Cercis, is a genus of about 10 species in the subfamily Cercidoideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to warm temperate regions. It contains small deciduous trees or large shrubs commonly known as redbuds. They are characterised by simple, rounded to heart -shaped leaves and pinkish- red flowers borne in the early spring on bare leafless shoots, on both branches and trunk ("cauliflory"). Cercis is derived from the Greek word κερκις (kerkis) meaning "weaver's shuttle", which was applied by Theophrastus to C. siliquastrum.Cercis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Mouse Moth (recorded on Eastern Redbud).The bark of C. chinensis has been used in Chinese medicine as an antiseptic.Cercis fossils have been found that date to the Eocene.
Species
Cercis comprises the following species:
Old WorldCercis chinensis Bunge—Chinese redbud (East Asia )
Cercis griffithii Boiss.—Afghan redbud (southern central Asia )
Cercis hebecarpa (Bornm.) Ponert
Cercis racemosa Oliv.— chain -flowered redbud (western China )
Cercis siliquastrum L.—Judas tree or European redbud (Mediterranean region )New WorldCercis canadensis L. – eastern redbud (eastern North America )
Cercis mexicana Rose – Mexican redbud (northeast Mexico and Texas(Trans-Pecos) )
Cercis reniformis Engl. – Oklahoma redbud (Oklahoma and Texas(East of the Pecos River ) )
Cercis occidentalis Torr. ex A. Gray – western redbud (Western United States )
The Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) is a small tree to 10–15 m tall native to the south of Europe and southwest Asia, in Iberia, southern France, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and Asia Minor, which forms a handsome low tree with a flat spreading head. In early spring it is covered with a profusion of magenta pink flowers, which appear before the leaves. The flowers have an agreeably acidic bite, and are eaten in mixed salad or made into fritters. The tree frequently figured in the 16th and 17th century herbals.
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