Synonym(s): Dirca decipiens, Dirca mexicana
Image ID: 7251
Image by: Parkins, Grant Morrow
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library
PLANT INDEX
ID_PLANT: DIPA9
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dirca palustris
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2020-01-01
GENUS INDEX
GENUS CODE: DIRCA GENUS SCIENTIFIC:Dirca GENUS AUTHORITY: L. GENUS COMMON: Leatherwood GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of 4 species, shrubs, of North America (including Mexico). Our species is most closely related to D. mexicana G.L. Nesom & Mayfield (of the Sierra Madre Oriental, Tamaulipas, Mexico) and D. decipiens Floden (of e. MS, nw. AR, and sw. MO); the other species is D. occidentalis A. Gray of California (Schrader & Graves 2004; Floden, Mayfield, & Ferguson 2009). GENUS IDENTIFICATION: GENUS REFERENCES: Floden & Nevling in FNA (2015); Nevling (1962)=Z; Floden, Mayfield, & Ferguson (2009)=Y.
FAMILY INDEX
FAMILY CODE: THYMEL FAMILY SCIENTIFIC:Thymelaeaceae FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.L de Jussieu 1789 FAMILY COMMON: Mezereum Family FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 45-53 genera and 500-800 species, mostly trees and shrubs, of cosmopolitan distribution, but especially diverse in Africa (Van der Bank, Fay, & Chase 2002). Dirca, Edgeworthia, and Thymelaea are all in subfamily Thymelaeoideae (Van der Bank, Fay, & Chase 2002). FAMILY REFERENCE: Nevling & Barringer in FNA (2015); Van der Bank, Fay, & Chase (2002); Herber in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003).
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast
2018 Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina
This information is derived from the 2018 North Carolina Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species.
WEAKLEY FLORA
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dirca palustris
COMMON NAME: Leatherwood, Leatherbark, Wicopee, Rope-bark
SYNONYMY: [= C, F, FNA, G, K, Mo, Pa, RAB, S, Va, W, WH3, WV, Y, Z]
PHENOLOGY: Mar-Apr; Jun-Jul.
HABITAT: Very rich forests, on slopes or bottomlands, limited to calcareous or mafic rocks such as limestone, calcareous siltstone, calcareous shale, gabbro, or amphibolite, in marl ravine bottoms in the Coastal Plain of VA, in Ashe County NC ascending to 1500 meters elevation.
COMMENTS: Widespread in e. North America, from NS and s. QC, south to Panhandle FL, AL, and OK. The curiously flexible twigs and swollen nodes are distinctive. The common names refer to the extraordinary toughness of the tan-brown bark, which was used by native Americans for cordage.
RANGE MAP: Dirca palustris.png
Key to Map SymbolsABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora) Thymelaeaceae A.L de Jussieu 1789 (Mezereum Family) SUMMARY: A family of about 45-53 genera and 500-800 species, mostly trees and shrubs, of cosmopolitan distribution, but especially diverse in Africa (Van der Bank, Fay, & Chase 2002). Dirca, Edgeworthia, and Thymelaea are all in subfamily Thymelaeoideae (Van der Bank, Fay, & Chase 2002). REFERENCE: Nevling & Barringer in FNA (2015); Van der Bank, Fay, & Chase (2002); Herber in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003).ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora) Dirca L. (Leatherwood) SUMMARY: A genus of 4 species, shrubs, of North America (including Mexico). Our species is most closely related to D. mexicana G.L. Nesom & Mayfield (of the Sierra Madre Oriental, Tamaulipas, Mexico) and D. decipiens Floden (of e. MS, nw. AR, and sw. MO); the other species is D. occidentalis A. Gray of California (Schrader & Graves 2004; Floden, Mayfield, & Ferguson 2009). REFERENCE: Floden & Nevling in FNA (2015); Nevling (1962)=Z; Floden, Mayfield, & Ferguson (2009)=Y.
HERBARIUM RESOURCES
SERNEC: Find Dirca palustris in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available) UNC SERNEC: Find Dirca palustris in
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)