Diapensiaceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Diapensiaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Diapensiaceae (from the genus Diapensia, the derivation of which is obscure). Diapensia Family. Fig. 47. Low shrubs: leaves alternate, evergreen, reniform or imbricated or moss-like: flowers bisexual, regular, hypogynous; disk absent; calyx of 3-5 sepals; corolla with 5 separate petals, or gamopetalous; lobes imbricated; stamens 5, epipetalous or hypogynous, alternating with the corolla lobes, often also alternating with 5 staminodia; anthers opening by a longitudinal slit; ovary superior, 3-celled; ovules very numerous; style 1; stigmas 1-3: fruit a capsule. Diapensiaceae has 6 genera and about 10 species of circumpolar distribution, extending southward to Carolina and the Himalayas. The family is related to the Ericaceae, and to the Epacridaceae. The 3 carpels and 5 stamens are important distinguishing characteristics. Four or more genera are in cultivation in America; of these, Galax aphylla (Galax) of North Carolina has reniform leaves; Pyxidanthera barbulata (Pyxie, Flowering Moss, or Pine-barren Beauty) of southern New Jersey has subulate leaves; Shortia, of North Carolina and Japan, and Schizocodon soldanelloides (Fringed Galax) of Japan both have orbicular leaves. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Gallery

If you have a photo of this plant, please upload it! Plus, there may be other photos available for you to add.

• 

  photo 1

• 

  photo 2

• 

  photo 3

References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Diapensiaceae. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Diapensiaceae QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)