Kalmia latifolia
From Freepedia
| Mountain-laurel | ||||||||||||||
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| Image:Buberel unknown flower 12.jpg Kalmia latifolia | ||||||||||||||
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| Kalmia latifolia L. |
Mountain-laurel is the common name of two loosely related flowers found in the USA.
Kalmia latifolia, a flowering shrub of the family Ericaceae. Found in the eastern USA, this is a poisonous broad-leaved (3-12 cm long, 1-4 cm wide) evergreen shrub, between 3-9 m tall. Its flowers are star-shaped, ranging from red to pink to white, and occurring in clusters.
The plant is naturally found on rocky slopes and mountainous forest areas.
It is also known as Ivybush, Calico Bush, Spoonwood (because native Americans used to make their spoons out of it), Sheep Laurel, Lambkill and Clamoun.
Mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
The plant was first recorded in America in 1624, but it was named after Pehr Kalm, who sent samples to Linnaeus in the 18th century.
Varieties include:
- var. latifolia - Mountain-laurel;
- var. rubra Sweet - Pink Mountain-laurel;
- var. laevipes Vern. - Smooth Mountain-laurel;
- var. fuscata Rehd. - Branded Mountain-laurel;
- var. alba Bosse - White Mountain-laurel.
| Texas Mountain-laurel | ||||||||||||||
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| Image:Sophora secundiflora flower.jpg Sophora secundiflora | ||||||||||||||
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| Sophora secundiflora L. |
Sophora secundiflora, a flowering shrub of the family Fabaceae, is found in Texas and New Mexico. Sophora secundiflora is also called the Texas Mountain Laurel or Mescalbean. More information is available at the Plants Database of the US Department of Agriculture.
