Buddleja albiflora

Buddleja albiflora is a deciduous shrub native to the mountains of central China, where it grows on shrub-clad slopes at altitudes of between 1,000 and 2,000 m. Named rather carelessly by Hemsley, the species was discovered by Henry, and introduced to western cultivation by Wilson in 1900.[1]

Buddleja albiflora
Buddleja albiflora, Longstock Park Nursery, Hampshire
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Buddleja
Species:
B. albiflora
Binomial name
Buddleja albiflora
Synonyms
  • Buddleja albiflora var. giraldii (Diels) Rehder et E. H. Wilson
  • Buddleja albiflora var. hemsleyana (Koehne) Schneider
  • Buddleja giraldii Diels
  • Buddleja hemsleyana Koehne

Description
B. albiflora panicle

Buddleja albiflora grows to a height of 4 m in the wild, the branches erect and glabrous. The leaves are narrow lanceolate, with a long-tapered point and wedge-shaped base, 10–22 cm long by 1–6 cm wide, toothed and dark-green, glabrous above in maturity, but covered beneath with a fine silvery-grey felt.[1] The shrub is similar to B. davidii, but has rounded stems, as opposed to the four-angled of the latter. Despite its specific name, the fragrant flowers are actually pale lilac with orange centres, borne as slender panicles 20–45 cm long by 5 cm wide at the base; they are considered inferior to those of B. davidii and thus the plant is comparatively rare in cultivation.[2] B. albiflora is hexaploid: 2n = 114.[3]

Cultivation

The shrub is fully hardy in the UK, and features in the NCCPG National Collection of Buddleja held by the Longstock Park Nursery, near Stockbridge.[4] Hardiness: USDA zones 6–9. [5]

References
  1. Bean, W. J. (1981). Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain, 7th edition. Murray, London
  2. Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1979) The Loganiaceae of Africa XVIII Buddleja L. II, Revision of the African & Asiatic species. H. Veenman & Zonen, Wageningen, Nederland. .
  3. Chen, G, Sun, W-B, & Sun, H. (2007). Ploidy variation in Buddleja L. (Buddlejaceae) in the Sino - Himalayan region and its biogeographical implications. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 2007, 154, 305 – 312. The Linnean Society of London.
  4. Moore, P. (2012). Buddleja List 2011-2012 Longstock Park Nursery. Longstock Park, UK.
  5. Stuart, D. (2006). Buddlejas. Plant Collector Guide. Timber Press, Oregon, USA. ISBN 978-0-88192-688-0
  • Hillier & Sons. (1977). Hilliers' Manual of Trees and Shrubs, 4th Edition. David & Charles, Newton Abbot, England. ISBN 0-7153-7460-5.
  • Li, P. T. & Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1996). Loganiaceae, in Wu, Z. & Raven, P. (eds) Flora of China, Vol. 15. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, USA. ISBN 978-0915279371 online at www.efloras.org
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