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

SYMPHORICARPOS

WAXBERRY, SNOWBERRY

Shrub
Stem decumbent to erect, slender
Leaf simple, deciduous, small, short-petioled; blade generally elliptic to round, some often ± lobed
Inflorescence: generally raceme, generally ± terminal, generally few-flowered; flower subtended by 2 fused bractlets
Flower ± radial; hypanthium ± spheric; calyx with 5-toothed, persistent limb; corolla bell-shaped to ± salverform, generally 5-lobed, white or pink, often ± hairy inside; nectaries 1–5, ± basal; stamens generally included; ovary chambers 4, styles generally included, stigma head-shaped
Fruit generally berry-like, generally white
Seeds 2 (1 per lateral ovary chamber), ± oblong, planoconvex
Species in genus: ± 10 species: North America, 1 in China
Etymology: (Greek: to bear fruit together, the berries borne in clusters)
Reference: [Jones 1940 J Arnold Arbor 21:201–252]

Native

S. mollis Nutt.

CREEPING SNOWBERRY, TRIP VINE

Plant trailing or creeping, 1.5–6 dm, ± glabrous to soft-hairy
Stem: branches often rooting; root-crowns and old nodes often becoming very swollen
Leaf: blade 0.5–3 cm
Inflorescence: flowers 2–8
Flower: calyx limb spreading, divided halfway; corolla ± 4 mm, bell-shaped, pink (often red outside), lobes ± erect, 1/2 corolla length, hairy inside; nectary glands below all 5 lobes
Fruit ± 8 mm, round
Seed 2–4 mm
Ecology: Ridges, slopes, open places in woods
Elevation: 9–3000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California, Southwestern California, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho, New Mexico
Two ill-defined forms may be recognized: S. acutus (A. Gray) Dieck (twig hairs spreading, leaves densely hairy below; chiefly SN); S. hesperius G.N. Jones (twigs puberulent, leaves thin, sparsely hairy below; chiefly KR)
Horticultural information: 4, 6, 17, SHD: 15, 16 &IRR: 1, 2, 7, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24; STBL.