View Single Post
  #7   Report Post  
Old 16-12-2005, 08:44 AM posted to sci.bio.botany
P van Rijckevorsel
 
Posts: n/a
Default Help identifying a plant

"mel turner" schreef
I missed seeing the earlier bittersweet ID, but I still think this one
is a Euonymus. It's hard to tell whether the leaves in the photo are
alternate [Celastrus] or opposite [Euonymus], but this plant is pretty
clearly evergreen just as the original poster noted [and just like the
particular Euonymus species I'd suggested],

http://www.hancockwoodlands.ca/winte...ereuonymus.JPG

and not deciduous like either the native Celastrus scandens or
the introduced C. orbiculatus.

A more subtle difference is in the fruits: these Celastrus spp. have
their aril-covered seeds in a tight sphere in the center of the dehisced
fruit:

http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake/plant/237.htm
http://www.kansasnativeplants.com/im...n-seed-320.jpg

http://www.mytho-fleurs.com/images/v...s%20fruits.JPG

http://www.tneppc.org/images/Exotics%20Photos/Celastrus%20PA180017%20(RKC).JPG

Whereas the plant in question here

http://www.user.shentel.net/eddie180/FP/100_0846e.jpg

very clearly has well-separated seeds dangling further out nearer
the tips of the fruit capsule lobes, as is typical of many Euonymus
spp.:


***
I would love to say something wise and insightful here, but I can't.
I agree that the fruit details are very important here, but the picture
quality is not adequate. I cannot even agree that there is a clear
separation: from the picture these could also be cases of fruits close
together. All that anybody has to go by here is general habit, and I know
neither of these species.

All right, a final pearl of wisdom: this is the reason that arboreta have
signs with the name of the plant!
PvR