Taxon: Cephalanthus occidentalis L.

Summary

Genus:

Cephalanthus

Family:

Rubiaceae

Subfamily:

Dialypetalanthoideae

Tribe:

Naucleeae

Nomen number:

9854

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:95. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

05/20/1992 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

64 (61 active, 46 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Links

Forestry Images – from www.forestryimages.org

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Beetle, A. A. 1970. Recommended plant names. Univ. Wyoming Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. J. 31
Browne, E. T. & R. Athey. 1992. Vascular plants of Kentucky: an annotated checklist
Chester, E. W. et al. 1993-1997. Atlas of Tennessee vascular plants.
Clark, R. C. 1971. The woody plants of Alabama. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 58:234.
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Englert, J. M. et al. 1999-. USDA-NRCS Improved conservation plant materials released by NRCS and cooperators
Godfrey, R. K. & J. W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic and wetland plants of southeastern United States.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Jones, G. N. & G. D. Fuller. 1955. Vascular plants of Illinois.
Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada.
Krüssmann, G. 1984. Manual of cultivated broad-leaved trees and shrubs (English translation of Handbuch der Laubgehölze. 1976)
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Long, R. W. & O. Lakela. 1971. A flora of tropical Florida.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
Ohio Flora Committee (E. L. Braun, T. S. Cooperrider, T. R. Fisher, J. J. Furlow). 1967-. The vascular flora of Ohio.
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Ridsdale, C. E. 1976. A revision of the tribe Cephalantheae (Rubiaceae). Blumea 23:180.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Steward, A. N. 1958. Manual of vascular plants of the lower Yangtze valley.
Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
Strausbaugh, T. D. & E. L. Core. 1978. Flora of West Virginia, ed. 2.
Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agricultural Handbook no. 505
Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
Wofford, B. E. Database of Tennessee vascular plants (on-line resource).
2018. Oklahoma vascular plant database

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	buttonbush	1	Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agricultural Handbook no. 505
English	button-willow	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
English	common buttonbush	1	Beetle, A. A. 1970. Recommended plant names. Univ. Wyoming Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. J. 31
English	honey-bells	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Swedish	bollbuske	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	New Brunswick
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Nova Scotia
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Québec
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		Jones, G. N. & G. D. Fuller. 1955. Vascular plants of Illinois.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Iowa
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Minnesota
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Nebraska		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Oklahoma		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Connecticut
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maine
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Hampshire
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Ohio		Ohio Flora Committee (E. L. Braun, T. S. Cooperrider, T. R. Fisher, J. J. Furlow). 1967-. The vascular flora of Ohio.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Rhode Island
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Vermont
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	West Virginia		Strausbaugh, T. D. & E. L. Core. 1978. Flora of West Virginia, ed. 2.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Chihuahua		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Coahuila de Zaragoza		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Durango		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Zacatecas		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		Browne, E. T. & R. Athey. 1992. Vascular plants of Kentucky: an annotated checklist
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maryland
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		Wofford, B. E. Database of Tennessee vascular plants (on-line resource).
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Campeche		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Colima		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Hidalgo		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Morelos		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Nayarit		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Puebla		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Tabasco		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
2	Cultivated					also cult.

Native
Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Québec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Campeche, Chiapas, Colima, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave]

Cultivated (also cult.)

Reference(s)

Browne, E. T. & R. Athey. 1992. Vascular plants of Kentucky: an annotated checklist
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Jones, G. N. & G. D. Fuller. 1955. Vascular plants of Illinois.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
Ohio Flora Committee (E. L. Braun, T. S. Cooperrider, T. R. Fisher, J. J. Furlow). 1967-. The vascular flora of Ohio.
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
Strausbaugh, T. D. & E. L. Core. 1978. Flora of West Virginia, ed. 2.
Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:872.
Wofford, B. E. Database of Tennessee vascular plants (on-line resource).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Environmental	ornamental		Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Vertebrate poisons	mammals		Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=9854. Accessed 13 May 2026.