Stewartia ovata

(Cavanilles) Weatherby

Rhodora 41: 198. 1939 ,.

Common names: Mountain camellia or stewartia
IllustratedEndemic
Basionym: Malachodendron ovatum Cavanilles Diss. 5: 302, plate 158, fig. 2. 1787
Synonyms: Malachodendron pentagynum (L’Héritier) Dumont de Courset
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 328. Mentioned on page 326.

Shrubs or trees, crown rounded. Stems smooth; young twigs reddish brown, bark longitudinally fissured. Winter bud scales 1, enclosed by petiole wings, compressed, 2–5 mm, silvery-pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2–15 mm, wing 1–2 mm wide; blade ovate to widely elliptic, (3–)8–12(–15) × (2–)4–7(–8.5) cm, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margins serrulate to erose, ciliate, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent, primary veins in 5–7 pairs. Inflorescence bracts 1, 10–15 mm. Pedicels 0.3–0.4(–0.7) cm × 1 mm. Flowers (5–)6–10 cm diam.; sepals lanceolate, (11–)14–18 × 6–9 mm; petals 5(–8), creamy white, margins erose, abaxial surface pubescent; stamens 100–125(–150); filaments white, yellow, rose, or purple, free portion 12–18(–20) mm; anthers yellow; styles 5; stigmas unlobed. Capsules ovoid, 1.5–2.2 × 1.4–1.6 cm, apex acute, pubescent. Seeds reddish brown, winged, planoconvex, (7–)8–10 × 5–7 mm, dull, wing 0.1–1 mm wide. 2n = 30.


Phenology: Flowering (May-)Jun–Jul(-Oct).
Habitat: Shaded, moist ravines and gorges
Elevation: (100-)200-1100 m

Distribution

V8 651-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ga., Ky., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Va.

Discussion

Stewartia ovata is likely not naturally occurring in Florida; the only specimen seen is from cultivation in an Alachua County nursery (Wilmot s.n., 21 May 1945, FLAS). Human threats to the species include land-use conversion and habitat fragmentation. A form with purplish filaments [var. grandiflora (Bean) Weatherby] is generally not recognized and is hypothesized to be the result of either genetic instability (C. E. Wood Jr. 1959b) or introgression with S. malacodendron. Stewartia ovata is cultivated as an ornamental for its showy flowers and red fall foliage.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Stewartia ovata"
Linda M. Prince +
(Cavanilles) Weatherby +
Malachodendron ovatum +
Mountain camellia or stewartia +
Ala. +, Ga. +, Ky. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +  and Va. +
(100-)200-1100 m +
Shaded, moist ravines and gorges +
Flowering (May-)Jun–Jul(-Oct). +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Malachodendron pentagynum +
Stewartia ovata +
Stewartia +
species +