Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Sapindales>Rutaceae>Ptelea trifoliata L. var. trifoliata
| Smooth Hoptree is a rare large shrub or small tree of rocky areas, usually over basic rock. Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
| The three-parted leaves could be confused with those of American Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia), which grows in moist areas, but hoptree leaves are alternate instead of opposite and have a pungent fragrance. Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
| Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
| Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
| Male flowers. Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
| Female flowers. Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
| Female flowers. Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
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| The common name comes from the hop-like fruits, which also have a pungent aroma when crushed. Variety trifoliata has glabrous leaves and twigs; var. mollis, which also occurs throughout North Carolina, has soft dense pubescence on the twigs and leaf undersides. |
| Bark detail. This shrub is on the Duke campus on Towerview Drive at the top of the hill opposite Circuit Drive. This is the only known site in Durham County. |
| Durham, NC 5/17/08. |
More information:
Salisbury University
Trees of Alabama and the Southeast
Virginia Tech Dendrology
Revised 6/8/08 cwcook@duke.edu
All photographs and text ©2008 by Will Cook unless otherwise indicated.