Carpenteria
| Carpenteria californica | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Cornales |
| Family: | Hydrangeaceae |
| Genus: | Carpenteria |
| Species: | C. californica |
| Binomial name | |
| Carpenteria californica Torr. |
|
Carpenteria californica (
/ˌkɑrpənˈtɪəriə ˌkælɨˈfɔrnɨkə/),[1] the sole species in the genus Carpenteria, is an evergreen shrub native to California. It is closely related to the genus Philadelphus. Common names include Tree-anemone and Bush-anemone.
It is a rare species, endemic to only seven sites in Fresno and Madera Counties, where it grows in chaparral between 340–1340 m altitude between the San Joaquin and King rivers. It is well adapted to wildfire, reproducing by stump sprouts after burning; natural seedlings are rare.
It grows to 1–3 m tall, with flaky bark on older stems. The leaves are opposite, lanceolate, 4–10 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, glossy green above, blue-green to whitish and downy beneath. The flowers are 3–7 cm diameter, with 5-8 pure white petals and a cluster of yellow stamens; flowering is from late spring to mid summer. The fruit is a leathery capsule 6–12 mm diameter, containing numerous seeds.
It is a popular ornamental plant in gardens with Mediterranean climates, grown for its decorative flowers; it is now much more common in cultivation than in the wild. Several cultivars have been selected, including 'Bodnant' (a cold-tolerant cultivar hardy to -15°C in the British Isles) and 'Ladham's' with large flowers.
Note that Carpenteria should not be confused with the similarly spelled Carpentaria, a genus of palms native to northern Australia.
[edit] History
The genus was named in honor of Dr. William Marbury Carpenter,[2] a noted Southern natural scientist, who was born on June 25, 1811 in Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.
