Calycanthus floridus var. floridus
Twigs pubescent. Petiole and abaxial surface of leaf-blade pubescent.
Phenology: Flowering late spring, fruiting mid fall.
Habitat: Deciduous or mixed woodlands, along streams and rivers, margins of woodlands
Elevation: 0-1850 m
Distribution
Ala., Fla., Ga., Md., Miss., N.C., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Va.
Discussion
Calycanthus floridus var. floridus grades into var. glaucus in northeastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia, and southeastern Tennessee, where determination to variety is not always possible. Calycanthus brockianus was distinguished primarily by having green flowers instead of maroon, although flowers with greenish or green-tipped tepals are occasionally seen on maroon-flowered plants of both varieties of C. floridus and C. occidentalis. Viable seeds were produced after self-pollinations of plants identified as C. brockianus, but not after crosses with C. floridus var. floridus or when insects were excluded (R. J. Ferry Sr. and R. J. Ferry Jr. 1987). Agamospermy has been noted in both varieties of C. floridus (K. A. Nicely 1965), and pollination is required for the development of the endosperm (C. E. Wood Jr. 1958). Calycanthus brockianus may therefore represent agamospermous triploids within diploid populations of C. floridus. Studies of cytology and of reproductive biology of plants identified as C. brockianus are necessary for determination of the status of that taxon.
Selected References
None.