Stewartia L. (Theaceae)

A genus of about twenty species of trees and shrubs; temperate e. Asia and e. North America.

Two species occur in North Carolina. They are both native to the state.

1. Style 1, with a 5-lobed stigma; seeds 5-7 mm long, shiny, plump, angled; fruits lobes rounded; leaves mostly 4-10 cm long, with 7-8 pairs of lateral veins; petioles narrowly winged (0.1-1 mm wide), not enclosing and concealing the terminal and lateral buds; calyx subtended by 2 persistent bracts, each 2-4 mm long...S. malacodendron (Silky-camellia)

Bark of Stewartia malacodendron (Copyright W. Cook)

Twig of Stewartia malacodendron (Photo A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Leaf of Stewartia malacodendron (Photo A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Leaves of Stewartia malacodendron (Copyright W. Cook)

Leaf of Stewartia malacodendron (Copyright W. Cook)

Leaves of Stewartia malacodendron (Copyright W. Cook)

Flower of Stewartia malacodendron (Photo A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Fruit of Stewartia malacodendron (coming soon)

N.C. distribution of Stewartia malacodendron

U.S. distribution of Stewartia malacodendron

Stewartia malacodendron (Silky camellia)
(Uncommon [rare in Mt and Pd]; mesic forests, especially on beech-dominated bluffs or "islands" in Coastal Plain swamps; Mt, Pd, CP; Fl: May-Jun, Fr: Sep-Oct)

1. Styles 5, separate; seeds 8-10 mm long, dull, flat, thin (to slightly winged); fruit lobes angled; leaves mostly 7-15 cm long, with 5- 7 pairs of lateral veins; petioles widely winged (1-2 mm wide), enclosing and concealing the terminal and lateral buds; calyx subtended by 1 persistent bract, 11-14 mm long...S. ovata (Mountain-camellia)

Bark of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Twig of Stewartia ovata (Photo A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Leaves of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Leaves of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Leaves and flowers of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Leaf of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Leaf underside of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Leaves and flowers of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Flower of Stewartia ovata (Photo A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Flower of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Flower Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Flowers of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Flower of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Flowers of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

Dry seed capsule of Stewartia ovata (Copyright W. Cook)

N.C. distribution of Stewartia ovata

U.S. distribution of Stewartia ovata

Stewartia ovata (Mountain-camellia)
(Rare; mesic forests, especially acidic bluffs, often in openings in rhododendron thickets; Mt, Pd; Fl: Late Jun-Jul, Fr: Aug-Sep)