Gordonia ?

Any ideas on this one? Everything about it says Gordonia, but I can't find one with a pale pink flower like this. It's around 5-6 metres tall and also has seed pods that are very Gordonia-like.

 

Could it be Camellia?

camellia pale pink single flowers - Google Search

camellia seed pods - Google Search

 

Thanks but I don't think it's a camellia. The way the pods opened was far more Gordonia-like.

 

Been researching Gordonia....
Seem to have 5 petals..evenly spaced.
Quote....Gordonia flowers do not go brown on the plant. Instead, they drop off and land on the ground with the stamens facing upwards, resembling a carpet of ‘fried eggs’.

Quote.... At almost any month of the year, it is possible to find at least one red leaf.

Seed pod Gordonia lasianthus.

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/images/Gordonia lasianthus/fruit1.jpg

camellia seed pod - Google Search:

 

I've never heard of Gordonia, am not happy to know there's yet another fried egg-looking thing. May we see the seed pods and bark?

 

I'll see if I can get some shots of the pods today. Often they're too high up and tend to hang on the tree after they've opened. The bark, from memory, is pretty smooth and not patterned like Stewartia.

 

Finally managed to get back to this tree today. While I wasn't able to get any images of mature, unopened seed capsules, the attached photos show open seed capsules on the tree, a developing capsule shortly after the flower has fallen and an open capsule with the seeds. The seeds are about the same size and shape as Fraxinus, though of course they aren't fraxinus. Any ideas?

 

I said I'd never heard of Gordonia, but I see now that Franklinia alatamaha has as a synonym Gordonia alatamaha. I haven't caught the fruits at exactly that stage.

Since you think in all other respects it looks like Gordonia, I wonder if it's just an old flower that has started to go pink, as a lot of white flowers do as they senesce. I don't remember the Franklinia flowers at UBCBG going pink but maybe if they hang on long enough, they do.

 

Sure, it's possible, but not something I've observed in other species. The only I can say for sure is that those seeds show that it's definitely not a camellia. Anyhow, just another mystery. Thanks for trying to help.