- Spiraea thunbergii
Taxobox
name = Thunberg's meadowsweet
image_width = 250px
image_caption = Flowers and foliage
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Rosales
familia =Rosaceae
subfamilia =Spiraeoideae
genus = "Spiraea "
species = "S. thunbergii"
binomial = "Spiraea thunbergii"
binomial_authority = Sieb. ex Blume"Spiraea thunbergii" (Thunberg's meadowsweet) is a
plant in the rose family,Rosaceae .Description
"Spiraea thunbergii" (common names : baby's breath spirea, Thunberg spirea; Japanese common name : yuki-yanigi) is a small, long-lived
shrub with thin, flexible stems. It is native to Japan and China. It is also a popular landscape shrub in southeastern U.S.The flowers are white, borne in early spring (late March to early April) and late fall. It reaches a height of 1.5-1.8 meter and is about as wide. The alternate, simple, almost linear leaves are semideciduous.
This plant produces
phytotoxic cis-cinnamoylglucoside s and cis-cinnamic acid [ [http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/index.php?mode2=detail&origin=ibids_references&therow=750839 Phytochemistry. 2004 Mar., v. 65, no. 6 p. 731-739] ] The plant-growth inhibition characteristics can be used against diverse species as lettuce ("Lactuca saliva"), pigweed ("Amaranthus retroflexus"), red clover ("Trifolium pratense"), timothy ("Phleum pratense"), and bok choy ("Brassica rapa" var "chinensis"). The characteristics of these natural chemicals indicate a potential role of cis-cinnamic acid and its glucosides as allelochemicals (chemicals, released from plants, that cause an interaction between plants and other living organisms) for use as plant growth regulators and weed suppression in agricultural fields and in natural ecosystems. [ [http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=16779039 Journal of chemical ecology 2005, vol. 31, no3, pp. 591-601] ]This species forms an interspecific hybrid with "Spiraea japonica" L. fil. [ [http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200620/000020062006A0748826.php Horticultural Research (Japan)(2006): Floral Characteristics of Interspecific Hybrids between Spiraea thunbergii Sieb. ex Blume. and S. japonica L. fil.] ]
In the horticultural trade one can obtain several varieties of "Spiraea thunbergii", such as 'Mt Fuji' (white flowers), 'Ogon' (bright yellow flowers), 'Mellow yellow' and 'Fugino pink'
Notes
References
* [http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/spir_thu.cfm Spiraea thunbergii ]
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