Buddleja diffusa
Encyclopedia
Buddleja diffusa is a species endemic to central Peru
and northern Argentina
, growing on dry hillsides above rivers and creeks at altitudes of 1000 – 1900 m; it was first described and named by Ruiz
& Pavon
in 1798.
, scrambling, vine-like shrub 1 – 3.5 m high, with yellowish bark. The young branches are quadrangular, the younger growth covered with a white to buff tomentum. The sessile
, membranaceous ovate
or elliptic
leaves 3 – 14 cm long by 2 – 8 cm wide, glabrescent
above, tomentose
below. The yellow inflorescences are 15 - 30 cm long, with one or two orders of branches; the flowers borne in capitate cymules
, each 0.6 - 1 cm diameter, with 9 - 15 flowers; the corolla tubes are 3 – 3.5 mm long.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, growing on dry hillsides above rivers and creeks at altitudes of 1000 – 1900 m; it was first described and named by Ruiz
Hipólito Ruiz López
Hipólito Ruiz López , or Hipólito Ruiz, was a Spanish botanist known for researching the floras of Peru and Chile during an expedition under Carlos III from 1777 to 1788...
& Pavon
José Antonio Pavón Jiménez
José Antonio Pavón Jiménez or José Antonio Pavón was a Spanish botanist known for researching the flora of Peru and Chile during an expedition under Carlos III from 1777 to 1788...
in 1798.
Description
B. diffusa is a dioeciousDioecious
Dioecy is the property of a group of biological organisms that have males and females, but not members that have organs of both sexes at the same time. I.e., those whose individual members can usually produce only one type of gamete; each individual organism is thus distinctly female or male...
, scrambling, vine-like shrub 1 – 3.5 m high, with yellowish bark. The young branches are quadrangular, the younger growth covered with a white to buff tomentum. The sessile
Sessility (botany)
In botany, sessility is a characteristic of plants whose flowers or leaves are borne directly from the stem or peduncle, and thus lack a petiole or pedicel...
, membranaceous ovate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
or elliptic
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
leaves 3 – 14 cm long by 2 – 8 cm wide, glabrescent
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
above, tomentose
Tomentose
Tomentose is a term used to describe plant hairs that are flattened and matted, forming a woolly coating known as tomentum. Often the hairs are silver or gray-colored...
below. The yellow inflorescences are 15 - 30 cm long, with one or two orders of branches; the flowers borne in capitate cymules
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
, each 0.6 - 1 cm diameter, with 9 - 15 flowers; the corolla tubes are 3 – 3.5 mm long.