question

20 years ago

I had recently visited the NY Botanical gardens and there was a plant in their conservatory that caught my eye as being quite unusual. I was hoping someone could identify it or give a rough guess. I wasn't sure if it was a tall shrub or a tree but the most distinguishing feature about it was that the bark had tiny flower directly attached to the bark all over the plant. The flowers were directly attached to the smooth bark without any leaves stems or plant parts in between the two as far as I could see. This was its unusual feature. Could anybody identify this.

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Comments (8)

Heathen1
20 years ago
Was it theobroma cacao?
http://www.mytho-fleurs.com/images/fleurs_tropicales/theobroma_cacao_fleurs.JPG
or
http://members.chello.be/cr28796/TheoCaca2.jpg
ImANut
20 years ago
Botanical garden people didnt know what it was?
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gcmastiffs
20 years ago
Maybe Jaboticaba? What did the leaves look like?

Cacao has very large, long leaves.

Jaboticaba has tiny, delicate looking leaves.

Lisa

Here is a link that might be useful: Jabo in bloom
chhe
Original Author
20 years ago
I don't think any of those are it, but I would I would have to say that all of them are very much like it. The flowers were a bit smaller and delicate looking. They were attached to the bark just like in the photos everyone posted. However, if I remember correctly the flowers were a reddish pinkish color. I have another question. Is there a name for this behavior of trees flowering bark?
trini1trini
20 years ago
I believe it is called "cauliflorus" when it grows against the bark.
Heathen1
20 years ago
Maybe you can email or call them and ask them?
tony_la
20 years ago
I was at the gardens last year and I think the plant in question is Pavonia Stricta?. It is much rarer to find than Pavania multiflora. I have been looking for a source for a couple of months. I found a nursery in Hawaii that carries it while on a business trip there this summer, but the plants are not certified for entry to California. From the looks of the plants in Hawaii they are easy to propogate and grow.
robynlacy
20 years ago
Is it this one? I found this and was wondering....

Here is a link that might be useful: halleria