Aucuba

Japanese Aukube ( Aucuba japonica cv. 'Variegata ')

Aukuben ( Aucuba ), also called golden oranges, are a genus in the family of Garryaceae from the order Garryales within the angiosperms ( Magnoliophyta). The German trivial name refers to the golden oranges orange trees like leaves and not the fruit.

  • 5.1 Notes and references

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Aucuba species are evergreen, woody plants: shrubs or trees that reach heights of growth 1-10 meters. The twigs and branches often long remain green, and the scars of older leaves are clearly visible.

The leaves are leathery against permanent, simple, often initially hairy, later smooth and elongated oval. However, the leaf shape and pubescence varies considerably, sometimes even on the same plant, as well as short heart-shaped leaves may occur. Also, the leaf margin may be almost completely fitted up with ganzrandig single large teeth. Often appear variegated, that is yellowish to whitish on spotted leaves.

Generative features

The Aucuba species are dioecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( dioecious ). The flowers are surrounded by bracts and are in terminal paniculate inflorescences that are 7-15 cm long in the male plants to the female only 1-5 ​​cm. The radial symmetry, small flowers are cruciform. The sepals are reduced or absent. The four elongated oval front and often finely pointed petals are dark red, greenish or yellowish. The male flowers have four stamens. In the female flowers one to two carpels are fused into one inferior ovary.

There shall be cylindrical to oval drupes.

Dissemination

Aucuba species make their home in the Asian region of Sikkim and China to Japan.

All species grow as undergrowth in dense, shady forests.

System

The genus Aucuba was first described in 1783 by Carl Peter Thunberg in Nova Genera Plantarum, 3, pp. 61-62. Type species is Aucuba japonica Thunb. A synonym for Aucuba Thunb. is Eubasis Salisb ..

Many authors calculate the genus of Aukuben ( Aucuba ) only the three types Aucuba chinensis, Aucuba Aucuba japonica and himalaica, but which are difficult to distinguish, as the features that are used to distinguish - the shape and the edge of the deciduous and the bloom - are highly variable. Other authors, such as the Flora of China differ up to ten species ( listed here ):

  • Aucuba albopunctifolia F.T.Wang
  • Chinese Aukube ( Aucuba chinensis Benth. )
  • Aucuba chlorascens F.T.Wang
  • Aucuba confertiflora W.P.Fang & T.P.Soong
  • Aucuba eriobotryifolia F.T.Wang
  • Aucuba filicauda Chun & F.C.How
  • Himalayan Aukube ( Aucuba himalaica Hook f. & Thomson)
  • Aukube Japanese, or Japanese kumquat called ( Aucuba japonica Thunb. ): It is used as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens.
  • Aucuba obcordata ( Rehder ) Fu ex WKHu & TPSoong
  • Aucuba robusta W.P.Fang & T.P.Soong

To which family the genus Aucuba has long been debated. They were sometimes placed in its own family Aucubaceae or in the family of the Dogwood ( Cornaceae ). Currently they are in the Garryaceae family.

Pictures

Japanese Aukube ( Aucuba japonica): Green form with fruits:

Japanese Aukube ( Aucuba japonica cv 'Variegata'. ): Variegated ( variegated ) form:

Swell

  • Jenny Qiuyun Xiang & David E. Boufford: Aucubaceae in the Flora of China, Volume 14, 2005, p 222: Aucuba - Online. ( Description section )
Asterids Ovary (botany) Agricultural Research Service
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