Piptanthus Explained

Piptanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It includes two species of shrubs native to the Himalayas, Tibet, Myanmar, and western China. They grow in montane grassland, thicket, and forest margins.

The genus belongs to subfamily Faboideae. It is most closely related to the genera Anagyris, Thermopsis (Asiatic spp.), and Vuralia.

Species

Piptanthus comprises the following species:^{[1] [2] [3]}

• Piptanthus nepalensis is native to Burma, Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal. It is a shrub which is variable in morphology, especially in the arrangement of hairs on its leaves and other parts, so it has frequently been divided into multiple species.^[4] This Himalayan shrub is evergreen in mild sheltered sites, semi-evergreen elsewhere, losing its leaves in hard frost but soon recovering again in spring. The growth is upright and flexible, allowing plants to be trained on warm walls where they are sheltered and flower more profusely. The blooms are large and bright yellow, like those of laburnum but in short upright clusters. Although good drainage is important, make sure plants are watered in summer to prevent sudden die-back.
• Piptanthus tomentosus is endemic to China. It can be distinguished from P. nepalensis by the coating of reddish hairs on its fruit.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for Piptanthus . . International Legume Database & Information Service . Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics . 15 May 2014 .
2. Web site: GRIN species records of Piptanthus . USDA . USDA . ARS . Agricultural Research Service . National Genetic Resources Program . Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database] . National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland . 15 May 2014 .
3. Web site: The Plant List entry for Piptanthus . 2013 . . . 15 May 2014 .
4. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=220010511 Piptanthus nepalensis.
5. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242338426 Piptanthus tomentosus.