# Abelia > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Abelia > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Abelia.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelia > Source revision: 1354820708 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Abelia chinensis RJB1.jpg |image_caption = ''[Abelia chinensis](/source/Abelia_chinensis)'' |taxon = Abelia |authority = [R.Br.](/source/R.Br.) (1818) |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = *''[Abelia chinensis](/source/Abelia_chinensis)'' {{small|R.Br.}} *''[Abelia forrestii](/source/Abelia_forrestii)'' {{small|(Diels) W.W.Sm.}} *''[Abelia macrotera](/source/Abelia_macrotera)'' {{small|(Graebn. & Buchw.) Rehder}} *''[Abelia parvifolia](/source/Abelia_parvifolia)'' {{small|Hemsl.}} *''[Abelia schumannii](/source/Abelia_schumannii)'' {{small|(Graebn.) Rehder}} *''[Abelia uniflora](/source/Abelia_uniflora)'' {{small|R.Br.}} |subdivision_ref = [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30049036-2 ''Abelia'' R.Br.] ''[Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online)''. Retrieved 25 April 2024. }} '''''Abelia''''' {{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|b|iː|l|i|ə}}{{cite book|title=Sunset Western Garden Book|year=1995|pages=606–607}} is a genus of flowering plants in the honeysuckle [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)), [Caprifoliaceae](/source/Caprifoliaceae). The genus currently includes six species native to China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The [genus](/source/genus) previously contained about 30 species and [hybrids](/source/Hybrid_(biology)). [Molecular phylogenetic](/source/Molecular_phylogenetics) studies showed that the genus was not [monophyletic](/source/Monophyly). ''Abelia'' section ''Zabelia'' was raised to the genus ''[Zabelia](/source/Zabelia)'', and the majority of ''Abelia'' species have been transferred to other genera, including ''[Diabelia](/source/Diabelia)'', ''[Lonicera](/source/Lonicera)'', and ''[Vesalea](/source/Vesalea)''. ==Description== Species of ''Abelia'' are [shrub](/source/shrub)s from 1–6 m tall. Species from warm climates are [evergreen](/source/evergreen), and colder climate species [deciduous](/source/deciduous). The [leaves](/source/leaf) are opposite or in whorls of three, ovate, glossy, dark green, 1.5–8 cm long, turning purplish-bronze to red in autumn in the deciduous species. The [flower](/source/flower)s appear in the upper leaf axils and stem ends, 1-8 together in a short [cyme](/source/Cyme_(botany)); they are pendulous, white to pink, bell-shaped with a five-lobed corolla, 1–5 cm long, and usually scented. Flowering continues over a long and continuous period from late spring to fall. Some of these species are cultivated as ornamental garden plants, and may still be described as ''Abelia'' in horticultural listings. A notable example is the hybrid ''[Abelia × grandiflora](/source/Abelia_%C3%97_grandiflora)''. ==Taxonomy== The generic name commemorates [Clarke Abel](/source/Clarke_Abel), a keen naturalist who accompanied [Lord Amherst's unsuccessful embassy to China](/source/William_Amherst%2C_1st_Earl_Amherst) in 1816 as a surgeon, under the sponsorship of [Sir Joseph Banks](/source/Sir_Joseph_Banks). All of Abel's seeds and plants were lost in a shipwreck on the homeward voyage, however; living plants of ''Abelia chinensis'' were first imported to England in 1844 by [Robert Fortune](/source/Robert_Fortune).Alice M. Coats, ''Garden Shrubs and Their Histories'' (1964), 1992, ''s.v.'' "Abelia". Some species placed in ''Abelia'' were transferred to ''[Linnaea](/source/Linnaea)'' at various times from 1872 onwards, but these transfers were not accepted by most botanists. [Molecular phylogenetic](/source/Molecular_phylogenetics) studies showed that a number of genera traditionally placed in the tribe Linnaeeae were closely related, but that ''Abelia'' was not monophyletic, even with ''Abelia'' section ''Zabelia'' split off as a separate genus ''[Zabelia](/source/Zabelia)''. In 2013, [Maarten Christenhusz](/source/Maarten_J._M._Christenhusz) proposed that ''Abelia'' and related genera be merged into ''Linnaea''. In 2015 Wang, Landrein, ''et al.'' also found that ''Abelia'' was polyphyletic, and that ''Zabelia'' was more closely related to ''[Morina](/source/Morina)'' than to the rest of the subfamily [Linnaeoideae](/source/Linnaeoideae). They organized the Linnaeoideae into six monophyletic genera by recognizing ''[Dipelta](/source/Dipelta)'', ''[Kolkwitzia](/source/Kolkwitzia)'', and ''Linnaea'' as distinct genera, placing the former Mexican species of ''Abelia'' in the revived genus ''[Vesalea](/source/Vesalea)'', creating the new genus ''[Diabelia](/source/Diabelia)'', and leaving six Asian species in ''Abelia''.Wang H-F, Landrein S, Dong W-P, Nie Z-L, Kondo K, Funamoto T, et al. (2015) Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeographic Diversification of Linnaeoideae (Caprifoliaceae s. l.) Disjunctly Distributed in Eurasia, North America and Mexico. PLoS ONE 10(3): e0116485. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0116485 [Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online) accepts the circumscription of Wang, Landrein, ''et al.''. ==Species== Six species are accepted. *''[Abelia chinensis](/source/Abelia_chinensis)'' {{small|R.Br.}} *''[Abelia forrestii](/source/Abelia_forrestii)'' {{small|(Diels) W.W.Sm.}} *''[Abelia × grandiflora](/source/Abelia_%C3%97_grandiflora)'' {{small|(Rovelli ex André) Rehder}} (artificial hybrid of ''A. chinensis'' × ''A. uniflora'') *''[Abelia macrotera](/source/Abelia_macrotera)'' {{small|(Graebn. & Buchw.) Rehder}} *''[Abelia parvifolia](/source/Abelia_parvifolia)'' {{small|Hemsl.}} *''[Abelia schumannii](/source/Abelia_schumannii)'' {{small|(Graebn.) Rehder}} *''[Abelia uniflora](/source/Abelia_uniflora)'' {{small|R.Br.}} ===Former species and synonyms=== Species and synonyms previously placed in ''Abelia'' but now placed in other genera include: {{Div col|colwidth=20em}} *''Abelia adenotricha'' = ''[Lonicera elisae](/source/Lonicera_elisae)'' *''Abelia angustifolia'' = ''[Zabelia angustifolia](/source/Zabelia_angustifolia)'' *''Abelia anhweiensis'' = ''[Zabelia dielsii](/source/Zabelia_dielsii)'' *''Abelia biflora'' = ''[Zabelia biflora](/source/Zabelia_biflora)'' *''Abelia brachystemon'' = ''[Zabelia brachystemon](/source/Zabelia_brachystemon)'' *''Abelia buchwaldii'' = [''Diabelia serrata'' f. ''buchwaldii''](/source/Diabelia_serrata) *''Abelia buddleioides'' = ''[Zabelia buddleioides](/source/Zabelia_buddleioides)'' *''Abelia coreana'' = ''[Zabelia dielsii](/source/Zabelia_dielsii)'' *''Abelia coriacea'' = ''[Vesalea coriacea](/source/Vesalea_coriacea)'' *''Abelia corymbosa'' = ''[Zabelia corymbosa](/source/Zabelia_corymbosa)'' *''Abelia curviflora'' = ''[Diabelia sanguinea](/source/Diabelia_sanguinea)'' *''Abelia davidii'' = ''[Zabelia biflora](/source/Zabelia_biflora)'' *''Abelia dielsii'' = ''[Zabelia dielsii](/source/Zabelia_dielsii)'' *''Abelia floribunda'' = ''[Vesalea floribunda](/source/Vesalea_floribunda)'' *''Abelia grandifolia'' = ''[Vesalea grandifolia](/source/Vesalea_grandifolia)'' *''Abelia gymnocarpa'' = [''Diabelia serrata'' f. ''gymnocarpa''](/source/Diabelia_serrata) *''Abelia hersii'' = ''[Zabelia dielsii](/source/Zabelia_dielsii)'' *''Abelia hirsuta'' = [''Vesalea floribunda'' var. ''floribunda''](/source/Vesalea_floribunda) *''Abelia insularis'' = ''[Zabelia biflora](/source/Zabelia_biflora)'' *''Abelia integrifolia'' = ''[Zabelia integrifolia](/source/Zabelia_integrifolia)'' *''Abelia ionostachya'' = ''[Diabelia ionostachya](/source/Diabelia_ionostachya)'' *''Abelia mexicana'' = ''[Vesalea mexicana](/source/Vesalea_mexicana)'' *''Abelia mosanensis'' = ''[Zabelia tyaihyoni](/source/Zabelia_tyaihyoni)'' *''Abelia occidentalis'' = ''[Vesalea occidentalis](/source/Vesalea_occidentalis)'' *''Abelia onkocarpa'' = ''[Zabelia onkocarpa](/source/Zabelia_onkocarpa)'' *''Abelia sanguinea'' = ''[Diabelia sanguinea](/source/Diabelia_sanguinea)'' *''Abelia serrata'' = ''[Diabelia serrata](/source/Diabelia_serrata)'' *''Abelia shikokiana'' = ''[Zabelia biflora](/source/Zabelia_biflora)'' *''Abelia spathulata'' = ''[Diabelia spathulata](/source/Diabelia_spathulata)'' *''Abelia speciosa'' = [''Vesalea floribunda'' var. ''floribunda''](/source/Vesalea_floribunda) *''Abelia splendens'' = [''Lonicera fragrantissima'' subsp. ''fragrantissima''](/source/Lonicera_fragrantissima) *''Abelia tetrasepala'' = [''Diabelia ionostachya'' var. ''tetrasepala''](/source/Diabelia_ionostachya) *''Abelia tomentosa'' = [''Diabelia serrata'' f. ''tomentosa''](/source/Diabelia_tomentosa) *''Abelia tyaihyonii'' = ''[Zabelia tyaihyonii](/source/Zabelia_tyaihyonii)'' *''Abelia umbellata'' = ''[Zabelia umbellata](/source/Zabelia_umbellata)'' *''Abelia zanderi'' = ''[Zabelia dielsii](/source/Zabelia_dielsii)'' {{Div col end}} ==Cultivation== Several species of ''Abelia'' are in cultivation. Though not fully hardy, they are easy to grow in a sheltered, sunny position. The [cultivar](/source/cultivar) 'Edward Goucher' has gained the [Royal Horticultural Society](/source/Royal_Horticultural_Society)'s [Award of Garden Merit](/source/Award_of_Garden_Merit).{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/95223/i-Abelia-i-Edward-Goucher/Details | title = ''Abelia'' 'Edward Goucher' | publisher = RHS | website = www.rhs.org | access-date = 6 August 2019}}{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 1 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | website = www.rhs.org | access-date = 6 August 2019}} ==Allergenicity== ''Abelia'' has an [OPALS allergy scale](/source/OPALS_(Ogren_Plant_Allergy_Scale)) rating of 5 out of 10, indicating moderate potential to cause allergic reactions, exacerbated by over-use of the same plant throughout a garden.{{cite book |last=Ogren |first=Thomas Leo |title=Allergy-Free Gardening |date=2000 |publisher=Ten Speed Press |location=Berkeley, California |isbn=1580081665 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/allergyfreegarde00thom }} People allergic to [honeysuckle](/source/honeysuckle) may experience cross-reactive allergic reactions with ''Abelia''. ==References and external links== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist|refs= {{Citation |last1=Christenhusz |first1=Maarten J.M. |date=2013 |title=Twins are not alone: a recircumscription of Linnaea (Caprifoliaceae) |journal=Phytotaxa |volume=125 |issue=1 |pages=25–32 |doi=10.11646/phytotaxa.125.1.4 |citeseerx=10.1.1.397.846 |s2cid=86036432 }} }} {{Taxonbar|from=Q158261}} Category:Caprifoliaceae Category:Caprifoliaceae genera Category:Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Abelia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.