Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Nestronia (Nestronia umbellula)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Santalales>Santalaceae>Nestronia umbellula Rafinesque

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) leaves

A rare small rhizomatous shrub in the sandalwood family, Nestronia is parasitic on the roots of oaks and other hardwoods, as well as pines. Generally less than 1 meter tall, Nestronia has opposite leaves and branches.

Durham, NC 7/24/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) buds

Durham, NC 7/24/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) leaves

Granville Co., NC 5/16/09.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) female flower

Pistillate (female) flower from the Knap of Reeds Creek clone.

Granville Co., NC 5/16/09.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) female flower

Flowers on the same plant may have either 3 or 4 petals.

Granville Co., NC 5/16/09.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) female flower

Granville Co., NC 5/16/09.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) fruit

Fruit detail. The spherical drupes are not frequently seen. This female plant was transplanted from the Stanly Co., NC clone.

Durham, NC 7/24/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula)

It can easily be overlooked. As Weakley (2007) notes, it looks a bit like an opposite-leaved lowbush blueberry.

Other common names include Leechbrush and Conjurer's-nut.

Durham, NC 4/30/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula)

Native to 8 states in the southeastern US, in North Carolina Nestronia is found primarily in the Piedmont, where it is rare. It is very rare in the upper Coastal Plain. The scattered colonies are often large single-sex clones.

Durham, NC 4/30/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula)

There is a small male clonal colony on the Duke campus.

Durham, NC 4/30/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) staminate flowers

The four-parted staminate (male) flowers are borne in pairs of axillary umbels.

Durham, NC 4/30/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) staminate flowers

The isolated single-sex colonies spread by rhizomes, tending not to reproduce sexually.

Durham, NC 4/30/07.

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) staminate flowers

Staminate flowers of a plant from a Stanly Co., NC colony. The leaves are much smaller and narrower in the Stanly Co. population than the Durham population.

Durham, NC 4/30/07 (planted).

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) pistillate flowers

Pistillate (female) flowers of a plant from a different Stanly Co. colony. Pistillate flowers are borne singly in the axils of leaves.

In 2006-7, Dr. Mel Turner transplanted several Nestronias from different Stanly Co. populations to a spot near the Durham population to see if he could get them to produce viable seed and increase genetic diversity.

Durham, NC 4/30/07 (planted).

Leechbrush (Nestronia umbellula) bark

The bark is blackish.

Durham, NC 4/30/07.

More information:
Old Dominion University
USDA PLANTS database
TENN Vascular Plants Database

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