Viburnum lantana
Viburnum lantana | |
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Foliage and immature fruit | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Dipsacales |
Family: | Adoxaceae |
Genus: | Viburnum |
Species: | V. lantana
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Binomial name | |
Viburnum lantana | |
Synonyms[1] | |
List
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Viburnum lantana, the wayfarer or wayfaring tree, is a species of Viburnum, native to central, southern and western Europe (north to Yorkshire in England), northwest Africa, and southwestern Asia.[2][3][4] The vigorous deciduous European treelike shrub is common along waysides.
Description
[edit]It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 4–5 m (13–16 ft) tall. The leaves are opposite, simple oval to lanceolate, 6–13 cm (2.4–5.1 in) Long and 4–9 cm (1.6–3.5 in) broad, with a finely serrated margin; they are densely downy on the underside, less so on the upper surface. The hermaphrodite flowers are small, around 5 mm (0.20 in), and creamy-white, produced in dense cymes 4–10 cm (1.6–3.9 in) width at the top of the stems; they are produced in early summer, and pollinated by insects. The fruit is an oblong drupe 8 mm (0.31 in) long, green at first, turning red, then finally black at full maturity, and contains a single seed. The seeds are dispersed when birds eat the fruit, then deposit the seeds in another location in their droppings.[3][4]
An older name for the plant is hoarwithy. "Hoar" means grey-haired and refers to the hairs under the leaves, and "withy" means a pliant stem.[5]
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Wolliger_Schneeball_mit_zeitgleich_roten_unreifen_und_schwarzen_reifen_Fr%C3%BCchten.jpg/220px-Wolliger_Schneeball_mit_zeitgleich_roten_unreifen_und_schwarzen_reifen_Fr%C3%BCchten.jpg)
Cultivation and uses
[edit]It is commonly grown as an ornamental plant for its flowers and berries, growing best on alkaline soils. A number of cultivars have been selected, including 'Aureum', with yellow leaves in spring.[4]
The fruit is of low to zero toxicity, but may cause vomiting or diarrhea if consumed unripe or in large quantities.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Viburnum lantana L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Flora Europaea: Viburnum lantana
- ^ a b Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN 0-340-40170-2
- ^ a b c Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
- ^ Reader's Digest Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Britain p.87.
- ^ Plants for a Future: Viburnum lantana
External links
[edit]Media related to Viburnum lantana at Wikimedia Commons
- Viburnum
- Flora of Algeria
- Flora of Armenia
- Flora of Azerbaijan
- Flora of France
- Flora of Georgia (country)
- Flora of Germany
- Flora of Greece
- Flora of Iran
- Flora of Italy
- Flora of Morocco
- Flora of Poland
- Flora of Romania
- Flora of Russia
- Flora of Spain
- Flora of Turkey
- Flora of Ukraine
- Flora of the United Kingdom
- Garden plants
- Plants described in 1753
- Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus