Clethra
| Clethra | |
|---|---|
| |
| Clethra arborea flowers | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | Clethra |
| Type species | |
| Clethra alnifolia | |
| Synonyms[4] | |
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Clethra is a genus of flowering shrubs or small trees described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753.[5][6]
Clethra is one of two genera in the family Clethraceae (the other being Purdiaea). The species may be evergreen or deciduous, and all bear flowers in clusters (inflorescences).
Distribution
Clethra species are native to a variety of habitats, including swamps, woodland, and rocky sites[7] from temperate to tropical climates in eastern and southeastern Asia, Malesia, North and South America, and one species (C. arborea) on the island of Madeira.[4]
Species
The number of species accepted varies between different authorities depending on taxonomic interpretation, but with a recent trend to reduce the number recognised as distinct. The recent Flora of China[8] has cut the number accepted for China from 35 to 7 species, and the US Department of Agriculture[9] recognises only two in the United States, synonymising C. tomentosa with C. alnifolia. The following accepted by Kew Botanical Garden in London:[4]
References
- ^ Tropicos, search for Junia
- ^ Tropicos search for Volkameria
- ^ Tropicos search for Tinus
- ^ a b c Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 396 in Latin
- ^ Tropicos, Clethra L.
- ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
- ^ Flora of China Vol. 14 Page 238 桤叶树属 qi ye shu shu Clethra Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 396. 1753.
- ^ US Department of Agriculture plants profile
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