SafePlants

Piratebush (Buckleya distichophylla)

Buckleya distichophylla, commonly known as piratebush, is a rare and intriguing plant found in specific regions of the United States.

Considerations for Pets

• The plant produces oily, dull green, olivelike fruits.

Considerations for Children

• The plant produces oily, dull green, olivelike fruits.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Buckleya distichophylla (Nutt.) Torr.
• Common Name: Piratebush
• Family: Santalaceae (Sandalwood Family)
• Synonyms: The provided text mentions Buckleya lanceolata (Siebold & Zucc.) Miq. and Nestronia Rafinesque as a rejected name.

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to the Southern United States.
• Endemic to the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, North Carolina, and northeastern regions.
• Has a very limited distribution.
• It was discovered along riverbanks.

Ecological Role

• Piratebush is a hemiparasitic shrub, meaning it obtains some nutrients from other plants.
• It is parasitic on the roots of Eastern Hemlock and other species.
• It produces a haustorium, a modified root for invasion of a host plant.

Morphological Characteristics

• It is a shrub, sometimes large.
• It has opposite leaves that are simple, slender, and ovate.
• The flowers are insignificant and greenish.
• It produces oily, nutlike drupes.
• It is dioecious (having separate male and female plants).

Quirky Facts

• The genus Buckleya was discovered in 1816 by Nuttall.
• The genus name Buckleya was conserved in 1843.
• Piratebush is described as capturing the imagination of botanists.

Further Information

• Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service
• The Plant List
• International Plant Names Index (IPNI)
• Australian Plant Name Index
• Index Nominum Genericorum (ING)
• Discover Life