Wisteria brachybotrys

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Faboideae
Tribus: Wisterieae
Genus: Wisteria
Species: Wisteria brachybotrys
Name

Wisteria brachybotrys Siebold & Zucc., Fl. Jap. 1: 92 (1839).
Synonyms

Homotypic
Kraunhia brachybotrys (Siebold & Zucc.) Greene, Pittonia 2: 175 (1891).
Phaseoloides brachybotrys (Siebold & Zucc.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 201 (1891).
Kraunhia sinensis var. brachybotrys (Siebold & Zucc.) Makino, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 24: 76 (1910).
Kraunhia floribunda var. brachybotrys (Siebold & Zucc.) Makino, Bot. Mag (Tokyo) 25: 18. 1911.
Rehsonia brachybotrys (Siebold & Zucc.) Stritch, Phytologia 56: 184 (1984).
Heterotypic
Wisteria venusta Rehder & E.H.Wilson in C.S.Sargent, Pl. Wilson. 2: 514 (1916).
Rehsonia venusta (Rehder & E.H.Wilson) Stritch, Phytologia 56: 183 (1984).
Wisteria brachybotrys var. alba W.T.Mill. in L.H. Bailey, Cycl. Amer. Hort., ed. 2: 1889 (1902).
Wisteria brachybotrys f. alba (W.T.Mill.) Ohwi, A. P. G. 12: 109. 1943; Fl. Jap.: 695. 1953.
Kraunhia sinensis f. albiflora Makino, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 24: 77 (1910).
Wisteria brachybotrys f. albiflora (Makino) J.Compton & Lack, Willdenowia 42: 237 (2012).
Wisteria venusta f. violacea Rehder

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Asia-Temperate
Regional: China
China North-Central, China Southeast.
Regional: Eastern Asia
Japan.

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition

References
Primary references

Siebold, P.F.v. & Zuccarini, J.G. 1835–1841. Flora Japonica sive, Plantae Quas in Imperio Japonico Collegit, Descripsit, ex Parte in Ipsis Locis Pingendas Curavit. Sectio Prima Continens Plantas Ornatui vel Usui Inservientes. Digessit J. G. Zuccarini. Centuria prima. 89 + 4 pp., 150 tab., Lugduni Batavorum [Leiden]. Google Books Gallica Reference page. : 92, t. 45.

Additional references

Akiyama, S., Thijsse, G., Esser, H.-J. & Ohba, H. 2014. Siebold and Zuccarini’s Type Specimens and Original Materials from Japan, Part 5. Angiosperms. Dicotyledoneae 4. The Journal of Japanese Botany 89(5): 279–330. JJB (PDF) Reference page.
Compton, J.A. 2015. The genus Wisteria Nuttall: Leguminosae (Fabaceae). Curtis's Botanical Magazine 32(3–4): 183–192. DOI: 10.1111/curt.12110 Reference page.
Compton, J.A. 2015. Wisteria brachybotrys: Leguminosae (Fabaceae). Curtis's Botanical Magazine 32(3–4): 294–311. DOI: 10.1111/curt.12113 Paywall Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Wisteria brachybotrys in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jun 21. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Wisteria brachybotrys. Published online. Accessed: Jun 21 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Wisteria brachybotrys. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jun 21.
Hassler, M. 2021. Wisteria brachybotrys. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jun 21. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2021. World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. . Wisteria brachybotrys. Accessed: 21 Jun 2021.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Wisteria brachybotrys in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Vernacular names
English: Silky wisteria
日本語: ヤマフジ

Wisteria brachybotrys, the silky wisteria, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae from Japan. Some older references believed it to be of garden origin.[1] It is certainly very widely cultivated in its native Japan, with the white flowered cultivars more widely grown than the pale violet cultivars. It is in fact native to western parts of Honshu and throughout Shikoku and Kyushu, growing in mountain forests and woods from 100 to 900m.[2] It is not at all clear why it is less popular in the west than in Japan.

The Greek specific epithet brachybotrys means “short clusters”.[3]

Growing to 19 m (62 ft) or more, it is a deciduous anticlockwise twining woody climber with hairy leaves to 35 cm (14 in) long, each leaf comprising up to 13 leaflets. The scented flowers, borne in late spring and early summer, are pale violet or white with a yellow blotch at the base. They hang in racemes up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long. They are followed by felted green seedpods containing pea-like seeds. These are reported to be toxic if ingested in quantity.[1]

Like its more famous cousins, Wisteria sinensis (Chinese wisteria) and Wisteria floribunda (Japanese wisteria), it requires support when grown as an ornamental. It may be trained up a tree, a wall or a pergola. It may also be trained as a half-standard tree. It is hardy down to −20 °C (−4 °F) but needs a sheltered position in sun or partial shade, and reliably moist soil.

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit:-[4]

’Okayama’[5]
’Showa-beni’[6]
Wisteria brachybotrys f. albiflora 'Shiro-kapitan'[7]

References

Brickell, Christopher, ed. (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781405332965.
Compton, James (October 2015). "Wisteria brachybotrys". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 32 (3–4): 294–311. doi:10.1111/curt.12113.
Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 978-1845337315.
"AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 108. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
"Wisteria brachybotrys 'Okayama'". RHS. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
"Wisteria brachybotrys 'Showa-beni'". RHS. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
"Wisteria brachybotrys f. albiflora 'Shiro-kapitan'". RHS. Retrieved 7 March 2019.