Changes

4,298 bytes added ,  15:54, 19 October 2007
no edit summary
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Actinidia''
| image =
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Actinidia'' foliage and fruit
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Ericales]]
| familia = [[Actinidiaceae]]
| genus = '''''Actinidia'''''
| genus_authority = [[John Lindley|Lindl.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}

'''''Actinidia''''' is a genus of [[woody plant]]s native to temperate eastern [[Asia]], occurring throughout most of [[China]], [[Taiwan]], [[Korea]] and [[Japan]], and extending north to southeast [[Siberia]] and south into [[Indochina]]. The genus includes [[shrub]]s growing to 6 m tall, and vigorous, strong-growing [[vine]]s, growing up to 30 m in [[tree]] canopies.

The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternate, simple, with a dentate margin and a long petiole. The [[flower]]s are solitary or in axillary [[cyme]]s, usually white, with five small [[petal]]s. Most of the species are [[plant sexuality|dioecious]] with separate male and female plants, but some are [[plant sexuality|monoecious]]. The [[fruit]] is a large [[berry]] containing numerous small [[seed]]s; in most species the fruit is edible.

There are about 40-60 [[species]] of ''Actinidia'':
{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Actinidia arguta]]'' ('''Kokuwa''', '''Tara Vine''', or '''[[Hardy Kiwi]]''')
*''[[Actinidia arisanensis]]''
*''[[Actinidia callosa]]''
*''[[Actinidia carnosifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia chengkouensis]]''
*''[[Actinidia chinensis]]''
*''[[Actinidia chrysantha]]''
*''[[Actinidia cinerascens]]''
*''[[Actinidia cordifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia coriacea]]''
*''[[Actinidia cylindrica]]''
*''[[Actinidia deliciosa]]'' ('''Yangtao''' or '''Chinese gooseberry''')
*''[[Actinidia eriantha]]''
*''[[Actinidia farinosa]]''
*''[[Actinidia fasciculoides]]''
*''[[Actinidia fortunatii]]''
*''[[Actinidia fulvicoma]]''
*''[[Actinidia glauco-callosa]]''
*''[[Actinidia glaucophylla]]''
*''[[Actinidia globosa]]''
*''[[Actinidia gracilis]]''
*''[[Actinidia grandiflora]]''
*''[[Actinidia hemsleyana]]''
*''[[Actinidia henryi]]''
*''[[Actinidia holotricha]]''
*''[[Actinidia indochinensis]]''
*''[[Actinidia kolomikta]]'' ('''Kolomikta''' or '''Arctic Beauty''')
*''[[Actinidia laevissima]]''
|
*''[[Actinidia lanceolata]]''
*''[[Actinidia latifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia leptophylla]]''
*''[[Actinidia liangguangensis]]''
*''[[Actinidia macrosperma]]''
*''[[Actinidia maloides]]''
*''[[Actinidia melanandra]]''
*''[[Actinidia melliana]]''
*''[[Actinidia obovata]]''
*''[[Actinidia pilosula]]''
*''[[Actinidia polygama]]'' ('''Silver Vine''') <!-- Fruit small, 2-2.5 cm diameter, yellow. -->
*''[[Actinidia purpurea]]'' <!-- Fruit similar to ''A. arguta'' but red-fleshed. -->
*''[[Actinidia rubricaulis]]''
*''[[Actinidia rubus]]''
*''[[Actinidia rudis]]''
*''[[Actinidia rufotricha]]''
*''[[Actinidia sabiaefolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia sorbifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia stellato-pilosa]]''
*''[[Actinidia styracifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia suberifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia tetramera]]''
*''[[Actinidia trichogyna]]''
*''[[Actinidia ulmifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia umbelloides]]''
*''[[Actinidia valvata]]''
*''[[Actinidia vitifolia]]''
*''[[Actinidia venosa]]''
|}

===Uses===
For the edible fruit, see [[Kiwifruit]], which is a [[Cultivar Group]] of ''[[Actinidia deliciosa]]'', and [[Hardy Kiwi]], of the species ''[[Actinidia arguta]]''. Some species are grown as [[ornamental plant]]s, notably ''A. kolomikta''.

''[[Actinidia arguta]]'' has small fruit 10-15 g, with green edible skins and green flesh; hardier than ''A. deliciosa''.

In Japan, ''Actinidia polygama'' (silver vine) is commonly known as "matatabi" ([[:ja:またたび|またたび]]) and noted for having an effect on cats much like that of [[catnip]]. It is mentioned in the saying 猫にまたたび、女郎に小判 (''neko ni matatabi, jorō ni koban'', "Silver vine to a cat, a coin to a prostitute"), meaning to put someone in a good mood by providing that which they most desire.

''[[Actinidia kolomikta]]'' is the hardiest species (to about -40°C), and has distinctive white- and pink-[[variegation|variegated]] foliage even on wild plants, an unusual phenomenon. Its fruit is very small, 8 g or smaller.

{{Commonscat|Actinidia}}

[[Category:Ericales]]
7,617

edits