Pieris floribunda

(Pursh) Bentham & Hooker f.

Gen. Pl. 2: 588. 1876 ,.

Common names: Fetterbush
Endemic
Basionym: Andromeda floribunda Pursh Bot. Mag. 38: plate 1566. 1813
Synonyms: Portuna floribunda (Pursh) Nuttall
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 498. Mentioned on page 497.

Shrubs, to 2 m, with ± erect branches; twigs multicellular stipitate-glandular-hairy and conspicuously strigose (hairs elongate, stiff, long-celled, eglandular), otherwise sparsely to densely unicellular-hairy. Stems terete to slightly angled. Leaf-blades elliptic to ovate, (1.5–) 3–7.2 × (0.6–) 1–2.8 cm, base rounded to widely cuneate, margins serrulate (each tooth associated with elongate hair), plane, apex acute. Inflorescences terminal panicles, sometimes with proximalmost lateral branches arising from axils of distalmost leaves; bracteoles near or slightly proximal to middle of pedicel. Flowers: calyx lobes 2–4 × 1–1.7 mm; corolla urceolate, strongly 5-ridged, 4–7 × 3–5.5 mm; filaments straight, 2–3 mm, hairy; style slightly sunken into ovary apex. Capsules subglobose or globose to ovoid, 4–6 × 4–6 mm, glabrous; placentae subapical. Seeds ellipsoidal to ± rectangular and flattened, with 2 inconspicuous wings; testa cells elongate. 2n = 24.


Phenology: Flowering early spring–spring.
Habitat: Montane thickets and balds, oak, pine, and/or hemlock forests
Elevation: 500-1800 m

Distribution

V8 973-distribution-map.gif

Ga., N.C., Tenn., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Individuals of Pieris floribunda are beautiful, cold-hardy shrubs and are frequently cultivated as ornamentals. The species is sometimes confused with the eastern Asian P. japonica D. Don ex G. Don and P. formosa D. Don. Pieris japonica is commonly cultivated and may be distinguished from P. floribunda by its lack of stiff, multicellular, elongate hairs on stems and leaf margins, and pseudoverticillate leaves with margins nearly entire to clearly toothed.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Pieris floribunda"
epigynous +  and hypogynous +
Walter S. Judd +
(Pursh) Bentham & Hooker f. +
furrowed +  and smooth +
not flaky +
rounded;widely cuneate +
Andromeda floribunda +
obovate;elliptic;obovate;elliptic;ovate +
coriaceous +
slightly proximal +  and middle +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
globose +  and ovoid +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Fetterbush +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
rotate to crateriform campanulate cylindric globose or urceolate +
5-ridged;urceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br />) +
Ga. +, N.C. +, Tenn. +, Va. +  and W.Va. +
500-1800 m +
undifferentiated +
fusiform +
geniculate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
globose;ovoid +
Montane thickets and balds, oak, pine, and/or hemlock forests +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (7.2 cm72 mm <br />0.072 m <br />) +
elliptic;ovate +
pseudoverticillate +  and alternate +
deciduous +  and persistent +
parietal +, axile +  and placentation +
tenuinucellate +  and unitegmic +
epigynous +  and hypogynous +
reduced +
not sticky +
Flowering early spring–spring. +
tan;yellowish-brown or brown +
distinct +
flattened +, ellipsoidal +  and more or less rectangular +
papillose +
procumbent +  and creeping +
hairy +  and glabrous +
terete +  and slightly angled +
peltate +  and capitate +
straight +
brochidodromous +  and reticulodromous +
stipitate-glandular-hairy +
Portuna floribunda +
Pieris floribunda +
species +
multicellular +
unicellular-hairy +, strigose +  and stipitate-glandular-hairy +
achlorophyllous +  and chlorophyllous +
evergreen +, deciduous +  and perennial +
heterotrophic +, autotrophic +  and mycotrophic +
multicellular-hairy +
inconspicuous +