![Loropetalum 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Loropetalum_2.jpg)
''Loropetalum'' is a genus of four species of
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s or small trees in the
witch-hazel
Witch-hazels or witch hazels (''Hamamelis'') are a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with three species in North America ('' H. ovalis'', '' H. virginiana'', and '' H. vernalis''), and one each in Japan ('' H.&nb ...
family,
Hamamelidaceae
Hamamelidaceae, commonly referred to as the witch-hazel family, is a family of flowering plants in the order Saxifragales. The clade consists of shrubs and small trees positioned within the woody clade of the core Saxifragales. An earlier system ...
, native to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, and south-eastern
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
.
Description
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s are produced in clusters during spring and are similar to those of the closely related
witch-hazel
Witch-hazels or witch hazels (''Hamamelis'') are a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with three species in North America ('' H. ovalis'', '' H. virginiana'', and '' H. vernalis''), and one each in Japan ('' H.&nb ...
. Each flower consists of four to six (depending on species) slender strap shaped petals 1–2 cm long.
Taxonomy
''Loropetalum'' is placed in tribe Loropetaleae, subfamily Hamamelidoideae, family
Hamamelidaceae
Hamamelidaceae, commonly referred to as the witch-hazel family, is a family of flowering plants in the order Saxifragales. The clade consists of shrubs and small trees positioned within the woody clade of the core Saxifragales. An earlier system ...
of the
Saxifragales
The Saxifragales (saxifrages) are an order of flowering plants (Angiosperms). They are an extremely diverse group of plants which include trees, shrubs, perennial herbs, succulent and aquatic plants. The degree of diversity in terms of vege ...
.
Etymology
The name ''Loropetalum'' refers to the shape of the flowers and comes from the Greek ''loron'' meaning strap and ''petalon'' meaning petal.
Species
The species are:
*''
'' - white-flowering variety up to 3.7 m tall, pink-flowering variety up to 1.5 m tall
*''
Loropetalum flavum'' - yellow flowers
*''
Loropetalum lanceum'' - up to 13 m tall, white flowers
*''
Loropetalum subcordatum'' - up to 12 m tall
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
San Marcos Growers: Loropetalum
External links
*
*
Hamamelidaceae
Saxifragales genera
{{Saxifragales-stub