''Hippophae'' is the genus of sea buckthorns, deciduous

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 in the family Elaeagnaceae. The name sea buckthorn may be

hyphenated The hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word. The use of hyphens is called hyphenation. ''Son-in-law'' is an example of a hyphenated word. The hyphen is sometimes confused with dashes (figure ...

to avoid confusion with the unrelated true

buckthorn ''Rhamnus'' is a genus of about 110 accepted species of shrubs or small trees, commonly known as buckthorns, in the family Rhamnaceae. Its species range from tall (rarely to ) and are native mainly in east Asia and North America, but found thr ...

s (''Rhamnus'', family

Rhamnaceae The Rhamnaceae are a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs, and some vines, commonly called the buckthorn family. Rhamnaceae is included in the order Rosales. The family contains about 55 genera and 950 species. The Rhamnaceae h ...

). It is also referred to as sandthorn, sallowthorn, or seaberry. It produces orange-yellow berries, which have been used over centuries as food, traditional medicine, and skin treatment in Mongolia, Ladakh, Russia, Ukraine, and northern Europe, which are its origin regions. It is an exceptionally hardy plant able to withstand winter temperatures as low as . Because ''Hippophae'' develops an aggressive and extensive root system, it is planted to inhibit

soil erosion Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the upper layer of soil. It is a form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, air (wind), plants, and ...

and is used in

land reclamation Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamati ...

for its nitrogen fixing properties, wildlife habitat, and soil enrichment. ''Hippophae'' berries and leaves are manufactured into various human and animal food and skincare products.

Description

The shrubs reach tall, rarely up to in central Asia. The leaf arrangement can be alternate or opposite. *'' Hippophae goniocarpa'' grows in mountainous regions in Nepal and China on mountain slopes, river banks, flood lands and valley terraces. The growth altitude is typically between 2650 and 3700 m. The species is divided into two distinct subspecies, ''H. goniocarpa'' subsp. ''litangensis'' and ''H. goniocarpa'' subsp. ''goniocarpa''. ''H. goniocarpa'' subsp. ''litangensis'' differs from the typical subspecies by the young branchlets and the lower surface of leaves. The Latin

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''goniocarpa'' refers to goniocarpus -a -um with angular fruits. *'' Hippophae gyantsensis'' *'' Hippophae litangensis'' *'' Hippophae neurocarpa'' *'' Hippophae rhamnoides'': Common sea buckthorn has dense and stiff branches, and are very thorny. 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 a distinct pale silvery-green, lanceolate, long, and less than broad. It is

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...

, with separate male and female plants. The male produces brownish flowers which produce wind-distributed

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

. The female plants produce orange berries in diameter, soft, juicy, and rich in oils. The roots distribute rapidly and extensively, providing a nonleguminous nitrogen fixation role in surrounding soils. *'' Hippophae salicifolia'' (willow-leaved sea buckthorn) is restricted to the Himalayas, to the south of the common sea buckthorn, growing at high altitudes in dry valleys; it differs from ''H. rhamnoides'' in having broader (to ) and greener (less silvery) leaves, and yellow berries. A wild variant occurs in the same area, but at even higher altitudes in the alpine zone. It is a low shrub not growing taller than with small leaves long. *''

Hippophae tibetana ''Hippophae'' is the genus of sea buckthorns, deciduous shrubs in the family Elaeagnaceae. The name sea buckthorn may be hyphenated to avoid confusion with the unrelated true buckthorns (''Rhamnus'', family Rhamnaceae). It is also referred to ...

'' *''Hippophae'' × ''goniocarpa'' Y.S.Lian ''et al''. ex Swenson & Bartish Hippophaë-rhamnoides

Taxonomy and name

''Hippophae'' is a small genus of Elaeagnaceae having a terminal taxon with seven species recognized, as of 2002. ''Hippophae rhamnoides'' is a highly variable species with eight subspecies. In ancient times, leaves and young branches from sea buckthorn were supposedly fed as a remedy to horses to support weight gain and appearance of the coat, leading to the name of the genus, ''Hippophae'' derived from ''hippo'' (horse), and ''phaos'' (shining).

Distribution

'' Hippophae rhamnoides'', the common sea buckthorn, is the most widespread of the species in the genus, with the ranges of its eight subspecies extending from the Atlantic coasts of Europe across to northwestern Mongolia, northwestern China and Northern Pakistan. In western Europe, it is largely confined to sea coasts where salt spray off the sea prevents other larger plants from outcompeting it. In central Asia, it is more widespread in dry

semi-desert A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

sites where other plants cannot survive the dry conditions. In central Europe and Asia, it also occurs as a sub-alpine shrub above the tree line in mountains, and other sunny areas such as

river bank Riverbank or river bank may refer to: *Bank (geography), the bank of a river Places *Riverbank, California *Riverbank, former name of Bryte, California Enterprises and organizations *Riverbank Academy, a special school in Coventry, England * Ri ...

s where it has been used to stabilize erosion. They are tolerant of salt in the air and soil, but demand full sunlight for good growth and do not tolerate shady conditions near larger trees. They typically grow in dry, sandy areas. More than 90% or about of the world's natural sea buckthorn habitat is found in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, India, Pakistan, Mongolia, Russia,

northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other g ...

, Ukraine, and Canada, where the plant is used for soil, water and wildlife conservation, anti-

desertification Desertification is a type of land degradation in drylands in which biological productivity is lost due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile areas become increasingly arid. It is the spread of arid areas caused by ...

purposes, and consumer products. Sea buckthorn USDA hardiness zones are about 3 through 7.

Varieties

During the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

, Russian and East German horticulturists developed new varieties with greater nutritional value, larger berries, different ripening months and branches that are easier to harvest. Over the past 20 years, experimental crops have been grown in the United States, one in Nevada and one in Arizona, and in several provinces of Canada.

Genetics

A study of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence data showed that the genus can be divided into three clades: * ''H. tibetana'' * ''H. rhamnoides'' with the exception of ''H. rhamnoides'' ssp. ''gyantsensis'' (=''H. gyantsensis'') * remaining species A study using

chloroplast A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant and algal cells. The photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll captures the energy from sunlight, converts it, and stores it in ...

sequences and morphology, however, recovered only two clades: * ''H. tibetana'', ''H. gyantsensis'', ''H. salicifolia'', ''H. neurocarpa'' * ''H. rhamnoides''

Natural history

The fruit is an important winter food resource for some birds, notably fieldfares. Leaves are eaten by the larva of the coastal race of the

ash pug The ash pug (''Eupithecia innotata'' f. ''fraxinata'', originally known by the binomial name ''Eupithecia fraxinata'', but now believed to be a form of '' Eupithecia innotata'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is widely distributed in the ...

moth and by larvae of other

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 ...

, including brown-tail, dun-bar, emperor moth, mottled umber, and '' Coleophora elaeagnisella''.

Uses

Products

Sea buckthorn berries are edible and nutritious, though astringent, sour, and oily unless bletted (

frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) ...

ed to reduce the astringency) and/or mixed as a drink with sweeter substances such as apple or grape juice. Additionally, malolactic fermentation of sea buckthorn juice reduces sourness, enhancing its sensory properties. The mechanism behind this change is transformation of malic acid into lactic acid in microbial metabolism. When the berries are pressed, the resulting sea buckthorn juice separates into three layers: on top is a thick, orange cream; in the middle, a layer containing sea buckthorn's characteristic high content of saturated and

polyunsaturated fat Polyunsaturated fats are fats in which the constituent hydrocarbon chain possesses two or more carbon–carbon double bonds. Polyunsaturated fat can be found mostly in nuts, seeds, fish, seed oils, and oysters. "Unsaturated" refers to the fact tha ...

s; and the bottom layer is sediment and juice. (Suppl 2) The upper two layers contain fat sources applicable for cosmetic purposes and can be processed for skin creams and

liniment Liniment (from la, linere, meaning "to anoint"), also called embrocation and heat rub, is a medicated topical preparation for application to the skin. Some liniments have viscosity similar to that of water; others are lotion or balm; still other ...

s, whereas the bottom layer can be used for edible products such as syrup. Besides juice, sea buckthorn fruit can be used to make

pie A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Sweet pies may be filled with fruit (as in an apple pie), nuts ( pecan pie), brown sugar ( sugar pie), swe ...

s, jams, lotions, teas,

fruit wine Fruit wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made from a variety of base ingredients (other than grapes); they may also have additional flavors taken from fruits, flowers, and herbs. This definition is sometimes broadened to include any alcohol ...

s, and

liquor Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...

s. The juice or pulp has other potential applications in foods, beverages, or cosmetics products such as shower gel. Fruit drinks were among the earliest sea buckthorn products developed in China. Sea buckthorn-based juice is common in Germany and Scandinavian countries. It provides a beverage rich in vitamin C and carotenoids. Sea buckthorn berries are also used to produce rich orange-coloured ice-cream, with a melon-type taste and hints of citrus. For its troops confronting low winter temperatures (see Siachen), India's Defence Research and Development Organisation established a factory in Leh to manufacture a multivitamin herbal beverage based on sea buckthorn juice. The seed and pulp oils have nutritional properties that vary under different processing methods. Sea buckthorn oils are used as a source for ingredients in several commercially available

cosmetic Cosmetic may refer to: *Cosmetics, or make-up, substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning *Cosmetic, an adjective describing beauty, aesthetics, or appearance, especially concerning the human body *Cosmetic, a t ...

products and nutritional supplements.

Landscape uses

Sea buckthorn may be used as a landscaping shrub with an aggressive basal shoot system used for barrier hedges and windbreaks, and to stabilize riverbanks and steep slopes. They have value in northern climates for their landscape qualities, as the colorful berry clusters are retained through winter. Branches may be used by florists for designing ornaments. In northwestern China, sea buckthorn shrubs have been planted on the bottoms of dry riverbeds to increase water retention of the soil, thus decreasing sediment loss. Because of increased moisture conservation of the soil and nitrogen-fixing capabilities of sea buckthorn, vegetation levels have increased in areas where sea buckthorn have been planted. Sea buckthorn was once distributed free of charge to Canadian prairie farmers by

PFRA PFRA may refer to: * Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration * Professional Football Researchers Association The Professional Football Researchers Association (PFRA) is an organization of researchers whose mission is to preserve and, in som ...

to be used in

shelterbelt A windbreak (shelterbelt) is a planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted in hedgerows around the edges ...

Folk medicine and research

Sea buckthorn has been used over centuries in traditional medicine. Although sea buckthorn fruit

extract An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures, absolutes or in powder form. The aromatic principles of many spices, nuts, h ...

s are under preliminary research for their pharmacological effects, there is no high-quality clinical evidence for the ability of ''Hippophae'' products to lower the risk of human diseases, and as of 2020 none are approved as

prescription drug A prescription drug (also prescription medication or prescription medicine) is a pharmaceutical drug that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription. The rea ...

s by any national

regulatory agency A regulatory agency (regulatory body, regulator) or independent agency (independent regulatory agency) is a government authority that is responsible for exercising autonomous dominion over some area of human activity in a licensing and regulatin ...

. Berry oil from seeds or fruit pulp, either taken orally as a

dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources or that are synthetic in order ...

or applied topically, is believed to be a skin softener or medicine, but there is inadequate clinical evidence of its effectiveness. There have been no systematic studies of toxicity and safety for any ''Hippophae'' product.

Organizations

The International Seabuckthorn Association, formerly the International Center for Research and Training on Seabuckthorn (ICRTS), was formed jointly in 1988 by the China Research and Training Center on Seabuckthorn, the Seabuckthorn Office of the Yellow River Water Commission, and the Shaanxi Seabuckthorn Development Office. From 1995 to 2000, ICRTS published the research journal, ''Hippophae'', which appears to be no longer active. In 2005 - 2007, the "EAN-Seabuck" network between European Union states, China, Russia and New Independent States was funded by the European Commission to promote sustainable crop and consumer product development. In Mongolia, there is an active National Association of Seabuckthorn Cultivators and Producers.

References

External links

United States Department of Agriculture Seaberry ProfilePlants for a Future
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5686857 Berries Dioecious plants Flora of Europe Flora of Western Asia Flora of Central Asia Flora of West Himalaya Nitrogen-fixing crops Plants used in Ayurveda Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus