familyIteaceae
genusItea

Itea virginica

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 199. 1753 ,.

Common names: Virginia-willow Virginia sweetspire Virginia-tea
IllustratedEndemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 7. Mentioned on page 6.

Shrubs 1–3 m. Stems erect or arching, forming clumps by underground runners, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Leaves: petiole 3–10 mm; blade elliptic to oblong-oblanceolate, 2–9 × 1–4 cm, margins glandular-serrate to serrulate or minutely denticulate. Racemes arching, 20–80-flowered, 4–15 cm, rachis puberulent. Pedicels 1–3.5 mm, puberulent. Flowers: sepals erect or slightly divergent, narrowly oblong, 0.6–1 mm, apex acute; petals narrowly oblong, 3.5–6 mm; filaments 1–2 mm, pubescent; styles longitudinally grooved. Capsules ± reflexed, cylindric, 0.7–1 cm, styles persistent, pubescent. Seeds 1–1.4 × 0.4–0.9 mm, smooth, shiny. 2n = 22.


Phenology: Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat: Swamps, wet woods, stream banks, streamheads, beaver ponds
Elevation: 0-300 m

Distribution

V8 7-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ark., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.C., Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Itea virginica is widely cultivated for its showy inflorescences, fragrant flowers, and colorful fall foliage.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Itea virginica"
Nancy R. Morin +
Linnaeus +
Virginia-willow +, Virginia sweetspire +  and Virginia-tea +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Ky. +, La. +, Md. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, N.J. +, N.C. +, Okla. +, Pa. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +  and W.Va. +
0-300 m +
Swamps, wet woods, stream banks, streamheads, beaver ponds +
Flowering Mar–Jun. +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Itea virginica +
species +