Dirca

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 358. 1753.

,

Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 167. 1754.

Common names: Leatherwood
Etymology: Greek mythological Dirce, wife of Lycus who was transformed by Dionysus into a fountain
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 381. Mentioned on page 383.

Shrubs, deciduous, to 3 m. Stems erect, branched, appearing jointed, woody, sericeous or or (3–)4-lobed; petals (absent in D. palustris), included, minute, forming ring at base of staminal filaments; stamens 8, exserted, inserted within calyx; style exserted, elongate; stigma punctiform. Fruits drupaceous, yellow, yellow-green, or green, fleshy, oil-rich, hypanthium not persistent.

Distribution

North America, ne Mexico.

Discussion

Species 4 (3 in the flora).

Dirca mexicana G. L. Nesom & Mayfield is known from Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Key

1 Inflorescences pedunculate, flowers pedicellate; calyx unlobed or 4–5-lobed, margins shallowly crenate, erose, or undulate; bracts brown- to tan-pubescent; leaf blades usually glabrous, rarely with persistent indument. Dirca palustris
1 Inflorescence epedunculate, flowers sessile or subsessile; calyx (3–)4-lobed, margins entire or erose; bracts white-tan tomentose; leaf blades hairy > 2
2 Pedicels glabrous; apex of ovary and fruit glabrous; leaf margins with 6–9 cilia per mm. Dirca occidentalis
2 Pedicels sericeous; apex of ovary and fruit with trichomes; leaf margins with 11–18 cilia per mm. Dirca decipiens
... more about "Dirca"
Aaron Floden +  and Lorin I. Nevling Jr. +
Linnaeus +
Leatherwood +
North America +  and ne Mexico. +
Greek mythological Dirce, wife of Lycus who was transformed by Dionysus into a fountain +
Sp. Pl. +  and Gen. Pl. ed. +
1753 +  and 1754 +
peterson2009a +, schrader2004a +, schrader2005a +  and vogelman1953a +
Thymelaeaceae +