Caprifoliaceae
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 Lonicera japonica | ||||||||||
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The Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family is a clade consisting of about 800 dicotyledonous flowering plants, with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution; centres of diversity are found in eastern North America and eastern Asia, while they are absent in tropical and southern Africa.
They are mostly shrubs and vines, rarely herbs, including some ornamental garden plants in temperate regions. The leaves are mostly opposite with no stipules (= appendage at the base of a leafstalk or petiole), and may be either evergreen or deciduous. The flowers are tubular funnel-shaped or bell-like, usually with five outward spreading lobes or points, and are often fragrant. They usually form a small calyx with small bracts. The fruit is in most cases a berry or a drupe. The genera, Diervilla and Weigela, have capsular fruit.
Taxonomy
(with approximate numbers of species).
Much of the debate over the taxonomy of this group has been settled. Two of the most familiar members of the family, the elder and the viburnum, have been moved into Adoxaceae, along with some other genera.
The evolutionary taxonomy of this group includes
Diervilleae
Heptacodium
- Heptacodium (Seven-son Flower): 1 species
Caprifolieae
- Leycesteria: 6 species
- Lonicera (Honeysuckle): 180 species
- Symphoricarpos (Snowberry): 17 species
- Triosteum (Horsegentian): 6 species
Linnaeaceae
- Abelia : 30 species
- Dipelta: 4 species
- Kolkwitzia (Beautybush): 1 species
- Linnaea : (Twinflower) : 1 species
Morinaceae
Dipsacaceae
Triplostegia
Valerianaceae
No longer included in Caprifoliaceae:
(regarded by some as belonging to a separate family Adoxaceae /Alseuosmiaceae)
- Alseuosmia : 8 species
- Memecylanthus : 1 species
- Periomphale : 2 species
(regarded by some as belonging to a separate family Adoxaceae /Carlemanniaceae)
- Carlemannia : 3 species
- Silvianthus : 2 species.
Uses
The plants belonging to this family are mainly hardy ornamental shrubs or vines, many popular garden shrubs, especially Lonicera. A few have become invasive weeds outside of their native ranges (such as Lonicera japonica).
References
- Flowering Plants of the World, 1987, Vernon H. Heywood, Andromeda Oxford Ltd., ISBN 90-5210-165-5
- Botanica, Gordon Cheers, Random House Australia, ISBN 3-8290-1953-X
