| Illicium floridanum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Order: | Austrobaileyales |
| Family: | Schisandraceae |
| Genus: | Illicium |
| Species: | I. floridanum |
| Binomial name | |
| Illicium floridanum J.Ellis | |
 | |
| Natural range | |
Illicium floridanum (also known as purple anise, Florida anise, stink-bush, or star-anise) is an evergreen shrub native to the southeastern United States, especially Florida and Louisiana. [2]
The Florida anise tree has large evergreen lance shaped leaves that are lustrous and dark green. [3] When crushed the leaf has a sweet odor, described as being "anise-like". [3] The leaf of this plant has a parallel main vein. [4] [ unreliable source? ] Within the leaf of this shrub, a flower also grows. The flower has 20 to 30 maroon-colored petals. The petals are typically 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. [3] The flower is attractive, and it is often overlooked within the lush shiny foliage, but has a fish-like odor. [5] If the flower is ripe, the seed explodes out of the star-shaped fruit. This plant has a variety that can be produced in cultivation through selective breeding. Depending on the breeding, white flowers can be observed.[ citation needed ]
The Illicium floridanum plant was first discovered in 1765 by the servant of a man named William Clifton, Esq. of West Florida. It was first observed growing in a swamp near Pensacola. In 1766, King George III's botanist, John Bartram, found the Illicium flordianum plant on St. Johns River bank located in East Florida. He made a drawing of the plant, where he described the petals, leaves, and type of tree. [4]
This perennial plant is found in northern Florida and Georgia, as well as along the coastal plain toward Louisiana. The Illicium floridanum plant is endangered in Georgia. [6] This plant species in those areas are known to be toxic. [3] The Illicium floridanum shrub can be seen growing in wetlands, but can also be found in non-wetland areas. It grows in partial to fully shaded areas. However, it can survive in sunny areas, as long as it is being watered well. The soil for this plant should be moist, mulched and watered, especially during periods of dryness. [6]
Illicium floridanum should not be ingested, and is not considered an alternative to a culinary spice. However, there is a similar species, the Chinese plant known as Illicium verum , which is used as a spice, and the oil of which is used in medicine and to flavor alcoholic beverages. [7]
Illicium is derived from Latin and means 'seductive'. The name is in reference to the plant's fragrance. [8]
Ilex opaca, the American holly, is a species of holly, native to the eastern and south-central United States, from coastal Massachusetts south to central Florida, and west to southeastern Missouri and eastern Texas.
Aesculus pavia, known as red buckeye or firecracker plant, is a species of deciduous flowering plant. The small tree or shrub is native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States, found from Illinois to Virginia in the north and from Texas to Florida in the south. It is hardy far to the north of its native range, with successful cultivation poleward to Arboretum Mustila in Finland.
Aesculus flava, the yellow buckeye, common buckeye, or sweet buckeye, is a species of deciduous tree. It is native to the Ohio Valley and Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States. It grows in mesophytic forest or floodplains, generally in acid to circumneutral soil, reaching a height of 20m to 48m.
Illicium is a genus of flowering plants treated as part of the family Schisandraceae, or alternately as the sole genus of the Illiciaceae. It has a disjunct distribution, with most species native to eastern Asia and several in parts of North America, including the southeastern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. General common names include star anise and anisetree. The genus name comes from the Latin illicere.
Acer leucoderme is a deciduous tree native to the southeastern United States from North Carolina south to northwest Florida and west to eastern Texas. It lives in the understory in moist, rocky soils on river banks, ravines, woods, and cliffs. Although generally a uncommon tree, it is most often found in the inner coastal plain and Piedmont regions of Georgia.
Cephalanthus occidentalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae, that is native to eastern and southern North America. Common names include buttonbush, common buttonbush, button-willow and honey-bells.
Euonymus atropurpureus is a species of shrub in the bittersweet family. It has the common names American wahoo, eastern wahoo, burningbush, and hearts bursting with love. It is native to eastern North America.
Vaccinium arboreum is a species of Vaccinium native to the southeastern and south-central United States, from southern Virginia west to southeastern Nebraska, south to Florida and eastern Texas, and north to Illinois.
Arbutus xalapensis, commonly known as the Texas madrone, naked Indian tree or Texas madroño, is a species of flowering plant in the heather family. It is native to Central America, the southwestern United States, and throughout Mexico. It is found in canyons and mountains, on rocky plains, and in oak woodlands, at altitudes of up to 3,000 m in the south of the range, but lower, down to 600 m in the north of the range.
Forestiera acuminata, commonly known as eastern swamp privet, is a deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to the southeastern and central United States, growing primarily in or near wetlands. It is especially common along the Mississippi Valley as far north as Illinois and Indiana, but found also across the South from eastern Texas to South Carolina.
Zanthoxylum fagara or wild lime, is a species of flowering plant that—despite its name—is not part of the genus Citrus with real limes and other fruit, but is a close cousin in the larger citrus family, Rutaceae. It is native to southern Florida and Texas in the United States, and to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Paraguay. Common names include: lime prickly-ash, wild lime, colima, uña de gato, and corriosa.
Rhus glabra, the smooth sumac, is a species of sumac in the family Anacardiaceae, native to North America, from southern Quebec west to southern British Columbia in Canada, and south to northern Florida and Arizona in the United States and Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico.
Illicium parviflorum, commonly known as yellow anisetree, yellow-anise, swamp star-anise, and small anise tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Schisandraceae, or alternately, the Illiciaceae. It is native to Florida in the United States. It historically occurred in Georgia as well, but it has been extirpated from the state.
Frangula caroliniana, commonly called the Carolina buckthorn, is a deciduous upright shrub or small tree native to the southeastern, south-central, and mid-western parts of the United States, from Texas east to Florida and north as far as Maryland, Ohio, Missouri, and Oklahoma. There is also an isolated population in the State of Nuevo León in northeastern Mexico. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including barrens, forests, and limestone bluffs.
Viburnum rufidulum, also known as the rusty blackhaw, blue haw, rusty nanny-berry, or southern black haw, is a flowering species of shrub or small tree that is common in parts of the Eastern and Central United States. It produces attractive flowers and fall foliage, as well as fruits that are popular with some species of bird.
Aesculus sylvatica, the painted buckeye, is a species of shrub. The species has five leaflets that are 4.5 to 6 inches long and 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide. The flowers are yellow and occasionally have red also. The species have dry fruit and brown, scaly bark. The species is commonly found in forests and along stream banks. The shrub is poisonous, as are its seeds.
Symplocos tinctoria is a deciduous or evergreen shrub or tree. It is recognized by pith of twigs chambered; by foliage not notably aromatic when bruised, leaves finely hairy beneath. Shrubs or trees to 17 m tall by 36 cm DBH. The largest first-year twigs are under 3 mm across, terminal buds with acute tip, scales ciliate. Leaves are 7–15 cm long, margin entire or occasionally some teeth on the apical half, with a sweet taste that may be faint in old leaves. It is conspicuous when in flower; flowers opening before new leaves develop, fragrant, in clusters from axils of previous year's leaves or from just above the leaf scars if the leaves have fallen; the petals are creamy yellow to yellow, with one pistil. Fruits nearly cylindrical to ellipsoid drupes 8–12 mm long, with thin pulp and a hard stone containing 1 seed; the tip usually retaining parts of the sepals. Foliage is relished by browsing wildlife. A yellow dye may be obtained from bark and leaves. It flowers Mar to May.
Prunus caroliniana, known as the Carolina laurelcherry, Carolina cherry laurel, cherry laurel, or Carolina cherry, is a small evergreen flowering tree native to the lowlands of Southeastern United States, from North Carolina south to Florida and westward to central Texas. The species has also escaped into the wild in a few places in California.
Persea borbonia is a species of plant in the family Lauraceae, with several common names including redbay, tisswood, scrubbay, shorebay, and swampbay.
Nyssa ogeche, commonly referred to as Ogeechee tupelo, white tupelo, river lime, ogeechee lime tree, sour gum or wild lime is a deciduous tree. Growing to 15 m, it is in flower from March to May, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are pollinated by bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife.
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Illicium floridanum . |
