Garrya ovata

Garrya ovata, the eggleaf silktassel, Mexican silktassel, or eggleaf garrya, is a plant species native to New Mexico, Texas, and to central and northern Mexico.

The plant is usually found as an understory species in moist forests, such as Madrean pine-oak woodlands.

Description
Garrya ovata is a shrub up to 6 - 8 ft tall and wide. The leaves are thick and leathery, ovate, up to 10 cm long, tomentose on both sides when young, at maturity glabrous above but tomentose below.

Flowers are arranged in pendulous (hanging) racemes, and are green. It blooms in March through May.

Fruits are dark blue, spherical, up to 8 mm in diameter.

Subspecies
Three subspecies are currently recognized, regarded by some authors as separate species:
 * Garrya ovata subsp. ovata
 * Garrya ovata subsp. goldmanii — (Wooton & Standl.) Dahling
 * Garrya ovata subsp. lindheimeri — (Torr.) Dahling

Of the three, only Garrya ovata subsp. lindheimeri is found within the United States.