0205 



PERFOLIATE HONEYSUCKLE 



Family: CAPRIFOLIACEAE. 



Reproductive system: PENTANDRY, MONOGYNY. 



The stem of the perfoliate honeysuckle, Lonicera caprifolium, Linn., forms a 

 rough, grayish stock. It puts out a number of extremely long cylindrical shoots, leafy and 

 densely branched, that wind all around the structures supporting it. The leaves, opposite 

 in pairs, are sessile, oval, obtuse, and quite entire. The ones on the upper parts of the 

 branches are fused together as a single rounded leaf traversed by the stem. The large 

 reddish flowers are sessile and arranged in whorls at the base of the uppermost two or 

 three pairs of leaves. The very small calyx is persistent, with five points. The corolla is a 

 long tube widened at the top and divided into two parts. The upper part is broad, with 

 four lobes; the lower is narrow, entire, and reflexed. There are five stamens. The ovary is 

 adherent and topped by a thin style the same length as the corolla. The fruit is a red berry 

 containing several seeds. 



FLOWERS: from the end of spring until mid-summer. 



RANGE: southern France, in woods and hedges. 



NOMENCLATURE. German, das geisblatt, welsche specklilie. English, the Italian 

 honeysuckle. Spanish, madre selva. Portuguese, matrisylva. Proven9al, mairesiouvo. 



USES. This honeysuckle has been an ornamental shrub in our parks and gardens 

 for a long time. Early in summer it's seen climbing up large trees and descending in 

 elegant flowery garlands. It's used to cover walls and fences and to form bowers and 

 arbors. All of its formations are pleasing, and it delightfully enhances a garden's 

 appearance and fragrance. 



