Hi, I live in a very sheltered valley in Devon UK which has an abundance of exotic trees and shrubs. I discovered this one today, can anybody tell me what it is? Pinnate leaves, mix of 3 and 5 leaflets. Flowers with 5 tepals and corolla tube.
Staphylea, probably Staphylea pinnata, though I wouldn't have expected the leaves to be so far advanced while it was still flowering. But maybe that's how it is where you are.
Thank you, now that I know the genus I can take a closer look for species but pinnata seems favourite. We are involved in a phenology project called Nature's Calendar with the UK Woodland Trust and we regularly post sightings that are unusual with their timing and combinations because of our valley's unusual micro-climate.
I revisited the site this morning. The pictures I took earlier give a false impression because I was having to hold the branch in the wind to take the photograph. A glorious, still morning here today. If left alone, the panicles are more or less upright not hanging, there is no sign of pink on the flowers. There are a few 5 lobed leaves, but the leaves on the flowering stems are all trifoliate and less than 10cm. Reading around, this seems to point at Staphylea colchica.
Still Staphylea...maybe Staphylea trifolia. Staphylea trifolia - Trees and Shrubs Online Staphylea trifolia - Plant Finder
I rejected S. trifolia because the panicles are upright and not drooping, and there is no sign of pink on the flowers at all. I have used the Missouri site before, but the Dendrology Society site is new to me, thank you. That site has a useful key for Staphylea which I shall use tomorrow to assess the leaves more carefully, no fruits yet but I can use them to confirm at a later date. Again, thank you.
Having revisited with the key, I am as certain as you can be in Botany without a genome analysis that the shrub is Staphylea colchica. Thank you for your help.
