Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Japanese honeysuckle
Vigorous climber, evergreen, or semi-evergreen in cold districts. Stems mostly purplish and hirsute when young. Lvs dimorphic: those produced in colder weather in early spring sinuate to deeply lobed; summer lvs and those on reproductive shoots entire. Petiole to 1.3 cm long, densely hirsute. Lamina of entire lvs 2.5-12 × 1.5-6 cm, ovate-oblong, ovate or ovate-elliptic, usually deep ± shining green or sometimes yellowish green above, lighter green below, sometimes mottled yellow, densely hairy to glabrous on veins beneath; midrib above glabrous or hairy; base rounded, truncate or subcordate; apex obtuse to acute; lvs subtending fls similar but smaller, all free. Fls in axillary pairs, fragrant; peduncles 0.5-2.5 cm long, densely hirsute. Bracteoles ± oblong-obovate, much < ovaries. Calyx lobes very small, ± narrow-triangular, fringed with long hairs. Corolla 2-4.5-(5) cm long, usually white, becoming yellow after anthesis, often flushed pink on reverse, glandular-hairy outside; tube 1-3 cm long, cylindric; limb 2-lipped; single linear lobe of lower lip recurving; upper lip 4-toothed. Stamens and style < to = corolla limb. Ovaries separate. Berry (4)-5-7 mm diam., broad- ovate to suborbicular, glossy black. Seed c. 2 mm diam.
N.; S.: abundantly naturalised in many areas but less common in southern parts of the South Id.
E. Asia 1926
Disturbed forest, especially common around margins and in clearings, also in stands of introduced spp. and scrub.
FL Sep-May.
Japanese honeysuckle often constitutes a threat to small stands of indigenous forest because of its dense smothering effect. The following 2 cvs from Europe and N. America are commonly grown in N.Z. and both contribute to the wild population of the sp.: cv. 'Halliana' is distinguished by the lack of any pink on the corolla, and cv. 'Aureo-Reticulata' is distinguished by the yellow lf veins and midrib, but usually reverts to the usual green form when naturalised.
