Hi folks,
I've recently seen a shrub being sold in central Florida that no one
seems to know the name of. I don't know how big it will get, but ours
is in a 3-gallon pot and probably about 3 feet tall.

When first approaching it, the flowers say "Onagraceae" -- 4 broad white
petals and 4 much narrower, backwards-facing white sepals. BUT the
ovary is superior, and there are around 10 long, white fertile stamens,
as well as many (20) yellow things that appear to be staminodes. The
stigma/style is much shorter than the staminodes, white, and with
multiple stigmas.

Fruit looks like a small cucumber, with velcro-like spines on the
surface, Brazil-nut-size.

Leaves are alternate, palmately veined, and look vaguely Malvaceous.
There are a pair of stipules, small and scale-like which hang on long
after they've dried up and died.

Stems are covered with a brown, rather scaly material. I did not have a
hand lens with me to check the nature of that stuff. The leaves also
feel like they have rough, short hairs. Not sandpapery feeling, but
definitely rough.

So, I've pretty much ruled out Onagraceae. I thought Loasaceae, but
flower parts in 4s? Sterculiaceae? Something I've not even thought of?

I've posted some pics he
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1023950...7603497109065/

Thanks for your thoughts.

Malcolm Manners

"Malcolm Manners" wrote in message
news:J6%9j.5798$8y4.822@trnddc07...

[snip]
So, I've pretty much ruled out Onagraceae. I thought Loasaceae, but
flower parts in 4s? Sterculiaceae? Something I've not even thought of?

I've posted some pics he
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1023950...7603497109065/

The Sterculiaceae idea is closest.
I think it's one of the genera formerly put in Tiliaceae
[The various "Sterculiaceae" and "Tiliaceae" are now all being
included in an expanded Malvaceae. See Malvales tree in
http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/APweb/welcome.html ].

Perhaps your plant is a _Grewia_ or _Corchorus_ species, or a
close relative [subfamily Grewioideae], but I didn't see any
close matches.

Spoke too soon;
further Googling suggests it's _Clappertonia ficifolia_:

http://images.google.com/images?q=clappertonia
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/FACULTY...phylo_malv.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=clappertonia\

Thanks for the puzzle.

cheers

mel turner wrote:
"Malcolm Manners" wrote in message
news:J6%9j.5798$8y4.822@trnddc07...

[snip]

So, I've pretty much ruled out Onagraceae. I thought Loasaceae, but
flower parts in 4s? Sterculiaceae? Something I've not even thought of?

I've posted some pics he
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1023950...7603497109065/


The Sterculiaceae idea is closest.
I think it's one of the genera formerly put in Tiliaceae
[The various "Sterculiaceae" and "Tiliaceae" are now all being
included in an expanded Malvaceae. See Malvales tree in
http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/APweb/welcome.html ].

Perhaps your plant is a _Grewia_ or _Corchorus_ species, or a
close relative [subfamily Grewioideae], but I didn't see any
close matches.

Spoke too soon;
further Googling suggests it's _Clappertonia ficifolia_:

http://images.google.com/images?q=clappertonia
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/FACULTY...phylo_malv.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=clappertonia\

Thanks for the puzzle.

cheers


thanks much, Mel. We grow Grewia occidentalis as well, and it had
occurred to me that there were some similarities, but it has parts in
5s. Looking at the photos, I think you've nailed it with Clappertonia.

Malcolm