''Abelia'' is a previously recognized

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

that contained about 30

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

and hybrids, placed in the honeysuckle

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Caprifoliaceae The Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family is a clade of dicotyledonous flowering plants consisting of about 860 species, in 33, to 42 genera, with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. Centres of diversity are found in eastern North America and ea ...

Molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

studies showed that the genus was not

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...

, and in 2013,

Maarten Christenhusz Dr Maarten Joost Maria Christenhusz (born 27 April 1976) is a Dutch botanist, natural historian and photographer. Career He was born in Enschede, the Netherlands, received his undergraduate and master's degrees from Utrecht University in Bi ...

proposed the merger of ''Abelia'' (excluding section ''Zabelia'') into ''

Linnaea ''Linnaea'' is a plant genus in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae. Until 2013, the genus included a single species, ''Linnaea borealis''. In 2013, on the basis of molecular phylogenetic evidence, the genus was expanded to include species f ...

'', along with some other genera. ''Abelia'' section ''Zabelia'' was raised to the genus ''

Zabelia ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *''Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *''Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *''Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *''Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W.Sm. ...

''.

Description

Species formerly placed in ''Abelia'' are

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s from 1–6 m tall, native to eastern

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

(

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

west to the

Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

) and southern

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

(

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

); the species from warm climates are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

, and colder climate species

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are opposite or in whorls of three, ovate, glossy, dark green, 1.5–8 cm long, turning purplish-bronze to red in autumn in the deciduous species. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s appear in the upper leaf axils and stem ends, 1-8 together in a short cyme; they are pendulous, white to pink, bell-shaped with a five-lobed corolla, 1–5 cm long, and usually scented. Flowering continues over a long and continuous period from late spring to fall. Some of these species are cultivated as ornamental garden plants, and may still be described as ''Abelia'' in horticultural listings. A notable example is the hybrid ''Abelia'' × ''grandiflora'' (now ''Linnaea'' × ''grandiflora'').

Taxonomy

The generic name commemorates Clarke Abel, a keen naturalist who accompanied Lord Amherst's unsuccessful embassy to China in 1816 as a surgeon, under the sponsorship of Sir Joseph Banks. All of Abel's seeds and plants were lost in a shipwreck on the homeward voyage, however; living plants of ''Abelia chinensis'' (now ''

Linnaea chinensis ''Linnaea chinensis'', synonyms ''Abelia chinensis'' and ''Abelia rupestris'', commonly known as ''Chinese Abelia'' (Chinese: , Pinyin: ''Nuò mǐ tiáo''), is a semi-evergreen, densely branched shrub with dark green foliage. It is a spec ...

'') were first imported to England in 1844 by Robert Fortune.Alice M. Coats, ''Garden Shrubs and Their Histories'' (1964), 1992, ''s.v.'' "Abelia". Some species placed in ''Abelia'' were transferred to ''

'' at various times from 1872 onwards, but these transfers were not accepted by most botanists.

studies showed that a number of genera traditionally placed in the tribe Linnaeeae were closely related, but that ''Abelia'' was not monophyletic, even with ''Abelia'' section ''Zabelia'' split off as a separate genus ''

''. In 2013,

proposed that ''Abelia'' and related genera be merged into ''Linnaea''. This proposal has been adopted by recent sources, including the

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

Allergenicity

''Abelia'' has an OPALS allergy scale rating of 5 out of 10, indicating moderate potential to cause allergic reactions, exacerbated by over-use of the same plant throughout a garden. People allergic to

honeysuckle Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family Caprifoliaceae, native to northern latitudes in North America and Eurasia. Approximately 180 species of honeysuckle have been identified in both contin ...

may experience cross-reactive allergic reactions with ''Abelia''.

Symbolism

The Abelia is symbolic for equality in some parts of

Former species and synonyms

Species and synonyms previously placed in ''Abelia'' but now placed in other genera include: *''Abelia adenotricha'' = ''

Lonicera elisae Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or Vine#Twining vines, twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family Caprifoliaceae, native to northern latitudes in North America and Eurasia. Approximately 180 species of honeysuckle have been identi ...

'' *''Abelia aitchinsonii'' = unplaced *''Abelia angustifolia'' = ''

Zabelia angustifolia ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *'' Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *'' Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *'' Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *'' Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W ...

'' *''Abelia anhweiensis'' = ''

Zabelia dielsii ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *''Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *''Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *''Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *''Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W.Sm. ...

'' *''Abelia aschersoniana'' = ''

'' *''Abelia biflora'' = ''

Zabelia biflora ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *''Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *'' Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *'' Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *'' Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W. ...

'' *''Abelia brachystemon'' = ''

Zabelia brachystemon ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *''Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *''Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *'' Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *'' Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W.S ...

'' *''Abelia buchwaldii'' = ''

Linnaea serrata ''Linnaea'' is a plant genus in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae. Until 2013, the genus included a single species, '' Linnaea borealis''. In 2013, on the basis of molecular phylogenetic evidence, the genus was expanded to include species ...

'' *''Abelia buddleioides'' = ''

Zabelia buddleioides ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *''Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *''Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *''Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *'' Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W.Sm ...

'' *''Abelia cavaleriei'' = ''

'' *''Abelia chinensis'' = ''

'' *''Abelia chowii'' = unplaced *''Abelia coreana'' = ''

'' *''Abelia coriacea'' = '' Linnaea coriacea'' *''Abelia corymbosa'' = ''

Zabelia corymbosa ''Zabelia corymbosa'' ( synonym ''Abelia corymbosa'') is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae. It is native to Central Asia, where it occurs in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. This is a shrub growing u ...

'' *''Abelia curviflora'' = ''

Linnaea spathulata ''Linnaea spathulata'', synonym ''Abelia spathulata'', is a species of ''Linnaea'' in the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). The plant is endemic to Korea and Japan (the eastern side of Honshu, the west and central Kantō region, and the north ...

'' *''Abelia davidii'' = ''

'' *''Abelia deutziifolia'' = '' Linnaea engleriana'' *''Abelia dielsii'' = ''

'' *''Abelia engleriana'' = '' Linnaea engleriana'' *''Abelia fargesii'' = unplaced *''Abelia floribunda'' = ''

Linnaea floribunda ''Linnaea floribunda'', also known as Mexican abelia, is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, native to Mexico. Growing to tall and broad, it is a semi-evergreen or evergreen shrub with shiny ovate leaves and ...

'' *''Abelia gracilenta'' = '' Linnaea forrestii'' *''Abelia graebneriana'' = '' Linnaea engleriana'' *''Abelia'' × ''grandiflora = ''Linnaea'' × ''grandiflora'' *''Abelia grandifolia'' = '' Linnaea grandifolia'' *''Abelia gymnocarpa'' = ''

'' *''Abelia hanceana'' = ''

'' *''Abelia hersii'' = ''

'' *''Abelia hirsuta'' = ''

'' *''Abelia insularis'' = ''

'' *''Abelia integrifolia'' = ''

Zabelia integrifolia ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae The Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family is a clade of dicotyledonous flowering plants consisting of about 860 species, in 33, to 42 genera, with a nearly cosmopolitan ...

'' *''Abelia ionandra'' = ''

'' *''Abelia ionostachya'' = ''

'' *''Abelia koehneana'' = '' Linnaea engleriana'' *''Abelia lipoensis'' = ''

'' *''Abelia longituba'' = ''

Linnaea parvifolia ''Linnaea parvifolia'', synonym ''Abelia schumannii'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to central China. It is a semi-evergreen shrub growing to tall by broad. Pink flowers with red calyces are produced in ...

'' *''Abelia macrotera'' = '' Linnaea macrotera'' *''Abelia mairei'' = ''

'' *''Abelia mexicana'' = '' Linnaea mexicana'' *''Abelia microphylla'' = '' Linnaea forrestii'' *''Abelia mosanensis'' = ''

Zabelia tyaihyonii ''Zabelia tyaihyoni'', synonym ''Abelia mosanensis'', the fragrant abelia, is a species of deciduous shrub in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae. Growing up to 2 meters high and wide, it is hardier than many related species, surviving temperat ...

'' *''Abelia myrtilloides'' = ''

'' *''Abelia occidentalis'' = '' Linnaea occidentalis'' *''Abelia onkocarpa'' = ''

Zabelia onkocarpa ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *''Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *''Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *''Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *''Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W.Sm. ...

'' *''Abelia parvifolia'' = ''

'' *''Abelia rupestris'' = ''

'' *''Abelia sanguinea'' = ''

'' *''Abelia schischkinii'' = ''

'' *''Abelia schumannii'' = ''

'' *''Abelia serrata'' = ''

'' *''Abelia shikokiana'' = ''

'' *''Abelia spathulata'' = ''

'' *''Abelia speciosa'' = ''

'' *''Abelia splendens'' = ''

Lonicera fragrantissima ''Lonicera fragrantissima'' is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae, known by the common names winter-flowering honeysuckle, fragrant honeysuckle, kiss-me-at-the-gate, and sweet breath of spring. It is native to ...

'' *''Abelia tereticalyx'' = ''

'' *''Abelia tetrasepala'' = ''

Linnaea tetrasepala ''Linnaea'' is a plant genus in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae. Until 2013, the genus included a single species, ''Linnaea borealis''. In 2013, on the basis of molecular phylogenetic evidence, the genus was expanded to include species f ...

'' *''Abelia tomentosa'' = ''

'' *''Abelia tyaihyonii'' = ''

'' *''Abelia umbellata'' = ''

Zabelia umbellata ''Zabelia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species *''Zabelia angustifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Makino *''Zabelia biflora'' (Turcz.) Makino *''Zabelia brachystemon'' (Diels) Golubk. *''Zabelia buddleioides'' (W.W.Sm. ...

'' *''Abelia uniflora'' = '' Linnaea uniflora'' *''Abelia verticillata'' = ''

'' *''Abelia zanderi'' = ''

References and external links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q158261 Historically recognized angiosperm genera Caprifoliaceae