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American umbrellaleaf, umbrella-leaf

Flowering shoots

6-12 dm;

leaves alternate, unequal in size;

proximal leaf petioles 10-18 cm, blades 17-46 × 23-56 cm;

distal leaf petioles 3-15 cm, blades 10-38 × 15-51 cm.

Leaves

blades 13-53 cm diam.;

leaf blade divided at apex and base into 2 parts, each part 5-9-lobed, lobes broadly acuminate, abaxially sparsely pubescent with unicellular hairs.

Inflorescences

cymose, glabrous;

peduncle 0.2-4 cm;

pedicel 0.7-3.5 cm;

peduncle and pedicel turning red at fruit maturity.

Flowers

7-70 (or more);

outer sepals 1.7-4.5 × 0.4 mm;

inner sepals 2.5-6 × 3.5-4 mm;

outer petals narrowly obovate, 9-11 × 4.5-6 mm;

inner petals elliptic to obovate, 10-13×6-7 mm;

stamens 3-4 mm;

filaments 1-2 mm;

anthers 2 × 1 mm;

ovaries ellipsoid, 3-5 × 1.5-2.5 mm;

stigma 0.5-1 mm.

Berries

6-13 × 4-11 mm.

Seeds

2-4, 4-7 × 2-5 mm, abaxially rounded, adaxially flattened to concave.

2n

= 12.

Diphylleia cymosa

Phenology Flowering late spring, fruiting summer.
Habitat Forming dense colonies on moist slopes in mixed deciduous forests, in seepages, or along streams
Elevation 800-1700 m (2600-5600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
GA; NC; SC; TN; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Diphylleia cymosa is endemic to the Blue Ridge Mountains of the southern Appalachians. It is occasionally grown in woodland gardens.

Cherokee Indians are reported to have used D. cymosa to treat a variety of ailments and as a disinfectant (D. E. Moerman 1986).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Berberidaceae > Diphylleia
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 203. (1803)
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