Illustrator: Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Shrubs or trees, deciduous or semi-evergreen, usually much-branched from base. Leaves: petiole present; blade with prominent midrib and clearly visible lateral veins on both surfaces. Inflorescences clustered at distal ends of branchlets of previous season, produced after shoot growth of current season begins, 6–18 cm; bract persistent. Pedicels: bracteoles persistent, 2. Flowers: sepals lanceolate-ovate, apex acute to acuminate; petals ovate to ovate-lanceolate, base not clawed, apex acute; stamens 5; filaments terete, somewhat expanded basally; ovary 2–3(–4)-locular; ovules 1–3 per locule; stigma 2–3(–4)-lobed. Fruits berrylike, unwinged, ovoid to subglobose. Seeds usually absent, sometimes 1–4.

Distribution

e, sc United States, s Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n South America.

Discussion

Species 1: e, sc United States, s Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n South America.

Several species or varieties of Cyrilla have been distinguished on the basis of local variation in leaf and inflorescence size; most recent floristic treatments follow J. L. Thomas (1960) and recognize a single variable species.

Species 1

Selected References

Dute, R. R. et al. 2004. Floral anatomy and pollination biology of Cyrilla racemiflora (Cyrillaceae). SouthE. Naturalist 3: 309–326.

Lower Taxa

Cyrilla racemiflora