银缕梅属 yin lu mei shu

Shaniodendron M. B. Deng et al.

Trees, deciduous, up to 30 m tall; branches with 1 prophyll, stellately pubescent when young, glabrescent. Leaves alternate; stipules caducous, leaving small scars; leaf blade broadly obovate or elliptic, membraneous, usually dentate towards leaf apex, venation craspedodromous, both surfaces stellately pubescent. Plants andromonoecious. Inflorescence a capitate spike, axillary and terminal, 3–7-flowered; floral bracts large, brown; bracteoles absent. Flowers male or bisexual, open before leaves. Sepals 7–8(–10), irregular in shape, spirally arranged, basally united, persistent. Petals absent. Stamens (5–)10–15, anthers elongate, thecae 2-sporangiate, each dehiscing by a longitudinal slit. Ovary semi-inferior, ovules 1 per locule; styles long, stigmas decurrent. Capsules arranged spirally along rachis, sessile, long-globose, woody, densely stellately pubescent. Seeds ellipsoid. 2n = 24.

Two species; one species in SW Asia (S Caspian region) and one in China.

Lower Taxon

• Parrotia subaequalis (H. T. Chang) R. M. Hao & H. T. Wei