Illustrator: Barbara Alongi

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Trees, 5–7 m. Stems 1(–5); bark thin, smooth. Leaves deciduous; petiole indistinct from blade, usually winged, wings 1 mm wide; blade obovate to obtrullate, chartaceous, base long-tapering, margins serrate usually to below middle, apex acute, veins conspicuous, 10–12 pairs, midrib elevated abaxially, depressed slightly adaxially. Inflorescence bracts deciduous, 2, inserted immediately proximal to sepals. Pedicels terete, 0.2–1.5(–4) cm. Flowers 7–10 cm diam.; sepals deciduous, connate proximally, concave, thickened proximally, margins ciliate, apex rounded, sericeous; petals 5, connate proximally, creamy white, unequal, base constricted, margins crenulate, outermost petal incurved, abaxial surface densely hairy; stamens 75–150, distinct or connate 1–2 mm proximally; pistil 5-carpellate; ovules 6–8(–12) per locule; styles 1; stigmas 5-lobed. Capsules brown, subglobose, base rounded, apex round, dehiscence loculicidal from apex and septicidal from base; columella persistent, adnate to valves at middle. Seeds 6–8(–12) per locule, brown, reniform, asymmetric, rough, apical wing relatively narrow or absent. x = 18.

Distribution

Ga.

Discussion

Species 1: Georgia.

Franklinia has been included in Gordonia by some authors (I. Luna and J. L. Villaseñor 1996; Luna and H. Ochoterena 2004); the fruits and seeds are distinctive enough to warrant generic recognition.

Species 1

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Franklinia alatamaha