View source for Elaeagnus

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Elaeagnus
|accepted_authority=Linnaeus
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Sp. Pl.
|place=1: 121. 1753
|year=1753
}}
|basionyms=
|synonyms=
|hierarchy=Elaeagnaceae;Elaeagnus
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Elaeagnaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Elaeagnus]]</div></div>
|etymology=Ancient name used by Theophrastus for a Salix taxon; derivation uncertain, probably Greek elaia, olive tree, and agnos, chaste tree, alluding to resemblance, or helodes, marsh, and hagnos, pure or sacred, alluding to habitat and fertility ritual of Thesmophoria
|volume=Volume 10
|mention_page=
|treatment_page=
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties="shrub reproduction;shrub architecture;shrub architecture;shrub growth form;shrub growth form;tree reproduction;tree architecture;tree architecture;tree growth form"><b>Shrubs </b>or trees, polygamous, armed or unarmed, clonal or not.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="stem pubescence;stem pubescence;hair arrangement or shape"><b>Stems </b>densely pubescent with scales and stellate hairs or glabrate.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties=""><b>Leaves </b>deciduous or evergreen, alternate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="leaf duration;leaf duration;leaf arrangement;leaf architecture">petiolate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;base shape;base shape;apex shape;scale coloration;hair arrangement or shape">blade ovate, ovate-oblong, elliptic, lanceolate, lanceolate-linear, or cuneate, base attenuate or blunt, apex rounded, surfaces with silvery scales and stellate hairs (scales sometimes brown abaxially in E. commutata and E. multiflora, sometimes glabrous adaxially in E. multiflora).</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="inflorescence architecture;flower arrangement;flower arrangement"><b>Inflorescences </b>umbellate, or flowers paired or solitary, appearing after leaves.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="pedicel presence"><b>Pedicels </b>present.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="flower reproduction"><b>Flowers </b>bisexual;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties="hypanthium prominence">hypanthium conspicuous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="calyx lobe quantity">calyx lobes 5;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="nectary disc prominence;nectary disc prominence">nectary disc conspicuous or inconspicuous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="stamen quantity;stamen arrangement">stamens 4, alternate with calyx lobes;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="style arrangement or course or shape;style structure in adjective form;side quantity">style linear, stigmatic on 1 side.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties="fruit shape;fruit coloration;fruit coloration;fruit coloration;fruit coloration;fruit coloration;fruit coloration;fruit coloration;fruit texture;fruit texture"><b>Fruits </b>drupelike, silver, pale green, red, reddish-brown, or pink, fleshy or dry.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties=""><b>Seeds </b>striate.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s15" data-properties="seed coloration or pubescence or relief;x chromosome quantity;x chromosome quantity">x = 6, 14.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=North America;Eurasia;Australia
|discussion=<p>Species ca. 45 (5 in the flora).</p><!--
--><p>The flowers of Elaeagnus are strongly sweet-scented with a fragrance that most people find pleasant; the fruits are generally edible and attractive to birds. Some Eurasian species have been introduced into the horticulture trade and are now naturalized in North America (M. A. Dirr 2009). Some of these species have the potential to hybridize with native species; E. angustifolia, E. pungens, and E. umbellata have become noxious weeds. New introductions should be carefully considered and monitored.</p>
|tables=
|references=
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Shrubs or trees 2–10(–12) m; leaves deciduous, blade surfaces densely silver or silver-green, (sometimes less densely so or with scattered, brown scales abaxially).
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Leaf blades ovate-oblong or elliptic (lengths 2 times widths); nectary discs incon- spicuous; stems unarmed, scales gray in age.
|[[Elaeagnus commutata|Elaeagnus commutata]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Leaf blades lanceolate-linear to narrowly elliptic (lengths 3–8 times widths); nectary discs conspicuous; stems usually armed, with thornlike lateral branches, scales reddish brown in age.
|[[Elaeagnus angustifolia|Elaeagnus angustifolia]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Shrubs or trees 1–5 m; leaves deciduous or evergreen, blade surfaces silvery or silver-green abaxially, silver-green or green adaxially.
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Stems armed; leaves evergreen, blades leathery, margins wavy, surfaces with silver scales, more densely hairy and silvery-green abaxially, glabrous and lustrous dark green or dull silver-green adaxially; petioles woody.
|[[Elaeagnus pungens|Elaeagnus pungens]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Stems usually unarmed (young ones thornlike in E. umbellata); leaves deciduous, blades not leathery, margins entire or ± wavy, surfaces silvery abaxially (sometimes with scattered, brown scales), green or dark green and sparsely pubescent or glabrous adaxially; petioles not woody.
|[[#key-0-4| > 4]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Flowers solitary or paired, hypanthium broadly flared, calyx lobes with brown scales outside; leaf blades 1–2.5(–5) cm, broadly lanceolate or cuneate.
|[[Elaeagnus multiflora|Elaeagnus multiflora]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Flowers densely clustered, hypanthium narrowly funnelform, calyx lobes with silver scales outside; leaf blades (2–)3–8(–10) cm, elliptic or ovate.
|[[Elaeagnus umbellata|Elaeagnus umbellata]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Elaeagnus
|authority=Linnaeus
|rank=genus
|parent rank=family
|synonyms=
|basionyms=
|family=Elaeagnaceae
|distribution=North America;Eurasia;Australia
|reference=None
|publication title=Sp. Pl.
|publication year=1753
|special status=
|source xml=
|genus=Elaeagnus
|apex shape=rounded
|base shape=blunt;attenuate
|blade shape=cuneate;lanceolate-linear;cuneate;lanceolate-linear;lanceolate;elliptic;ovate-oblong;ovate
|calyx lobe quantity=5
|flower arrangement=solitary;paired
|flower reproduction=bisexual
|fruit coloration=pink;reddish-brown;pink;reddish-brown;red;pale green;silver
|fruit shape=drupelike
|fruit texture=dry;fleshy
|hair arrangement or shape=stellate;stellate
|hypanthium prominence=conspicuous
|inflorescence architecture=umbellate
|leaf architecture=petiolate
|leaf arrangement=alternate
|leaf duration=evergreen;deciduous
|nectary disc prominence=inconspicuous;conspicuous
|pedicel presence=absent
|scale coloration=silvery
|seed coloration or pubescence or relief=striate
|shrub architecture=unarmed;armed
|shrub growth form=not;clonal
|shrub reproduction=polygamous
|side quantity=1
|stamen arrangement=alternate
|stamen quantity=4
|stem pubescence=glabrate;pubescent
|style arrangement or course or shape=linear
|style structure in adjective form=stigmatic
|tree architecture=unarmed;armed
|tree growth form=clonal
|tree reproduction=polygamous
|x chromosome quantity=14;6
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Elaeagnaceae]]