A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Liquidambar styraciflua
Trees , to 41 m. Leaves : stipules linear-lanceolate, 3-4 mm, early deciduous, leaving 2 stipular scars adaxially near base of petiole; petioles (44-)60-100(-150) mm. Leaf blade palmately lobed, main lobes sometimes again dentate-lobed, 7-19(-25) × 4.4-16 cm; surfaces glabrous, except young leaves hairy on veins and main vein-axils at base with persistent reddish brown simple hairs. Staminate flowers in pedunculate clusters, 3-6 cm; perianth absent; stamens 4-8(-10) per flower, 150-176(-300) per cluster, falling after anthesis. Pistillate flowers without perianth; hypanthium disclike, with 5-8 staminodes around cycle of disc lobes; ovary (1-)2-locular; styles 2; stigmas introrsely curved. Capsular heads brown at maturity, globose, 2.5-4 cm diam. This specimen displays flowers, maturing "gumballs" as well as last year's.
Native to warm temperate areas of eastern North America and tropical montane regions of Mexico and Central America.
Growing near the "Big Red Apple" monument at the depot in Cornelia, GA
Spotted on Apr 13, 2013
Submitted on Apr 15, 2013
No Comments