Chinese Stewartia

Flowering from May to June; fruiting from September to November.

Stewartia sinensis var. sinensis is close relative of Stewartia sinensis var. acutisepala, but differs from the latter in its 0.5-1 cm (vs. 2-3 cm) pedicle, bracteoles and sepals ovate, apex abruptly acute (vs. long ovate to ovate-lanceolate, apex acuminate to long acuminate).

Stewartia sinensis is occurring in Anhui, Fujian, N Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, S Shaanxi, E Sichuan, NE Yunnan, Zhejiang of China.

Sequences of the internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA were used to estimate the phylogenetic relationships within Stewartia (Li et al., 2002). Results indicated within Stewartia the New World and the Old World formed well-supported clades. Within the Old World lineage, Stewartia pseudocamellia, S. monadelpha, and S. sinensis formed a clade.

Shrubs or trees, 3-11 m tall, deciduous. Current year branchlets purplish red, glabrous; winter buds with 3-11 scales, glabrous. Petiole purplish red, ca. 1 cm, glabrous, narrowly winged; leaf blade elliptic to obovate-elliptic, 5.5-10.5 cm long, 2.5-4.5 cm wide, papery, abaxially yellowish green, appressed pubescent, and densely villous along midvein, adaxially green and glabrous, secondary veins 7-11 on each side of midvein and raised on both surfaces, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margin sparsely serrate, apex abruptly acute to acuminate. Flowers solitary. Pedicel 5-10 mm, glabrescent, thickened toward apex; bracteoles persistent, ovate, 2-2.5 cm long, 1-1.3 cm wide, leaflike, apex abruptly acute. Sepals ovate, 1-2 cm long, ca. 1 cm wide, leaflike, outside glabrous, apex abruptly acute. Petals white, broadly obovate, 2.5-3 cm long, 1.5-2 cm wide, outside gray sericeous, apex rounded. Stamens 1.5-2 cm; filaments basally connate, distinct parts sparsely villous. Ovary conical, tomentose; style ca. 1 cm, glabrous. Capsule conical, 1.5-2 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, tomentose, apex rostrate; columella abortive. Seeds obovate in outline, planoconvex, 6-9 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, margin narrowly winged.

Growing in forests, dense thickets on mountains; 500-2200 m.