Corylopsis

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Saxifragales

Familia: Hamamelidaceae
Subfamilia: Hamamelidoideae
Genus: Corylopsis
Species: C. alnifolia – C. brevistyla – C. calcicola – C. coreana – C. glabrescens – C. glandulifera – C. glaucescens – C. gotoana – C. henryi – C. himalayana – C. microcarpa – C. multiflora – C. obovata – C. pauciflora – C. platypetala – C. rotundifolia – C. sinensis – C. spicata – C. trabeculosa – C. veitchiana – C. velutina – C. willmottiae – C. yui – C. yunnanensis
Source(s) of checklist:

Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Corylopsis in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Oct 06. Reference page.

Name

Corylopsis Siebold & Zucc. 1841

Type species: Corylopsis spicata Siebold & Zucc. Lectotype designated by: Rehder, A. J. 1949. Bibliography of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Cooler Temperate Regions of the Northern Hemisphere. 219.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Asia-Temperate
Regional: Indian subcontinent
Assam, East Himalaya, Tibet
Regional: China
China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast
Regional: Eastern Asia
Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Taiwan

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Siebold, P.F.v. & Zuccarini, J.G. 1835–1841. Flora Japonica sive, Plantae Quas in Imperio Japonico Collegit, Descripsit, ex Parte in Ipsis Locis Pingendas Curavit. Sectio Prima Continens Plantas Ornatui vel Usui Inservientes. Digessit J. G. Zuccarini. Centuria prima. 89 + 4 pp., 150 tab., Lugduni Batavorum [Leiden]. Google Books Gallica Reference page. : 1: 45

Additional references

Govaerts, R. 1999. World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b). 1532 pp.. MIM, Deurne. ISBN 90-5720-098-8 (issue 1), ISBN 90-5720-099-6 (issue 2b). Reference page.
Radtke,Meghan G., Pigg, Kathleen B., & Wehr, Wesley C. (2005); "Fossil Corylopsis and Fothergilla leaves (Hamamelidaceae) from the Lower Eocene flora of Republic, Washington, U.S.A., and their evolutionary and biogeographic significance" International Journal of Plant Science 166(2):347–356

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Corylopsis in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Oct 06. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. Oct. Corylopsis. Published online. Accessed: 06 Oct.
Tropicos.org 2021. Corylopsis. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Oct 06.
Hassler, M. 2021. Corylopsis. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Oct 06. Reference page.

Vernacular names
čeština: Lískovníček
dansk: Hasselbror
Deutsch: Scheinhaseln
English: Winter hazel
한국어: 히어리속
lietuvių: Lazdenis
Nederlands: Schijnhazelaar
polski: Leszczynowiec
中文: 蜡瓣花属

Corylopsis is a genus of nearly 30 species of shrubs in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, native to eastern Asia with the majority of species endemic to China but with some also in Japan, Korea, and the Himalayas. This genus is also known from the extinct species Corylopsis reedae described from Eocene leaf fossils found in Washington State, USA.

They grow to 2–6 m (6 ft 7 in–19 ft 8 in) tall, often with a crown wider than the shrub's height. The leaves are ovate with an acute apex and a serrated margin, 4–20 cm (2–8 in) long and 3–15 cm (1.2–5.9 in) broad. The flowers are produced in late winter in pendulous racemes 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) long with 5-30 flowers; each flower has five pale yellow petals, 4–9 mm long. The fruit is a dry capsule 10–12 mm long, containing two glossy black seeds.

Selected species
Native to China unless otherwise indicated

Corylopsis alnifolia
Corylopsis brevistyla
Corylopsis glabrescens (Japan, Korea)
Corylopsis glandulifera
Corylopsis glaucescens
Corylopsis griffithii (Himalaya)
Corylopsis henryi
Corylopsis himalayana (Himalaya)
Corylopsis microcarpa
Corylopsis multiflora
Corylopsis obovata
Corylopsis omeiensis
Corylopsis pauciflora (Japan, Taiwan)
Corylopsis platypetala
†Corylopsis reedae (extinct, Ypresian, Washington State)
Corylopsis rotundifolia
Corylopsis sinensis
Corylopsis spicata (Japan)
Corylopsis stelligera
Corylopsis trabeculosa
Corylopsis veitchiana
Corylopsis velutina
Corylopsis willmottiae
Corylopsis yui
Corylopsis yunnanensis

Cultivation and uses

They are often grown in gardens for their very early, yellow flowers. They do have weak branches though, which are often damaged by heavy snow loads. Corylopsis prefers to grow in semi-shade or shade, protected from strong winds. It grows best on humus-rich soils. The sweetly scented flowering branches keep well in a vase. Corylopsis also makes good bonsai plants, especially C. pauciflora.
References

Radtke,Meghan G., Pigg, Kathleen B., & Wehr, Wesley C. (2005); "Fossil Corylopsis and Fothergilla leaves (Hamamelidaceae) from the Lower Eocene flora of Republic, Washington, U.S.A., and their evolutionary and biogeographic significance" International Journal of Plant Sciences 166(2):347–356
Flora of China: Corylopsis