Lindera benzoin

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:LAURACEAE
Species:Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume
Common Name:Smooth Northern Spicebush; Benjamin Bush
Habitat:Damp to wet forest soils.
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:LIBE3
Plant Notes:Smooth Northern Spicebush is a native deciduous shrub in the Laurel family (Lauraceae). It can be found throughout most of Alabama. Smooth Northern Spicebush occurs along streams, in moist to wet forests, and in uplands areas over limestone. It is a deciduous shrub from 6-12 feet in height. Young twigs are glabrous or slightly pubescent with small, round, white lenticels. Leaves are alternate, elliptic to obovate in outline, and have ciliate margins. Leaves may be glabrous or densely pubescent. The leaves are aromatic when crushed, and become a bright, clear yellow before falling. Flowers are produced in the early spring before the leaves. Smooth Northern Spicebush is often one of the first plants to flower in woodlands. Flowers are produced in axillary, nearly umbellate clusters. Smooth Northern Spicebush is dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on different plants. The male flowers are larger and showier than the female flowers. Flowers have 6 yellow tepals and are aromatic. The fruit is a bright red, ellipsoid drupe which persists on the plant after leaf fall. Smooth Northern Spicebush is the larval food for the Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus), Promethea Moth (Callosamia promethea), and Tulip Tree Beauty Moth (Epimecis hortaria ). The fruit are eaten by many species of birds. Smooth Northern Spicebush is easy to grow in average to wet soils. It tolerates shade, but is more compact when grown in full sun. Smooth Northern Spicebush is often available in wildflower nurseries. It can also be grown from seed or cuttings. Seed should have the red pulp removed and then be planted outdoors soon after they are harvested to allow for cold stratification. Cuttings of young twigs taken in the late spring usually root fairly well in sand.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native, FACW (NWI)
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyLAURACEAE - Laurel family
Genus Lindera
Species Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume - Smooth Northern Spicebush; Benjamin Bush

Citation

Citation Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume, Mus. Bot. 1: 324. 1851.
Basionym: Laurus benzoin L. 1753.
Type: USA: VIRGINIA: Cult. in Hartekamp, Netherlands, Clifford s.n. (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by Fernald, Rhodora 47: 141. 1945.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Benzoin odoriferum Benzoin odoriferum Nees von Esenbeck, in Wallich, Pl. Asiat. Rar. 2: 63. 1831.Laurus benzoin Linnaeus 1753. 
Benzoin aestivale    
Benzoin aestivale var. pubescens Benzoin aestivale (Linnaeus) Nees von Esenbeck, var. pubescens E. J. Palmer & Steyermark, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 22: 545. 1935. MISSOURI: Jasper Co.: Alba, 12 Sep 1922, Palmer 21923 (holotype: A).
Benzoin benzoin Benzoin benzoin (Linnaeus) J. M. Coulter, Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 164. 1894, nom. inadmiss.Laurus benzoin Linnaeus 1753. 
Calosmon benzoin Calosmon benzoin (Linnaeus) J. Presl, in Berchtold & J. Presl, Prir. Rostlin 2(Laurac.): 71. 1825.Laurus benzoin Linnaeus 1753. 
Laurus benzoin Laurus benzoin Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 370. 1753. VIRGINIA: Cult. in Hartekamp, Netherlands, Clifford s.n. (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by Fernald, Rhodora 47: 141. 1945.
Laurus fragrans Laurus fragrans Salisbury, Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton 344. 1796, nom. illegit.Laurus benzoin Linnaeus 1753. 
Laurus pseudobenzoin Laurus pseudobenzoin Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 243. 1803. "Canada ad Floridam",
Lindera benzoin var. verna Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume, var. verna Meisner, in de Candolle, Prodr. 15(1): 244. 1864, nom. inadmiss.Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume 1851; Laurus benzoin Linnaeus 1753. 
Lindera benzoin var. pubescens Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume, var. pubescens (E. J. Palmer & Steyermark) Rehder, J. Arnold Arbor. 20: 413. 1939.Benzoin aestivale (Linnaeus) Nees von Esenbeck, var. pubescens E. J. Palmer & Steyermark 1935. 
Ozanthes banzoin Ozanthes banzoin (Linnaeus) Rafinesque, Sylva Tellur. 133. 1838.Laurus benzoin Linnaeus 1753. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Cherokee, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Coosa, Crenshaw, Dallas, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, UNAF, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1888 - 1997

Barcode / Accession No.
County
Coll. Date
Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
UWAL0044478 Baldwin 15 Jul 2002 Larsen, Harry S.
1019		 UWAL
Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume
AUA_ACC_61505 Barbour 7 Jun 2002 GIL, GLENDA
2001-205		 AUA
LINDERA BENZOIN (L.) BLUME
AUA_ACC_35019 Bibb 12 Jul 1977 SESSLER, ANN H.
1715		 AUA
LINDERA BENZOIN (L.) BLUME
UNA00029586 Bibb 08 May 1982 Horn, Charles N.
499		 UNA
Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume
JSU128667 Bibb 13 May 1983 Nixon, Christopher F.
346		 JSU
Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume
JSU128668 Bibb 13 May 1983 Whetstone, R. David
13530		 JSU
Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume
SAMF0000172 Bibb 18 Mar 1989 Albert, Mary
2		 SAMF
Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume
JSU128666 Bibb 1 Apr 1999 Brodeur, Kristin R.
1657		 JSU
Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume
UWAL0052538 Bibb 16 Mar 2019 Keener, Brian R.
11016		 UWAL
Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume
UNA00053964 Blount 06 Sep 1997 Keener, Brian R.
375		 UNA
Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume
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