Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

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Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Titi, pronounced "tie-tie", is a common wetland shrub or small tree of the Coastal Plain, rare in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

Scotland Co., NC 7/1/07.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Titi is occasional in the western Piedmont, as here along Barnes Creek near Dark Mountain.

Emerging leaves.

Uwharrie National Forest, Montgomery Co., NC 4/17/2011.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

The entire, smooth, leathery leaves are semi-evergreen.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Pender Co., NC 4/19/08.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Carteret Co., NC 6/23/04.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) leaves

Craven Co., NC 8/27/06.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) leaves

Bladen Co., NC 10/7/06.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) flowers

Titi is quite showy in bloom, when it produces numerous racemes of white flowers (which earns it the name racemiflora - raceme + flower). The flowers usually do not attract butterflies.

Carteret Co., NC 6/23/04.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) flowers

Scotland Co., NC 7/1/07.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) fruits

Unripe fruits.

Craven Co., NC 8/27/06.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) fruits

Ripe fruits. The spongy, drupe-like fruits are brownish when ripe.

Robeson Co., NC 10/4/2009.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Yates Mill Pond, Raleigh, NC 9/13/2012.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Yates Mill Pond, Raleigh, NC 9/13/2012.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora)

Pender Co., NC 4/19/08.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) bark

Bark detail.

Bladen Co., NC 10/7/06.

Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) bark

Scaly bark of a larger tree.

Uwharrie National Forest, Montgomery Co., NC 4/17/2011.