Staphylea pinnata L. (C and S Eur., SW As.) – A rare, locally more or less naturalized escape from or relic of cultivation. For quite a long time only known as persisting from a single location, near an old estate in Houx (Duvigneaud 1990). However, recently discovered in several additional ones, for instance near Beez, in the surroundings of Orval, in Tavier (Duvigneaud & Saintenoy-Simon 1993), etc. Martin (1998) provides an overview of the current distribution of Staphylea pinnata in Wallonia. In Flanders it is much more rare and only exceptionally recorded, mostly in or near gardens and old parks (either as a relic or as reproducing from seed), for instance in Woumen (Diksmuide) or Heist-op-den-Berg. In the 1970’s also observed as an escape on the Dutch part of river Maas (van Ooststroom & Mennema 1973).
According to Sell & Murrell (2009) Staphylea colchica is now commoner in cultivation than S. pinnata (see also Weaver 1980). Its leaflets are subsessile while they are (at least the terminal leaflet) distinctly petiolate in S. pinnata. It also has larger corollas with a distinct Citrus-like fragrance and pear-shaped fruits that are markedly longer than wide. Roloff & Bärtels (2006) confirm that both are frequent in cultivation. A hybrid between these two species is also known as an ornamental (S. ×coulombieri André); it has intermediate features. The identity of Belgian populations should be critically revised although all plants seen so far seem to pertain to genuine S. pinnata.
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Selected literature:
Adolphi K. (1995) Neophytische Kultur- und Anbaupflanzen als Kulturflüchtlinge des Rheinlandes. Nardus 2: 272 p.
Duvigneaud J. (1990) Quelques observations floristiques effectuées à proximité du château de Houx (Yvoir, province de Namur, Belgique). Nat. Mosana 43(1): 10-14.
Duvigneaud J. & Leurquin J. (1994) Le parc de Paridaens à Beumont (province de Hainaut, Belgique) et ses plantes castrales. Nat. Mosana 47(2): 75-80.
Duvigneaud J. & Saintenoy-Simon J. (1993) Le parc du château de Xhos à Tavier (prvince de Liège, Belgique) une belle station de plantes castrales. Nat. Mosana 46(3): 102-108.
Gostynska Jakuszewska M. & Wojterska H. (1973) Diagnostic characters of the fruits and seeds of some species from the genus Staphylea L. (in Polish). Roczn. Sekc. Dendrol. Pol. Tow. Bot. 27: 45-67.
Hecke H. & Kramer A. (1974) Die Pimpernuss (Staphylea pinnata L.) ein thermophiles Holzgewachs, neu in Kärnten. Carinthia II 83: 471-472.
Hendrych R. (1980) Kommt Staphylea pinnata in Bohmen als ursprungliche Art vor? Preslia 52(1): 35-53.
Jarvis P.J. (1979) The introduction and cultivation of bladdernuts in England. Gard. Hist. 7(1): 65-73.
Martin P. (1998) Staphylea pinnata L., le Faux Pistachier. Adoxa 19: 23-25.
Peruzzi L., Passalacqua N.G. & Jarvis C.E. (2004) Lectotypification of Aizoon hispanicum, Plantago albicans and Staphylea pinnata, names of three Linnaean species occurring in Calabria (S Italy). Taxon 53: 540-542.
Raus T. (2006) Found and lost - Staphyleaceae in Greece. Willdenowia 36: 311-315. [available online at: http://www.bgbm.org/sites/alienplantsbelgium.bedefault/files/documents/w...
Roloff A. & Bärtels A. (2006) Flora der Gehölze (2e Auflage). Ulmer, Stuttgart: 844 p.
Saintenoy-Simon J. (1998) Excursions 1997 du Groupe Flore Bruxelloise. Adoxa 20-21: 15-32.
Saintenoy-Simon J. (1998) On nous écrit, on nous communique… Adoxa 20-21: 62.
Schmidt O. (1996) Vorkommen, Gefährdung und Forderung der Pimpernuss (Staphylea pinnata L.) in Bayern. Mitt. Deutsch. Dendrol. Ges. 82: 151-153.
Sell P. & Murrell G. (2009) Flora of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 3 Mimosaceae – Lentibulariaceae. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: XXVIII + 595 p.
Staszkiewicz J. (1997) The variability of leaves and seeds of Staphylea pinnata (in Polish). Fragm. Florist. Geobot., Ser. Polonica Suppl. 2: 161-172.
Van Ooststroom S.J. & Mennema J. (1973) Nieuwe vondsten van zeldzame planten in Nederland, hoofdzakelijk in 1972. Gorteria 12: 181-198. [available online at: http://natuurtijdschriften.nl/search?identifier=536181]
Weaver R.E. Jr. (1980) The bladdernuts. Arnoldia 40(2): 76-93. [available online at: http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/1980-40-2-the-bladder...