Exochorda

Lindley

Gard. Chron. 1858: 925. 1858.

Common names: Pearlbrush
Introduced
Etymology: Greek exo -, outside, and chorde, string, alluding to free placentary cords external to carpels
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 9. Treatment on page 384. Mentioned on page 385.

Shrubs, to 30(–50) dm. Stems 1–20+, spreading to erect; bark brown to gray-brown on branches, not exfoliating; short shoots absent; glabrous or sparsely hairy in early season. Leaves deciduous, cauline, alternate; stipules usually absent; petiole present, sometimes relatively short; blade elliptic or oblong to oblong-obovate, 1.5–4.4(–6)[–9] cm, membranous, margins flat, entire or serrate in distal 1/2, surfaces glabrous or hairy. Inflorescences terminal, 4–10-flowered, racemes, axes glabrous or sparsely hairy prior to expansion of flowers; bracts present; bracteoles present. Pedicels present. Flowers bisexual (plants synoecious), appearing with leaves, 25–50 mm diam.; hypanthium shallowly campanulate to obturbinate, 3.5–4.2 mm, glabrous; sepals 5, ascending, triangular to broad-triangular or semiorbiculate; petals 5, white, [oblong] obovate to suborbiculate, base clawed; stamens 15–20[–30], shorter than petals; torus absent; carpels 5, connate, glabrous, styles 5; ovules 1 or 2. Fruits capsules, semicircular in outline, shorter than wide or as tall as wide in side view, 6–10[–15] mm, glabrous; hypanthium not persistent; sepals not persistent. Seeds 1 or 2 per capsule, winged. x = 8.

Distribution

Introduced; Asia, introduced also in Europe, Australia.

Discussion

Species 4 (1 in the flora).

Species of Exochorda are attractive, spring-flowering shrubs with racemes of showy, white flowers, and are commonly planted.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa