Flora of North America species comparison

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Wisteria sinensis

Chinese wisteria
Stems

twining counterclockwise.
Leaves

leaflets (7 or)9 or 11(or 13), blades ovate-elliptic to obovate, 9 × 3.5 cm.
Racemes

to 33 cm;

anthesis ± simultaneous.
Pedicels

to 3 cm.
Flowers

appearing before leaves, unscented;

calyx middle lobe of abaxial lip to 6 mm;

corolla azure, purple, rose, or white, 2–2.5 cm;

banner 2.1–2.4 × 2.1–2.3 cm, reflexed at base, apex rounded, auricles of basal callosity 0.7–0.8 mm;

wings 1.7–1.8 × 0.7 cm;

keel 1.7–1.8 × 0.7–0.8 cm;

ovary pubescent.
Legumes

flattened, oblong-elliptic or oblanceolate, 8–21 cm, tardily dehiscent, pubescent, endocarp readily separable from exocarp.
Seeds

flat, lenticular.
2n

= 32.

Wisteria sinensis
Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Abandoned home sites, wooded edges of low fields, disturbed bottomland hardwood forests, wet ground.
Elevation 0–500 m. (0–1600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CT; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; ME; MI; MO; MS; NC; NY; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; Asia (c, e China) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Argentina), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Wisteria sinensis is native to China, where it is common in moist, deciduous forests and riparian habitats from near sea level to 1000 m. Extensively cultivated as an ornamental in China, it is also a popular introduction in the eastern United States. In the flora area, it has become invasive, naturalizing readily in habitats similar to its native environs.

Petals of Wisteria sinensis are a delicacy in China, where they are eaten steamed or fried (D. Wyman 1949).

Wisteria sinensis differs from W. floribunda in having fewer leaflets per leaf (typically 9–11 versus 13–17 in W. floribunda) and in the counterclockwise (versus clockwise) twining of the stem.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Wisteria
Sibling taxa
W. floribunda, W. frutescens, W. ×formosa
Synonyms Glycine sinensis, Rehsonia sinensis
Name authority (Sims) de Candolle in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle: Prodr. 2: 390. (1825) — (as chinensis)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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