35. Exochorda Lindley, Gard. Chron. 1858: 925. 1858.
Pearlbrush [Greek exo-, outside, and chorde, string, alluding to free placentary cords external to carpels]
Arthur Haines
Shrubs, to 30(–50) dm. Stems 1–20+, spreading to erect; bark brown to gray-brown on branches, ˂not exfoliating˃; short shoots absent; glabrous or sparsely hairy in early season. Leaves deciduous, cauline, alternate; stipules usually absent; petiole present, ˂sometimes relatively short˃; blade elliptic or oblong to oblong-obovate, 1.5–4.4(–6)[–9] cm, membranous, margins flat, entire or serrate in distal 1/2, surfaces glabrous or hairy. Inflorescences terminal, 4–10-flowered, racemes, axes glabrous or sparsely hairy prior to expansion of flowers; bracts present; bracteoles present. Pedicels present. Flowers bisexual (plants synoecious), appearing with leaves, 25–50 mm diam.; hypanthium shallowly campanulate to obturbinate, 3.5–4.2 mm, glabrous; sepals 5, ascending, triangular to broad-triangular or semiorbiculate; petals 5, white, [oblong] obovate to suborbiculate, ˂base clawed˃; stamens 15–20[–30], shorter than petals; torus absent; carpels 5, connate, glabrous, styles 5; ovules 1 or 2. Fruits capsules, semicircular in outline, shorter than wide or as tall as wide in side view, 6–10[–15] mm, glabrous; hypanthium not persistent; sepals not persistent. Seeds 1 or 2 per capsule, winged. x = 8.
Species 4 (1 in the flora): introduced; Asia; introduced also in Europe, Australia.
Species of Exochorda are attractive, spring-flowering shrubs with racemes of showy, white flowers, and are commonly planted.
