| + | Wisteria floribunda, DC. (Glycine floribunda, Willd. Wisteria brachybotrys, Sieb. & Zucc. Kraunhia brachybotrys, Greene). Japanese Wisteria. Young lvs. densely covered with straight appressed hairs, but foliage soon glabrous; lfts. 7-9 pairs, ovate-elliptic, rather abruptly acuminate, acute, rounded at base: fls. violet or violet-blue, rather small, in moderately long racemes (or sometimes in short racemes, particularly later in the season, whence the name brachybotrys); standard oblong-orbicular, subcordate at base and auriculate, with a short stipe-like claw; calyx hairy, the 2 upper teeth very short and broad. Common on the margins of woods and along streams in Japan; much cult. there in temple grounds, parks, and gardens; also grown in this country. F.S. 9:880.—From the Chinese wisteria (W. sinensis) it is distinguished by more numerous lfts. which are shed earlier in autumn, much smaller, and 2-3-weeks-later fls., and greater hardiness. It runs into several marked forms. Var. alba (forma alba, Rehd. & Wils. W. multijuga var. alba, Carr.) has white fls. R.H. 1891, p. 421. Var. rosea (forma rosea, Rehd. & Wils.) has rose-colored or pale pink fls. with wings and tip of keel purple. Var. variegata (forma variegata, Rehd. & Wils. W. chinensis var. variegata, Nichols.) has variegated foliage. Var. violaceo-plena (forma violaceo-plena, Rehd. & Wils. W. chinensis var. flore-pleno, Mill.) is a double-fld. form. R.H. 1887:564. Gn. 17, p. 105. F. 1882:557. Var. macrobotrys (forma macrobotrys, Rehd. & Wils. W. macrobotrys, Sieb. W. multijuga, Van Houtte. W. grandiflora, Hort.) has very long racemes, sometimes 2-3 ft.: much prized. F.S. 19:2002. R.H. 1891, p. 176. Under the name W. multijuga Russelliana, a slender-racemed form is shown in Gn. W. 21, suppl. Apr. 2, although the lfts. are not more than 5 pairs. This variety is described as having a purple calyx, soft purple standard deepening in color with age on both faces and a creamy white eye-like blotch on the inner face; wings and keel dark blue, the tip of the keel violet; racemes reach 2 3/4 ft. in length. Named for John Russell, Richmond, Surrey. |