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Clethra alnifolia L.

Coastal sweetpepperbush (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Ericales > Clethraceae > Clethra

Characteristics

Shrubs 1-3 m. Stems ± terete; young shoots puberulent. Leaves: petiole 2.5-3.5(-6) cm; blade obovate to oblong (widest distal to midpoint), 5-9(-12) × 2-4(-6) cm, base cuneate to rounded, margins obscurely to clearly toothed, especially distally (proximalmost tooth averaging 3.4 cm distal to base), apex obtuse to acute, surfaces sparsely hairy and glabrescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially. Inflorescences solitary or in clusters of 2-4, (6-)9-15(-19) cm, axis sparsely stellate-hairy. Pedicels 2-4 mm, proximalmost averaging 3 mm, shortly stellate-hairy; bract shorter than flower, proximalmost 5-7 mm, shortly stellate-hairy. Flowers: sepals 3.5-5 × 1-1.5 mm, stellate-pubescent; petals white (rarely pink abaxially or on both surfaces), 5-8 × 4-5 mm; filaments 4-6(-6.5) × 0.2-0.3(-0.4) mm, glabrous; anthers 1-1.3 mm; style 6-7 mm, hairy in proximal 1/2, hairs simple, straight. Capsules subglobose, 2.5-4 × 3.5-5.3 mm. Seeds 1-1.5 mm. 2n = 16, 32.
More
Shrub to 3 m; lvs obovate-oblong, 5–10 cm, obtuse or subacute, finely and sharply serrate distally, mostly entire below the middle, tapering to a petiole 0.5–1(–2) cm, racemes erect, 5–15(–20) cm, densely short-hairy as also the pedicels (2–5 mm) and cal; pet oblong-obovate, 5–7 mm, glabrous; filaments glabrous; style strigillose; frs ± ascending, pubescent, 3 mm thick; 2n=32. Swamps and moist woods, mostly near the coast; N.S. and Me. to Fla. and Tex. July, Aug.
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 1.5 - 2.5
Mature height (meter) 2.5
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 0.4
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Swamps, damp thickets and sandy woods.
Light 3-7
Soil humidity 5-8
Soil texture 2-5
Soil acidity 2-5
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 5-8

Usage

Uses environmental use material medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use Sclerosis (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) 21
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -23
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Clethra alnifolia habit picture by guinnevere lowe (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia habit picture by Lisa J (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia habit picture by guinnevere lowe (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Clethra alnifolia leaf picture by Myles Collins (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia leaf picture by michiel Wilhelm (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia leaf picture by Adam Gonnerman (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Clethra alnifolia flower picture by tammy cohen (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia flower picture by tammy cohen (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia flower picture by tammy cohen (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Clethra alnifolia fruit picture by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia fruit picture by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Clethra alnifolia fruit picture by Vicki Brown (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Clethra alnifolia world distribution map, present in Åland Islands, Canada, Georgia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, and United States of America

Conservation status

Clethra alnifolia threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:319146-2
WFO ID wfo-0000887989
COL ID W4BJ
BDTFX ID 82196
INPN ID 610633
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Clethra bracteata Clethra incana Clethra paniculata Clethra pumila Clethra alnifolia f. paniculata Clethra angustifolia Clethra dentata Clethra alnifolia f. alnifolia Clethra alnifolia var. denudata Clethra alnifolia var. glabella Clethra alnifolia var. pubescens Clethra alnifolia f. rosea Clethra alnifolia var. paniculata Clethra alnifolia var. alnifolia Clethra pubescens Clethra alnifolia
WorldFloraDB 2024