Trichocladus grandiflorus

Trichocladus grandiflorus is a species in the genus Trichocladus, in the family Hamamelidaceae. It is also called splendid witch-hazel.[1]

Trichocladus grandiflorus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Core eudicots
Order:
Saxifragales
Family:
Hamamelidaceae
Genus:
Trichocladus
Species:
T. grandiflorus
Binomial name
Trichocladus grandiflorus

Description and range

The evergreen Trichocladus grandiflorus, though sometimes a shrub, is typically found in the form of a tree, to 7 meters, and occasionally grows very large, up to 30 meters. It is native to South Africa and Swaziland, where it may be found on the fringes of mountain mist-belt forests, in wooded ravines, and in low-altitude evergreen forests.[1]

Leaves: Its leaves are alternate[2] or opposite,[1] and are ovate to lanceolate, with a pointed tip and slightly more rounded base. Young leaves are a conspicuous bronzy reddish-brown, with velvet-like hairs, but soon change, becoming pale and glabrous on the undersides, with very prominent veins, and remaining glossy green above. Adult leaves tend to be between 5 cm and 10 cm in length, and 2.5–5 cm wide.[1][2]

Flowers: Handsome flowers, nearly 4 cm in diameter, in loose axillary or terminal heads, are white tinged, becoming purple near the base, and closely resemble Hamamelis in shape. Petals are crinkly and long, to 2.5 cm, and at 4 cm in diameter are comparatively broad for this genus. Male and female parts are borne on separate flowers, either on the same specimen or different specimens (may be either monoecious or dioecious). Flowers from December to January.

Fruit: Small, dark, 2-valved capsules that appear 4-valved at the apex are borne from February to May, but may be much later.[1]

Cultivation

These attractive trees are not difficult to cultivate, but remain surprisingly little known and rarely cultivated in gardens.[1] Grows well in cool (temperate) greenhouses. Compost and care similar to that of Gardenia.[2]

Etymology

Trichocladus is derived from the Greek terms trichos (τριχός; gen. 'hair') and klados (κλάδος; 'branch') and means approximately 'hairy-branched'. Grandiflorus derives from Latin terms grandis ('grand, large') and florum (gen. 'flower') and means approximately 'with large flowers'.[2][3]

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References
  1. Coates-Palgrave, M. 2002. Keith Coates-Palgrave "Trees of Southern Africa", edn 3, imp. 4. Random House Struik (Pty), Ltd, Cape Town. ISBN 9781868723898. pp 243, 245
  2. Chittenden, Fred J., Synge, Patrick M., editors. 1977. “The Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening”, edn. 2, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198691068. Volume 4, pp. 2138-2139
  3. Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 183, 385
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