Epigaea repens

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 395. 1753 ,.

Common names: Mayflower ground laurel
IllustratedEndemic
Synonyms: Epigaea repens var. glabrifolia Fernald Epigaea repens var. rubicunda D. Don
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 475. Mentioned on page 479.

Plants prostrate or creeping; branches spreading. Stems to 30 (–50) cm. Twigs often hirsute-hispid, especially when young. Leaves alternate (distal leaves sometimes closely spaced, appearing subopposite or opposite); petiole 1–5 cm, with unicellular hairs of varying lengths; blade ovate-elliptic, (2–) 3–8 (–10) × 1.5–5.5 cm, base rounded or cordate, margins ciliate with stiff hairs, plane, apex obtuse to acute and mucronate, abaxial surface with distinctive reticulate venation, adaxial and abaxial surfaces with long, soft or stiff hairs, becoming glabrate. Inflorescences axillary and terminal clusters, 2–5 cm; bracteoles persistent, 2, 4–7 mm (often extending to calyx lobes), hirsute. Flowers bisexual or unisexual due to undeveloped or sterile stamens or ovary (staminate flowers larger than carpellate), with spicy fragrance; sepals distinct nearly to base, 5–6 mm, hirsute; corolla-tube 6–10 (–15) mm, lobes 5, spreading, rose or pink to white, 6–10 mm; filaments adnate to base of corolla-tube, hairy basally; ovary glandular-hairy; style slender, with collar or ring of tissue partly adnate to stigma. Capsules depressed-globose, 5-lobed, 5–8 mm diam., fleshy, outer surface glandular-hirsute, white and pulpy within due to persistent, fleshy placentae. Seeds brown, 0.5 mm. 2n = 24.


Phenology: Flowering Feb–Jul.
Habitat: Moist to xeric pine or deciduous forests, clearings, in sandy, rocky, or peaty soil
Elevation: 0-1500 m

Distribution

V8 928-distribution-map.gif

Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Ala., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Although common in much of its range, Epigaea repens is rare in Florida, occurring only in the western part of the state. Although documented from Illinois, it has not been seen there since the late 1800s. It is a well known member of the early spring flora, usually beginning to flower well before deciduous trees leaf out. Commonly known as mayflower, it was designated the state flower of Massachusetts in 1918 and received legal protection there in 1925. The flowers are sweetly fragrant.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Epigaea repens"
mucronate +, obtuse +  and acute +
Walter S. Judd +  and Kathleen A. Kron +
Linnaeus +
furrowed +  and smooth +
not flaky +
cordate;rounded +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
ovate-elliptic +
coriaceous +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (5.5 cm55 mm <br />0.055 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
5-lobed +  and depressed-globose +
Mayflower +  and ground laurel +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
rotate to crateriform campanulate cylindric globose or urceolate +
salverform +
Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Ala. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Ky. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Miss. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Vt. +, Va. +, W.Va. +  and Wis. +
0-1500 m +
undifferentiated +
fusiform +
pendulous +  and erect +
due;undeveloped +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
depressed-globose +
Moist to xeric pine or deciduous forests, clearings, in sandy, rocky, or peaty soil +
unicellular +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
persistent +
pink +  and white +
? (?) +  and ? (?) +
glandular-hirsute +
parietal +, axile +  and placentation +
glandular-hairy +
tenuinucellate +  and unitegmic +
reduced +
not sticky +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
Flowering Feb–Jul. +
4-5-carpellate +
due-to-persistent +
2-6(-10)-flowered +
distinct +
not tailed +, ovoid +  and globose +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (?) +
distinct +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
2-6(-10)-flowered +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br />) +
procumbent +  and prostrate +
prostrate +  and creeping +
trailing +  and erect to decumbent +
hairy +  and glabrous +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
peltate +  and capitate +
straight +
slender +
Epigaea repens var. glabrifolia +  and Epigaea repens var. rubicunda +
Epigaea repens +
species +
foveolate +
hirsute-hispid +
distinctive +
achlorophyllous +  and chlorophyllous +
evergreen +, deciduous +  and perennial +
heterotrophic +, autotrophic +  and mycotrophic +