| Helwingia japonica | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Aquifoliales |
| Family: | Helwingiaceae |
| Genus: | Helwingia |
| Species: | H. japonica |
| Binomial name | |
| Helwingia japonica (Thunb.) F.Dietr. | |
Helwingia japonica, the Japanese helwingia, [1] is a species of flowering plant the family Helwingiaceae. It is native to South-East Asia. [2] [3]
Helwingia japonica is a dioecious shrub with height variying between 1 and 2 metres (3.3 and 6.6 ft), [4] and may spread 1–1.5 metres (3.3–4.9 ft), [1] with leaves of 6–12 centimetres (2.4–4.7 in) in length. [4] The lateral and midvein are concave, and the leaves' colors are green. [5] Flowers grow from the center of the leaf midribs, taking the shape of a simple umbel inflorescence. In male species, 3–10 small green or purplish- green flowers grow but only 3–5 will open simultaneously. The female plants have 1–3 flowers. Flowering takes place between April and May, and fruiting is from August to September. [6]
The Helwingia japonica is a dioecious plant, meaning that male and female sexual functions occur on separate plants. In the male plant, the flowers have a small calyx with 3–5 stamens and one long pedicel. The female plant has a short pedicel and one pistil, with 3–5 stigma branches and an inferior ovary that has 3–5 ovules, but no stamens. [6] For reproduction to take place, it requires pollination. The female plants flowers will then turn into fruits. The fruits are small black or red berries. [1]
They can be grown in places that are moist with good drainage, such as in partially shaded areas. It can tolerate temperatures as low as −7 °C (19 °F). The plant requires low maintenance, but to produce fruit, it requires both male and female plants. Mature seed can be collected from fruit be put to storage or sowed after being rinsed and left to dry. [5]
Helwingia japonica is found in moist rich soil in forests and thickets in hills and low mountains at elevations of 100–3,400 metres (330–11,150 ft) meters in Japan, Bhutan, South Korea, Myanmar, and in multiple Chinese provinces. [1] [3] [7]
The plants are edible. The young leaves are used for culinary purposes, such as being cooked with rice or boiled. The flowers can also be eaten. [7]
One source mentions the use of the plant for medical purposes, such to activate blood circulation, remove blood stasis, help with urination pain, and the use of the fruit to relieve stomach aches. [5]
The species is divided into the following subspecies and varieties:
Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains more than 2,000 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown indoors as ornamental houseplants in cooler climates. In cooler climates some species are cultivated outside in summertime for their bright colorful flowers, which have sepals but no petals.
Ilex opaca, the American holly, is a species of holly, native to the eastern and south-central United States, from coastal Massachusetts south to central Florida, and west to southeastern Missouri and eastern Texas.
Skimmia is a genus of four species of evergreen dioecious shrubs and small trees in the rue family Rutaceae, all native to warm temperate regions of Asia. The leaves are clustered at the ends of the shoots, simple, lanceolate, 6–21 cm long and 2–5 cm broad, with a smooth margin. The flowers are in dense panicle clusters, each flower small, 6–15 mm diameter, with 4-7 petals. The fruit is red to black, 6–12 mm diameter, a fleshy drupe containing a single seed. All parts of the plant have a pungent aroma when crushed. The botanical name Skimmia is a Latinization of shikimi, which is the Japanese name for Illicium religiosum as well as an element in miyama shikimi, the Japanese name for Skimmia japonica.
Lindera is a genus of about 80–100 species of flowering plants in the family Lauraceae, mostly native to eastern Asia but with three species in eastern North America. The species are shrubs and small trees; common names include spicewood, spicebush, and Benjamin bush.
The genus Helwingia consists of shrubs or rarely small trees native to eastern Asia, the Himalayas, and northern Indochina. It is the only genus in the family Helwingiaceae.
Rubus ursinus is a North American species of blackberry or dewberry, known by the common names California blackberry, California dewberry, Douglas berry, Pacific blackberry, Pacific dewberry and trailing blackberry.
Frankenia pauciflora, the common sea-heath or southern sea-heath, is an evergreen shrub native to southern Australia. It is part of the Frankenia genus of the Frankeniaceae family.
Pimelea microcephala, commonly known as mallee rice-flower or shrubby rice-flower is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to mainland Australia. It is an erect shrub with compact heads of male or female, white to yellow or greenish flowers on separate plants, the heads surrounded by 2 or 4 leaf-like involucral bracts.
Aucuba japonica, commonly called spotted laurel, Japanese laurel, Japanese aucuba or gold dust plant (U.S.), is a shrub native to rich forest soils of moist valleys, thickets, by streams and near shaded moist rocks in China, Korea, and Japan. This is the species of Aucuba commonly seen in gardens - often in variegated form. The leaves are opposite, broad lanceolate, 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) long and 2–5 cm (0.79–1.97 in) wide. Aucuba japonica are dioecious. The flowers are small, 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) diameter, each with four purplish-brown petals; they are produced in clusters of 10-30 in a loose cyme. The fruit is a red drupe approximately 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter that is avoided by birds.
Elaeodendron australe, commonly known as red olive-berry, red-fruited olive plum, or blush boxwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with egg-shaped to oblong leaves with a wavy margin, yellowish green male and female flowers on separate plants and fleshy orange-red fruit.
Thalictrum fendleri is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Fendler's meadow-rue. It is named in honor of Augustus Fendler.
Laurus novocanariensis is a large shrub or tree with aromatic, shiny dark-green foliage. belonging to the evergreen tree genus Laurus of the laurel family, Lauraceae. The genus includes three species, whose diagnostic key characters often overlap. Under favorable conditions it is an impressive tree of 3 to 20 m. tall. It is native of rich soils in the cloud zone of always moist spots in subtropical climate with a high air-humidity, on the Canary and Madeira islands.
Dodecadenia is a botanical genus of flowering plants in the family Lauraceae. It contains a single species, Dodecadenia grandiflora. It is present from central Asia, to Himalayas and India. It is present in tropical and subtropical montane rainforest, laurel forest, in the weed-tree forests in valleys, mixed forests of coniferous and deciduous broad-leaved trees, Tsuga forests; 2,000–2,600 metres (6,600–8,500 ft) in China in provinces of Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan, and countries of Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
Daphniphyllum macropodum is a shrub or small tree found in China, Japan and Korea. Like all species in the genus Daphniphyllum, D. macropodum is dioecious, that is male and female flowers are borne on different plants. The timber is used in China in construction and furniture making. It is grown as an ornamental plant, chiefly for its foliage.
The Miss Kim lilac is a Korean lilac which was categorized by Elwyn M. Meader while stationed in Korea as an army horticulturalist. It was supposedly named after Elwyn M. Meader's Korean helper, whose name was "Kim." This species is endemic to the areas of Korea and Northeast China. The most commonly used name for this subspecies is Miss Kim Lilac yet there are many others used. Flowers produced by this species are of pink, purple, and a light blue hues which accompany a sweet smelling aroma. Alongside flower production fruits called loculicidal capsules are produced. This species tends to bloom in the spring months.
Mallotus tetracoccus, also known as the rusty kamala, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a tree species found in parts of south Asia, typically occurring in the edges of tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.
Corema album, the Portuguese crowberry ; Spanish: camarina, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, Aquitaine, and the Azores (sub-species), where it may also be considered a different species. Its white berries are known to have been consumed by people in the Iberian Peninsula at least since the Middle-Ages. The only other species of the same genus is Corema conradii, found in North America.
Fuchsia microphylla, also known as small leaf fuchsia and small-leaved fuchsia, is a flowering shrub in the family Onagraceae. The specific epithet (microphylla) was named for the plant's small (micro) leaves (phylla).
Myristica insipida, commonly known in Australia as Australian nutmeg, Queensland nutmeg or native nutmeg, is a small rainforest tree in the family Myristicaceae native to parts of Malesia, Papuasia and Australia. It is closely related to the commercially-important species of nutmeg, M. fragrans.
Ricinocarpos psilocladus is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae and is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It is an erect, open, monoecious or dioecious shrub with linear to narrowly oblong or narrowly egg-shaped leaves, and white or yellow flowers arranged singly, or with two to five male flowers, or a single female flower surrounded by up to three male flowers.