CAPRIFOLIACEAE

HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY

Lauramay T. Dempster

Subshrub, shrub, vine, or small tree
Leaves opposite, simple or compound; stipules generally 0
Flower: calyx tube fused to ovary, limb generally 5-lobed; corolla radial or bilateral, rotate to cylindric, generally 5-lobed; stamens generally 5, epipetalous, alternate corolla lobes; ovary inferior, 1–5-chambered, style l
Fruit: berry, drupe, or capsule
Genera in family: ± 12 genera, 450 species: especially n temp
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Valerianaceae (and Dispaceae); Sambucus, Viburnum recently treated in Adoxaceae

LONICERA

HONEYSUCKLE

Shrub, erect or twining
Leaves simple, entire, short-petioled; 1–2 pairs beneath inflorescence often fused around stem
Inflorescence: spikes, interrupted, at ends of branches, or flowers paired on axillary peduncles and subtended by 0–2 sets of bracts
Flower: calyx-limb 0 or generally 5-toothed, generally persistent; corolla 5-lobed, ± radial or strongly 2-lipped (4 upper lobes, 1 lower), tube pouched at base; ovary chambers 2–3
Fruit: berry, generally round
Species in genus: ± 200 species: temp, subtropical North America, Eur, Asia, n Africa
Etymology: (Adam Lonitzer, German herbalist, 16th century)
Reference: [Rehder 1903 Rep Missouri Bot Gard 14:27–231]
2 collections (Del Norte Co., Eldorado Co.) have purplish, apparently sterile, variously distorted flowers with long, slender ovary/hypanthium; probably alien (key 7.).

Native

L. interrupta Benth.

Shrub
Stem: trunk rigid, woody, ± 3 dm; branches climbing or sprawling; herbage glabrous or puberulent
Leaf 2–2.5 cm; stipules 0; blade elliptic to round, base tapering or round, tip generally ± round; upper 1–3 pairs fused around stem
Inflorescence: spike, long, interrupted
Flower: corolla 8–10 mm, strongly 2-lipped, deeply divided, cream-yellow, glabrous
Fruit ± 10 mm, red
Ecology: Dry slopes, ridges, mixed forest
Elevation: 500–1400 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, w Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California, Southwestern California
Distribution outside California: Arizona
Horticultural information: 7, 14, IRR: 2, 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24; SUN: 15, 16, 17; STBL.