Snow-wreath

Alice L. Heikens

Shrubs, 6–32 dm, ± strigose. Stems 1–6+, erect, ˂slender˃; bark proximally grayish, distally reddish brown, ˂± exfoliating in strips near base, decurrently ridged˃; short shoots absent; unarmed; ˂young stems reddish˃. Leaves winter-persistent, deciduous, cauline, alternate; stipules persistent, linear to awl-shaped, margins serrate; petiole present; blade ˂bright green adaxially˃, ovate or ovate-lanceolate to cordate, 2–9 cm, membranous, margins flat, shallowly lobed and coarsely serrate or doubly serrate, abaxial surface subsericeous to strigose, adaxial sparsely strigose to subsericeous. Inflorescences terminal, 2–10-flowered, subumbellate corymbs; bracts absent; bracteoles present. Pedicels present. Flowers appearing as leaves expand, ˂odorless˃, 2.5–4 mm diam.; epicalyx bractlets 0; hypanthium flat, 1–3 mm diam., glabrous or glabrate; sepals 5, spreading to reflexed, elliptic to obovate or lanceolate, ˂margins serrate (incised above middle)˃; petals usually 0, rarely 1 or 2, white, oblanceolate; stamens 50–100+, equal to sepals (inner often shorter); torus inconspicuous; carpels 2–6, densely strigose, styles subapical, ˂elongate, stigmas minute˃; ovule 1. Fruits aggregated achenes, 2–6, eccentrically ovoid, 3–4 mm, densely strigose; hypanthium persistent; sepals persistent, orientation in fruit unknown.

Species 2 (2 in the flora): w, se United States.

Lower Taxa

• Neviusia alabamensis A. Gray
• Neviusia cliftonii Shevock, Ertter & D. W. Taylor