Carpenteria
Encyclopedia
Carpenteria californica (icon), the sole species in the genus Carpenteria, is an evergreen
shrub
native to California
. It is closely related to the genus Philadelphus. Common names include Tree-anemone and Bush-anemone.
It is a rare species, endemic
to only seven sites in Fresno
and Madera
Counties, where it grows in chaparral
between 340–1340 m altitude between the San Joaquin and King rivers. It is well adapted to wildfire
, reproducing by stump sprouts after burning; natural seedlings are rare.
It grows to 1–3 m tall, with flaky bark on older stems. The leaves
are opposite, lanceolate, 4–10 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, glossy green above, blue-green to whitish and downy beneath. The flower
s are 3–7 cm diameter, with 5-8 pure white petals and a cluster of yellow stamens; flowering is from late spring to mid summer. The fruit
is a leathery capsule
6–12 mm diameter, containing numerous seed
s.
It is a popular ornamental plant
in gardens with Mediterranean climate
s, grown for its decorative flowers; it is now much more common in cultivation than in the wild. Several cultivar
s have been selected, including 'Bodnant' (a cold-tolerant cultivar hardy to -15°C in the British Isles
) and 'Ladham's' with large flowers.
Note that Carpenteria should not be confused with the similarly spelled Carpentaria
, a genus of palms
native to northern Australia.
, a noted Southern natural scientist, who was born on June 25, 1811 in Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
.
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
native to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is closely related to the genus Philadelphus. Common names include Tree-anemone and Bush-anemone.
It is a rare species, endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to only seven sites in Fresno
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
and Madera
Madera County, California
Madera County is a county of the U.S. state of California, located in the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada north of Fresno County. It comprises the Madera-Chowchilla, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census the population was 150,865...
Counties, where it grows in chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
between 340–1340 m altitude between the San Joaquin and King rivers. It is well adapted to wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
, reproducing by stump sprouts after burning; natural seedlings are rare.
It grows to 1–3 m tall, with flaky bark on older stems. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are opposite, lanceolate, 4–10 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, glossy green above, blue-green to whitish and downy beneath. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are 3–7 cm diameter, with 5-8 pure white petals and a cluster of yellow stamens; flowering is from late spring to mid summer. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is a leathery capsule
Capsule (fruit)
In botany a capsule is a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. A capsule is a structure composed of two or more carpels that in most cases is dehiscent, i.e. at maturity, it splits apart to release the seeds within. A few capsules are indehiscent, for example...
6–12 mm diameter, containing numerous seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s.
It is a popular ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
in gardens with Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
s, grown for its decorative flowers; it is now much more common in cultivation than in the wild. Several cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s have been selected, including 'Bodnant' (a cold-tolerant cultivar hardy to -15°C in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
) and 'Ladham's' with large flowers.
Note that Carpenteria should not be confused with the similarly spelled Carpentaria
Carpentaria
Carpentaria acuminata , the sole species in the genus Carpentaria, is a palm native to tropical coastal regions in the north of Northern Territory, Australia....
, a genus of palms
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
native to northern Australia.
History
The genus was named in honor of Dr. William Marbury CarpenterWilliam Marbury Carpenter
Dr. William Marbury Carpenter, a noted Southern natural scientist, was born on June 25, 1811 in Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.-Education:He was educated through private tutoring and attended the U.S. Military Academy, in West Point, New York , but resigned his military appointment due to ill health...
, a noted Southern natural scientist, who was born on June 25, 1811 in Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Feliciana Parish is a former parish of Louisiana, formed in 1810 from West Florida territory. It was divided in 1824 into East Feliciana Parish and West Feliciana Parish. Feliciana is a Spanish word meaning Happy Land. It originated in 1775 and was named by Spanish Governor Galvez...
.