Davidia involucrata, the dove-tree,[1]handkerchief tree, pocket handkerchief tree, or ghost tree, is a medium-sized deciduous tree in the familyNyssaceae.[2] It is the only living species in the genusDavidia. It was previously included with tupelos in the dogwood family, Cornaceae.[3] Fossil species are known extending into the Upper Cretaceous.
Davidia involucrata is the only member of its genus, but there are two varieties differing slightly in their leaves, D. involucrata var. involucrata, which has the leaves thinly pubescent (short-haired) on the underside, and D. involucrata var. vilmoriniana, with glabrous (hairless) leaves.[4] Some botanists treat them as distinct species, with good reason, as the two taxa have differing chromosome numbers so are unable to produce fertile hybrid offspring.[citation needed]
It is a moderately fast-growing tree, growing to 20–25 m (66–82 ft) in height, with toothed, alternate, ovate-cordate leaves resembling those of a linden, except that they are symmetrical, and lack the lop-sided base typical of linden leaves; the leaves are mostly 10–20 cm long and 7–15 cm wide.
Davidia involucrata is best known for its inflorescence that features large, white bracts surrounding a purplish-red flower head. The Latin specific epithetinvolucrata means "with a ring of bracts surrounding several flowers".[5] The true flowers form a tight head about 1–2 cm across, each flower head with a pair of large (12–25 cm), pure white bracts at the base, performing the function of petals in attracting pollinators. The inflorescences hang in long rows beneath the horizontal branches, and appear prolifically in late spring. On a breezy day, the bracts flutter in the wind like white doves or pinched handkerchiefs; hence the English names for this tree.
The fruit is a very hard nut about 3 cm long surrounded by a green husk about 4 cm long by 3 cm wide, hanging on a 10 cm stalk. The nut contains 3–6 seeds.
The genus Davidia is named for Father Armand David (1826–1900; "Père David"), a French Vincentian missionary and keen naturalist who lived in China. David first described the tree in 1869 as a single tree found at over 2,000 m (6,562 ft) altitude, and sent dried specimens to Paris; in 1871, Henri Baillon described it as a new genus and species.[7][8]
British plant hunter Augustine Henry again found a single tree, this time in the Yangtse Ichang gorges and sent the first specimen to Kew Gardens. Plant collector Ernest Henry Wilson was employed by Sir Harry Veitch to find Henry's tree but arrived to find that it had been felled for building purposes; however, he later found a grove of the trees overhanging a sheer drop.[9] Returning to Britain, Wilson’s boat was wrecked, but he managed to save his Davidia specimens,[10] one of which survives today in the Arnold Arboretum.[11]
The species was introduced from China to Europe and North America in 1904, and is a popular ornamental tree in parks and larger gardens. Most trees in cultivation are var. vilmoriniana, which has proved much better able to adapt to the climatic conditions in the west.
^B. I. Pavlyutkin (May 2009), "Leaf and fruit remains of Davidia (Cornales) from the Nezhino flora (Miocene of Primorye)", Paleontological Journal, 43 (3): 339–344, doi:10.1134/S0031030109030137, ISSN1555-6174, S2CID83645195
