ARS | Publication request: Evaluation of a 15-year-old Carolina silverbell provenance trial

Submitted to: Southern Nursery Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 22, 2008
Publication Date: May 29, 2009
Citation: Olsen, R.T. 2009. Evaluation of a 15-year-old Carolina silverbell provenance trial. Proceedings of the 53rd Annual Southern Nursery Association Research Conference. 53:181-185.

Technical Abstract: A large collection of Carolina silverbell (Halesia carolina) collected over the species range in eastern North America is currently growing at the USNA Glenn Dale, MD location. Halesia carolina (Styracaceae), is one of two species native to North America, with a third species native to China. Recent taxonomic investigations and molecular data indicate that current generic delimitations in the Styracaceae results in several genera that are not monophyletic, including Halesia. The Halesia collection at USNA was reevaluated using relevant character morphologies (flower size, fruit shape, habit) to test geographic distiubtions of these characters across the range of H. carolina, as well as to screen for useful ornamental tree breeding characteristics.