Cephalanthus occidentalis
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| Cephalanthus occidentalis | ||||||||||||||
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 Cephalanthus occidentalis var. occidentalis
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| Cephalanthus occidentalis L. |
Cephalanthus occidentalis (Buttonbush, Button-bush, Button-willow or Honey-bells) is a species of Cephalanthus native to eastern and southern North America.
It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 2-10 m (rarely 15 m) tall. The leaves are opposite or in whorls of three, elliptic to ovate, 7-20 cm long and 3-7 cm broad, with an entire margin and a short petiole. The flowers are produced in a dense globular inflorescence 2.5-3.5 cm diameter on a 2.5–5 cm peduncle. Each flower has a fused white to pale yellow four-lobed corolla forming a long slender tube connecting to the calyx. The stigma is long, protruding from the corolla by about 4 mm.
There are two varieties, not considered distinct by all authorities:
- Cephalanthus occidentalis var. occidentalis (syn. var. pubescens) – Common Buttonbush. Eastern North America from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota and south to Florida and eastern Texas.
- Cephalanthus occidentalis var. californicus – California Button-willow. Southwestern North America, from western Texas west to California (Sierra Nevada foothills, San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, and the Inner North Coast Ranges) and south to Mexico and Central America.
