Styrax americanus
Styrax redivivus
American snowbell, mock-orange, snowbell
bitternut, California snowdrop bush, California styrax, chaparral snowbell, drug snowbell, snowdrop bush
petiole 2–6 mm;
blade with 5–8 secondary veins, elliptic or broadly elliptic to obovate or nearly ovate, 1.2–10 × 0.6–5.7 cm, largest blades on sterile shoots 2–5.7 cm wide, margins of at least some leaves denticulate to serrate, rarely also lobed, longest arms of abaxial hairs 0.1–0.2 mm.
petiole 3–14 mm;
blade with (6–)7–8(–9) secondary veins, broadly elliptic, ovate, obovate, or orbiculate, 3–7.5(–11.7) × 2.5–6.5(–8.8) cm, margins entire, longest arms of abaxial hairs 0.1–0.4 mm.
4–10(–14) mm, longer than calyx.
4–9 mm, 0.5–1.4 times as long as calyx.
calyx 2.5–4 × 2.5–4.5 mm;
corolla 11–16 mm, tube 1.5–3 mm, lobes 5(–6), imbricate or subinduplicate-valvate in bud, strongly reflexed, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 7–14 × 1–5 mm;
filaments distinct beyond adnation to corolla.
calyx 4–7 × 5–7 mm;
corolla 16–26 mm, tube 5–6 mm, lobes 5–7(–8), imbricate in bud, slightly reflexed, elliptic, 10–21 × 4–7 mm;
filaments connate 2–7 mm beyond adnation to corolla.
globose, 7–9 × 7–9 mm (broader when 2–3-seeded), gray stellate-pubescent, dehiscent nearly or completely to proximal end, broadly exposing seed(s);
fruit wall 0.3–0.4 mm thick.
globose, 11–15 × 10–12 mm (broader when 2–3-seeded), tawny or fulvous stellate-pubescent, at least when mature, dehiscent nearly or completely to proximal end, broadly exposing seed(s);
fruit wall 0.3–0.5 mm thick.
-terminal inflorescences 2–5-flowered or solitary flower, 2–3.5 cm;
axillary flowers present on at least some shoots (subtending leaves often reduced).
-terminal inflorescences 2–6-flowered or solitary flower, 2–5 cm;
axillary flowers absent.
= 16.
= 16.
Styrax americanus
Styrax redivivus
Styrax grandifolius is partly sympatric with S. americanus, and molecular data indicate that it is a close relative (P. W. Fritsch 2001). The two species are separated ecologically, with S. americanus occupying lower, moister sites (G. J. Gonsoulin 1974). Hybridization between the two is not apparent.
Some authors have recognized plants with more densely pubescent new shoots, leaves, and inflorescences and shorter pedicels as a distinct taxon, at either the specific or infraspecific level (J. K. Small 1933; A. J. Rehder 1940; G. J. Gonsoulin 1974). The most densely pubescent plants occur in the southernmost portion of the range of the species; intermediates between the two extremes are abundant. The character differences that separate the taxa are here considered taxonomically inconsequential.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Styrax redivivus has often been treated as an infraspecific taxon in S. officinalis Linnaeus of the eastern Mediterranean region. Morphological and molecular data (P. W. Fritsch 1996, 1999, 2001) provide evidence that strongly supports its species status. These data also establish the Texas species S. platanifolius as the closest relative of S. redivivus, and the two species together form a clade that is sister to S. officinalis.
Characters used to justify recognition of var. fulvescens of southern California have been shown to be clinal from north to south across the range of Styrax redivivus (P. W. Fritsch 1996b) and are here considered taxonomically inconsequential.
Another binomial sometimes used for Styrax redivivus is S. californicus, but this name does not have priority, having been published two years later than the basionym Darlingtonia rediviva (that generic name was applied later by Torrey to the genus of pitcher plants and is now conserved). Styrax californicus is a superfluous name, based on the same type as Darlingtonia rediviva.
Although Styrax redivivus extends from Shasta County to San Diego County, its occurrence is sporadic and infrequent. The ecological factors involved in the maintenance of this species, such as seed ecology, fire tolerance, and habitat requirements, are poorly known (P. W. Fritsch 1996b).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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