Euonymus europaeus |
Euonymus alatus |
|
---|---|---|
European spindle-tree, spindletree |
burning-bush, oriental spindle-tree, wing burning bush, wing euonymus, wing spindle-tree |
|
Habit | Shrubs or trees 2–10 m. Stems erect; young branches terete, not corky winged. | Shrubs 1–4(–7) m. Stems erect; young branches 4-angled, becoming corky winged. |
Leaves | deciduous; petiole 4–12 mm; blade ovate-elliptic, 2.5–10 × 1.5–3.5 cm, base attenuate to broadly cuneate, margins minutely denticulate, apex acuminate. |
deciduous; petiole 0.5–4 mm; blade narrowly elliptic, 2.5–6 × 0.5–2.5 cm, base attenuate or cuneate, margins denticulate, apex acuminate. |
Inflorescences | axillary, 1–7(–15)-flowered. |
axillary, (1–)3(–7)-flowered. |
Flowers | sepals 4; petals 4, yellow or white, oblong, 3–4 × 1–2 mm; stamens 4; ovary smooth. |
sepals 4; petals 4, yellowish green or white, oblong, 2–3 × 1.5–2 mm; stamens 4; ovary smooth. |
Capsules | pink, obovoid, 8–10 × 12–15 mm, deeply (2–)4-lobed, rarely only 1 lobe developing, lobes clearly connate, surface smooth. |
purple-brown, obovoid, 8–10 × 5–15 mm, deeply 2–4-lobed to base or only 1 lobe developing, lobes nearly distinct, surface smooth. |
Seeds | obovoid, 7–8 × 4–5 mm; aril orange or yellow. |
ellipsoid, 7–8 × 4–5 mm; aril yellow or orange. |
2n | = 64. |
|
Euonymus europaeus |
Euonymus alatus |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–summer; fruiting summer–fall. | Flowering spring–fall; fruiting summer–fall. |
Habitat | Roadsides, thickets, woodlands. | Roadsides, old fields, thickets, woodlands. |
Elevation | 0–300 m. (0–1000 ft.) | 0–400 m. (0–1300 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; CT; IL; IN; KY; MA; ME; MI; MO; MS; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; UT; VA; VT; WI; NB; ON; PE; QC; Europe [Introduced in North America]
|
CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; UT; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON; e Asia [Introduced in North America]
|
Discussion | The leaves of Euonymus europaeus vary greatly in shape and size, especially in cultivated plants. The species was introduced to the flora area as a garden ornamental. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The leaves of Euonymus alatus become bright red or reddish purple in fall, one of the reasons for its widespread use as an ornamental. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 125. | FNA vol. 12, p. 125. |
Parent taxa | Celastraceae > Euonymus | Celastraceae > Euonymus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Celastrus alatus, E. alatus var. apterus | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 197. (1753) — (as Evonymus) | (Thunberg) Siebold: Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunst. 12: 49. (1830) — (as Evonimus) |
Web links |