The BioFiles - Bill Hubick

American Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)

Source: Wikipedia

Staphylea trifolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Crossosomatales
Family: Staphyleaceae
Genus: Staphylea
Species:
S. trifolia
Binomial name
Staphylea trifolia

Staphylea trifolia, the American bladdernut,[2] is native to eastern North America, from southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec west to Nebraska and Arkansas, and south to Florida. It is sometimes used as an ornamental plant.

It is a medium-sized shrub growing to 3.5 m (11 ft) tall.[3] Its growth rate is medium to fast.[citation needed] The leaves are opposite and divided into three leaflets, each leaflet 4.5–13 cm (2–5 in) long[4] and 5 cm (2 in) broad, with a serrated margin.[3] The leaves are bright green in the spring, turning dark green in the summer. S. trifolia produces pendant white flowers in spring, which mature into bladder-like, teardrop-shaped fruits that contain 1-3 brown popcorn-like seeds.[3] Some sources consider these "nuts" to be edible. [5]

References

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  1. ^ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2018). "Staphylea trifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T135957125A135957127. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T135957125A135957127.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ NRCS. "Staphylea trifolia". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Tenaglia, Dan. "Staphylea trifolia page". Missouri Plants. Missouri Botanical Garden.
  4. ^ Brouillet, Luc (2014). "Staphylea trifolia". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 9. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  5. ^ "Staphylea trifolia".