Fragrant honeysuckle
| Fragrant honeysuckle | ||||||||||||
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Fragrant honeysuckle ( Lonicera fragrantissima ) |
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| Lonicera fragrantissima | ||||||||||||
| Lindl. & Paxton |
The fragrant honeysuckle ( Lonicera fragrantissima ), also scented honeysuckle , winter honeysuckle or winter honeysuckle is a species of the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). Originally found in China, it is widely used as an ornamental plant beyond its natural occurrence.
description
Habitus
The fragrant honeysuckle usually grows as an upright, loosely branched and deciduous shrub . Occasionally more densely branched forms or those with prostrate branches are observed. The fragrant honeysuckle has a bushy, rounded silhouette and is around one to two meters tall. The flexible twigs are barked in light gray , with older ones the bark flakes off. The ocher-brown bark of young branches is usually covered with bent-back bristles. In contrast to other Lonicera species, which have hollow branches, the branches of the fragrant honeysuckle contain a full pulp.
Buds and leaves
The winter buds of the fragrant honeysuckle are rounded. A pair of cartilaginous, tapered outer scales protectively envelop the long, membranous inner bud scales.
The leaves are arranged opposite one another. The petiole is covered with coarse hair and is about two to five millimeters long. The leaf blade develops a length of about 3 to 8.5 centimeters and a width between 1 and 4.5 centimeters. The shape of the spread can be different. It varies in shape from obovate to ovoid to lanceolate. The leaf base has transitions from almost heart-shaped to wedge-shaped. The tip of the leaf is rounded to pointed. The entire leaf margin is ciliate or almost bare. Sometimes it curls up slightly. The color of the underside of the leaf is often a bit paler and duller than the light to deep green upper side of the leaf. The top and bottom of the leaf can be hairless to finely hairy or covered with rough hair. Fine hairs often develop on the nerve.
Inflorescence and flowers
Each pair of flowers stands together in an axillary inflorescence . This forms in the leaf axils , which are located at the base of new shoots. The peduncle is 1 to 15 millimeters long and not thickened towards the tip. It can be bald or with rough hair. Below the inflorescence there are two leaf-like, almost lanceolate, 7 to 10 millimeters long bracts . These are often green-purple in color.
The zygomorphic , hermaphrodite , pleasantly scented jasmine blossom of the fragrant honeysuckle has a calyx and a crown . The five sepals are fused together in a cup shape. The shape of the calyx does not narrow towards the base. The calyx rim is either truncated or lobed evenly. Sometimes it is also covered with fine hair. The two-lipped corolla, formed from five petals, is about 1 to 1.5 centimeters long. Their color varies from white to creamy white, the crown is often slightly overrun with a pale, washed-out pink hue. On the outside it can be bald or develop fine hairs. The elongated corolla tube is four to five millimeters long. Their inside forms a dense, downy hair. It protrudes slightly towards the base of the corolla tube. The nectarium of strong, glandular, sedentary hair is located on the ventral side near the base of the corolla tube . The upper lip becomes about 7 millimeters long. It is lobed to about the middle. The lower lip is bent back and about 8 millimeters long. The five stamens have unequal stamens with dorsal fixed golden yellow anthers . Together with the narrow, bald stylus , which is crowned by a head-shaped scar , they protrude from the corolla tube. The paired ovaries below are fused to one another up to the middle or slightly above.
The flowering period extends from January to April
Fruit and seeds
The fruits are round, attractively colored, coral-red, sometimes also salmon-red berries , some of which (analogous to the ovaries) have grown together. An ungrown berry is about one centimeter in diameter. The elongated, brown seeds have shallow dimples. They are about 3.5 millimeters long and are slightly flattened. The berries are not suitable for consumption. The fruiting season extends from April to June.
Distribution and location
The fragrant honeysuckle is native to China . Their stocks are occupied in the provinces of Anhui , Gansu , Hebei , Henan , Hubei , Hunan , Jiangsu , Jianxi , Shaanxi , Shandong , Shanxi , Sichuan and Zhejiang . Preferred locations are deciduous forests and coppice forest from 100 to 2700 meters above sea level.
ecology
The fragrant honeysuckle is pollinated by insects and is one of the first bees' nourishment due to its early flowering period . Early-flying butterflies also appreciate the abundant nectar on offer . The seeds are spread over birds .
Systematics
The fragrant honeysuckle became Lonicera fragrantissima Lindl. & Paxton 1852 by Lindl. & Paxton described scientifically valid for the first time . It forms two subspecies :
- Lonicera fragrantissima subsp. phyllocarpa (Maxim.) PSHsu & HJWang
- Lonicera fragrantissima subsp. standishii (Jacques) PSHsu & HJWang . Some authors also regard it as a distinct species.
In addition to the nominate form Lonicera fragrantissima var. Fragrantissima , Lonicera fragrantissima var. Lancifolia (Rehder) QE Yang, Landrein, Borosova & J. Osborne is documented as a variety , which is the width and shape of the leaves of Lonicera fragrantissima Lindl. & Paxton var. Fragrantissima differs.
Name declaration
With the generic name Lonicera , Carl von Linné honored the German mathematician, doctor and botanist Adam Lonitzer . The type epithet is derived from the Latin word fragans with the German meaning fragrant and, like the German common name, refers to the flowers of the plant, which have an intense scent of jasmine.
use
Although not native in Europe, it is a popular ornamental shrub in parks and gardens. In horticulture it is often recommended as a fragrant plant in a group or standing alone . Despite its winter hardiness, it should be planted in sheltered places. Thinning is recommended immediately after flowering. Propagation can easily be done by runners or cuttings.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ University of Karlsruhe: Profile of the type ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Info on the species at Flore of China
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Fragrant honeysuckle in the garden encyclopedia (fr)
- ↑ Lonicera Fragrantissima as early bee food (Engl.)
- ↑ Fragrant honeysuckle as an attractive butterfly plant
- ↑ Entry at IPNI
- ↑ Genre list Flore of China
- ↑ Weekly of the Association for the Promotion of Horticulture Volume 10, page 266, Google book search, May 18, 2011
- ↑ Brickell Christopher: Garden and Indoor Plants. The practical standard work for every gardener. DuMont`s big garden encyclopedia DuMont-Verlag ISBN 3-7701-4605-0 , page 56
- ↑ The fragrant honeysuckle in the garden database
