Symplocaceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Symplocaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Symplocaceae (from the genus Symplocos, derived from the Greek, meaning connected, referring to the stamens). Symplocos Family. Fig. 48. Trees or shrubs: leaves alternate, simple: flowers bisexual, or less commonly unisexual, regular; calyx 5-lobed, gamosepalous, imbricated; corolla-lobes 5 or 10, in 1 or 2 series, gamopetalous, imbricated; stamens 15 to many in 1-3 or many series, separate, or slightly united with each other and the corolla, hypogynous or epipetalous; ovary inferior or half-inferior, 2-5-celled, with about 2 ovules in each cell; style 1; stigmas 1-5: fruit drupaceous. Only one genus and about 275 species are found in tropical lands; they are most abundant in the Malay region and East India. A few species in Japan, and one in North America, extend the family into the temperate zone. Symplocos tinctoria reaches Delaware. The family is related to the Styracaceae, and is often united with it. The inferior, completely several-celled ovary, and numerous stamens, are important characteristics. Fossil species are known. The bark of Symplocos racemosa is used as a medicine in the East Indies under the name lotus bark. The leaves of S. spicata and the roots of S. tinctoria are used in the preparation of yellow dye-stuffs. S. crataegoides is a hardy ornamental shrub from Japan. 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 It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article.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.

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References

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

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