Oplopanax
Hedgehog force Wurz ( Oplopanax horridus )
Oplopanax is a genus of shrubs in the family Araliaceae ( Araliaceae ). The genus can be divided into three species whose distribution area is located in East Asia and North America. One of these species, the hedgehog force Wurz ( Oplopanax horridus ) is cultivated as an ornamental shrub because of remarkably colored fruits.
Description
The representatives of the genus Oplopanax form deciduous, slightly branched shrubs with thick, rigid stems that are densely provided with up to 1.5 centimeters long, bristly spines. The leaves are alternate, are long-petiolate, roundish - ovate and lobed palmate with five to seven lobes. The leaf margin is serrated. Stipules absent. The greenish-white, small and inconspicuous flowers are hermaphroditic or male. They are available in 8 to 15 centimeters long, double screws at the ends of branches. The individual flowers are fünfzählig, with indistinct calyx teeth and klappigen petals. There shall be five stamens and one under constant, mehrfächriger ovary with two styluses. As a fruit berry-like, bicompartmental drupes are formed. You are spherical ovoid, somewhat flattened, 8 millimeters long and brilliant scarlet color. The two casts are flattened.
Dissemination
The three species have Oplopanax Asian presence with the north-eastern China, southeastern Russia, as well as Korea and Japan. The North American distribution areas are in the subarctic America Alaska and Yukon. Further south the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario and the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Michigan are populated.
Systematics and species
The genus Oplopanax in 1863, erected by Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel in Annales Musei Botanici Lugduno - Batavi, Volume 1, page 16. Basionym is an indeterminate been articulated within the genus Panax taxon Oplopanax Torr. & A. Gray. Type species is Oplopanax horridus (Sm. ) Miq .. Synonyms for Oplopanax is Echinopanax Decne. & Planch. ex Harms and Ricinophyllum Pall. ex Ledeb. , nom. inval ..
Oplopanax is a genus in the family Araliaceae the ( Araliaceae ). There they are assigned to the subfamily Aralioideae. The genus contains three species:
- Oplopanax elatus Naikai
- Hedgehog force Wurz ( Oplopanax horridus Miq. )
- Oplopanax japonicus ( Nakai ) Nakai
Etymology
The scientific name Oplopanax derives from the Greek " Ooops " for weapon, indicating the spines of the species and the genus name Panax. This expresses that the species of the genus Panax Oplopanax is close, but is armed with spines.
Use
One way the hedgehog force Wurz ( Oplopanax horridus ) is used because of the impressive fruits as an ornamental shrub.