Halesia diptera

Halesia diptera, the two-wing silverbell or two-winged snowdrop tree, is a species in the family Styracaceae, native to the southeastern United States from South Carolina and Florida west to eastern Texas.[2] It is cultivated as an ornamental tree.

Two-wing silverbell
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Styracaceae
Genus: Halesia
Species:
H. diptera
Binomial name
Halesia diptera

Description

It is a large shrub or small tree reaching 4–8 m tall. The leaves are deciduous, 6–12 cm long and 4–7 cm broad. The flowers are white, 2-2.5 cm long, produced in clusters of 3–6 together. The fruit is a dry (non-fleshy) drupe with two wings down the sides; this distinguishes it from the other species of Halesia, which have four wings on the fruit.[3]

Wildlife, including squirrels, eat the unripe sour green fruit.[4]

Varieties

There are two varieties:[2]

  • Halesia diptera var. diptera
  • Halesia diptera var. magniflora R.K.Godfrey
Mature tree in flower

References
  1. IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group.; Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). (2020). "Halesia diptera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T152857713A152905527. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T152857713A152905527.en. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  2. "Halesia diptera". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  3. Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
  4. Little, Elbert L. (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region. New York: Knopf. p. 639. ISBN 0-394-50760-6.
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