Flora of New York/Nymphaeales…Piperales

← Pinales	Flora of New York — Nymphaeales & magnoliids : Magnoliales, Laurales, Piperales				→ Acorales & Alismatales
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This page is the start of the angiosperms or flowering plants, which comprise the bulk of this guide. It starts with the order Nymphaeales and continues with the three orders of the Magnoliidae that are found in New York.

Order	Family	Subfamily	Tribe	Genus	Common names	T
Nymphaeales	Cabombaceae	—	—	Brasenia	water-shield, wendock	1
				Cabomba	fanwort, watershield	1
	Nymphaeaceae	Nupharoideae	—	Nuphar	yellow pond lily, spatterdock	4
		Nymphaeoideae	—	Nymphaea	white waterlily	2
Magnoliales	Magnoliaceae	—	—	Magnolia	magnolia, cucumber tree, sweet-bay	5
				Liriodendron	tulip tree, tulip poplar, yellow poplar	1
	Annonaceae	Annonoideae	—	Asimina	pawpaw, dog banana, Indian banana	1
Laurales	Calycanthaceae	—	—	Calycanthus	sweet-shrub, strawberry bush	2
	Lauraceae	—	Cinnamomeae	Lindera	spicebush	1
				Sassafras	sassafras, ague tree, mitten tree	1
				Persea	avocado	1
Piperales	Aristolochiaceae	Asaroideae	—	Asarum	wild ginger	1
				Hexastylis	heartleaf	1
		Aristolochioideae	—	Endodeca	snakeroot, serpentary	1
				Isotrema	dutchman's pipe, pipevine	2
				Aristolochia	birthwort, heartwort	1
	Saururaceae	—	—	Saururus	lizard's tail, water-dragon, swamp root	1

Order Nymphaeales

The order Nymphaeales contains the aquatic flowering plant families Hydatellaceae, Cabombaceae, and Nymphaeaceae. Only the latter two have taxa found outside of cultivation in New York. Aside from Amborella, a shrub endemic to New Caledonia, the Nymphaeales are considered to be the oldest lineage of angiosperms. Most estimates put the age of the Nymphaeales at well over 100 million years.

Family Cabombaceae

Two Cabombaceae (water-shield family) species are found in New York. One, Cabomba caroliniana, is rare in most of the state but has the potential to be a highly invasive exotic plant.

Genus Brasenia

The only extant species of Brasenia (B. schreberi) is native to New York, as well as much of the rest of the world.

Nymphaeales — Cabombaceae — Brasenia
Brasenia	Brasenia	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Brasenia schreberi  J.F.Gmel. 1791. Brasenia schreberi J.F.Gmel. 1803. Hydropeltis purpurea Michx. 1814. Brasenia peltata Pursh 1862. Cabomba peltata F.Muell. nom. illeg. 1890. Brasenia purpurea Casp.	Water-shield, Watershield, Schreber's watershield, Purple wen-dock, Water-target Brasénie de Schreber	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 8, Secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW Can ARS  FNA Trop. BNA LBJ Images, wsp

Genus Cabomba

Although native to the southeastern United States, Cabomba caroliniana (Carolina fanwort) is considered to be an alien invasive plant in the Northwest and Northeast, including New York, where it is listed as highly invasive.

Nymphaeales — Cabombaceae — Cabomba
Cabomba	Fanwort	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Cabomba caroliniana  A.Gray 1821. Cabomba aquatica DC. 1830. C. pinnata (Pursh) Schult.& Schult.f. 1837. C. caroliniana A.Gray 1841. Nectris caroliniana (A. Gray) Steud. 1880. C. australis Speg. 1903. C. caroliniana var. pulcherrima 1953. C. pulcherrima (R.M.Harper) Fassett	Fanwort, Carolina fanwort, Purple fanwort, Carolina watershield, Green cabomba Cabomba de Caroline	Introduced from  southeast US,  South America, Highly invasive, NYIS: 72%, Prohibited			NYFA-X USDA-NN NEW Can ARS ITIS FNA Trop. BNA Images, wsp

Family Nymphaeaceae

Six Nymphaeaceae (water-lily family) taxa in two genera are found in New York. All are native to the region and appear to be fairly secure.

Subfamily Nupharoideae

Genus Nuphar

Nymphaeales — Nymphaeaceae — Nupharoideae — Nuphar
Nuphar Sm. sect. Astylus	Pond-lily	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	4
Nuphar variegata  Durand 1956. Nuphar lutea ssp. variegata 1866. Nuphar variegata Durand 1912. Nymphaea fraterna G.S.Mill.& Standl. 1912. Nymphaea americana G.S.Mill.& Standl. 1931. Nuphar fraterna (G.S.Mill. & Standl.) Standl.	Common yellow pond-lily, Common spatter-dock, Common cow-lily, Variegated yellow pond-lily, Northern yellow pond-lily, Bullhead yellow pond-lily Grand nénuphar jaune	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 3, Secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW  ARS  FNA  BNA Images, wsp
Nuphar advena  (Aiton) W.T.Aiton ssp. advena     Nuphar lutea ssp. advena     Nymphaea advena Aiton	Broad-leaved yellow pond-lily, Immigrant pond-lily, Broad-leaved yellow cow-lily, Broad-leaved spatterdock, Broad-leaved bull-head lily Nénuphar à feuilles émergentes, Nénutar à feuilles émergentes	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 4, Secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW Can BNA Images, wsp
Nuphar Sm. sect. Nuphar	Pond-lily	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	4
Nuphar microphylla (Pers.) Fernald     Nuphar pumila (Timm) DC.     Nuphar lutea ssp. pumila     Nuphar microphylla (Pers.) Fernald     Nuphar minima (Willd.) Sm.	Small yellow pond-lily, Small yellow cow-lily, Dwarf spatterdock	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 10, Secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW  BNA Images, wsp
Nuphar × rubrodisca   Nuphar microphylla ×   Nuphar variegata 1886. Nuphar rubrodisca Morong 1994. Nuphar lutea ssp. rubrodisca	Red-disked yellow pond-lily, Red-disked spatter-dock, Peck's yellow pond-lily, Hybrid of  small yellow pond-lily &  common yellow pond-lily	N.Y. native, Likely secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-3-5 USDA-NN NEW  ARS  BNA Images, wsp
Nuphar Sm. (excluded species)	Pond-lily	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	X
Nuphar polysepala × variegata   Nuphar polysepala ×   Nuphar variegata	Hybrid of  small yellow pond-lily &  common yellow pond-lily	N. America native, N.Y. excluded			NYFA-XCLD Images, wsp

Subfamily Nymphaeoideae

Genus Nymphaea

Nymphaeales — Nymphaeaceae — Nymphaeoideae — Nymphaea
Nymphaea	Waterlily	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	2
Nymphaea odorata ssp. odorata 1789. Nymphaea odorata Aiton 1806. Castalia odorata (Aiton) Wood	White water-lily, American white water-lily, Fragrant water-lily, Sweet-scented white water-lily, Pond-lily, Great white water-lily Nymphéa odorant	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 4, Secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5 USDA-N Can ARS  Images, wsp
Nymphaea odorata  Aiton ssp. tuberosa (Paine) Wiersma & Hellq. 1865. Nymphaea tuberosa Paine 1888. Castalia tuberosa (Paine) Greene 1966. Nymphaea odorata var. maxima 1994. Nymphaea odorata ssp. tuberosa	Tuberous white water-lily, Large white water-lily, American white waterlily Nymphéa tubéreux, Lis d'eau, Nénuphar blanc, Nymphée tubéreuse	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 5, Likely secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5? USDA-N Can ARS  Images, wsp

Order Magnoliales

The order Magnoliales Bromhead ...

Family Magnoliaceae

The Magnoliaceae (magnolia family) has traditionally been separated into the two subfamilies Magnolioideae and Liriodendroideae. Magnolioideae contained a number of genera including Magnolia s.s., the largest genus. Liriodendroideae contained the single genus Liriodendron. Phylogenetic research has shown Magnolia s.s. to be non-monophyletic. Therefore it was suggested that rather than breaking Magnolia into numerous new genera, all other genera in Magnolioideae would be placed in Magnolia s.l. to create a single monophyletic genus. This leaves the two subfamilies with one genus apiece, making Magnoliaceae subfamilies redundant. So, they are not used here.

Genus Magnolia

Magnoliales — Magnoliaceae — Magnolia
Magnolia subg. Yulania	Magnolia	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	5
Magnolia acuminata  (L.) L. 1753. Magnolia virginiana var. acuminata L. 1759. Magnolia acuminata (L.) L. 1803. Magnolia cordata Michx. 1886. M. acuminata var. cordata (Michx.) Sarg. 1903. Tulipastrum cordatum (Michx.) Small	Cucumber tree, Cucumber magnolia, Mountain magnolia, Blue magnolia Magnolia acuminé	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 7, Secure FACU Perennial, Tree			NYFA-5 USDA-N NEW Can ARS  Trop. BNA Images, wsp
Magnolia kobus  DC. 1817. Magnolia kobus DC. 1908. M. kobus var. borealis	Kobus magnolia	Introduced from  temperate Asia, No specimens			NYMFP-X USDA-X0 ARS  Images, wsp
Magnolia subg. Magnolia	Magnolia	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	5
Magnolia virginiana  L. var. virginiana	Sweet-bay, Northern sweet-bay, Swamp-bay, Magnolia-bay, Laurel-magnolia, Beaver-tree Laurier doux	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 9, Endangered, NYNHP: 1 FACW Perennial, Tree, shrub			NYFA-1 USDA-N0 NEW  ARS  BNA Images, wsp
Magnolia tripetala	Umbrella-tree, Umbrella magnolia	Introduced, US South native FACU			NYFA-X USDA-N0 NEW  BNA Images, wsp
Magnolia fraseri  Walter	Fraser magnolia, Mountain magnolia	Introduced, US South native FACU			NYFA-X USDA-N0 BNA Images, wsp
Magnolia macrophylla  Michx.	Big-leaved magnolia, Cowcumber magnolia	Introduced, US South native			NYFA-X USDA-N0 BNA Images, wsp

Genus Liriodendron

Tulip tree illustration by Pancrace Bessa, ca. 1819

Liriodendron consists of two species: Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree) from eastern North America and Liriodendron chinense from southeast Asia.

The lumber of the tulip tree has similar properties to poplar (Populus) species, so it is often marketed as "tulip poplar" or "yellow poplar," even though tulip and poplar trees are not closely related.

Magnoliales — Magnoliaceae — Liriodendron
Liriodendron	Tulip tree	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Liriodendron tulipifera  L. 1753. Liriodendron tulipifera L. 1903. L. tulipifera fo. aureomarginatum 1903. L. tulipifera fo. integrifolium	Tuliptree, Tulip tree, American tuliptree, Tulip poplar, Yellow poplar Bois jaune	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 6, Secure FACU Perennial, Tree, Sun - shade			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW  ARS ITIS BNA LBJ Images, wsp

Family Annonaceae

The Annonaceae (custard apple family) is the largest family of the Magnoliales, but contains primarily tropical plants. Only one of its more than 2000 species has been discovered growing outside of cultivation in New York.

Subfamily Annonoideae

Genus Asimina

Native range of Asimina triloba. Asimina or pawpaw is a genus of small trees or shrubs that are native to eastern North America. Of these, only the most common species (Asimina triloba) is thought to be native as far north as New York. Though its native range only reaches into the western part of the state, common pawpaw trees can persist where cultivated in other parts of the state and may naturalize in clonal thickets. Pawpaw is considered to be the largest edible native North American fruit (in the culinary sense).

Magnoliales — Annonaceae — Annonoideae — Asimina
Asimina	Pawpaw	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Asimina triloba  (L.) Dunal 1753. Annona triloba L. 1796. Annona pendula Salisbury 1803. Orchidocarpum arietinum Michx. 1806. Porcelia triloba (L.) Pers. 1817. Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal 1838. Uvaria triloba (L.) Torr.& A.Gray	Pawpaw, Common pawpaw, Dog banana, Indian banana, Kentucky banana, American custard apple Asiminier trilobé, Asiminier	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 5, Threatened FAC Perennial, Tree, shrub, Sun - shade			NYFA-2 USDA-N Can ARS ITIS FNA Trop. NSE BNA IPN LBJ Images, wsp

Order Laurales

The order Laurales ...

Family Calycanthaceae

The Calycanthaceae (strawberry-shrub or sweet-shrub family) contains only three small genera worldwide, only one of which is native to North America.

Genus Calycanthus

Calycanthus (sweet-shrub) is endemic to North America and contains about two to four species. Of these, only Calycanthus floridus is found outside of cultivation in New York, but it is thought to have been introduced from farther south. Though naturalization in New York is rare, it can become established and persist in wooded understories.

Laurales — Calycanthaceae — Calycanthoideae
Calycanthus	Sweet-shrub	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	2
Calycanthus floridus  L. 1759. Calycanthus floridus L. 1788. C. fertilis Walter 1840. C. floridus var. glaucus 1840. C. floridus var. laevigatus 1891. Beurera fertilis (Walter) Kuntze 1894. Butneria florida (L.) Kearney 1894. Butneria fertilis  (Walter) Kearney 1894. Buttneria florida (L.) Kearney 1894. Buttneria fertilis  (Walter) Kearney	Sweetshrub, Eastern sweetshrub, Hairy sweetshrub, Smooth sweetshrub, Sweet-shrub, Strawberry bush, Bubby-bush, Spicebush	Introduced from  southeast US,  VA to FL,  TX to NC, US South native FACU Perennial, Shrub, Part shade			NYFA-X USDA-N0 NEW  ARS ITIS FNA Trop. NSE BNA LBJ Images, wsp

Family Lauraceae

The Lauraceae (laurel family) contains only two species, spicebush and sasafrass, that are native to the State of New York.

Tribe Cinnamomeae

Genus Lindera

Lindera is primarily native to eastern Asia. Of its nearly 100 species, only three (northern, southern, and bog spicebush) are native to eastern North America. And of the three, only northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin), is native as far north as New York.

Laurales — Lauraceae — Cinnamomeae — Lindera
Lindera	Spicebush	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Lindera benzoin  (L.) Blume 1753. Laurus benzoin L. 1831. Benzoin odoriferum 1836. Benzoin aestivale Nees 1851. Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume 1939. L. benzoin var. pubescens	Spicebush, Northern spicebush, Benzoin-bush, Benjamin-bush, Fever-bush, Wild allspice Benjoin, Laurier faux-benjoin	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 6, Secure FACW-FAC Perennial, Shrub, Sun - shade			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW Can ARS ITIS FNA Trop. NSE BNA IPN LBJ MBG  Images, wsp

Genus Sassafras

Sassafras has only three extant species. Two are native to eastern Asia, and one, Sassafras albidum, is native to much of eastern North Americam including New York.

Laurales — Lauraceae — Cinnamomeae — Sassafras
Sassafras	Sassafras	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Sassafras albidum  (Nutt.) Nees 1753. Laurus sassafras L. 1818. Laurus albida Nutt. 1831. Sassafras officinale Nees & C.H.Eberm. 1836. Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees 1891. Sassafras variifolium Kuntze 1936. S. albidum var. molle (Raf.) Fernald	Sassafras, White sassafras, Silky sassafras, Ague tree, Mitten tree Sassafras officinal, Gombo filé	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 4, Secure FACU Perennial, Tree, shrub, Sun - shade			NYFA-N USDA-NN NEW Can ARS ITIS FNA Trop. NSE BNA IPN LBJ Images, wsp

Genus Persea

A specimen of the avocado plant (Persea americana) was collected from a composte pile in Orange County in 1996. As this subtropical species would not be able to naturalize in New York, placing it in the New York Flora was probably an error.

Laurales — Lauraceae — Cinnamomeae — Persea
Persea	Bay	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Persea americana  Mill. 1753. Laurus persea L. 1768. Persea americana Mill. 1892. Persea persea (L.) Cockerell 1950. Persea nubigena L.O.Williams 1953. Persea gigantea L.O.Williams	Avocado Avocatier	Introduced from  Mexico,  Mesoamerica,  Venezuela, Impersistent, Composte-pile waif			NYFA-Xm USDA-X0 ARS ITIS Images, wsp
Persea (excluded species)	Bay	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Persea borbonia  (L.) Spreng. 1753. Laurus borbonia L. 1803. Laurus caroliniensis Michx. 1825. Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng. 1836. Persea carolinensis Nees 1838. Tamala borbonia (L.) Raf. 1903. Persea littoralis Small 1913. Tamala littoralis (Small) Small 1922. Borbonia littoralis (Small) House	Redbay, Shorebay	N. America native, southeastern U.S., Excluded			NYFA-XCLD USDA-N0 ARS  FNA Trop. Images, wsp

Order Piperales

The order Piperales

Family Aristolochiaceae

The Aristolochiaceae (Birthwort family)

Subfamily Asaroideae

Genus Asarum

Although Canada wild ginger has some similarities to Zingiber officinale (true ginger), it is at least somewhat toxic and is not appropriate for use as a food additive.

Piperales — Aristolochiaceae — Asaroideae — Asarum
Asarum	Wild ginger	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Asarum canadense  L. 1753. Asarum canadense L. 1897. A. canadense var. acuminatum 1897. A. reflexum var. ambiguum 1898. A. acuminatum (Ashe) E.P.Bicknell 1898. A. reflexum E.P.Bicknell 1907. A. ambiguum (E.P.Bicknell) Daniels	Canada wild ginger, Canadian wildginger, Wild ginger, Asarabacca Asaret du Canada, Asaret gingembre, Gingembre sauvage	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 8, Secure FACU-UPL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW Can ARS  FNA Trop. NSE BNA Images, wsp

Genus Hexastylis

Piperales — Aristolochiaceae — Asaroideae — Hexastylis
Hexastylis Raf.	Heartleaf	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	0
Hexastylis shuttleworthii (Britten & Baker f.) Small var. shuttleworthii 1898. Asarum shuttleworthii Britten & Baker f. 1903. Hexastylis shuttleworthii Small	Largeflower heartleaf	Introduced, US South native			NYFA-U USDA-N0 FNA  Images, wsp

Subfamily Aristolochioideae

Genus Endodeca

Piperales — Aristolochiaceae — Aristolochioideae — Endodeca
Endodeca Raf.	Snakeroot	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Endodeca serpentaria  (L.) Raf. 1753. Aristolochia serpentaria L. 1818. Aristolochia hastata Nutt. 1828. Endodeca serpentaria (L.) Raf. 1836. Pistolochia serpentaria (L.) Raf. 1894. Aristolochia nashii Kearney 1897. Aristolochia convolvulacea Small	Virginia snakeroot, Virginia serpentary, Virginia dutchmanspipe, Snakeroot, Serpentary	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 8, Endangered, NYNHP: 1 UPL Perennial, Herb-forb, Shade			NYFA-2 USDA-N0 NEW  ARS ITIS FNA Trop. NSE BNA IPN LBJ Images, wsp Note:

Genus Isotrema

Piperales — Aristolochiaceae — Aristolochioideae — Isotrema
Isotrema Raf.	Pipevine	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Isotrema macrophyllum (Lam.) C.F. Reed 1783. Aristolochia macrophylla Lam. 1822. Hocquartia macrophylla Dumort. 1965. Isotrema macrophyllum (Lam.) C.F.Reed  auct. Aristolochia durior non. Hill	Dutchman's-pipe, Largeleaf dutchman's-pipe, Pipevine Aristoloche à   grandes feuilles	Introduced from  PA to GA, US South native			NYFA-X USDA-N NEW Can ARS ITIS FNA  NSE BNA Images, wsp Note:
Isotrema tomentosum (Sims) H.Huber 1811. Aristolochia tomentosa Sims 1960. Isotrema tomentosum H.Huber	Woolly Dutchman's-pipe, Wooly pipevine, Common Dutchman's-pipe	Introduced, US South native, Impersistent FAC			NYFA-Xm USDA-N0 NEW  ARS ITIS FNA  NSE BNA Images, wsp Note:

Genus Aristolochia

Members of the genus Aristolochia, Aristolochia clematitis in paricular, have been used as medicinal plants since ancient times, but have been shown to be both carcinogenic and toxic to the kidneys.

Piperales — Aristolochiaceae — Aristolochioideae — Aristolochia
Aristolochia	Birthwort	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Aristolochia clematitis  L. 1753. Aristolochia clematitis L.	Birthwort, Creeping birthwort, Heartwort, Asarabacca Aristoloche clématite, Sarrasine	Introduced from  Eurasia, Naturalized Perennial, Herb-vine			NYFA-X USDA-XX NEW Can ARS ITIS FNA Trop. Images, wsp

Family Saururaceae

The Saururaceae (lizard's tail family) world-wide contains only about seven species in four genera. Two of these plants are native to North America, and one is native to New York. The other North American family member (Anemopsis californica) is a southwestern native.

Genus Saururus

The genus Saururus contains only the two lizard's tail plants Saururus cernuus (native to eastern North America) and Saururus chinensis (native to eastern Asia). Only the North American plant has been found outside of cultivation in North America.

Piperales — Saururaceae — Saururus
Saururus	Lizard's tail	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	1
Saururus cernuus  L. 1753. Saururus cernuus L. non Thunb. 1784	Lizard's tail, Water-dragon, Swamp root, Swamp lily Saurure penché, Lézardelle penchée, Saurure penchée	N.Y. native, NYS CoC: 6, Secure OBL Perennial, Herb-forb			NYFA-5 USDA-NN NEW Can ARS ITIS FNA Trop. NSE BNA IPN LBJ Images, wsp

← Pinales	Flora of New York — Nymphaeales & magnoliids : Magnoliales, Laurales, Piperales				→ Acorales & Alismatales
	Table of contents	Genus index	Protected species index	Invasive species index