Aesculus - Revision history

Raffi at 20:19, 20 November 2010

2010-11-20T20:19:23Z

BradiRoberts at 22:35, 31 July 2009

2009-07-31T22:35:19Z

Raffi: /* Species */

2009-07-11T01:20:20Z

Species

Raffi at 01:18, 11 July 2009

2009-07-11T01:18:22Z

Raffi at 01:16, 11 July 2009

2009-07-11T01:16:21Z

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Envoy at 14:07, 17 September 2007

2007-09-17T14:07:26Z

Envoy at 14:04, 17 September 2007

2007-09-17T14:04:47Z

Envoy at 13:59, 17 September 2007

2007-09-17T13:59:22Z

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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Aesculus'' - Buckeyes and Horse-chestnuts
| image = Horse-chestnut 800.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| image_caption = ''Aesculus hippocastanum''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Sapindales]]
| familia = [[Sapindaceae]]
| genus = '''''Aesculus'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''[[Aesculus arguta]]'': Texas Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus californica]]'': California Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus chinensis]]'': Chinese Horse-chestnut 
''[[Aesculus flava]]'' (''A. octandra''): Yellow Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus glabra]]'': Ohio Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus hippocastanum]]'': Common Horse-chestnut 
''[[Aesculus indica]]'': Indian Horse-chestnut 
''[[Aesculus neglecta]]'': Dwarf Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus parviflora]]'': Bottlebrush Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus pavia]]'': Red Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus sylvatica]]'': Painted Buckeye 
''[[Aesculus turbinata]]'': Japanese Horse-chestnut 
''[[Aesculus wilsonii]]'': Wilson's Horse-chestnut
}}

The genus '''''Aesculus''''' comprises 20–25 species of [[deciduous]] [[tree]]s and [[shrub]]s native to the temperate [[northern hemisphere]], with 7–10 species native to [[North America]] and 13–15 species native in [[Eurasia]]; there are also several natural [[hybrid]]s. They have traditionally been treated in their own usually monogeneric family [[Hippocastanaceae]], but genetic evidence has lead to this family, along with the [[Aceraceae]] ([[Maple]]s and ''[[Dipteronia]]''), being included in the soapberry family ([[Sapindaceae]]).

The North American species are known as '''Buckeyes''' and the Eurasian species as '''Horse-chestnuts'''. Some are also called "White Chestnut" or "Red Chestnut" (as in some of the [[Bach flower remedies]]. In Britain, they are sometimes called "Conker trees" because of their link with the game of [[Conkers]] ).

== Etymology ==

The name Horse-chestnut, hyphenated here to avoid confusion with the true [[chestnut]]s (''Castanea'', [[Fagaceae]]), is also often given as "Horse Chestnut" or "Horsechestnut". One species very popular in cultivation, the Common Horse-chestnut ''Aesculus hippocastanum'' is also often known as just "Horse-chestnut". Linnaeus named the genus ''Aesculus'' after the Roman name for an edible acorn. The use of the term "horse" refers to their strength or inedibility, the word "horse" originally meant strong or powerful, and does not here refer to their fitness as fodder for horses, except in folk etymology. The name buckeye derives from the resemblance of the seed to the brown eye of a buck (male [[deer]]), and horse-chestnut from the external resemblance of the seed to a chestnut, but being inedible. The Buckeye blooms in summer and the Horse-chestnut in late spring.

== Description ==

''Aesculus'' are [[woody plant]]s from 4 to 35 m tall (depending on species), and have stout shoots with resinous, often sticky, buds; opposite, palmately divided leaves, often very large (to 65 cm across in the Japanese Horse-chestnut ''Aesculus turbinata''); and showy insect-pollinated [[flower]]s, with a single four- or five-lobed petal (actually four or five petals fused at the base). Flowering starts after 80–110 [[growing degree day]]s. The fruit is a rich glossy brown to blackish-brown [[Nut (fruit)|nut]] 2–5 cm diameter, usually globose with one nut in a green or brown husk, but sometimes two nuts together in one husk, in which case the nuts are flat on one side; the point of attachment of the nut in the husk shows as a large circular whitish scar. The husk has scattered soft spines in some species, spineless in others, and splits into three sections to release the nut.

== Cultivation ==

[[Image:Aesculus carnea BotGartenMuenster PurpurKastanie 6685.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Flower of the Red Horse-chestnut (''Aesculus x carnea'')]]
The most familiar member of the genus worldwide is the [[Common Horse-chestnut]] ''Aesculus hippocastanum'', native to a small area of the [[Balkans]] in southeast [[Europe]], but widely cultivated throughout the temperate world. The Yellow Buckeye ''Aesculus flava'' (syn. ''A. octandra'') is also a valuable ornamental tree with yellow flowers, but is less widely planted. Among the smaller species, the Bottlebrush Buckeye ''Aesculus parviflora'' also makes a very interesting and unusual flowering shrub. Several other members of the genus are used as ornamentals, and several horticultural hybrids have also been developed, most notably the Red Horse-chestnut ''A. x carnea'', a hybrid between ''A. hippocastanum'' and ''A. pavia''.

They are generally fairly problem-free, though a recently discovered leaf-mining [[moth]] ''[[Cameraria ohridella]]'' is currently causing major problems in much of Europe, causing premature leaf fall which looks very unattractive. The symptoms (brown blotches on the leaves) can be confused with damage caused by the leaf fungus ''Guignardia aesculi'', which is also very common but usually less serious. Common Horse-chestnut is also used as a food plant by [[Sycamore (moth)|The Sycamore]], another species of moth.

Another disease in parts of North West Europe and North America is [[Bleeding canker]] [http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/bleedingcanker].

==Uses==
The nuts contain high concentrations of a [[saponin]]-class toxin called [[Aesculin]], which is toxic to many animals including humans because it causes [[hemolysis]] (destruction of [[red blood cell]]s). The saponin can be eliminated by leaching the pulverized nuts in multiple changes of boiling water, to yield a wholesome [[starch]]y [[porridge]] once important to some [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] tribes. Some animals, notably [[deer]] and [[squirrel]]s, are resistant to the toxins and can eat the nuts directly. An interesting side-note is that Aesculin is a natural [[pH indicator]] which, when extracted turns from colourless to fluorescent blue under [[UV light]] in an acidic [[pH]] range.

Crushed buckeye nuts have also been thrown into [[lake]]s by [[poaching|poachers]], to kill fish for easy capture.

California Buckeyes ''[[Aesculus californica]]'' are known to cause poisoning of [[honeybee]]s from toxic [[nectar]] (other locally native [[bee]] species not being affected). Other buckeye species are thought to have the same effect, but the toxins are diluted because the trees are not usually abundant enough in any one area.

The wood is very pale whitish-brown, fairly soft and little-used. Uses include cheap furniture, boxes and firewood.

In several European countries a new disease has been found in several species of ''Aesculus''. For more information check http://www.kastanjeziekte.wur.nl (in Dutch).

In [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and [[Ireland]] the game of [[conkers]] remains a common childhood pastime.

In some cultures, the buckeye tree is thought to bring good luck.[http://www.ohiodnr.com/forestry/education/buckeyetrees2.htm][http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~herb/buckeye.htm]

The [[Mexican Buckeye]] is related to ''Aesculus'', but is in a separate genus, ''Ungnadia''.

===Uses in homeopathic medicine===
Aesculus is used in homeopathic medicine for pain in the sacroiliac region and rectal pain <ref>{{cite book
| last = Morrsion, MD
| first = Roger
| title = Desktop guide to keynotes and comfirmatory symptoms
| publisher =Hahnemann Clinic Publishing
| date = 1993
| location =Grass Valley, CA
| ISBN =0-9635368-0-X}}
</ref>.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

<gallery>
Image:AesculusChinensis.jpg|Chinese Horse-chestnut (''Aesculus chinensis'') young leaves in spring ...
Image:AesculusChinensisLeaf.jpg|... and fully grown, in summer
Image:Aesculus californica.jpg|California Buckeye (''[[Aesculus californica]]'') leaves
Image:Paardekastanje wit uitgelopen knop.jpg|''Aesculus hippocastanum'' bud opening in spring
Image:Horse Chestnut Tree.jpg|[[Common Horse-chestnut]] tree in winter
Image:Kiev kashtan.jpg|[[Common Horse-chestnut]] tree
Image:Aesculus carnea BotGartenMuenster PurpurKastanie 6685.jpg|Red Horse-chestnut (''Aesculus x carnea'')
Image:Aesculus glabra USDA.jpg|[[Ohio Buckeye]] tree (''Aesculus glabra'')
</gallery>

==References and external links==
{{commons}}
*[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?245 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Aesculus'']
*Forest, F., Drouin, J. N., Charest, R., Brouillet, L., & Bruneau A. (2001). A morphological phylogenetic analysis of Aesculus L. and Billia Peyr. (Sapindaceae). ''Canad. J. Botany'' 79 (2): 154-169. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nrc/cjb/2001/00000079/00000002/art00003 Abstract].
*[http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/aesculus.html ''Aesculus glabra'' (Ohio Buckeye)] King's American Dispensatory
* [http://www.homeoint.org/books3/kentmm/aesc-hip.htm ''Aesculus hippocastanum'' (aesc-hip.)] "Kent's Lectures on Homeopathic Materia Medica" by Dr Robert Séror

[[Category:Sapindaceae]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Inc|
 Aesculus (ancient name of some oak or mast-bearing tree). Including Pavia. Hippocastanaceae. HORSE-CHESTNUT. BUCKEYE. Trees or sometimes shrubs, cultivated for shade and for the conspicuous bloom of some species.
@@ Line 49: / Line 69: @@
 }}
 ==Cultivation==
@@ Line 88: / Line 80: @@
 ==Species==
-Source: Wikipedia
+The species of ''Aesculus'' include:
 * ''[[Aesculus arguta]]'': Texas buckeye
 * ''[[Aesculus californica]]'': California buckeye
-* ''[[Aesculus × carnea]]'': Red Horse Chestnut
+* ''[[Aesculus × carnea]]'': red horse chestnut
-* ''[[Aesculus chinensis]]'': Chinese Horse Chestnut
+* ''[[Aesculus chinensis]]'': Chinese horse chestnut
-* ''[[Aesculus chinensis var. wilsonii]]'': Wilson's Horse Chestnut
+* ''[[Aesculus chinensis var. wilsonii]]'': Wilson's horse chestnut
 * ''[[Aesculus flava]]'' (''A. octandra''): yellow buckeye
-* ''[[Aesculus glabra]]'': Ohio Buckeye
+* ''[[Aesculus glabra]]'': Ohio buckeye
-* ''[[Aesculus hippocastanum]]'': Common Horse Chestnut
+* ''[[Aesculus hippocastanum]]'': common horse chestnut
-* ''[[Aesculus indica]]'': Indian Horse Chestnut
+* ''[[Aesculus indica]]'': Indian horse chestnut
 * ''[[Aesculus neglecta]]'': dwarf buckeye
 * ''[[Aesculus parviflora]]'': bottlebrush buckeye
 * ''[[Aesculus parryi]]''
 * ''[[Aesculus pavia]]'': red buckeye
-* ''[[Aesculus sylvatica]]'': painted Buckeye
+* ''[[Aesculus pavia]] var. flavescens'': Texas yellow buckeye, yellow woolly buckeye
-* ''[[Aesculus turbinata]]'': Japanese Horse Chestnut
+* ''[[Aesculus sylvatica]]'': painted buckeye
 * ''[[Aesculus wangii]] = [[Aesculus assamica]]
 ==Gallery==
-{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
+<gallery perrow=5>
 Image:Aesculus carnea BotGartenMuenster PurpurKastanie 6685.jpg|Flower of the Red Horse-chestnut (''Aesculus x carnea'')
 Image:AesculusChinensis.jpg|Chinese Horse-chestnut (''Aesculus chinensis'') young leaves in spring ...
@@ Line 122: / Line 125: @@
 ==References==
-<!--- xxxxx  *[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963  -->
+<references/>
 <!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
 <!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
@@ Line 131: / Line 134: @@
 {{stub}}
-[[Category:Categorize]]
+__NOTOC__

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:35, 31 July 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	{{Inc\|
		+	Aesculus (ancient name of some oak or mast-bearing tree). Including Pavia. Hippocastanaceae. HORSE-CHESTNUT. BUCKEYE. Trees or sometimes shrubs, cultivated for shade and for the conspicuous bloom of some species.
		+
		+	Winter-buds large with several pairs of outer scales: lvs. opposite, long-petioled, digitate, deciduous; lfts. 6-9, serrate: fls. symmetrical in terminal panicles; calyx campanulate to tubular, unequally 4-5-toothed; petals 4-5, with long claws; stamens 5-9; ovary 3-celled, with 2-ovuled cells: fr. a large 3-valved caps., usually with 1 or 2 large seeds; seeds large, brown, with a large pale hilum.—About 20 species in N. Amer., E. Asia, Himalayas and Balkan Peninsula.
		+
		+	The buckeyes are deciduous trees and shrubs, with large, digitate leaves and red, white or yellow flowers in showy terminal panicles. They are cultivated for their showy flowers and handsome foliage, and some species make excellent shade trees. The large seeds are not edible.
		+
		+	Some species, as AE. Hippocastanum and AE. carnea are popular shade and street trees. They leaf early and soon give a dense shade. The shrubby species are well adapted for borders of larger groups or as solitary clumps on the lawn, particularly M. parviflora, with its slender panicles of white flowers; similar in habit and effect but with bright scarlet flowers, are AE. discolor, AE. georgiana and AE. splendens. Most of the species are hardy North, but the Californian and Himalayan species are suitable only for the southern states. They grow best in loamy and moist soil.
		+
		+	Propagation is by seeds to be sown in autumn or stratified, or by side-grafting and budding on common species, and the shrubby forms also by layers; AE. parviflora is propagated also by root-cuttings.
		+
		+	INDEX.
		+	Arguta, 8 heterophlla, 1.
		+	atrosanguinea, 11, 13. Hippocastanum, 1.
		+	austrina, 14. humilis, 13.
		+	Baumannii, 1. hybrida, 12.
		+	Briotii. 2. incisa, 1.
		+	Buckleyi, 8. indica, 7.
		+	californica, 4. intermedia,, 2.
		+	carnea, 2. laciniata, 1.
		+	chinensis, 5. lutea, 9.
		+	discolor, 14. Lyonii, 12.
		+	dissecta, 1. macrostachya, 16.
		+	Ellwangeri, 11. Memmingeri, 1.
		+	flava, 9. mollis, 14.
		+	flavescens, 14. nana, 13.
		+	flore-pleno, 1. octandra, 9, 14.
		+	georgiana, 10. ohioeneis, 8.
		+	glabra, 8. parviflora, 16.
		+	Henkelii, 1. Pavia, 11, 13, 14.
		+
		+	pendula, 13. plantierensis, 2. pumila, 1.
		+
		+	pyramidalis, 1. rubicunda, 2. rubra, 13.
		+
		+	Schirnhoferi. 1. sinensis, 3. splendens, 15.
		+
		+	sublaciniata. 13. turbinata, 3. umbraculifera, 1.
		+
		+	variegata, 1. versicolor, 12. Whitleyi. 11.
		+
		+	Wilsonii, 6. woerlitzensis, 11.
		+
		+	A. Winter-buds resinous: claws of petals not longer than calyx; stamens exserted.
		+	B. Lfts. sessile: petals 5; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; stamens 5-8: fr. globular. (Hippocastanum).
		+	C. Lvs. glabrous beneath.
		+
		+	AE. arguta, Buckl. (AE. glabra var. arguta, Rob.). Allied to AE. glabra. Shrub, 1-5 ft.: lfts. 7-9, lanceolate to obovate-lanceolate, sharply and often doubly serrate, pubescent beneath: fls. light yellowish green. Texas.— Not in cult.; the plant that is cult. under this name is AE. glabra var. Buckleyi.—AE. Bushii. Schneid. Supposed hybrid of AE. glabra and discolor. Tree, to 30 ft.: lfts. oblong-obovate, finely and bluntly serrate, pubescent below: calyx pink; petals pink and yellow, glandular and villous at the margin: fr. slightly tuberculate. Ark. Hardy at the Arnold Arboretum.—AE. glaucescens, Serg. Related to AE. octandra. Shrub, to 10 ft. Lfts. larger,; labrous and glaucescent beneath: larger: fr. smaller.—AE. humilia, Koehne, not Lodd. Related to AE. discolor and possibly variety. Low shrub: lvs. tomentose beneath: fis. red and yellow. Of unknown origin.—AE. marylandica. Booth. Supposed hybrid of AE. glabra and octandra. Of unknown origin.—AE. neglecta, Lindl. Near AE. octandra, but petals veined with purple toward the base of the blade: the lfts. are glabrous beneath. Of unknown origin.—AE. Parryi, Gray. Similar to A. californica. Lfts. small, obovate, canescent-tomentose beneath: calyx 5-lobed. Calif.
		+	}}
		+
	__NOTOC__{{Plantbox		__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
	\| name = ''Aesculus''		\| name = ''Aesculus''

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 ==Species==
-Source: Wikipedia:
+Source: Wikipedia
-''[[Aesculus arguta]]'': Texas Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus arguta]]'': Texas buckeye
-''[[Aesculus californica]]'': California Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus californica]]'': California buckeye
-''[[Aesculus chinensis]]'': Chinese Horse-chestnut<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus × carnea]]'': Red Horse Chestnut
-''[[Aesculus flava]]'' (''A. octandra''): Yellow Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus chinensis]]'': Chinese Horse Chestnut
-''[[Aesculus glabra]]'': Ohio Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus chinensis var. wilsonii]]'': Wilson's Horse Chestnut
-''[[Aesculus hippocastanum]]'': Common Horse-chestnut<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus flava]]'' (''A. octandra''): yellow buckeye
-''[[Aesculus indica]]'': Indian Horse-chestnut<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus glabra]]'': Ohio Buckeye
-''[[Aesculus neglecta]]'': Dwarf Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus hippocastanum]]'': Common Horse Chestnut
-''[[Aesculus parviflora]]'': Bottlebrush Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus indica]]'': Indian Horse Chestnut
-''[[Aesculus pavia]]'': Red Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus neglecta]]'': dwarf buckeye
-''[[Aesculus sylvatica]]'': Painted Buckeye<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus parviflora]]'': bottlebrush buckeye
-''[[Aesculus turbinata]]'': Japanese Horse-chestnut<br/>
+* ''[[Aesculus parryi]]''
-''[[Aesculus wilsonii]]'': Wilson's Horse-chestnut
+* ''[[Aesculus pavia]]'': red buckeye
 ==Gallery==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 __NOTOC__{{Plantbox
 | name = ''Aesculus''
-| common_names =     <!--- if multiple, list all, if none, leave blank -->
+| common_names = Horsechestnut, Buckeye
-| growth_habit = trees, shrubs
+| growth_habit = trees, large shrubs
 | high = ?   <!--- 1m (3 ft) -->
 | wide =     <!--- 65cm (25 inches) -->
 | origin = N America, Eurasia
-| poisonous =     <!--- indicate parts of plants which are known/thought to be poisonous -->
+| poisonous = seeds slightly toxic if ingested
 | lifespan =     <!--- perennial, annual, etc -->
-| exposure = ?   <!--- full sun, part-sun, semi-shade, shade, indoors, bright filtered (you may list more than 1) -->
+| exposure = full sun{{SSN}}
-| water = ?   <!--- frequent, regular, moderate, drought tolerant, let dry then soak -->
+| water = usually regular
 | features =     <!--- flowers, fragrance, fruit, naturalizes, invasive -->
 | hardiness =     <!--- frost sensitive, hardy, 5°C (40°F), etc -->
 | bloom =     <!--- seasons which the plant blooms, if it is grown for its flowers -->
 | usda_zones = ?   <!--- eg. 8-11 -->
-| sunset_zones =     <!--- eg. 8, 9, 12-24, not available -->
+| sunset_zones = vary by species
 | color = IndianRed
 | image = Horse-chestnut 800.jpg

@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 ==References and external links==
 {{commons}}
 *[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?245 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Aesculus'']