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Spiraea
 
 
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Spiraea (Meadowsweet) is a genus of about 80-100 species of shrub
Shrub

A shrub or bush is a horticulture rather than strictly Botany category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall....
s in the Rosaceae
Rosaceae

The Rosaceae or rose family is a large family of plants, with about 3,000-4,000 species in 100-160 genera. Traditionally it has been divided into four subfamilies: Rosoideae, Spiraeoideae, Maloideae, and Amygdaloideae....
, subfamily Spiraeoideae
Spiraeoideae

The subfamily Spiraeoideae is a subfamily of flowering plants in the order Rosales.Most are shrubs, but there are some herbs. Most have simple leaves, but the genera Aruncus and Sorbaria pinnately compound leaves....
. They are native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator....
, with the greatest diversity in eastern Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
.

Spiraea species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva

A larva is a young form of animal with indirect developmental biology, going through or undergoing metamorphosis .The larva can look completely different from the adult form, for example, a caterpillar differs from a butterfly....
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
 species including Brown-tail
Brown-tail

The Brown-tail is a moth of the family Lymantriidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.The wings of this species are pure white, as is the body, apart from a tuft of brown hairs at the end of the abdomen....
, Emperor Moth, Grey Dagger
Grey Dagger

The Grey Dagger is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.This species has grey forewings with bold black dagger-shaped markings....
, Hypercompe indecisa
Hypercompe

Hypercompe is a genus of moths of the Family Arctiidae. There are over 80 species found throughout the Americas. Several species were formerly separated in Ecpantheria which is now regarded as a junior synonym....
 and Setaceous Hebrew Character
Setaceous Hebrew Character

The Setaceous Hebrew Character is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a common species throughout Europe.The forewings of this species are reddish brown with distinctive patterning towards the base: a black mark resembling the Hebrew language letter Nun : ? with a pale cream coloure...
.

The genus was formerly treated as also containing the herbaceous species now segregated
Segregate (taxonomy)

In Alpha taxonomy, a segregate, or a segregate taxon is created when a taxon is split off, from another taxon. This other taxon will be better known, usually bigger, and will continue to exist, even after the segregate taxon has been split off....
 into the genera Filipendula
Filipendula

Filipendula is a genus of 12 species of perennial plant herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
 and Aruncus
Aruncus

Aruncus is a genus of herbaceous plants in the Rosaceae, subfamily Spiraeoideae. Botanical opinion of the number of species differs, with from one to four species accepted....
; recent genetic
Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and Genetic variation in living organisms. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding....
 evidence has shown that Filipendula is only distantly related to Spiraea, belonging in the subfamily Rosoideae
Rosoideae

The rose subfamily Rosoideae consists of more than 850 species, including many shrubs, perennial herbs, and fruit plants such as Fragaria and brambles....
.

Uses and toxicity
Spiraea (also known as Meadowsweet) is too woody to be used as an edible plant, but has a long history of medicinal use by Native Americans as an herbal tea.






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Spiraea (Meadowsweet) is a genus of about 80-100 species of shrub
Shrub

A shrub or bush is a horticulture rather than strictly Botany category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall....
s in the Rosaceae
Rosaceae

The Rosaceae or rose family is a large family of plants, with about 3,000-4,000 species in 100-160 genera. Traditionally it has been divided into four subfamilies: Rosoideae, Spiraeoideae, Maloideae, and Amygdaloideae....
, subfamily Spiraeoideae
Spiraeoideae

The subfamily Spiraeoideae is a subfamily of flowering plants in the order Rosales.Most are shrubs, but there are some herbs. Most have simple leaves, but the genera Aruncus and Sorbaria pinnately compound leaves....
. They are native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator....
, with the greatest diversity in eastern Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
.

Spiraea species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva

A larva is a young form of animal with indirect developmental biology, going through or undergoing metamorphosis .The larva can look completely different from the adult form, for example, a caterpillar differs from a butterfly....
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
 species including Brown-tail
Brown-tail

The Brown-tail is a moth of the family Lymantriidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.The wings of this species are pure white, as is the body, apart from a tuft of brown hairs at the end of the abdomen....
, Emperor Moth, Grey Dagger
Grey Dagger

The Grey Dagger is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.This species has grey forewings with bold black dagger-shaped markings....
, Hypercompe indecisa
Hypercompe

Hypercompe is a genus of moths of the Family Arctiidae. There are over 80 species found throughout the Americas. Several species were formerly separated in Ecpantheria which is now regarded as a junior synonym....
 and Setaceous Hebrew Character
Setaceous Hebrew Character

The Setaceous Hebrew Character is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a common species throughout Europe.The forewings of this species are reddish brown with distinctive patterning towards the base: a black mark resembling the Hebrew language letter Nun : ? with a pale cream coloure...
.

The genus was formerly treated as also containing the herbaceous species now segregated
Segregate (taxonomy)

In Alpha taxonomy, a segregate, or a segregate taxon is created when a taxon is split off, from another taxon. This other taxon will be better known, usually bigger, and will continue to exist, even after the segregate taxon has been split off....
 into the genera Filipendula
Filipendula

Filipendula is a genus of 12 species of perennial plant herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
 and Aruncus
Aruncus

Aruncus is a genus of herbaceous plants in the Rosaceae, subfamily Spiraeoideae. Botanical opinion of the number of species differs, with from one to four species accepted....
; recent genetic
Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and Genetic variation in living organisms. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding....
 evidence has shown that Filipendula is only distantly related to Spiraea, belonging in the subfamily Rosoideae
Rosoideae

The rose subfamily Rosoideae consists of more than 850 species, including many shrubs, perennial herbs, and fruit plants such as Fragaria and brambles....
.

Uses and toxicity


Spiraea (also known as Meadowsweet) is too woody to be used as an edible plant, but has a long history of medicinal use by Native Americans as an herbal tea. The entire plant contains methyl salicylate
Methyl salicylate

Methyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants producing it are called wintergreens, hence the common name....
 and other salicylates, compounds with similar medicinal properties of aspirin
Aspirin

Aspirin , also known as acetylsalicylic acid , is a salicylate medication, often used as an analgesic to relieve minor aches and pains, as an antipyretic to reduce fever, and as an anti-inflammatory medication....
. Unlike other salicylate-bearing plants such as willow
Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
 or poplar
Poplar

Populus is a genus of between 25?35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere....
, meadowsweet's content of these analgesic compounds remain consistent from plant to plant. Unlike aspirin, meadowsweet is effective in treating stomach disorders in minute amounts. The salicylates in this plant are a highly effective analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and fever reducer, without the side affects attributed to aspirin. Compounds in this plant also contain bacteriostatic properties, and the tea of this plant was used by the Blackfeet Indians as an enema and vagina douche to treat infections of the bowels and vaginal area.

In pure form, methyl salicylate
Methyl salicylate

Methyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants producing it are called wintergreens, hence the common name....
 is toxic, especially when taken internally. The lowest published lethal dose is 101 mg/kg body weight in adult humans. It has proven fatal to small children in doses as small as 4 mL. A 17 year-old cross-country runner at Notre Dame Academy on Staten Island
Staten Island

Staten Island is a borough of New York City, situated almost entirely on the island of the same name in the extreme southwest part of the city....
, died April 3, 2007, after her body absorbed high levels of methyl salicylate through excessive use of topical muscle-pain relief products. Methyl Salicylate is used as a rubefacient
Rubefacient

A rubefacient is a substance for external application that produces redness of the skin e.g. by causing dilation of the capillary and an increase in blood circulation....
 in deep heating liniment
Liniment

File:Herb Knudson's Surgical 11.jpgLiniment, from the Latin linere, to anoint, is a medicated topical preparation for application to the skin....
s, and in small amounts as a flavoring agent in chewing gums and other products at no more than 0.04%.

Selected species

  • Spiraea alba (Narrow-leaved Meadowsweet)
  • Spiraea amoena
  • Spiraea arcuata
  • Spiraea baldschuanica
  • Spiraea bella
  • Spiraea betulifolia
  • Spiraea blumei
  • Spiraea calcicola
  • Spiraea cana
  • Spiraea canescens
  • Spiraea cantoniensis
  • Spiraea chamaedryfolia
  • Spiraea crenata
  • Spiraea decumbens
  • Spiraea densiflora
    Spiraea densiflora

    The mountain shrub Spiraea densiflora has several common names, including mountain spiraea, dense-flowered spiraea, rosy spiraea, and subalpine spiraea....
  • Spiraea douglasii (Hardhack
    Hardhack

    Spiraea douglasii, commonly known as hardhack, is a shrub of the Spiraea family. It is found in northwestern United States, Canada, and southern Alaska, east to Alberta and Idaho....
    )
  • Spiraea gemmata
  • Spiraea henryi
  • Spiraea hypericifolia
  • Spiraea japonica
    Spiraea japonica

    Spiraea japonica is a plant in the family Rosaceae. Synonyms for the species name are Spiraea bumalda Burv. and Spiraea japonica var....
     (Japanese Spiraea)
  • Spiraea latifolia
    Spiraea latifolia

    Spiraea latifolia, commonly known as Broadleaf Meadowsweet , is a shrub in the Rosaceae family.External links*...
     (Broad-leaved meadowsweet)
  • Spiraea lobata
    Spiraea lobata

    Spiraea lobata is a herb native to the United States....
  • Spiraea longigemmis
  • Spiraea media
  • Spiraea micrantha
  • Spiraea miyabei
  • Spiraea mollifolia
  • Spiraea nervosa
  • Spiraea nipponica
  • Spiraea prunifolia (Bridalwreath Spiraea
    Bridalwreath Spiraea

    Spiraea prunifolia is a species of the genus Spiraea. It is one of 80-100 species of shrubs in the family Rosaceae, subfamily Spiraeoideae....
    )
  • Spiraea pubescens
  • Spiraea rosthornii
  • Spiraea salicifolia (Bridewort Spiraea)
  • Spiraea sargentiana
  • Spiraea thunbergii
    Spiraea thunbergii

    Spiraea thunbergii is a plant in the rose family, Rosaceae....
  • Spiraea tomentosa (Steeplebush)
  • Spiraea trichocarpa
  • Spiraea trilobata
  • Spiraea veitchii
  • Spiraea virginiana
  • Spiraea wilsonii
  • Spiraea yunnanensis


There are also numerous named hybrids, some occurring in the wild, others bred in garden
Garden

A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials....
s; some are important ornamental plant
Ornamental plant

Ornamental plants are typically grown in the flower garden or as house plants. Most commonly they are grown for the display of their flowers. Other common ornamental features include leaves, scent, fruit, Plant stem and bark....
s:
  • Spiraea × arguta (S. × multiflora × S. thunbergii)
  • Spiraea × billardii (S. douglasii × S. salicifolia)
  • Spiraea × blanda (S. nervosa × S. cantoniensis)
  • Spiraea × brachybotrys (S. canescens × S. douglasii)
  • Spiraea × bumalda (S. japonica × S. albiflora)
  • Spiraea × cinerea (S. hypericifolia × S. cana)
  • Spiraea × conspicua (S. japonica × S. latifolia)
  • Spiraea × fontenaysii (S. canescens × S. salicifolia)
  • Spiraea × foxii (S. japonica × S. betulifolia)
  • Spiraea × gieseleriana (S. cana × S. chamaedryfolia)
  • Spiraea × macrothyrsa (S. douglasii × S. latifolia)
  • Spiraea × multiflora (S. crenata × S. hypericifolia)
  • Spiraea × notha (S. betulifolia × S. latifolia)
  • Spiraea × nudiflora (S. chamaedryfolia × S. bella)
  • Spiraea × pikoviensis (S. crenata × S. media)
  • Spiraea × pyramidata (S. betulifolia × S. douglasii)
  • Spiraea × revirescens (S. amoena × S. japonica)
  • Spiraea × sanssouciana (S. japonica × S. douglasii)
  • Spiraea × schinabeckii (S. chamaedryfolia × S. trilobata)
  • Spiraea × semperflorens (S. japonica × S. salicifolia)
  • Spiraea × vanhouttei (S. trilobata × S. cantoniensis)
  • Spiraea × watsoniana (S. douglasii × S. densiflora)