| Calyptranthes | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Calyptranthes Sw |
| Species | |
|
see list |
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Lidflower (Calyptranthes spp.) or Mountainbay is a large genus of flowering plants from the family Myrtaceae.
They are evergreen shrubs or small trees, growing to 5 m tall. They have simple, opposite, evergreen leaves and clusters of small flowers lacking petals. The sepals are capped in bud by a lidlike cover, which is shed later. The fruit is a dry, berry-like, reddish brown. The bark is smooth to scaly and pale-white in color.
Fourteen species occur within the U.S. in Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Pale Lidflower or Spicewood (C. pallens) is a shrub or small tree, that can grow to 7 m tall, with leaves 5–7.5 cm long and 1 cm wide; fruits oblong.
Myrtle-of-the-river (C. zygium) is a large, evergreen shrub from tropical America. It has smaller, elliptical leaves, a nipple-like apex on a floral lid, and globular fruits.