''Elaeagnus'' ,

silverberry ''Elaeagnus commutata'', the silverberry or wolf-willow, is a species of ''Elaeagnus'' native to western and boreal North America, from southern Alaska through British Columbia east to Quebec, south to Utah, and across the upper Midwestern United ...

oleaster , signifying a plant like an olive, but less valuable (cf. poetaster), may be applied to: *Feral olive trees that have been allowed to run wild *''Olea oleaster'', the wild olive *Various species of ''Elaeagnus'', notably ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'', ...

, is a

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 ...

of about 50–70

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 ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the

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 ...

Elaeagnaceae.

Description

''Elaeagnus'' plants are

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 ...

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 ...

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 or small

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s. The alternate

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 ...

and the shoots are usually covered with tiny silvery to brownish scales, giving the plants a whitish to grey-brown colour from a distance. 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 are small, with a four-lobed

calyx Calyx or calyce (plural "calyces"), from the Latin ''calix'' which itself comes from the Ancient Greek ''κάλυξ'' (''kálux'') meaning "husk" or "pod", may refer to: Biology * Calyx (anatomy), collective name for several cup-like structures ...

and no petals; they are often fragrant. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

is a fleshy

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel'') ...

containing a single

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

; it is edible in many species. Several species are cultivated for their fruit, including ''E. angustifolia'', ''E. umbellata'', and ''E. multiflora'' (gumi). ''E. umbellata'' contains the

carotenoid Carotenoids (), also called tetraterpenoids, are yellow, orange, and red organic compound, organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and Fungus, fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpki ...

lycopene.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Elaeagnus'' was erected in 1754 by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

, who attributed the name to Joseph Pitton de Tournefort. There is agreement that the name is based on

Theophrastus Theophrastus (; grc-gre, Θεόφραστος ; c. 371c. 287 BC), a Greek philosopher and the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He was a native of Eresos in Lesbos.Gavin Hardy and Laurence Totelin, ''Ancient Botany'', Routledge ...

's use of the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

(, latinized to ) as the name of a shrub. The first part of the name, ''elae-'', is from , 'olive'. Sources differ on the origin of the second part: it may be from , '' Vitex agnus-castus'', the chaste tree, or from the Greek name for a kind of willow. In either case, the second part is derived from (), meaning 'pure', 'chaste'.

Species

''Elaeagnus'' comprises the following species: * '' Elaeagnus angustata'' (Rehder) C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus angustifolia'' L. – oleaster, Russian silverberry, or Russian olive (western Asia) * '' Elaeagnus annamensis'' S.Moore * '' Elaeagnus argyi'' H.Lév. (China) * ''

Elaeagnus bambusetorum ''Elaeagnus'' , silverberry or oleaster, is a genus of about 50–70 species of flowering plants in the family Elaeagnaceae. Description ''Elaeagnus'' plants are deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees. The alternate leaves and the sh ...

'' Hand.-Mazz. (China) * '' Elaeagnus bockii'' Diels (China) * '' Elaeagnus bonii'' Lecomte * '' Elaeagnus calcarea'' Z.R.Xu * '' Elaeagnus caudata'' Schltdl. ex Momiy. * '' Elaeagnus cinnamomifolia'' W.K.Hu & H.F.Chow (China) * ''

Elaeagnus commutata ''Elaeagnus commutata'', the silverberry or wolf-willow, is a species of ''Elaeagnus'' native to western and boreal North America, from southern Alaska through British Columbia east to Quebec, south to Utah, and across the upper Midwestern United ...

'' Bernh. ex Rydb. – American silverberry or wolf-willow (

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 ...

) * '' Elaeagnus conferta'' Roxb. (southern Asia) * '' Elaeagnus courtoisii'' Belval (China) * '' Elaeagnus davidii'' Franch. (China) * '' Elaeagnus delavayi'' Lecomte (China) * '' Elaeagnus difficilis'' Servett. (China) * '' Elaeagnus epitricha'' Momiy. ex H.Ohba * '' Elaeagnus fasciculata'' Griff. * '' Elaeagnus formosana'' Nakai (

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

) * '' Elaeagnus formosensis'' Hatus. * ''

Elaeagnus geniculata ''Elaeagnus'' , silverberry or oleaster, is a genus of about 50–70 species of flowering plants in the family Elaeagnaceae. Description ''Elaeagnus'' plants are deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees. The alternate leaves and the shoo ...

'' D.Fang * '' Elaeagnus glabra'' Thunb. (eastern Asia) * '' Elaeagnus gonyanthes'' Benth. (China) * '' Elaeagnus griffithii'' Servett. (China) * '' Elaeagnus grijsii'' Hance (China) * '' Elaeagnus guizhouensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus henryi'' Warb. ex Diels (China) * '' Elaeagnus heterophylla'' D.Fang & D.R.Liang * '' Elaeagnus hunanensis'' C.J.Qi & Q.Z.Lin * '' Elaeagnus indica'' Servett. * '' Elaeagnus infundibularis'' Momiy. * '' Elaeagnus jiangxiensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus jingdonensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus kanaii'' Momiy. (China) * '' Elaeagnus lanceolata'' Warb. (China) * '' Elaeagnus lanpingensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus laosensis'' Lecomte * ''

Elaeagnus latifolia ''Elaeagnus latifolia'', known as the bastard oleaster, or soh-sang, is a species of ''Elaeagnus'' native to India and Southeast Asia. Description ''Elaeagnus latifolia'' is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to ten feet tall. It has alternate ...

'' L. (southern Asia) * '' Elaeagnus lipoensis'' Z.R.Xu * '' Elaeagnus liuzhouensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus longiloba'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus loureiroi'' Champ. (southern China) * '' Elaeagnus luoxiangensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus luxiensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus macrantha'' Rehder (China) * ''

Elaeagnus macrophylla ''Elaeagnus macrophylla'', the broad-leaved oleaster, is a species of flowering plant native to eastern Asia. Growing to tall by broad, it is a substantial spreading evergreen shrub, with round glossy leaves which are silvery when young. Heavi ...

'' Thunb. (eastern Asia) * '' Elaeagnus magna'' (Servett.) Rehder (China) * '' Elaeagnus matsunoana'' Makino * '' Elaeagnus maximowiczii'' Servett. * '' Elaeagnus micrantha'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus mollis'' Diels (China) * '' Elaeagnus montana'' Makino * '' Elaeagnus morrisonensis'' Hayata (

) * ''

Elaeagnus multiflora ''Elaeagnus multiflora'', the cherry elaeagnus, cherry silverberry, goumi, gumi, or natsugumi, is a species of ''Elaeagnus'' native to China, Korea, and Japan. ''Elaeagnus multiflora'' is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub or small tree growin ...

'' Thunb. – cherry silverberry or gumi (eastern Asia) * '' Elaeagnus murakamiana'' Makino * '' Elaeagnus nanchuanensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus obovata'' H.L.Li (China) * '' Elaeagnus obovatifolia'' D.Fang * '' Elaeagnus obtusa'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus oldhamii'' Maxim. (China) * '' Elaeagnus ovata'' Servett. (China) * '' Elaeagnus pallidiflora'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus parvifolia'' Wall. ex Royle (central Asia) * '' Elaeagnus pilostyla'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus pingnanensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * ''

Elaeagnus pungens ''Elaeagnus pungens'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeagnaceae, known by the common names thorny olive, spiny oleaster and silverthorn; also by the family name "oleaster". It is native to Asia, including China and Japan. It is ...

'' Thunb. – silverthorn (Japan) * '' Elaeagnus pyriformis'' Hook.f. (eastern

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 ...

) * '' Elaeagnus retrostyla'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus rhamnoides'' (L.) A.Nelson * '' Elaeagnus rivularis'' Merr. * '' Elaeagnus rotundata'' Nakai * '' Elaeagnus sarmentosa'' Rehder (China) * '' Elaeagnus schlechtendalii'' Servett. (China) * '' Elaeagnus songarica'' Schltr. * '' Elaeagnus s-stylata'' Z.R.Xu * '' Elaeagnus stellipila'' Rehder (China) * '' Elaeagnus takeshitai'' Makino * '' Elaeagnus taliensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus tarokoensis'' S.Y.Lu & Yuen P.Yang * '' Elaeagnus thunbergii'' Servett. (China) * '' Elaeagnus tonkinensis'' Servett. (southeastern Asia) * '' Elaeagnus tricholepis'' Momiy. * '' Elaeagnus triflora'' Roxb. (southeastern Asia, northeast Australia) * '' Elaeagnus tubiflora'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus tutcheri'' Dunn (southern China) * ''

Elaeagnus umbellata ''Elaeagnus umbellata'' is known as Japanese silverberry, umbellata oleaster, autumn olive, autumn elaeagnus, or spreading oleaster. The species is indigenous to eastern Asia and ranges from the Himalayas eastwards to Japan. It is a hardy, aggres ...

'' Thunb. – Japanese silverberry or autumn olive (eastern Asia) * '' Elaeagnus viridis'' Servett. (China) * '' Elaeagnus wenshanensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus wilsonii'' H.L.Li (China) * '' Elaeagnus wushanensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus xichouensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus xingwenensis'' C.Y.Chang * '' Elaeagnus xizangensis'' C.Y.Chang (China) * '' Elaeagnus yoshinoi'' Makino * '' Elaeagnus yunnanensis'' Servett.

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species is unresolved: * ''Elaeagnus arakiana'' Koidz. * ''Elaeagnus asakawana'' Sa.Kurata * ''Elaeagnus attenuata'' Nakai * ''Elaeagnus crocea'' Nakai * ''Elaeagnus cyanea'' Aiton ex Steud. * ''Elaeagnus emarginata'' Colla * ''Elaeagnus fasciculata'' (Wall. ex Steud.) A.Nelson * ''Elaeagnus fragrans'' Nakai * ''Elaeagnus fruticosa'' (Lour.) A.Chev. * ''Elaeagnus fusca'' Pépin ex Lem. * ''Elaeagnus higoensis'' Nakai * ''Elaeagnus kiusiana'' Nakai * ''Elaeagnus laetevirens'' Lindb. * ''Elaeagnus latifolia'' Lour. * ''Elaeagnus mayeharai'' Nakai * ''Elaeagnus nagasakiana'' Nakai * ''Elaeagnus numajiriana'' Makino * ''Elaeagnus oleaster'' L. * ''Elaeagnus pauciflora'' C.Y. Chang (China) * ''Elaeagnus philippinensis'' Perrott. – lingaro berry (Philippines) * ''Elaeagnus'' × ''pyramidalis'' Browicz & Bugala (''E. commutata'' × ''E. multiflora'') * ''Elaeagnus oxycarpa'' Schltdl. (China) * ''Elaeagnus rotundifolia'' (Parry) A.Nelson * ''Elaeagnus sativa'' Dippel * ''Elaeagnus undulata'' auct. * ''Elaeagnus utilis'' A.Nelson * ''Elaeagnus veteris-castelli'' Lepage * ''Elaeagnus yakusimensis'' Masam.

Hybrids

The following hybrids have been described: * ''Elaeagnus'' × ''maritima'' Koidz. * ''Elaeagnus'' × ''reflexa'' E.Morren & Decne. (''E. pungens'' × ''E. glabra'') * ''Elaeagnus'' × ''submacrophylla'' Servett. (''E. macrophylla'' × ''E. pungens'')

Habitat

The vast majority of the species are

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

and

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...

regions of Asia. ''Elaeagnus triflora'' extends from Asia south into northeastern Australia, while ''E. commutata'' is native to North America, and ''Elaeagnus philippinensis'' is native to the Philippines. One of the Asian species, ''E. angustifolia,'' may also be native in southeasternmost Europe, though it may instead be an early human introduction there. Also, several Asiatic species of ''Elaeagnus'' have become established as

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...

in North America, with some of these species being considered

invasive Invasive may refer to: *Invasive (medical) procedure *Invasive species *Invasive observation, especially in reference to surveillance *Invasively progressive spread of disease from one organ in the body to another, especially in reference to cancer ...

, or even designated as noxious, in portions of the United States.

Ecology

''Elaeagnus'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species including ''

Coleophora elaeagnisella The speckled casebearer moth (''Coleophora elaeagnisella'') is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is found in North America, from the Great Lakes northward, including Michigan and Ontario. The larvae feed on the leaves of ''Elaeagnus'', ''Hip ...

'' and the

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

s. The thorny shrubs can also provide good nesting sites for birds.

Nitrogen fixation

Many ''Elaeagnus'' species harbor

nitrogen-fixing Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular nitrogen (), with a strong triple covalent bond, in the air is converted into ammonia () or related nitrogenous compounds, typically in soil or aquatic systems but also in industry. Atmos ...

organisms in their roots, so are able to grow well in low-nitrogen soils. This ability results in multiple ecological consequences where these ''Elaeagnus'' species are present. They can become

in many locations where they are established as exotic species. Two species ('' E. pungens'' and '' E. umbellata'') are currently rated as category II noxious, invasive species in many world regions and by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council.

Cultivation

''Elaeagnus'' species are widely cultivated for their showy, often variegated, foliage, and numerous

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s and hybrids have been developed. The fruit is acid and somewhat astringent. It makes good tarts. Silverberry, GSBF-CN 259, September 12, 2008

Notable species and hybrids in cultivation include:- *'' Elaeagnus angustifolia'' *''

'' *''

'' *''Elaeagnus'' × ''reflexa'' * ''Elaeagnus'' × ''submacrophylla'' (

syn. The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

''E.'' × ''ebbingei'') *''

'' The hybrid ''Elaeagnus'' × ''submacrophylla'' and the cultivar 'Gilt Edge' have gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

References

External links

''eFloras'' Chinese Plant list: ''Elaeagnus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q161042 Rosales genera