Epilobium
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 Epilobium angustifolium in flower
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Epilobium is a genus of about 160-200 species of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to temperate and subarctic regions of both hemispheres. Most species are known by the common name Willowherb; other names for individual species include Fireweed, Zauschneria, California-fuchsia, Codlins and cream, Spike-primrose, Hummingbird Flower, and Hummingbird Trumpet.
They are mostly herbaceous plants, either annual or perennial; a few are subshrubs. The leaves are mostly opposite or whorled, alternate in a few species, simple, and ovate to lanceolate in shape. The flowers have four petals; pink in most species, red, orange or yellow in a few. The fruit is a slender cylindrical capsule containing numerous seeds embedded in fine, soft silky fluff which disperses the seeds very effectively in the wind.
The taxonomy of the genus has varied between different botanists, but the modern trend is to include the previously-recognised genera Boisduvalia, Chamaenerion, Chamerion, Pyrogennema and Zauschneria within Epilobium.
Many species are weeds in gardens. One of the most frequently recognized members of the genus is Fireweed or Rosebay Willowherb (E. angustifolium); it rapidly colonizes burnt ground. During World War II and the bombing of London many of the derelict bomb sites were soon covered with Fireweed bringing a splash of colour to what was otherwise a very grim scene.
Epilobium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species: Double-striped Pug, The Gothic, Hebrew Character, Mouse Moth and Setaceous Hebrew Character have been recorded on Fireweed and Grey Pug, Elephant Hawk-moth and Small Angle Shades on several species.
- Selected species
- Epilobium alpestre
- Epilobium alsinifolium (Chickweed Willowherb)
- Epilobium alsinoides
- Epilobium anagallidifolium (Alpine Willowherb or Pimpernel Willowherb)
- Epilobium angustifolium (Fireweed or Rosebay Willowherb; syn. Chamerion angustifolium)
- Epilobium arcticum
- Epilobium billardierianum
- Epilobium brachycarpum (Tall Willowherb)
- Epilobium brevipes
- Epilobium brunnescens (New Zealand Willowherb)
- Epilobium canum (Zauschneria or California-fuchsia; syn. Zauschneria cana)
- Epilobium chloraefolium
- Epilobium ciliatum (Fringed Willowherb or American Willowherb)
- Epilobium clavatum (Talus Willowherb)
- Epilobium cleistogamum (Selfing Willowherb)
- Epilobium collinum
- Epilobium coloratum (Purpleleaf Willowherb)
- Epilobium crassum
- Epilobium davuricum (Daurian Willowherb)
- Epilobium densiflorum (Denseflower Willowherb or Dense Spike-primrose; syn. Boisduvalia densiflora)
- Epilobium dodonaei
- Epilobium fleischeri
- Epilobium foliosum (California Willowherb)
- Epilobium glabellum (Smooth Spike-primrose; syn. Boisduvalia glabella)
- Epilobium glaberrimum (Glaucous Willowherb)
- Epilobium glandulosum
- Epilobium halleanum (Glandular Willowherb)
- Epilobium hectori
- Epilobium hirsutum (Great Willowherb)
- Epilobium hornemannii (Hornemann's Willowherb)
- Epilobium howellii (Yuba Pass Willowherb)
- Epilobium komarovianum
- Epilobium lactiflorum (Milkflower Willowherb)
- Epilobium lanceolatum (Spear-leaved Willowherb)
- Epilobium latifolium (River Beauty Willowherb or Dwarf Fireweed; syn. Chamerion latifolium)
- Epilobium leptocarpum (Slenderfruit Willowherb)
- Epilobium leptophyllum (Bog Willowherb)
- Epilobium luteum (Yellow Willowherb)
- Epilobium minutum (Chaparral Willowherb)
- Epilobium mirabile (Olympic Mountain Willowherb)
- Epilobium montanum (Broad-leaved Willowherb)
- Epilobium nevadense (Nevada Willowherb)
- Epilobium nivium (Snow Mountain Willowherb)
- Epilobium obcordatum (Rockfringe Willowherb)
- Epilobium obscurum (Dwarf Willowherb or Short-fruited Willowherb)
- Epilobium oreganum (Grants Pass Willowherb)
- Epilobium oregonense (Oregon Willowherb)
- Epilobium palustre (Marsh Willowherb)
- Epilobium pallidum (Largeflower Spike-primrose)
- Epilobium parviflorum (Small-Flowered Willow Herb, Hoary Willowherb)
- Epilobium pedunculare
- Epilobium purpuratum
- Epilobium pygmaeum (Pygmy Willowherb)
- Epilobium rigidum (Stiff Willowherb)
- Epilobium roseum (Pale Willowherb)
- Epilobium saximontanum (Rocky Mountain Willowherb)
- Epilobium septentrionale (Northern Willowherb; syn. Zauschneria septentrionalis)
- Epilobium siskiyouense (Siskiyou Willowherb)
- Epilobium strictum (Downy Willowherb or Stiff Spike-primrose; syn. Boisduvalia stricta)
- Epilobium suffruticosum (Shrubby Willowherb)
- Epilobium tetragonum (Square-stemmed Willowherb)
- Epilobium torreyi (Torrey's Willowherb)
