[ 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
''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 ...
'' (Rehder) C.Y.Chang (China)
* ''Elaeagnus angustifolia
''Elaeagnus angustifolia'', commonly called Russian olive, silver berry, oleaster, or wild olive, is a species of ''Elaeagnus'', native to western and central Asia, Iran, from southern Russia and Kazakhstan to Turkey, parts of Pakistan and parts of ...
'' L. – oleaster, Russian silverberry, or Russian olive (western Asia)
* ''Elaeagnus annamensis
''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 ...
'' S.Moore
* ''Elaeagnus argyi
''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 ...
'' 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'' Bernh. ex Rydb. – American silverberry or wolf-willow ( North America)
* '' 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'' 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'' 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 (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 multiflora'' 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'' 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, aggre ...
'' 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 ...
to 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 ...
and subtropical 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 ther ...
in North America, with some of these species being considered invasive, 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.
...
e of some Lepidoptera 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'', '' Hi ...
'' 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. Atm ...
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 invasive in many locations where they are established as ]exotic 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 ...
. 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.
Notable species and hybrids in cultivation include:-
*'']Elaeagnus angustifolia
''Elaeagnus angustifolia'', commonly called Russian olive, silver berry, oleaster, or wild olive, is a species of ''Elaeagnus'', native to western and central Asia, Iran, from southern Russia and Kazakhstan to Turkey, parts of Pakistan and parts of ...
''
*'' Elaeagnus commutata''
*'' Elaeagnus macrophylla''
*'' Elaeagnus multiflora''
*'' Elaeagnus pungens''
*''Elaeagnus'' × ''reflexa''
* ''Elaeagnus'' × ''submacrophylla'' ( syn. ''E.'' × ''ebbingei'')
*''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, aggre ...
''
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 (Nor ...
's Award of Garden Merit.
References
External links
''eFloras'' Chinese Plant list: ''Elaeagnus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q161042
Rosales genera