Harman Patil (Editor)

Halesia tetraptera

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Kingdom
  
Family
  
Scientific name
  
Halesia tetraptera

Rank
  
Species

Order
  
Genus
  
Halesia

Higher classification
  
Halesia

Halesia tetraptera chalkrichmondedubiologytreesimagesHalesiate

Similar
  
Halesia, Halesia carolina, Halesia monticola, Halesia diptera, Styracaceae

Halesia tetraptera, commonly known as the common silverbell or mountain silverbell (or Carolina silverbell; syn. Halesia carolina auct. non L.), is a species in the family Styracaceae, native to the southeastern United States. It is cultivated as an ornamental tree.

Contents

Halesia tetraptera Common Silverbell Halesia tetraptera var tetraptera

Description

Halesia tetraptera Silverbell Halesia tetraptera var monticola

It is a small deciduous tree growing to 10 m tall. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate, 5–16 cm long and 4–7 cm broad. The flowers are 1–2.5 cm long, with a four-lobed white corolla. The fruit is a dry drupe 4 cm long, with four wings running along its length.

Range

The species is found in scattered populations over much of the eastern United States, as far north as West Virginia, south to northern Florida, and west to Oklahoma. But it is thinly distributed over much of its native range, and is becoming rare in many areas.

Varieties

There are two varieties of H. tetraptera:

  • Halesia tetraptera var. tetraptera – Common silverbell
  • Halesia tetraptera var. monticola (Rehder) Reveal & Seldin – Mountain silverbell

  • Halesia tetraptera Silverbell Halesia tetraptera var monticola

    The last taxon is much larger, up to 20–39 m tall, with larger leaves up to 20 cm long and flowers up to 3 cm long.

    Halesia tetraptera FileHalesia tetrapterajpg Wikimedia Commons

    Halesia tetraptera Common Silverbell Halesia tetraptera var tetraptera

    References

    Halesia tetraptera Wikipedia