Jamesia is a genus of shrubs in the Hydrangeaceae, most commonly known as Jamesia, cliffbush or waxflower. It is native to interior western North America, in the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming and in northeastern Mexico, where it grows in mountains at 1,600–3,000 m elevation.
Modern species are characterized by grey or reddish-brown bark and five-petaled flowers in white or pink.
Taxonomy Publication The genus Jamesia was described by John Torrey and Asa Gray in 1840.
Species The following species are accepted:Holmgren & Holmgren (1989) Jamesia americana Jamesia tetrapetala
Description
It is a shrub growing to 1–2 m tall and to 3 m or more broad, with opposite simple leaves 3–7 cm long and 2–5 cm broad, with a serrated margin and a crinkled surface. The flowers are produced in erect terminal panicles, each flower white, 15–20 mm diameter, with five (rarely four) petals. The fruit is a dry capsule with numerous small seeds.
Etymology The genus is named in honor of Edwin James, the botanist on Stephen Long's expedition in 1820 that explored the territory between the Platte and Arkansas Rivers. James was the first to collect this genus for botanical study.Fertig, USDA
Notes
References
External links
Photo gallery