capsule with a central small columns ( columella ), often along angular. The seeds are flat and winged, the embryo is curved, the cotyledons are flat and thin, as well as the endosperm.

Dissemination

Gordonia found mainly in Southeast Asia, from China to Australia in warm climates. One way Gordonia lasianthus, also occurs in southwestern North America.

System

The genus was first described in 1771 by John Ellis. Depending on the author 20 to 65 species are recognized. Common types are:

• Gordonia lasianthus (L.) J. Ellis.

Today no longer be made to Gordonia:

• Gordonia axillaris ( Roxb. ex Ker Gawl. ) Endl. = Polyspora axillaris ( Roxb. ex Ker Gawl. ) Sweet ex G. Don.

Evidence

• P.F. Stevens et al.: Theaceae. In: Klaus Kubitzki (ed.): The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants - Volume VI - Flowering Plants - Dicotyledons - Celastrales, Oxalidales, Rosales, Cornales, Ericales, 2004, pp. 468-469, ISBN 978-3-540 - 06512-8