Nyssa aquatica

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 1058. 1753.

Common names: Water tupelo cotton gum
Endemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 460. Mentioned on page 459.

Trees, (6–)10–30 m, base buttressed, proximal limbs spreading to slightly drooping, crown irregular; bark irregularly fissured; twigs puberulent; pith white. Leaves: petiole 30–60 mm; blade elliptic to ovate, 8–11(–18) × (2.5–)3.5–5.5(–7.3) cm, herbaceous, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire proximally and usually coarsely dentate distally, apex usually acute, rarely acuminate, often mucronulate, abaxial surface glabrous or puberulent especially along veins, adaxial surface glabrous or sparsely hairy. Inflorescences: peduncle 1–1.5 cm (elongating to 3 cm in fruit), glabrous; staminate (1–)2–5-flowered, pistillate and bisexual 1–2-flowered. Staminate pedicels absent. Flowers: ovary densely hairy. Drupes black to blue or reddish purple, glaucous, oblong, 24–27 mm, punctate; stone 15–20 mm, roughened, often longitudinally ridged.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Swamps, floodplain forests, moist woods.
Elevation: 0–100 m.

Distribution

V12 172-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Ark., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ky., La., Miss., Mo., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.

Discussion

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Nyssa aquatica"
Gordon C. Tucker +  and Tracy J. Park +
Linnaeus +
Water tupelo +  and cotton gum +
Ala. +, Ark. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ky. +, La. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +  and Va. +
0–100 m. +
Swamps, floodplain forests, moist woods. +
Flowering spring. +
shea1993a +
Nyssa aquatica +
species +