- Viburnum lantana
Taxobox
name = "Viburnum lantana"
image_width = 240px
image_caption = Foliage and immature fruit
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo =Dipsacales
familia =Adoxaceae
genus = "Viburnum "
species = "V. lantana"
binomial = "Viburnum lantana"
binomial_authority = L."Viburnum lantana" (Wayfaring Tree) is a species of "
Viburnum ", native to central, southern and westernEurope (north toYorkshire inEngland ), northwestAfrica , and southwesternAsia . [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Viburnum+&SPECIES_XREF=lantana&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: "Viburnum lantana"] ] Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). "Flora of Britain and Northern Europe". ISBN 0-340-40170-2] Huxley, A., ed. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening". Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.]It is a
deciduous shrub or smalltree growing to 4-5 m tall. The leaves are opposite, simple oval to lanceolate, 6-13 cm long and 4-9 cm broad, with a finely serrated margin; they are densely downy on the underside, less so on the upper surface. The hermaphroditeflower s are small (5 mm), creamy-white, produced in densecyme s 4-10 cm diameter at the top of the stems; they are produced in early summer, and pollinated byinsect s. Thefruit is an oblongdrupe 8 mm long, green at first, turning red, then finally black at full maturity, and contains a singleseed . The seeds are dispersed whenbird s eat the fruit, then deposit the seeds in another location in their droppings.An older name for the plant is hoarwithy. 'Hoar' means white and is in reference to the white hairs under the leaves, whilst 'withy' means a pliant stem. [ The
Reader's Digest Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Britain "p.87".]Cultivation and uses
It is commonly grown as an
ornamental plant for its flowers and berries, growing best on alkaline soils. A number ofcultivar s have been selected, including 'Aureum', with yellow leaves in spring.The fruit is mildly toxic, and may cause vomiting or diarrhoea if eaten in large amounts.
Plants for a Future : [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Viburnum+lantana "Viburnum lantana"] ]References
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